Each year the Prime Ministers of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland meet to discuss international affairs.According to a press release from the Norwegian Government this year's Nordic Prime Ministers meeting (10.-11. June 2012) will begin in beautiful Å in Lofoten, and the Prime Ministers will from there travel with Hurtigruten to Tromsø.
I'm quite sure that the Prime Ministers will be really busy while on Hurtigruten, but no doubt, our Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg will be proud to show off the scenery along the coast of northern Norway. They will travel on Hurtigruten's MS Finnmarken.
As I have mentioned in an earlier post, Hurtigruten have very good conference and meeting facilities on board their ships. It's the perfect place for a Nordic Prime Ministers meeting!
MS Finnmarken is now back on the Norwegian coast, for the time being replacing the MS Nordlys which is being repaired, and soon as a replacement for the ageing MS Nordstjernen. The Norwegian local newspaper Avisa Nordland has published more than sixty photos from MS Finnmarkens voyage on the Norwegian coast.
The photos shows the ships interior and exterior, some of the towns and also pictures from some of the excursions that Hurtigruten can offer. And as you can see, the ship's pool is in use! How's that for exotic?
The photos are called "From Bergen to Lofoten", take a look at them at Avisa Nordland.
Last fall Hurtigruten was struck by a tragic accident. A fire broke out in the engine room of the MS Nordlys and although all passengers were safe, two crew members lost their life.
In the beginning of January this year, the huge cruise ship Costa Concordia of Costa Cruises struck a rock, started to take in water and eventually sank near the coast of Western Italy. Just this week, a new incident happened on a Costa ship. A fire destroyed the ships electrical power, and the ship is now beeing towed for several days to a safe harbour.
It would be natural for potential guests to be sceptic to order a cruise after these accidents. You should know that Hurtigruten is working continously on improving safety, and is currently conducting a "Safe sailing project" where focus among other things are on
• Identifying risk areas and ports (see illustration above)
• Defining «tracks» and routes
• Training
• Modus operandi on Captains bridge
• Identifying most important indicators for possible risk sources
• Safety drills with rescue teams along the Norwegian coast
Unfortunately, sometimes accidents happen. All passengers should take the time to read safety placards, and to pay attention during safety drills. In this way, passengers will know where to gather in an emergency, and how to put on the safety vest. Knowing what to do, will keep panic at bay. Here you can check out the safety videos of MS Nordlys, MS Midnatsol, MS Richard With, MS Polarlys, MS Vesterålen and MS Finnmarken. Below you can watch the safety video of Hurtigruten's MS Trollfjord. You're safe with Hurtigruten!
Today Hurtigruten announced on its Facebook profile that the MS Finnmarken, which has been a long way from home in Australia, finally has started its voyage back home to Norwegian shores. The ship has been in Singapore for some weeks for refurbishment and new paint, and is now sailing for Cape Town. By making the journey around the south of Africa, the MS Finnmarken will avoid the pirate infested waters near Somalia.
As earlier posted, the MS Finnmarken will cover for MS Nordlys, before replacing the aged veteran ship MS Nordstjernen. So, not long before we can enjoy the sight of this magnificent ship, back where she belongs. Best wishes for a happy Christmas for the crew sailing the MS Finnmarken home!
Fans of Hurtigruten are waiting for the MS Finnmarken to return to the Norwegian coast from Australia. She has been painted in all white for a couple of years now, and before returning to Norway she needs to get back in the Hurtigruten colors of white, red, and black. On the way back from Australia, the MS Finnmarken is visiting a ship yard in Singapore, for new paint and modifications back to Hurtigruten's standards.
Norwegian NRK is reporting that the weathered and rusty hull seen in a few photos, was due to restriction on outside maintenance. But now the MS Finnmarken is getting a good overhaul. The voyage from Singapore to Norway is estimated to take 43 days, and will be via Cape Town. No doubt, this is to avoid the pirate activities near the Suez canal.
"Finnmarken" is an old way of spelling the name of the northernmost county in Norway, Finnmark. The name Finnmarken is a name with long traditions with Hurtigruten. Three Hurtigruten ships have had the name, the last one before today's MS Finnmarken, can be seen standing on dry land at the Hurtigruten museum in Stokmarknes (you can check out the pictures from when the old ship was put onto land).
(Picture: Knut Storø, Hurtigruten.)
If you're going on a cruise with Hurtigruten, my guess is that you already know that it will not be like a cruise in the Caribbean. Although the weather in Norway can be really nice and warn in the summer, a big part of the country is north of the arctic circle. Did you know, the MS Finnmarken actually has a pool? A couple of the other ships have jacuzzis on deck and it can be quite the experience to sit in the hot water in the winter, looking up at the stars and Northern lights. You might want to wear a warm hat or something, on your head though! Read more about Northern lights!
Hurtigruten has just released a press statement saying that MS Finnmarken will be back on the Norwegian coast on the 16th of Februrary 2012. The ship has been in Australia for two years, serving as a hotel ship. There will be a stop in Singapore on the way home to Norway, to set the ship back to Hurtigruten standards and colors, and to pick up a Norwegian crew. The MS Finnmarken, along with MS Trollfjord and MS Midnatsol, is Hurtigrutens newest and biggest ship.
The first assignment for the MS Finnmarken is to cover for MS Nordlys which had an accident in September 2011. There's also good news about MS Nordlys; she will be back in traffic on the 20th of March 2012.
(Picture borrowed from Hurtigruten.)
When MS Nordlys is back, the new assignment for MS Finnmarken is to replace the ageing MS Nordstjernen. This will happen on then 22th of March 2012. Although this will mean an increase in capasity for Hurtigruten, it will be a sad farewell to this classic beauty. Maybe Hurtigruten can use her for the Spitsbergen sailings?
From the 3rd until the 24th of January of 2012, Hurtigruten will be a ship short. But from the 25th of the same month the schedule is back on track.
If you have traveled with one of the Hurtigruten ships, you would have heard the loud signals that the captain (or someone else on the ships bridge) gives with the ships horn from time to time. You might think that these signals are quite random, but they are part of a signal system.
Several times during a cruise with Hurtigruten, the ship you're sailing with will meet another Hurtigruten ship, going in the opposite direction. The ships signal to each other, and the north bound is supposed to sound the horn first. (If they meet at night, they signal to each other with lights so that passengers can sleep undisturbed).
When a Hurtigruten ship approaches a port, it signals with a few blasts of the horn. If the ship is northbound, the signal is one long, one short and one long honk (it's the letter K in the morse code). If the ship approaching a port is southbound, the signal is two long, one short and one long (morse code for Q.)
Finally, the signal you shouldn't miss: Five minutes before the Hurtigruten ship is living a port, the ship gives a short signal. This means that you have to hurry back to the ship if you're not already back onboard!
In the video below you can see and hear MS Finnmarken meeting MS Richard With:
Hurtigruten has had one of its biggest ships, the MS Finnmarken in Australia for the last 18 months. The ship has been rented out as a hotel ship on the Gorgon field. Now this contract is over and MS Finnmarken will return to the Norwegian coast. This will increase Hurtigrutens total capacity on the Norwegian coast with 10 per cent, because it will replace the old veteran ship MS Nordstjernen which was built all the way back in 1956. The Nordstjernen carries a maximum of 400 passengers, while the much bigger Finnmarken can carry 1000.
Before MS Finnmarken can return to the Hurtigruten schedule on the Norwegian coast, it will have to go to a shipyard in Singapore to be set back to Hurtigruten standards. This will also include a paint job, because while the ship was in Australia it was painted in total white. MS Finnmarken will again be painted in black, red and white. All the Hurtigruten ships (excluding the two veteran ships) are sharing the same color scheme, and of course the distinctive Hurtigruten logo/brand.
Under you can se a picture of MS Finnmarken at Westcon Yard, where she was modified and painted before the assignment in Australia. Modification included installing increased airconditioning capacity, and the car decks was converted into laundries and changing rooms. There was also installed a personell and provison elevator.
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