MS Nordnorge

The 1997-built MS Nordnorge cruise ship is one of the six “contemporary” Hurtigruten vessels, together with Kong Harald, Nordlys, Nordkapp, Polarlys and Richard With. Together with her fleet mates, Nordnorge serves Hurtigruten’s Norwegian Coastal Voyages (NCV) program for cruiseferry travel by cargo-passenger vessels.

The vessel (IMO number 9107784) is currently Norway-flagged (MMSI 259371000) and registered in Tromso.

History - construction and ownership

The shipowner Hurtigruten is a Norwegian passenger shipping company specializing in cruise and ferry transportation. The “Norwegian Coastal Express Route” (Bergen–Kirkenes) is a year-round cargo-passenger service along Norway’s western and northern coast. Hurtigruten’s cruise ferries sail nearly the full length of the country, completing the roundtrip itinerary in 11 days and visiting regions such as the Lofoten Islands and Vesteralen Islands.

The 700-passenger MS Nordnorge is the second Hurtigruten vessel to bear this name. “Nord-Norge” translates as “Northern Norway,” referring to the country’s northern region, largely within the Arctic Circle. Between 2002 and 2007, the ship sailed in Antarctica. She became a national icon after serving as the main venue for NRK’s “Hurtigruten – Minute by Minute,” watched by approximately 3.2 million viewers.

Decks and Cabins

MS Nordnorge staterooms (214 total, in 9 grades) include 12 Suites, 178 Outside and 21 Inside cabins. Cabin sizes range from 55 to 325 ft² (5–30 m²). Wheelchair-accessible cabins are 3. Most staterooms are outside, sized 85–140 ft² (8–14 m²). There are no balcony cabins.

Standard cabin amenities include lower and upper bunk beds, bedside reading lamps, foldable table with chair, LCD TV, radio, phone, mini-fridge, electronic safe, wardrobe with dressers and cabinets, en-suite bathroom (WC/shower, bath products, hairdryer), individual air conditioning and blankets for outdoor seating.

The ship has 7 decks, of which 6 are passenger-accessible and 4 are with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

MS Nordnorge offers everyday conveniences in a comfortable, informal setting. The main restaurant serves locally sourced ingredients, with menus featuring authentic Norwegian specialties alongside international dishes.

Follows the complete list of ms Nordnorge restaurants and food bars.

• Torget Restaurant (Deck 4) – the ship’s 240-seat Dining Room with floor-to-ceiling windows and a central buffet station. Breakfast (7–10 a.m.) and Lunch (11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.) are buffet-style. Dinner is waiter-served with four seatings and a 3-course menu (plus à la carte snacks). Hurtigruten wine packages are also available.
• Multe Bakery (Deck 7 midship) – a patisserie and ice-cream bar with a knitting corner and jigsaw puzzles. Offers freshly baked cakes, pastries and a variety of local ice creams, including stockfish, brown cheese and cloudberry flavors.
• Brygga Bistro (Deck 4) – serves café-style food ideal for a light lunch, including beverages, sandwiches and burgers.
• Kysten Arctic Fine Dining (Deck 4) – an intimate venue serving premium seafood, exotic meats and Arctic-sourced specialties.

Unlike most Hurtigruten ships, Nordnorge has no 24-hour Café Restaurant. The only 24-hour venue is the Reception, offering guest assistance along with a limited selection of beverages, packaged snacks and sandwiches.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Nordnorge is not a traditional cruise ship. As one of Hurtigruten’s “contemporary ships,” she serves as a hybrid between a cruise ship, a ferry and a coastal logistics vessel. Her interiors feature brass accents, polished wood stairways, panoramic windows and notable Norwegian artwork. Port stops are frequent and short—up to 33 ports in six days—allowing guests to disembark, join a bus tour and reunite with the ship at the next port.

Onboard entertainment is low-key, with socializing and scenic viewing taking precedence. Occasional live music is offered in the Bar Lounge. Facilities include a small Fitness Room, two outdoor jacuzzis and an Infirmary. The small medical facility is not staffed by a resident doctor or nurse; in emergencies, medical help is sought among passengers, and the vessel remains close to shore to allow transfer to hospitals when necessary.

Follows the complete list of ms Nordnorge lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Car Deck (capacity 45 cars)
• Two Lecture Halls / Conference Rooms (Deck 4) – host multimedia presentations, lectures by scientists and wildlife experts, and Norway-themed films (no formal show program)
• Explorer Lounge & Bar (Deck 7 forward) – a Panorama Lounge with floor-to-ceiling bow-view windows; also serves as a Library with books, board games and cards
• The Shop (souvenirs, Hurtigruten merchandise, jewelry, toiletries, clothing)
• Promenade Deck (full-circle open-air deck)
• Observation Lounge and Bar
• TRIM Fitness (exercise bikes, treadmills, free weights); two Saunas (men/women)

The Sun Deck hosts Hurtigruten’s “Arctic Circle baptism” ceremony, featuring a Neptune-costumed crewmember, icy seawater and a warming shot.

The ship does not have a Kids Playroom, Nursery, Video Arcade or Internet Café.

Itineraries

MS Nordnorge’s itinerary program is based on Norwegian Coastal Voyages, including scenic sailings through Norway’s fjords. She serves primarily as a ferry for passengers and cars, though many travelers book full 12-day roundtrip itineraries from Bergen and Kirkenes.

MS Nordnorge cruises Norway’s coast in summer, and in winter she sails to Antarctica for expedition-style adventures with lectures and naturalist-led exploration. During her Antarctica voyages, passenger capacity is limited to 350. The program includes shore landings and guided excursions.

The vessel (built by Kleven Verft) has a volume of 11,384 GT, a deadweight tonnage of 1,171 tons and a max draught of 5.2 m. The powerplant is based on MAK Maschinenbau marine diesel engines (model 6M552C) with a combined output of 18 MW. The registered shipowner is HURTIGRUTEN COASTAL FLEET AS, and the manager is HURTIGRUTEN COASTAL AS.

MS Nordnorge was christened by godmother Sissel Ronback on March 20, 1997. She is named after the northern part of Norway (the Arctic Circle region). This is the second Hurtigruten ship to bear the name. Classed among the company’s contemporary vessels, Nordnorge is a combination of RO-RO ferry, UPS-style coastal cargo service and cruise ship.

The vessel’s godmother, Sissel Ronback, is a Norwegian politician (Labour Party) who at the time served as Norway's Minister of Transport and Communications. After an extensive drydock refurbishment in 2005, the ship received two outdoor hot tubs (on the top deck) and a unique onboard art collection by Norwegian artists Johanne Marie Hansen-Krone, Dagfinn Bakke and Ellen Lenvik. The vessel’s last drydock was in December 2019 (Bredo Drydocks, Bremerhaven Germany).

Nordnorge’s interior décor reflects Art Deco and Art Nouveau influences. She is often described as a floating art gallery, featuring works by renowned Norwegian artists J.M. Hansen-Krone, D. Bakke and E. Lenvik. Passenger cabins range in size from 65 to 323 ft², and three staterooms are designed for disabled guests.

During winter 2002-2003, Nordnorge was deployed in Antarctica. In 2009, she did not operate on Norwegian coastal voyages but was chartered as a hotel ship in the Mediterranean (homeported in Venice Italy).

A notable event occurred on June 16, 2011, when NRK2 (Norway’s public broadcaster) began non-stop live coverage from MS Nordnorge during her 134-hour voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes. The broadcast reached 3.2 million Norwegians.

Currently, MS Nordnorge operates the traditional Norwegian coastal route, visiting 35 ports. Many travelers use the ship as point-to-point transportation, while cruise passengers book full roundtrips. Norwegian coastal cruise itineraries range from 5 to 11 nights, with the full 12-day voyage sailing from Bergen to Kirkenes and back southbound. Most ports offer Hurtigruten-organized excursions. A “Crossing the Arctic Circle” ceremony welcomes first-time travelers. Hurtigruten Norwegian coastal voyages can be booked as flight-cruise packages, protected with an ATOL Certificate (“Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing,” Civil Aviation Authority, UK).

Drydock refurbishments review

By 2023-Q4, all seven of Hurtigruten’s “Norwegian Coastal Express” vessels (Nordnorge, Richard With, Nordlys, Kong Harald, Polarlys, Trollfjord, Nordkapp) were scheduled to complete drydock conversions from diesel-only to diesel-electric/battery-hybrid propulsion, during which new low-emission diesel engines and large battery packs were installed.

• With a project budget of ~EUR 100 million, on May 11, 2021, Hurtigruten Group signed a contract with Kongsberg Maritime to supply the hybrid equipment packages.
• Each ship was fitted with 2x SAVe Energy storage systems (1120 kWh lithium-ion batteries), controlled via SAVe CUBE (drive switchboards managing the thrusters), and 2x Bergen B33:45V diesel engines (diesel generator sets with SCR-Selective Catalytic Reduction for reduced CO emissions).
• Kongsberg’s upgrade package also included re-bladed propellers, new thruster motors (retractable stern 360-degree azimuth thruster), AC switchboards, new safety and communication systems, new gears, new bulbous bow (hull optimized to reduce drag), new boilers (improving engine heat recovery) and a new wastewater treatment plant.
• The drydocks were conducted by Myklebust Verft AS (shipyard in Gursken, Gurskøya Island, Norway).

All Hurtigruten ships now feature shoreside-power capabilities (plug-in electricity at port berths).