MS Richard With

The 1993-built MS Richard With is one of Hurtigruten’s six “contemporary” ships, together with Kong Harald, Nordlys, Nordkapp, Nordnorge, and Polarlys. Together with her fleetmates, Richard With serves Hurtigruten’s Norwegian Coastal Voyages (NCV) program, providing cruiseferry transportation by cargo-passenger ships.

The vessel (IMO 9040429) is currently Norway-flagged (MMSI 258500000) and registered in Tromsø.

History – construction and ownership

The shipowner Hurtigruten is a Norwegian passenger shipping company specializing in cruise and ferry services. Its “Norwegian Coastal Express Route” (Bergen–Kirkenes) is a cargo-passenger service covering nearly the entire western and northern coast of Norway. Hurtigruten’s cruise ferries complete the roundtrip itinerary in 11 days and also visit the Lofoten Islands and Vesterålen Islands.

The 700-passenger Richard With was named after Captain Richard With, the founder of Hurtigruten. In 1893, he established the “Norwegian Coastal Express,” a service that transformed travel and trade along Norway’s coast. The ship was delivered in 1993—exactly 100 years after Captain With completed his first Hurtigruten voyage.

Decks and Cabins

MS Richard With staterooms (219 total, in 8 categories) include 20 Suites, 178 Outside, and 21 Inside cabins. Sizes range from 55 to 325 ft2 (5–30 m2). There are 3 wheelchair-accessible cabins. Most staterooms are outside, sized 85–140 ft2 (8–14 m2). The ship has no balcony cabins.

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

During the 2018 drydock refurbishment, all staterooms were fully updated, and some Deck 7 cabins were merged into 14 larger Suites, some featuring large bay windows.

The ship has 7 decks, of which 6 are accessible to passengers and 4 contain cabins.

Shipboard dining options – Food and Drinks

The main restaurant offers a relaxed, informal atmosphere in the evenings, with menus based on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The aft-facing Torget Restaurant was renovated in 2018 and now features floor-to-ceiling windows.

Follows the complete list of MS Richard With restaurants and food bars:

• Torget Restaurant (Deck 4) – 240-seat main dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows and a central buffet station. Serves buffet breakfast (7–10 am) and lunch (11:30 am–2:30 pm). Dinner is waiter-served with four seatings and a 3-course menu (plus an à-la-carte menu with light snacks). Hurtigruten wine packages are also available.
• Multe Bakery (Deck 7 midship) – Patisserie/ice cream bar with a knitting corner and puzzles. Offers cakes, pastries, and local ice creams such as stockfish, brown cheese, and cloudberry.
• Brygga Bistro (Deck 4) – Café-style venue serving beverages, sandwiches, and burgers throughout the day.
• Kysten Arctic Fine Dining (Deck 4) – An intimate gourmet venue serving high-quality Arctic seafood, exotic meats, and specialty regional ingredients.

Unlike most Hurtigruten ships, Richard With does not have a 24-hour café restaurant. The only 24-hour venue is the Reception, offering assistance and a limited selection of beverages, packaged snacks, and sandwiches.

Shipboard entertainment options – Fun and Sport

Onboard entertainment is low-key, with most time spent socializing or enjoying the scenery. Occasional evening live music is offered in the Bar Lounge. Facilities include a small fitness room, two outdoor jacuzzies, and an Infirmary. However, the infirmary is not staffed by a resident doctor or nurse; in medical emergencies, crew ask if medical professionals are among the passengers, and the ship remains close to shore to disembark guests if required.

The 2018 refurbishment expanded the gym, added two aft-facing outdoor whirlpools, upgraded the sauna, and introduced two new lecture halls near the Kompass (lobby shop) area.

Follows the complete list of MS Richard With lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults:

• Car Deck (capacity for 45 cars)
• Two Lecture Halls / Conference Rooms (Deck 4) – host multimedia presentations, lectures by scientists and wildlife experts, and Norway-themed films
• Explorer Lounge & Bar (Deck 7 forward) – Panorama Lounge with floor-to-ceiling bow-facing windows; also serves as the ship’s Library with books, board games, and cards
• The Shop – Norwegian souvenirs, Hurtigruten merchandise, clothing, jewelry, toiletries
• Promenade Deck – full-circle open-air deck
• Observation Lounge & Bar
• TRIM Fitness – exercise bikes, treadmills, free weights; two saunas (men/women)

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

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

Itineraries

MS Richard With operates year-round on Norwegian Coastal Voyages, sailing through Norway’s spectacular fjords.

Richard With is used primarily as a ferry for passengers and vehicles, although some guests choose to stay aboard for the full 12-day roundtrip itineraries from Bergen and Kirkenes.

The vessel (Volkswerft Stralsund yard / hull number 302) has a volume of 11,221 GT, a deadweight of 850 tons, and a maximum draught of 4.9 m. The powerplant consists of MAK Maschinenbau marine diesel engines (models 6M552C and 6M522C) with a combined output of 18 MW. The registered shipowner is HURTIGRUTEN COASTAL FLEET AS, and the manager is HURTIGRUTEN COASTAL AS.

MS Richard With is named after Captain Richard Bernhard With (1846-1930), the founder of the Hurtigruten company, who in 1893 established the “Norwegian Coastal Express” ferry service. The vessel was delivered in 1993—exactly one hundred years after Captain With completed his first Hurtigruten voyage. The extensive onboard art collection is primarily created by Norwegian artists, including works by the Harr family.

Richard With operates along the coast of Norway. Most guests use the ship as a ferry for transporting passengers and vehicles. Departing from Bergen, she sails roundtrip to Kirkenes (an Arctic outpost near the Russia–Norway border). Cruise-ferry passengers can choose 5- to 11-night segments or the full 12-day voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes and back southbound. Hurtigruten-sponsored excursions and tours are offered in most ports of call. A traditional top-deck ceremony, the “Crossing the Arctic Circle,” welcomes first-time visitors. Hurtigruten also offers fly-cruise packages protected by ATOL (Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing, Civil Aviation Authority UK).

Drydock refurbishments review

By Q4 2023, all seven Hurtigruten “Norwegian Coastal Express” vessels (Richard With, Nordlys, Kong Harald, Nordnorge, Polarlys, Trollfjord, Nordkapp) were scheduled to complete drydock powerplant conversions—from diesel-only to diesel-electric / battery-hybrid propulsion. These refits included installing new low-emission diesel engines and large battery packs.

• For this ~EUR 100 million project, Hurtigruten Group signed a contract on May 11, 2021, with Kongsberg Maritime to deliver hybrid equipment packages for the first three vessels (Richard With, Nordlys, Kong Harald).
• Each ship received two SAVe Energy storage systems (1120 kWh lithium-ion batteries) managed via SAVe CUBE (drive switchboards controlling the thrusters) and two Bergen B33:45V diesel engines (diesel generator sets with SCR—Selective Catalytic Reduction—for improved emissions control). Kongsberg’s scope also included propeller re-blading, new thruster motors (retractable stern 360° azimuthing thruster), new AC switchboards, upgraded safety and communication systems, new gears, a redesigned bulbous bow (to reduce drag), new boilers (enhanced heat recovery), and a new wastewater treatment plant.
• The drydock operations were carried out by Myklebust Verft AS, located in Gursken (Gurskøya Island, Norway).

All Hurtigruten ships are now equipped with shoreside-power capabilities for receiving electricity at port berths.

Richard With’s hybrid conversion drydock took place in February 2022 at Myklebust Verft, and she was relaunched as a battery-hybrid vessel in September 2022.

During her 2018 drydock refurbishment, the ship also underwent major technical upgrades, including a new central air-conditioning system, shore-power connections, installation of high-capacity batteries, and new LNG engines, replacing the original marine diesel powerplant.