MS Roald Amundsen

The 2019-built MS Roald Amundsen is the first of Hurtigruten’s two new hybrid-powered expedition vessels. The newbuilds (Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen) were both named after two of Norway’s most influential polar explorers, honoring the era when Hurtigruten began operating expedition cruise itineraries.

The vessel (IMO number 9813072) is currently Norway-flagged (MMSI 257425000) and registered in Tromso.

In 2021, Hurtigruten added four older ships to its expedition fleet: Spitsbergen (2009), Midnatsol (2003), Trollfjord (2002), and Finnmarken (2002).

MS Roald Amundsen is now part of the Hurtigruten Expeditions/HX fleet.

History – Construction and Ownership

The shipowner Hurtigruten is a Norwegian passenger shipping company specializing in cruise and ferry services. The “Norwegian Coastal Express Route” (Bergen–Kirkenes) is a cargo–passenger ferry service operating along Norway’s western and northern coast. Hurtigruten’s cruise ferries sail nearly the entire length of Norway, completing the roundtrip itinerary in 11 days. The route also includes the Lofoten Islands and Vesteralen Islands.

This vessel class was purpose-built for Norwegian coastal and polar expedition cruising (Arctic and Antarctic itineraries). Rolls-Royce Marine received a GBP 25 million (USD 33 million) contract from the shipyard to supply the ship’s design and equipment.

The new series of Hurtigruten expedition vessels features advanced environmentally friendly marine technologies. The hybrid system allows fully electric propulsion for up to 30 minutes, significantly reducing fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. Combined with the vessel’s optimized hull design and efficient energy management, total emissions are reduced by nearly 20%.

Construction materials were predominantly Norwegian, with extensive use of granite, oak, wool, and other natural materials.

Roald Amundsen is Hurtigruten’s first ship to feature the largest LED screen at sea. The seven-deck-high display (with sound) measures 17.5 m (57.5 ft) in height and is positioned vertically midship in the Atrium, facing the glass-walled elevators. The massive screen shows live footage of surrounding scenery and wildlife and can also be used for lectures, presentations, and ambient HD visuals.

The ship has four passenger elevators, including two midship lifts connecting all decks and two forward lifts serving the cabin decks only.

Roald Amundsen’s cruise program includes expedition itineraries to Antarctica and the Chilean Fjords (during her 2018–2019 inaugural season), as well as Norwegian coastal voyages, Svalbard (Norway), and Alaska (via the Canadian Arctic / Northwest Passage route).

Decks and Cabins

Hurtigruten’s Roald Amundsen has a total of 265 passenger cabins (all outside, 50% with balconies) in 13 categories across three main types: EXPEDITION SUITES, ARCTIC SUPERIOR (balcony cabins), and POLAR OUTSIDE (oceanview cabins). The ship has five wheelchair-accessible cabins (adapted for passengers with disabilities), which are also available for general booking.

The vessel has 11 decks, including nine passenger-accessible decks and five cabin decks.

All staterooms include standard (complimentary) amenities such as a Queen-size double bed (with under-bed luggage storage), bedside cabinets, wall-mounted reading lamps, double sofa bed, floor lamps, recessed ceiling lights, mirrored vanity table (writing desk) with chair and magnifying mirror, low table with two lounge chairs (with footstools), mirrored wardrobe, electronic safe (in the closet), coffee/tea-making facilities (kettle with packaged coffees and teas), phone (intercom), wall-mounted smart HDTV (satellite reception, infotainment system), minibar (refrigerator), carpeted flooring, individually controlled air-conditioning, and an en-suite bathroom (toilet, glass shower, single-sink vanity, bathrobes, hairdryer). Cabins also include 220V outlets and USB ports.

EXPEDITION SUITES feature floor-to-ceiling windows (some slanted), private step-out balconies, a 4-seat dining table, and an espresso machine (in addition to the kettle). Top-tier suites offer larger bathrooms with double-sink vanities, and aft corner suites have outdoor Jacuzzis.

Categories MA–MB (XL Suite), MD (Large), and MC (Aft) are all corner suites with balconies. Category MC features a hot tub in the bathroom. ME Suites include balconies, while MF Suites have large windows (no balcony). EXPEDITION SUITE sizes are: MA (46–48 m² / 495–515 ft²), MB (44 m² / 470 ft²), MC (20–30 m² / 215–320 ft²), MD (35 m² / 375 ft²), ME (20–28 m² / 215–300 ft²), MF (22 m² / 235 ft²).

ARCTIC SUPERIOR staterooms are balcony cabins sized as follows: XT and XTD (15–19 m² / 160–205 ft²), XY (19 m² / 205 ft²). POLAR OUTSIDE cabins are oceanview accommodations without balconies and are sized as follows: TT (27 m² / 290 ft²), TY (24–26 m² / 260–280 ft²), RR (19–23 m² / 205–250 ft²), RS (17 m² / 180 ft²).

Shipboard Dining Options – Food and Drinks

Breakfast and lunch on Roald Amundsen are buffet-style and open seating. The serving area is centrally located in the main restaurant with a square layout. Meal service spans several hours, keeping the dining room uncrowded. Some dinners are buffet-style and open seating, while others are plated meals offered in one or two seatings depending on passenger numbers.

The ship has three restaurants:

• The Restaurant / Aune Main Dining (capacity 234 seats), named after Norwegian polar expedition supplier Tinus Aune. This main dining room features floor-to-ceiling windows, a central buffet station, and an alfresco seating area.
• The Bistro / Fredheim (capacity 71 seats), a casual venue named after Villa Fredheim (an early 20th-century hunting station on Spitsbergen Island). Fredheim offers light snacks, beverages, lounge seating, and a separate buffet area.
• Lindstrom Specialty Restaurant (capacity 62 seats), named after Adolf Henrik Lindstrom (1866–1939), a Norwegian chef who took part in four polar expeditions (1898–1902, 1903–06, 1910–12, 1914–16). Suite-category passengers dine here complimentary each day for all-inclusive breakfast and dinner. Other guests may dine here for breakfast and/or dinner at an extra charge (à-la-carte menu, premium wine list).

Shipboard Entertainment Options – Fun and Sport

MS Roald Amundsen features modern Scandinavian design, large observation platforms on multiple decks, and a pool deck with an infinity pool, Jacuzzis, and bar service.

From the moment passengers step onboard, they are immersed in a polar-themed environment. The ship’s artwork reflects both the Antarctic and Arctic, with historic expedition photos, snow-capped landscape paintings, and wildlife imagery. Guests can relax in several lounges or stay active in the well-equipped gym.

The vessel carries custom-built expedition equipment, including Blueye underwater drones, inflatable Explorer Boats (Zodiacs), and kayaks. Below is the complete list of Roald Amundsen’s lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues:

• Wardroom (officers’ dining and relaxation lounge)
• Embarkation/disembarkation area (lobby for loading/unloading passengers during land expeditions; ship-to-shore tendering via inflatable boats, primarily for wildlife viewing)
• Lecture halls (hosting expert lectures and multimedia presentations)
• The Lobby (floor-to-ceiling windows, reception, expedition booking and information), and the seven-deck-high Atrium (with glass-wall elevators)
• Internet Corner (Internet café with four computers, combined with a library)
• Shop (selling handmade souvenirs, special gifts, Hurtigruten merchandise), Video Games Arcade
• Two-level Observation Deck (indoor viewing lounge with large windows), located forward at the bow on decks 6 and 7
• Explorer Lounge (forward on Deck 10 / Pool Deck) – indoor Observation Lounge with full-service bar, slanted floor-to-ceiling windows (270-degree views), comfortable seating, and an outdoor terrace (“Passenger Bridge”)
• Fitness Centre – spacious gym with treadmills, exercise bikes, rowing machine, ping-pong table, free weights, yoga mats
• Sun Deck – two outdoor gym areas, walking/running track, and aft Observation Deck. This is also where Hurtigruten hosts the special “Arctic Circle baptism” ceremony, featuring a Neptune-costumed crew member, icy seawater, and a vodka shot.

Aft on the Pool Deck are the outdoor infinity pool (heated rectangular pool), two outdoor Jacuzzis (whirlpools), pool showers, and Pool Bar. Two separate unisex sauna rooms are located midship–starboard.

The Amundsen Science Centre (Deck 6 forward) is a large scientific lounge and research lab equipped with microscopes, touch screens, and the latest digital technology. The venue includes a Library, Lecture Halls, Photo Center (photo/video studio), Conference Room, Expedition Team Room, and dedicated areas for educational workshops (biology, marine life, geography, photography, etc.). Hurtigruten’s Expedition Team provides scientific guidance and technical support to guests.

The vessel (Kleven yard/hull number 400) has a volume of 21,765 GT, a deadweight tonnage of 2,421 tons, and a maximum draught of 5.5 m. The powerplant is based on Bergen marine diesel engines (model B33/45L6). The registered shipowner and manager is HX TO GMBH.

The Norway-flagged MS Roald Amundsen is the first in Hurtigruten’s new series of expedition cruise ships built in Poland (Montex Shipyard, Gdansk – hull and superstructure) and Norway (Kleven Shipyard, Ulsteinvik – marine interior and outfitting). In April 2016, the company signed a letter of intent with Kleven Verft for two vessels, with an option for two additional ships of the same class. The contract was finalized in July 2016. The second ship of the class, MS Fridtjof Nansen, was originally scheduled for delivery in July 2019.

The vessel’s construction officially started on February 24, 2017, with Daniel Skjeldam (Hurtigruten’s CEO) attending the first steel-cutting ceremony at Kleven Shipyard. The ship was launched (floated out from drydock) on February 17, 2018, and initially scheduled for delivery in July 2018. The float-out ceremony was attended by Hurtigruten fleet’s oldest ship, MS Lofoten (launched in 1964 / 54 years old as of 2018).

However, “due to the complexity of the construction,” the shipyard delayed the project and rescheduled delivery for May 3, 2019 (inaugural cruise from Lisbon, Portugal). In mid-2019, the maiden voyage was again rescheduled—from June 27 (departure from Hamburg, Germany) to July 2 (departing from Tromso, Norway).

The ship’s Masters (Captains) are Kai Albrigtsen (first Master) and Torry Sakkariassen. Albrigtsen began his maritime career at age 17 (as a galley/kitchen assistant) and has served in various positions on 10 Hurtigruten ships. He became a Captain in 2006 and, prior to Roald Amundsen, commanded MS Midnatsol.

The ship’s godmother is Karin Strand, a Swedish polar pioneer born in 1970 (Doctor of Philosophy in literature) and, since 2014, deputy head of Svenskt Visarkiv (Swedish Vision Archive – a music and dance archive founded in 1951). As of 2019, Karin Strand had completed more than 140 Antarctic expeditions. The ship’s christening ceremony was held on November 8, 2019, in Antarctica (Chiriguano Bay, Brabant Island), marking the first such event in both world and industry history.

Pole-to-Pole Expedition Cruises 2022

In early June 2021, Hurtigruten Expeditions announced two of the company’s first “pole-to-pole cruises,” combining into a single itinerary the regions of Alaska (Aleutian Islands, St Matthew Island), the Northwest Passage (Arctic Canada’s Atlantic–Pacific sea route, Baffin Island), Greenland, the Caribbean (Belize, Nicaragua), the Panama Canal (full transit), South America (including the Chilean Fjords), and Antarctica.

• The 93-day itinerary (Vancouver, BC, Canada to Buenos Aires, Argentina) was planned for MS Roald Amundsen, departing August 8, 2022, and visiting 11 countries. Prices started from USD 64,580 (EUR 53,045) per person (double occupancy).
• The 66-day itinerary (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, to Valparaiso–Santiago, Chile) was planned for MS Fram, departing September 22, 2022, and visiting 7 countries. Prices started from USD 50,140 (EUR 41,175) per person (double occupancy).

Hurtigruten’s 93-day “Arctic to Antarctica” cruise itinerary included the following segments:

• DAYS 2–17 (Vancouver to Nome, AK) – Misty Fjords, Wrangell AK, Sitka AK, Icy Bay (glaciers Guyot, Yahtse, Tyndall, Guyot), Kodiak AK, Katmai National Park, Chignik AK, Unga Village, Dutch Harbor, St Paul and St Matthew Islands, Nome
• DAYS 18–21 (at sea) – Bering Strait, Chukchi Sea, Beaufort Sea
• DAYS 22–32 (Canada and Greenland) – Amundsen Gulf, Cape Bathurst, Ulukhaktok, Cambridge Bay (Victoria Island), Gjoa Haven, Somerset Island (Fort Ross on Hudson Bay), Beechey Island, Devon Island, Baffin Island (Mittimatalik)
• DAYS 33–40 (Greenland and Atlantic Canada) – Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, Ilulissat, Sisimiut, Red Bay (Belle Isle Strait), Corner Brook
• DAYS 41–48 (Halifax NS to Boston MA) – Halifax, Sable Island, Lunenburg NS, Eastport ME, Bar Harbor ME, Provincetown MA, Boston
• DAYS 49–52 (at sea)
• DAYS 53–62 (Miami FL to Colon, Panama) – Miami, Belize City, Lighthouse Reef (Belize), Isla de Providencia (Colombia), Corn Islands (Nicaragua), Bocas del Toro (Panama), Colon
• DAYS 63–76 (Panama Canal to Valparaiso–Santiago, Chile) – Manta (Ecuador), Machala–Puerto Bolivar (Ecuador), Salaverry (Peru), Lima (Peru), Paracas (Peru), Arica (Chile), Iquique (Chile), La Serena (Chile), Valparaiso
• DAYS 77–86 (Chilean Patagonia) – Castro, Puerto Eden, Puerto Natales, Chilean fjords, Magellan Strait, Cape Horn, Drake Passage
• DAYS 87–90 (Antarctica) – Antarctic Peninsula (~20 landing sites), South Shetland Islands
• DAYS 91–93 (Ushuaia/debarkation) – Flight to Buenos Aires

Roald Amundsen Ship Technology

The onboard art collection was personally selected by Norway’s Queen Sonja and her art foundation “Queen Sonja Print Award.” The ship features around 600 artworks by 20 Norwegian artists, along with pieces created by the Queen herself. In addition to permanent exhibitions and professional lectures, art auctions are also held onboard.

The ship’s design includes an ice-strengthened hull, wave-piercing bulbous bow, and a Rolls-Royce Unified Bridge (navigation consoles, software interfaces, etc.) for safe and efficient performance. The vessel integrates a DP0 (Bridge Mate dynamic positioning system), Aquarius 100 stabilizers, and an ACON (integrated automation and control) system. The vessel’s maximum draught/draft is 5.3 m (17 ft).

The hybrid powerplant combines electric power systems, improving efficiency and reducing fuel consumption by approximately 20%, resulting in about 20% lower CO₂ emissions (equivalent to more than 3,000 tons of CO₂ annually). The ship is powered by four Bergen B33:45L diesel engines (by Rolls-Royce) plus batteries. The engines are equipped with an SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) system that meets the IMO Tier III NOx emissions limits.

Scanship supplies the ship’s cleaning systems, including food waste processing, garbage handling, and wastewater treatment plants. The ship features “Jets Vacuum” systems for toilets and wastewater collection. Scanship’s blackwater purification system is IMO MARPOL certified.

Hurtigruten’s newbuilds are also equipped with underwater drones (ROVs – remotely operated vehicles) developed by Blueye Robotics (Norway). Each drone weighs 7 kg and has four thrusters for propulsion. The ROV features a wide-angle video camera (Blueye Pioneer) designed for low-light environments and streams true-color live images to the ship’s TV screens, all cabin TVs, and the digital diving masks used by passengers cruising in the ship’s Zodiac boats. The ship’s fully electric propulsion system includes two Azipull thrusters (powered by a permanent magnet motor) and two tunnel thrusters. The permanent magnet motor delivers high efficiency at varying speeds.

In November 2018, Hurtigruten announced that its fleet will be powered by LBG (liquified biogas), produced mainly from dead fish using organic-waste recycling methods. LBG will be sourced from Norway and other Northern European countries with large fisheries and forestry industries producing significant amounts of organic waste. By 2021, the company aimed to have six ships powered by a combination of LBG, LNG, and batteries. The project (budgeted at USD 850 million) will create the world’s greenest cruise brand.

In 2019, Roald Amundsen became Hurtigruten’s first vessel to complete a Northwest Passage cruise (August 20 through September 10) from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, to Nome, Alaska. The 21-day voyage covered 7,645 km of sea navigation.

For 2023 (departing August 18), Hurtigruten planned MS Roald Amundsen’s first company-operated Northwest Passage cruise. The 26-day itinerary (themed “The Northwest Passage – In the Wake of the Great Explorers”) begins in Alaska, sails through the Bering Strait, Chukchi Sea, Beaufort Sea, and Amundsen Gulf (NWT Canada), and ends in Halifax, NS. Ports of call include Vancouver BC, Nome AK, Ilulissat, Greenland, Sisimiut, Greenland, Red Bay NL, Corner Brook NL, and Halifax.