Everyone is Talking About Hurtigruten

Hurtigruten has had a helluva run in the news over the past month. First, we had a brief mention about our $350 off per person deal for our 12-day Norwegian Coastal Voyages in the Washington Post on Jan. 14th.

Then, we just exploded on the scene with Sheila Norman-Culp's AP (Associated Press) article, "The Anti-Cruise: No Bingo, No Karaoke, Just Fjords." who sailed aboard Hurtigruten's Vesteralen in November. This article is still getting pick up!

Next, journalist Kari Budnarchuk sailed onboard the MS Nordkapp for the Ice Breakers theme voyage in October and published "Elbow Room" in the Boston Globe on Jan 30th!

Due to all this popularity, Hurtigruten was asked to be featured on the BBC/NPR nationally syndicated radio show - The World, featuring a live interview with MS Vesteralen's Tour Director Anna Kristine Tvedt directly from the ship.

Then, the readers of Conde Nast Traveler ranked Hurtigruten's Nordnorge among the World's Best Small Ships in their February, 2011 issue.

And finally, to top it all off, Hurtigruten's Climate Voyage was featured in the last Sunday Travel section of the New York Times by Elaine Glusac.

Hurtigruten is extremely proud and thankful for all of the wonderful press coverage. Talk about a windfall!

The New York Times and Hurtigruten!

Hurtigruten's exciting Climate Voyage was recently highlighted in the Feb 11th Travel Section of the New York Times as one of the most interesting new sailings of 2011!

Depart Reykjavik, Iceland on July 21, 2011 and embark on climate change discovery to Spitsbergen. Journey to the high Arctic lands of the Svalbard Archipelago, making an inaugural visit to Jan Mayen, one of the most isolated islands on the planet. Shore landings, lectures and discussions help you to gain a better understanding of this critical global crisis. Natural attractions include glaciers, icebergs and possible sightings of walruses and polar bears during the stunning 24 hour daylight Arctic summer days.

For more information, contact your travel agent, call 800-323-7436 or book online.

Hurtigruten's Customer Satisfaction Survey Results - High Marks Across the Board

Hurtigruten continuously surveys its guests looking for areas in which to improve as well as areas where they are exceeding expectations. The results from the 2010 survey, returned by 4,875 guests, offer a superior report card:

96% of respondents were satisfied to very satisfied with the Norway voyages
97% gave the same thumbs up to the company’s Explorer itineraries (Antarctica, Greenland, Spitsbergen and Europe) aboard the four-year-old, deluxe expedition ship, MS Fram.

These marks show continued improvement in guest satisfaction, year over year.

92% of passengers were happy with Hurtigruten’s shore excursions – both on the Norwegian Coastal Voyage and the Explorer sailings while 95% would recommend a Hurtigruten trip to their family and friends. Those same respondents placed Hurtigruten above competing brands as 85% who had taken cruises on other lines, rated the Hurtigruten sailing as satisfactory and very satisfactory. More than 2/3rds of the guests were happy with the value they received for the money spent. And more than half of the guests confirmed that their original expectations had been exceeded.

Way to go!

Weddell Sea Adventure

Antarctica is a land of truly awesome grandeur. The highest, driest, coldest and cleanest continent on Earth, its oceans are unimaginably rich in bird and marine life and its surreal and haunting landscapes are like nothing else on Earth.

Discover this awe-inspiring landscape aboard Hurtigruten's luxurious and intimate MS Fram during the Weddell Sea Adventure. Named after Captain James Weddell, who in 1823 discovered the sea that bears his name, reached a latitude of 74° south - something no other human had ever accomplished to that point.

Experience some of Weddell's same unforgettable encounters with huge tabular icebergs as you sail through the Antarctic Sound on this astounding voyage.

Book now and save up to 20% with our Early Booking Discount!

Contact your travel agent, book online or call 800-323-7436.

HSMAI Honors Hurtigruten with Two Gold and Four Silver Awards at it's Annual Adrian Awards Competition

The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) recognized Hurtigruten with two gold and four silver Adrian Awards for advertising excellence in the 54th annual Adrian Awards Competition, the world’s largest and most prestigious travel marketing competition.

HSMAI paid tribute to Hurtigruten during the annual HSMAI Adrian Awards gala attended by more than 1,000 hospitality, travel and tourism marketing executives, on January 31, 2011, at the New York Marriot Marquis.


"This recognition shows that our work with our agency LOS&CO in Norway represents quality in all formats and categories. Major efforts have been put into the winter product development. The Gold Award in this category gives us a special satisfaction" says Trond Øverås, Product and Marketing Director, Hurtigruten ASA.

Hurtigruten Awards
Gold – Winter Campaign – Print media
Gold – Campaign Consumer – Complete Campaign
Silver – Summer Campaign series – Print media
Silver – Hurtigruten Cross Sales – Brochure
Silver – 1893 Ambassador – Loyalty Program
Silver – Port to port – Television

Norway Tops List of World's Happiest Countries

Five years ago researchers at the Legatum Institute, a London-based nonpartisan think tank, set out to rank the happiest countries in the world. But because "happy" carries too much of a touchy-feely connotation, they call it "prosperity." Legatum recently completed its 2010 Prosperity Index, which ranks 110 countries, covering 90 percent of the world's population.

To build its index Legatum gathers data from 12 sources the Gallup polling group, the Heritage Foundation and the World Economic Forum. Each country is ranked on 89 variables sorted into eight subsections: economy, entrepreneurship, governance, education, health, safety, personal freedom and social capital.

And guess who ranks as the most prosperous country in the world? Norway of course! What does Norway have that the rest of the world doesn't? The biggest bump comes from having the world's highest per capita GDP of $53,000 a year. Norwegians have the second-highest level of satisfaction with their standards of living: 95 percent say they are satisfied with the freedom to choose the direction of their lives; an unparalleled 74 percent say other people can be trusted.

Join the lovefest today and book a Norwegian Coastal Voyage! What a great way to unwind and find your own happy place.