Hurtigruten opens in Melb

HURTIGRUTEN Cruises yesterday formally opened its new Australian office, with the company’s staff across the globe celebrating with a worldwide “plastic free morning tea”.

Staff in Oslo, Tromso, Tallinn, Paris, Hamburg, London, Seattle, Hong Kong and Longyearbyen enjoyed some Aussie-themed treats, along with cake served on the Hurtigruten fleet.

Some appointments to the local team are still being finalised by Hurtigruten’s MD Asia-Pacific, Damian Perry, but he told TD that Joel Victoria has been named as Head of Marketing, alongside Inside Sales Manager Darren Wakefield, Andrew Eddy as Key Account Manager Sydney and Justine Costigan as PR and Communications Lead.

The appointment of other sales consultants and a Head of Sales is understood to be imminent, with further recruitment under way.

Perry said the product team would continue to develop market specific solutions “and we welcome trade partners’ engagement, feedback and interest,” he said.

MEANWHILE, Hurtigruten overnight also provided further details of its new Expedition Norway voyages, offering a “yearround expedition cruise product unmatched in the market”.

To be sailing from Jan 2021 aboard three fully refurbished vessels dedicated to the product, the voyages will focus on the Norwegian coast as an expedition experience, along with a premium onboard offering with full board, drinks, wi-fi, daily landings and expedition activities.

The new Hurtigruten Australia/ NZ office in Melbourne can be contacted on 1300 322 062 (AU) and 0800 005 201 (NZ).