New Scandinavian design for Hurtigruten ships (pictures)

[SarniaLo]

Several ships of the Hurtigruten fleet were scheduled for complete interior make-over this year. Two have been done (MS Kong Harald and MS Polarlys) and are now up and running, one is currently in the dockyard (MS Nordkapp) and should return to cruising late April, and MS Nordnorge will be next in November.

 

Last month I was able to visit MS Polarlys during her first voyage with her new design and I took pictures, if you are interested. The views below reflect my own impressions, which will probably not be shared by everyone ;) but I've tried to stay neutral in the pictures at least.

 

It's true that the interior designs of those ships were a bit dated, I don't think they had been majorly updated since the ships were built and it showed. But I liked that they all had their own personality, with each of them a different feel, different background colors, different choices of art and design, including some very unique and stunning pieces (for instance, the glass artwork on the cafetaria ceiling in some ships). The new design has been named "New Arctic Design" and is boasted to be "modern Scandinavian interior, with inspiration drawn from the spectacular Norwegian mountains, fjords and nature."

 

My overall impression is that it is very modern, very light, and will probably please many people, but I didn't really like it. Not sure if it is because, as many people, I'm a bit reluctant to change, particularly in places that I enjoyed, but I found it cold and devoid of personality. From the pictures I have seen of Kong Harald, I'm not sure where the differences are and how you can tell the ships apart. The room names are even the same. There were some rooms where I actually found the decor very tacky, as if the "modern Scandinavian interior" had been inspired by the IKEA catalog rather than by authentic Norwegian design.

[SarniaLo]

The new reception area (same spot), a big empty space and I think the people at the reception cannot even sit.

 

 

The carpet are inserted in the floor, not overlaid, so they can't move, thank god.

 

The main changes to the floor plan are on Deck 4 :

 

 

I have indicated the places from were I have taken pictures.

 

1. the lobby at the top of the stair, overlooking the reception area

 

 

2. same area, cosy observation spot over the window

 

 

 

3. Where the front bar area used to be, there is now a very large shop at one end

 

 

4. And at the other end, the spot where you find the tour leader (and low tables to write postcard/read the excursion book). I think the tour leader is also not sitting down. In the glass displays are other items on sale (jewellry and so on).

 

[SarniaLo]

 

5. At the very front of the ship on Deck 4 there are conference rooms. An "amphitheater" in the middle, that is used by the tour leader for daily recaps and promotion of excursions (I couldn't access it, it was locked) and on either side two smaller (?) rooms. They were locked as well but I was able to take a picture from the glassed windows of the one on the port side (sorry about the reflection)

 

 

Where the cafetaria and shop used to be there is now an bigger space dedicated to eating.

 

6. The "Brygga" space is the general cafeteria (food and drinks for day passengers)

 

 

7. Same area, different view, looking towards the port side.

 

 

On the wall are B&W pictures of Norwegian landscapes (I think).

 

8. In place of the small reading area which I loved so much (perfect for daily Internet dose!) is now the "fine dining" Kysten area, much smaller than indicated on the floor plan.

 

 

And from the same spot, another view on the cafeteria, to the starboard side.

 

 

The main restaurant is in the same place at the rear of Deck 4. I could enter but not take pictures as they were people dining there. It has changed a lot and now looks more like a chic NY restaurant. My understanding is that all three meals in this restaurant (including dinner) are now buffet style, and people can enjoy the new "A la carte" dining concept in the Fine dining area. The main restaurant actually looked much more cosy and appealing than the Fine dining area, so not sure how that will work out.

 

I guess this also mean that if you want the "restaurant-type" dinner, you will now have to pay more, and it seems to be now an unfortunate trend for Hurtigruten to make you pay for things that used to be free (water at meals, wifi access, little guide book and so on...). For me this dinner arrangment is actually a welcome change as I didn't like the dinner situation before (it was really good food, but lasted for too long, so I'll be fine with buffet-style).

[SarniaLo]

9. Where the arcade area used to be is still actually and arcade area, which looked cosy enough. Sensibly, the chairs in this place are bolted down (and only there, so this is the place to come when the sea is rough). I don't know if the missing chairs are supposed to be installed eventually (I think Polarlys was already pretty late leaving the docks, so maybe some parts are still to be completed).

 

 

This view is actually a little further up than indicated on my plan, as you can see the limit between wood flooring and carpet.

 

 

10. The other side of this corridor. The TV screens display adds for excursions and for Hurtigruten Exploration Voyages.

 

 

This deck felt functional enough for me but the decor is a bit cold.

 

On deck 7 the layout is about the same as before, but the decor has changed a lot (and not, in my opinion, for the better).

 

 

The panorama lounge was very dark so I had difficulty in taking pictures, sorry for the bad quality (I tried with and without flash), and I couldn't get a full picture of the place. You can't really see it on the pictures but the whole back part of it has a huge bar in the middle which breaks up the space. In consequence the lounge looks much smaller and in particular you can't see both sides of the windows except in the very front. The new chairs are sinfully comfortable though, and I'm not sure how you can sit in them and not fall instantly asleep. They have a lever which allows to change the inclination of the seat and back rest. But altogether I felt that there was less seating spots than before. Maybe I am wrong about this. It was not the best conditions to appreciate the space.

 

11. Here you can see a bit of the bar and its wall that closes the view.

 

 

12.

 

[SarniaLo]

And in place of the bar area in the middle of Deck 7, there is now a "Bakery and Ice Cream" shop. For me this is the less successful of the new design. It actually made me laugh. It looks like your Norwegian grandmother's living room, as imagined by the designers of the Ikea catalog.

 

13. View from the elevator lobby. Here also the carpets are included in the floor and glued down.

 

 

14. View from the other end. These chairs look so light, I wonder what will happen to them in rough seas. Yes, there is a wooden standing clock and decorated plates hanging on the wall (same questions about how they will come out in a storm).

 

 

15. Looking left and right from somewhere in the middle.

 

On the first picture, this would actually be a nice spot for watching at ports of call.

 

 

 

But every cliche about Norwegian traditional decor must be somewhere in this room. It feels fake and tacky to me. Hurtigruten's Disneyworld. From the pictures I've seen of Kong Harald, it's a mirror image, down to the last artifact. It actually made me a bit sad because, although an update of the decor was probably needed in those ships, I feel that some soul, some authenticity, and a lot of history has been lost.

Edited April 21, 2016 by SarniaLo

[janetcbl]

Seems Hurtigruten is building new Ships for Expeditions. This article is in Norwegian, but it will be interesting to see how this progresses. http://maritime.no/kontrakter/bygger-nye-hurtigruteskip-for-milliarder/

Edited April 21, 2016 by janetcbl

[erinmarie424]

Thank you for such a thorough report! Polarlys is the only Hurtigruten ship I have been on so it was easy for me to follow along with your comparison of old vs. new. While it does look fresh and new and I like some of the traditional Norwegian items used for decor, it does not seem nearly as grand as I remember from last fall. But I'm glad they found a way to use some of the space that seemed wasted a lot of the time (Deck 4 forward) and that they moved to bar to the Panorama Lounge although as you stated they seemed to have ruined the view for many seats. And it looks like more than four people can move around in the gift shop now!

 

Did you get any pictures of the staterooms?

[SarniaLo]

No, I couldn't go in any cabin (I took the pictures as Polarlys was in port in Svolvaer where I was staying). It does look fresh and modern but to me it looks more like a hotel than a ship. I wouldn't mind so much if the individuality of each ship has been retained, which so far doesn't seem to be the case, but with only two ships out so far we can still hope that the next ones will be different.

[janetcbl]

No, I couldn't go in any cabin (I took the pictures as Polarlys was in port in Svolvaer where I was staying). It does look fresh and modern but to me it looks more like a hotel than a ship. I wouldn't mind so much if the individuality of each ship has been retained, which so far doesn't seem to be the case, but with only two ships out so far we can still hope that the next ones will be different.

 

http://experience.usatoday.com/cruise/story/features/2016/03/29/hurtigruten-kong-harald-cruise-tour/82371514/ More photos from the Kong Harold. I agree with you about the loss of individuality....I enjoyed the Lofoten because it was so different from the newer larger ships like the Trollfjord.....I guess we just have to wait and see....

[digitl]

Seems Hurtigruten is building new Ships for Expeditions. This article is in Norwegian, but it will be interesting to see how this progresses. http://maritime.no/kontrakter/bygger-nye-hurtigruteskip-for-milliarder/

 

They have a couple of images on their Facebook page.

 

While there is no way to tell just how large they will be from the images, they are looking a little too large for my liking. 'Expedition plus'.

[janetcbl]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6975. Regarding the new ships....

[SarniaLo]

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=6975. Regarding the new ships....

Ouch. 600 passengers is way, way too big for an "explorer ship". I'm very much on the fence with how Hurtigruten is evolving and this is not helping.

Wait and see, but with a lot of caution on my part.

[janetcbl]

Ouch. 600 passengers is way, way too big for an "explorer ship". I'm very much on the fence with how Hurtigruten is evolving and this is not helping.

Wait and see, but with a lot of caution on my part.

 

I am afraid I agree with you. I have traveled on Hurtigruten ships sine the 1980's...guess I am not certain if I am ready for this "progress".

[digitl]

The phrase they are using in some of the promotional material I have seen is 'Explorer Expedition' which would seem to indicate the kind of experience Midnatsol is due to offer in Antarctica. More 'family' orientated, less expensive than Fram, and only one landing per day.

 

Expedition light and not something I would contemplate booking.