Hurtigruten is ramping up operations, putting 14 of its 16
ships back into service by the end of September.
The Norway-based line resumed sailing last month with the
Finnmarken, which the line said was the first ocean cruise ship in the world to
return to service with a June 16 departure.
Hurtigruten is currently operating four ships on domestic Norwegian coast
itineraries and one on sailings from Hamburg, Germany, all with limited
capacity and enhanced hygiene protocols in place.
“We are seeing a strong demand across all markets and all
destinations, including the Norwegian coast, the Arctic and Antarctica,”
Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam said in a statement. “The demand reflects our
predictions that small-ship cruising, with all our advantages such as more
flexibility and fewer guests, will prove even more popular post-Covid-19.”
Included in the September sailings will be a series of
British Isles cruises on Hurtigruten’s battery hybrid powered ship, the Roald
Amundsen.
The Roald Amundsen and the Spitsbergen will relaunch Arctic
cruises in mid-July with sailings to Svalbard. Seven other ships will operate Bergen-Kirkenes
itineraries along the Norwegian coast in August and September, where
Hurtigruten is now operating four ships.