The Norwegian Government has declared 2011 the ‘Year of Nansen and Amundsen’ to mark two major anniversaries and specialist cruise company Hurtigruten will play its own role in the celebrations. This year is 150 years since polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen was born and 100 years since polar hero Roald Amundsen and his four men were the first people in history to reach the South Pole. Special voyages themed around the anniversaries have been created, plus onboard celebrations in Antarctica on the day of Amundsen’s centenary.
There is no better expedition voyage operator to lead the celebrations than Hurtigruten. Named after Nansen’s vessel which sailed the original journey, Hurtigruten’s explorer ship MS Fram (above) will be embarking on many of the celebratory voyages in 2011.
‘Climate Voyage’ on the MS Fram 21 July, Reykjavik-Longyearbyen – from £2333pp
This year’s Climate Voyage celebrates the 150th anniversary of Nansen’s birth with an eight-day voyage from Reykjavik to Svalbard. As well as making an inaugural visit to Jan Mayen, one of the most isolated islands on the planet, the voyage includes fascinating climate-related lectures and discussions on topics such as the work of Nansen. The voyage departs July 21 and is priced from £2333pp to include seven nights full board on the ship and flights from Longyearbyen to Oslo, based on two sharing. International flights are extra.
The Polar Bears, Islands and Fjords voyage on MS Fram 7 September - from £3196pp
This new itinerary has been created especially for the year of celebrations, sailing in the wake of Fridtjof Nansen. This unique sailing from Spitsbergen to Bergen follows a similar route to that travelled by Nansen in 1896 on his return journey to mainland Norway after three years in the polar ice, during which he reached the northern-most point any human had ever been. Nansen sailed with Captain Otto Sverdrup and they received honour and glory in every port they visited on the way down the Norwegian coast. These ports form the backbone of the Hurtigruten service, which launched in 1897 with Captain Sverdrup at the helm. The voyage departs on September 7 and costs from £3196pp, including 11 nights full board on the ship, flights from Oslo to Longyearbyen and one night’s pre-cruise accommodation in Longyearbyen, with breakfast and sightseeing, Price is based on two sharing. International flights are extra.
Centenary of Amundsen reaching the South Pole, MS Fram 4 December – from £4904pp
On December 14, 1911, Roald Amundsen and his men reached the South Pole, having set off from Fridtjof Nansen’s polar ship Fram and the Framheim camp. The expedition captured the imagination of the world. On the day of the centenary, Hurtigruten’s explorer ship MS Fram will be in Antarctica, where the anniversary will be marked with on board celebrations. Be part of this memorable day and join a 17-day ‘Chilean Fjords and Antarctica’ voyage departing on December 4. The 14-night full board voyage costs from £4904pp and includes a variety of landings, one night’s B&B in Buenos Aires before and after the voyage, return flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, and transfers. Based on two sharing. International flights are extra.
For more information on these and other crusies, visit http://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/ or visit the UK's adventure cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.
Great series of cruises to highlight here. Hurtigruten are quickly becoming one of THE great names in Polar expedition travel and these three cruises all offer some of the best reasons why anyone would want to consider a voyage there.
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