Hurtigruten’s battery-hybrid powered expedition cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen has become the first hybrid-propulsion ship to traverse the Northwest Passage.
After traveling more than 3,000 nautical miles, Captain Kai Albrigtsen docked the ship at its home port in Nome, Alaska, on the evening of 10 September 2019.
Norwegian polar pioneer Roald Amundsen, after whom the ship is named, made the first complete passage from 1903 to 1906.
The MS Roald Amundsen was launched this summer. Using batteries to support her engines, emissions are reduced by more than 20%. “Every expedition cruise with Hurtigruten is unique, yet this green milestone is literally making history with our guests,” said Daniel Skjeldam, CEO at Hurtigruten. “Only a few years ago, building cruise ships with battery packs was considered impossible; now the MS Roald Amundsen pays tribute to the great explorer she is named after by traversing one of the world’s most fabled stretches of sea by hybrid propulsion.”
“We have experienced gale winds, snow and ice,” said Captain Albrigtsen. “We have also witnessed spectacular sunsets, and striking scenery and wildlife. However, what has had the biggest impact on us, is how warmly we’ve been welcomed by the local communities along the route, just as Roald Amundsen himself was. Their unparalleled hospitality is what has made this a genuinely inspirational voyage.”
Having traversed the Northwest Passage, MS Roald Amundsen will sail further along the coast of North and South America, before spending the winter supporting expedition cruises in Antarctica. In the summer of 2020, MS Roald Amundsen will then return to North America, for a series of expedition cruises in Alaska.
Interior views
Highlights of the Roald Amundsen include its luxury cabins, fine dining, a 17.5m-high LED screen playing views from the outside, and a dedicated science centre. Like her namesake, the ship’s decor holds true to her Nordic roots, combining a sense of cool with warmth and comfort.
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- Suite 800. Photo: Hurtigruten/Agurtxane Concellon
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- Suite 801. Photo: Hurtigruten/Espen Mills
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- Suite 801. Photo: Hurtigruten/Espen Mills
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- Suite 801. Photo: Hurtigruten/Espen Mills
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- Suite 801. Photo: Hurtigruten/Espen Mills
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- Suite 801. Photo: Hurtigruten/Espen Mills
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- Suite 801. Photo: Hurtigruten/Espen Mills
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- Suite 801. Photo: Hurtigruten/Espen Mills
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- Suite 801. Photo: Hurtigruten/Espen Mills
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- Suite 801. Photo: Hurtigruten/Espen Mills
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- Suite 801. Photo: Hurtigruten/Espen Mills
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- The Explorer lounge and bar. Photo: Hurtigruten/Espen Mills
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- The Explorer lounge and bar. Photo: Hurtigruten/Espen Mills
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- Restaurant Aune. Photo: Hurtigruten Espen/Mills
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- Restaurant Lindstrøm. Photo: Hurtigruten/Espen Mills
