As holiday and travel companies work hard to be that little bit kinder to the environment, TAMLYN JONES takes a short cruise on the latest hybrid battery-powered cruise ship SEA POWER
THE scramble to be green, or at least appear as green as possible, has been enveloping the holiday and travel industries for years now. From aeroplane manufacturers refining their engines to hotel and resort developments utilising the latest environmentally-friendly building techniques, everyone is jumping on board.
Step forward, then, Norwegian cruise operator Hurtigruten and its green ship, MS Fridtjof Nansen.
Named after the Norwegian explorer and scientist, it uses a hybrid battery propulsion system in a bid to lessen its impact on the seas and oceans it travels on.
Following last year’s launch of the similarly sized MS Roald Amundsen, the tech inside the two ships is said to cut fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by 20%.
MS Fridtjof Nansen is small by industry standards with a capacity of just 530 people. Onboard activities are limited to a science centre with library, relaxation spa, gym (both indoors and outdoors) and a bar.
Its three restaurants serve breakfast, lunch and dinner every day and cater for all tastes.
The high-end Lindstrøm offers a menu and experience akin to a Michelin-starred restaurant while, at the other end of the scale, Fredheim should appeal to younger appetites with its waffles, burgers and milkshakes.
The company bills itself as a ‘world leader in exploration travel’, with its excursions aimed at those with a greater interest in the natural environment than Mai Tais in the hot tub at the deck bar – although you can get those too on summer trips aboard MS Fridtjof Nansen.
Among the destinations planned for its 2020 and 2021 programmes are Alaska, Antarctica, Greenland and Central America. Our early spring voyage, before coronavirus reared its ugly head, was a five-day ‘showcase’ trip, aimed at highlighting the ship’s facilities and what it offers travellers rather than the route itself.
We left London Tilbury port and made our way overnight to one of the UK’s most famous naval destinations. Portsmouth’s CV as a place to visit for maritime enthusiasts is arguably second to none, with museums, shops and ships such as HMS Victory and The Mary Rose all housed at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
Victory’s place in British naval history is forever associated with Vice-Admiral Nelson and his victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, something which cost him his life in 1805. But the ship actually fought in several other battles and exploring its decks really brings home how cramped and unbearable the conditions must have been for sailors.
The Mary Rose, which was raised in 1982 after 437 years on the seabed, has a museum which can also offer a VIP experience for those with larger budgets and an impressive shop which is free to visit.
Once the history lesson is over, it is only a short walk to marvel at something much more modern – Spinnaker Tower. Reaching 560 feet, the tower has become a symbol of modern Portsmouth and a key destination for thousands of tourists every year.
In keeping with the finest traditions of British civil engineering, it was conceived as a project to mark the millennium but was delivered six years late and more than £11 million over budget. A city council officer was even stuck in its lift for over an hour on the day it opened to the public in 2005!
Now a must-see for visitors, its three floors in the sky offer unparalleled views up to 23 miles away including of the South Downs and Isle of Wight.
There’s a glass floor to walk across for those who enjoy an adrenaline rush, a café and an open-air garden to take in that sea breeze from the skies.
You can even abseil down the side of it...
The rest of our trip was somewhat plagued by the March weather which meant we docked a day early in our final stop, Liverpool. The city offers so much to visitors that it would normally require its own feature but the waterfront area with the historic Royal Albert Dock and trio of landmark buildings – Royal Liver, The Cunard and Port of Liverpool, known as The Three Graces – are all must sees.
Around the dockyard, you can find The Beatles Story museum, Merseyside Maritime Museum and the superb Museum of Liverpool while art lovers can head to Tate Liverpool, the majority of which is free to visit.
No trip to Liverpool would be complete without a stop at the Royal Liver Building. Once one of the tallest in the country, it was completed in 1911 for Royal Liver Assurance and sold in 2017 for £48 million for the first time in its history and now provides a head office for Everton FC. There’s a small museum which is free to visit or guided tours every 15 minutes which culminate in a stop inside its historic clock tower.
It was the perfect place to end my English coastal cruise and trip to this fabulous port city.
was a guest of Hurtigruten – see
for details about its post-Covid programme of cruises. Head to for information about the city and the ‘Portsmouth Pass’ which offers bulk discounts to the main attractions. Guided tours of Spinnaker Tower require advanced booking at