A lot farther than 50° North...
JILL Blunsom from Fifty Degrees North is one of the Aussies experiencing Hurtigruten’s new MS
Roald Amundsen this week as the ship cruises in the frozen north.
The pioneering vessel, which features the absolute latest in environmental features, is today only about 500km from the North Pole as it voyages between the remote Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard en route to Greenland.
The Australian contingent will be on board for the next 10 days or so, exploring the world’s largest national park and the fjords of eastern Greenland.
Roald Amundsen carries 530 passengers, who will take part in daily Zodiac expeditions, shore landings, wildlife encounters, small boat iceberg cruising, kayaks and more.
Guests on board hail from across the globe, with the multilingual staff catering for passengers from Germany, France and China as well as Englishspeaking markets such as the USA, the UK and Australia.
As well as a host of creature comforts such as a spa, gym, three restaurants, bars, lounges and even a rooftop infinity pool, the ship features a full science centre and Expedition Launch Pad with a fleet of 14 Zodiacs.
Passengers are each given a special Hurtigruten expedition jacket made by Helly Hansen to take home, and are also provided with special boots to wear when going ashore to protect the fragile Arctic environment.
Mod cons on board also include free wi-fi, an interactive in-cabin entertainment system complete with movies, box set television series and live TV.
Roald Amundsen’s current itinerary takes her from Svalbard to Reykjavik, with the next voyage taking cruisers through the North West Passage to Alaska.
Fifty Degrees North is one of Hurtigruten’s key partners in the Australasian market, with Blunsom particularly interested in experiencing the product in the lead-up to its Antarctic season.
Blunsom is pictured ready for action as Roald Amundsen cruised out of Svalbard on Sat morning with Damian Perry, Hurtigruten MD Asia-Pacific, while inset is the shiny new ship’s bell.