Welcome to Cruise Talk the Internet's most popular discussion forum dedicated to cruising. Stop by Cruise Talk anytime to post a message or find out what your fellow passengers and industry insiders are saying about a particular ship, cruise line or destination.
>>> Reader Reviews >>> CruisePage.com Photo Gallery >>> Join Our Cruise Club.
Latest News...Princess Cruises today marked a major milestone with the arrival of the cruise line's very first Royal-Class ship, Sky Princess, to homeport in Port Canaveral, beginning a season of Caribbean cruises from Central Florida. Starting today and continuing through March 2026, Sky Princess will offer six- and eight-day Caribbean cruises to pristine beaches...
Latest News...Oceania Cruises has unveiled two brand-new culinary concepts aboard Oceania Sonata, the first vessel in its next generation Sonata Class launching in August 2027, during a press conference at ILTM Cannes. Debuting aboard Oceania Sonata will be the most exclusive fine-dining restaurant at sea, La Table par Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, and Nikkei Kitchen, an evening venue focused on a vibrant fusion ...
Latest News...Villa Vie Residences today announced the appointment of Chris Cox as President of Project Lumina, a newly created ultra-luxury product within the Villa Vie brand family. In this role, Chris will lead the development and rollout of Project Lumina, which will introduce a new tier of refined, residential ocean living while complementing Villa Vie's existing contemporary offering aboard....
Thanks.
quote:Originally posted by JP:[...] I realize that the Hurtigruten ships manage to sail up there year-round, but cruise ships?Thanks.
There should not be a problem. It's winter and thus cold but temperatures are not that extreme due to the gulf stream - there is also hardly any ice on the water, the Hurtigruten ships are actually categorized in the lowest ice class like some cruise ships.
Video Clips of a trip aboard Richard With, Hurtigruten Feburary 1994
Pam's album on a trip aboard Polarlys, Hurtigruten November 2002
[ 10-18-2013: Message edited by: Ernst ]
Remember, too, that MARCO POLO was practically a fixture in both the Arctic and the Antarctic during her days with Orient Line; the vessel seems to handle icy conditions quite well.
Rich
quote:Originally posted by Linerrich:[...] Obviously you're not going up there in the dark of winter for shoreside sightseeing as much as to see the Aurora Borealis; that seems to be the draw, and people have not been disappointed.[...]
I disagree with that - also because I have been to Norway during the winter several times without seeing an Aurora Borealis.
Like with all cruises to Norway the landscape is the main attraction - and it's beautiful when covered with snow.
Beside that, there is actually a lot do ashore - Hurtigruten seems to have done a good job in coming up with shore excursion for the winter like trips with dog sleds or snowmobiles.
quote:Originally posted by Linerrich:[...]Remember, too, that MARCO POLO was practically a fixture in both the Arctic and the Antarctic during her days with Orient Line; the vessel seems to handle icy conditions quite well.[...]
Like most Hurtigruten ships or also other cruise ships Marco Polo is classified as 1C. Mind you, this is a 'low' category and does NOT indicate that the vessel is suitable for operation in polar regions.
Marco Polo - Det Norske Veritas registry
Richard With, Hurtigruten - Det Norske Veritas registry
[ 10-22-2013: Message edited by: Ernst ]
Ultimate Bulletin BoardTM 6.1.0.3
More Vacation & Cruise Specials...