MS Spitsbergen

The 2009-built (as “MV Atlantida” / cruiseferry) MS Spitsbergen cruise ship is among the newest vessels in Hurtigruten's fleet. She was temporarily named “Norway Explorer” so she could receive her identification numbers after Hurtigruten’s purchase in 2015. Cruise operations for the company began in July 2016.

After the 2015-2016 drydock rebuild, the vessel now has 180 cabins and a maximum passenger capacity of 320.

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

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

The vessel (IMO number 9434060) is currently Norway-flagged (MMSI 258157000) and registered in Tromsø.

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 coasts. Hurtigruten's cruise ferries sail almost the entire length of Norway and complete this roundtrip itinerary in 11 days. The route also includes the Lofoten Islands and Vesterålen Islands.

The 340-passenger ship Spitsbergen is one of the newest in the fleet. Her name was selected through a Facebook contest. Erlend Baldersheim from Baldersheim (near Bergen) won the opportunity to be the Captain’s guest on a special voyage. The ship was named after the largest island in the Svalbard Archipelago (the northernmost part of Norway), where Richard With, the founder of Hurtigruten, began Arctic explorer tourism in 1896. MS Spitsbergen was christened on July 8, 2016, in Svolvaer, a fishing village in Lofoten. Norwegian explorer Cecilie Skog served as godmother.

The vessel was built in 2009 in Portugal and originally designed as a ferry (named Atlantida). Following her 2015-2016 conversion into a cruise ship, Spitsbergen now has 180 berths and can accommodate up to 320 passengers. The ship features modern public areas, a large dining venue, spacious lounges (also used for expert lectures and observation), arcade games, a library, and a kids' facility.

Decks and Cabins

MS Spitsbergen staterooms (180 total, in 10 grades) include 9 Suites, 158 Outside cabins, and 22 Inside cabins. Most staterooms are approx 150 ft² (14 m²). The largest accommodations are the Owners Suites (355 ft² / 33 m², including balconies). Standard cabin amenities include a phone, bath products, radio, heated floors, and a mirrored writing desk.

The vessel has 8 decks, of which 6 are passenger-accessible and 3 contain cabins.

During the 2025 refurbishment, all staterooms were renovated and all Polar-category cabins received new bathrooms. All public restrooms and common areas were upgraded, and all crew areas (cabins and dining facilities) were expanded and fully refurbished.

Shipboard facilities and amenities (ship review)

MS Spitsbergen offers several dining venues. Dining in the main restaurant is relaxed and informal. Menus are based on seasonal fresh ingredients and local produce to match guests' appetites, enhanced by the sea air. A selection of lounges and bars is also available.

The Torget Restaurant (aft on Deck 5) is the ship’s complimentary Main Dining Room (capacity 234 seats) with floor-to-ceiling windows, a central buffet station, a self-service beverage station (coffee, tea, juices), and an adjacent Galley (kitchen).

Aune Restaurant serves complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast (7-10 am) is buffet-style (bacon, eggs, sausages, cold meats, cheeses, seafood, breads, cereals, fruits, porridge). Lunch (11:30 am-2:30 pm) is also buffet-style (salads, soups, hot and cold meats, seafood, vegetables, desserts). Dinner is served in two seatings (6:30 pm and 8:30 pm) with a waiter-served 3-course menu featuring traditional Scandinavian dishes and a-la-carte light snacks. Wine by the bottle is available at extra cost, and a wine package can be purchased at Reception.

Brygga Bistro offers cafe-style meals and snacks (including sandwiches and burgers) throughout the day, making it ideal for a light lunch. The venue also has a separate beverage menu.

The ship features spacious public areas, a large-capacity restaurant, and stylish lounges (also used for lectures and observation).

On Deck 5 forward is the Explorer Lounge & Bar (lower level, 1 of 2) — the ship’s Main Lounge and Bar, hosting daily multimedia presentations and expert lectures by scientists and wildlife specialists. The Lobby area (midship) has floor-to-ceiling windows, a Foyer Lounge, Internet corner (4 computers, 1 printer), Library corner, 24-hour Reception Desk (Hurtigruten tours and expedition bookings), and a Boutique selling Hurtigruten-branded merchandise, Norwegian souvenirs, toys, gifts, jewelry, toiletries, and warm clothing.

The Spitsbergen Science Centre (Kompass Service Center, Deck 5 midship) is a large “scientific lounge” (research lab) equipped with microscopes, touch screens, and modern digital technology. The venue includes a Library, Lecture Halls, Photo Center (photo/video studio), Conference Room, Expedition Team Room, and spaces for themed educational workshops (biology, marine life, geography, photography, etc.). The Expedition Team provides scientific information and technical support to passengers.

Deck 6 is the Promenade Deck and features the upper-level Explorer Lounge and Bar (level 2 of 2). Its outdoor area (bow terrace), traditionally called the “Passenger Bridge,” is located directly under the Wheelhouse (Navigation Bridge on Deck 7).

Deck 7 houses the aft-located Gym Room (formerly Trim Fitness) equipped with treadmills, exercise bikes, rowing machine, a ping-pong table, and free weights. The Gym’s rear door leads to the Pool Deck (Observation Deck, sundeck level 1 of 2), an open-air terrace with two Jacuzzis (outdoor hot tubs), showers, locker room, and a sauna (accessible from the terrace).

Deck 8’s Observation Deck (sundeck level 2 of 2) provides the best vantage points to enjoy the voyage’s scenery. The top deck has a large seating area with tables and deckchairs. It is also the site of Hurtigruten’s traditional “Arctic Circle baptism,” involving a Neptune-costumed crewmember, icy seawater, and a warming shot. The Helideck (helipad) is used primarily for medical emergencies.

Itineraries

MS Spitsbergen’s itinerary program is based on Arctic polar expeditions and Norwegian Coastal Voyages. Her routes include the scenic Norwegian fjords. Previously, Spitsbergen operated mainly as a ferryboat (for both passengers and cars) on 12-day roundtrip itineraries from Bergen and Kirkenes.

In Fall 2016, Spitsbergen replaced Midnatsol, which began her inaugural Patagonia and Antarctica cruise season in South America. In 2017–2018, MS Spitsbergen introduced new Hurtigruten itineraries in Iceland, Greenland, and New England (Canada).

In August 2021, Hurtigruten Expeditions announced the brand’s inaugural Africa 2022–2023 season. This unique program, operated by MS Spitsbergen, features itineraries along Africa’s Atlantic Coast as well as the Cape Verde and Bissagos archipelagos.

• Hurtigruten’s 13-day African itinerary is themed “West African Archipelago Expedition: Cape Verde and Bissagos Island Cruise.”
• The roundtrip from Dakar, Senegal, visits ports in four countries: Cape Verde (Santiago Island, Fogo Island, Santo Antão Island, Boa Vista Island), Guinea-Bissau (Bissagos), Gambia (Banjul), and Senegal (Dakar).
• The first departure was scheduled for November 27, 2022.

For 2022, Hurtigruten Expeditions scheduled a 17-day “White Sea – Norway and Russia Adventure” itinerary aboard MS Spitsbergen, departing October 6 (2022) from Bergen and ending in Tromsø. The Russian Arctic itinerary included the Lofoten Islands, Sommarøy Island, Nordkapp, and 7 days sailing in Russian waters (Murmansk, Barents Sea, Arkhangelsk, Solovetsky Islands, White Sea / Kola Peninsula). Prices started from GBP 5190 (EUR 6045 / USD 7115) per person in double occupancy.

The vessel (ENVC yard/hull number 258) has a volume of 7344 GT, a DWT (deadweight tonnage) of 687 tons, and a maximum draught of 5,3 m. The powerplant consists of Niigata marine diesel engines (model 16VDZC) with a combined output of 6,7 MW. The registered shipowner is HURTIGRUTEN COASTAL AS and the vessel is managed by HX TO GMBH.

MS Spitsbergen, inaugurated in 2009 as “MV Atlantida,” was built by WestSEA in Viana do Castelo, Portugal. She is the newest expedition vessel in the fleet of the Norwegian company Hurtigruten. Her name was selected through a contest held on the company’s Facebook page and honors the largest island in the Svalbard Archipelago (northernmost Norway).

The ship was originally designed and built as a ferry cruise vessel for service in the Azores (Portugal). After her purchase in early 2015, she was renamed “MS Norway Explorer” and assigned her identification numbers (IMO, MMSI, call sign). During an extensive drydock refit, MS Spitsbergen was remodeled to operate both Hurtigruten’s Arctic expedition cruises and the line’s regularly scheduled Norwegian Coastal Voyages.

Built initially for car and passenger ferry service in the Azores, the ship received major upgrades during the 2015 drydock, including an ice-strengthened hull. Adaptations to the marine diesel engines were also carried out to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

On July 6, 2016, the vessel’s christening ceremony was held—Hurtigruten’s first to take place under the midnight sun, one of Norway’s most iconic natural phenomena. The naming took place near the port of Svolvaer, Norway, on Austvagoya Island (Lofoten archipelago). The ship’s godmother, Cecilie Skog, smashed the champagne bottle against the hull. Two other Hurtigruten ships—Richard With and Midnatsol—joined the ceremony.

The godmother, Cecilie Skog, is a renowned adventurer, tour guide, and expert lecturer from Ålesund, Norway. She is internationally recognized as the only woman to have participated in expeditions to both the North and South Poles, as well as to Antarctica, Greenland, and Mount Everest. She is also the world’s only woman to have completed the “Seven Summits” challenge, reaching the highest peak on each continent.

MS Spitsbergen refurbishments review

The 2025 drydock refurbishment (February–March), conducted at Astilleros de Santander, included upgrades to passenger cabins and public areas. All Polar Cabins received new bathrooms, the Explorer Bar was redesigned, a new restaurant (Brygge Bistro) was added, and crew areas—including cabins and dining facilities—were expanded. ADA-compliant bathrooms were installed. The new Spitsbergen Science Center was introduced as an “edutainment” venue where passengers can meet and interact with the ship’s staff and crew.

The 2020 drydock refurbishment introduced large windows in most venues, expanded open deck spaces, added new restaurants, and completely overhauled passenger staterooms and public areas. The dining room was redesigned and renamed Aune Restaurant. A new specialty venue, Lindstrom, was added, offering traditional Norwegian specialties and featuring a separate bar lounge. The fore-located Observation Lounge was redesigned and renamed “Explorer Lounge and Bar.”

During the 2016 drydock, the number of passenger cabins was reduced from 190 to 100.

Itineraries

Hurtigruten’s official announcement confirmed that MS Spitsbergen began operations in May 2016. Her schedule parallels that of the MS Lofoten, sharing the same departure dates. The ship visits all regular ports along the Norwegian coastal route but makes only daytime calls, eliminating nighttime port stops. This allows passengers more daylight hours for shore excursions in key ports along the Norwegian Coastal Voyage. All standard Hurtigruten excursions are available for booking. An additional port of call for MS Spitsbergen is Geiranger, visited on all northbound itineraries year-round.

Below is the list of all ports of call:

• 7-day northbound itinerary departing Bergen (day 1), Ålesund (day 2), Trondheim (day 3), Arctic Circle & Lofoten Islands (day 3), Tromsø (day 5), North Cape (day 6), Kirkenes (day 7)
• 6-day southbound itinerary departing Kirkenes (day 1), North Cape, Lyngenfjord & Tromsø (day 2), Lofoten Islands (day 3), Arctic Circle (day 4), Trondheim (day 5), Bergen (day 6)
• 11-day one-way combined itinerary departing from Bergen and Kirkenes
• 12-day themed “Northern Lights Promise” itinerary
• 11-day “Classic Round Voyage,” ending in Trondheim, including Dovre Railway travel to Oslo
• Norwegian coastal voyage passengers can choose 5- to 11-night segments or the full 12-day sailing from Bergen to Kirkenes and back southbound. In most ports, Hurtigruten-sponsored excursions and tours are available. A traditional “Crossing the Arctic Circle” ceremony is held onboard for first-time crossers.
• On Norwegian coastal voyages, Hurtigruten also offers flight-cruise packages. Bookings are protected with an ATOL Certificate. ATOL stands for “Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing,” issued by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.