The 1956-built MS Nordstjernen cruise ship is Hurtigruten's oldest vessel, withdrawn from the Norwegian Coastal ferry service in 2012. Nordstjernen is also the vessel with the longest Hurtigruten cruiseferry service ever. In 2012, this unique boat was protected as Norway's national heritage. The last drydock refurbishment was in 2020 (Gdansk Poland).

The vessel (IMO number 5255777) is currently Norway-flagged (MMSI 257276000) and registered in Tromso.

History - construction and ownership

The shipowner Hurtigruten is a Norwegian passenger shipping company specializing in cruise and ferry services. The "Norwegian Coastal Express Route" (Bergen-Kirkenes) is a cargo-passenger ferry service along Norway's western and northern coast. Hurtigruten's cruise ferries sail nearly the entire length of Norway and complete this roundtrip itinerary in 11 days. The route also includes Lofoten Islands and Vesteralen Islands.

The 300-passenger ship Nordstjernen was built in 1956 for Norwegian Coastal Voyage ferry service and is currently operated by Hurtigruten AS. In 2000 the boat was extensively modernized to allow Arctic navigation. Today the vessel takes explorers on sea adventures in the waters around Spitsbergen Island.

MS Nordstjernen was mainly used for Hurtigruten coastal service and cruises to the Svalbard archipelago. In 1980 she was extensively refitted. From 2010 to 2012 Nordstjernen operated on Hurtigruten coastal service, but in March 2012, the ship was withdrawn from coastal service and replaced by MS Finnmarken. In November 2012, ms Nordstjernen was purchased by Vestland Rederi AS.

The ship's new homeport is Bergen. From December 2012 through July 2013, Nordstjernen underwent an extensive drydock renovation (at Gdansk Shipyard). The project was subsidized (with NOK 2,5 million / Norwegian Krones) by Riksantikvaren (Norwegian Directorate for Cultural Heritage). The ship left Gdansk on November 9, 2013, but on her way back to Norway ran aground in Karmsund Strait (on November 11). Due to sustained hull damages, the boat returned to Poland for repairs (at Olensvag) and left in late-January 2014. In 2015 and 2016, Hurtigruten chartered the vessel for voyages in Svalbard Archipelago during summer.

MS Nordstjernen is named after Stella Polaris or the North Star, famous for helping the Vikings to navigate the north and seafarers find out their way back home.

Decks and Cabins

MS Nordstjernen staterooms (150 total, in 6 grades) include 134x Outside and 16x Inside. Plain but cozy, all passenger accommodations are fitted with lower and upper berths. Less than half provide en-suite bathrooms. Slightly more than a half are outside with Porthole windows.

The boat has 4 passenger decks, of which 3 are with cabins.

船上餐饮选择 - 食品和饮料

如果预订卑尔根和希尔科内斯之间的全程单程航行或完整的往返游轮，Nordstjernen 餐厅的所有餐点（与船同宽）均包含在票价中。食物是中级烹饪，选择包括标准国际美食和挪威特色菜。餐厅是一间舒适的房间，配有挪威原创绘画。预订仅适用于晚餐。除非船满了，否则只有一个座位。

以下是 Ms Nordstjernen 餐厅和美食酒吧的完整列表。

餐厅（提供自助式早餐 7:30 - 9:00 am，午餐 12:30 - 2:00 pm，晚餐 7:30 pm - 仅限预订，服务员服务，固定座位）咖啡厅（船尾）餐厅、24 小时开放的自助餐厅提供点菜菜单，提供热/冷餐、小吃、饮料）。

船上娱乐选项 - 娱乐和运动

MS Nordstjernen 以其亲密的非正式氛围、全景甲板和独特的休息室吸引着乘客。如果您想乘坐一艘拥有训练有素的船员和舒适住宿环境的小船，这艘非凡的船只是您的完美选择。尽管进行了现代化改造，Nordstjernen 号仍然保留着古老大西洋船的光环，并采用经典的木质内饰、新的黄铜和所有原创艺术品进行了修复，恢复了昔日的辉煌。甲板上的乘客可以近距离接触极地北极未受破坏的自然风光。由于大部分甲板空间都有屋顶，即使在恶劣的天气下，他们也可以享受户外活动。

以下是适合儿童、青少年和成人的 ms Nordstjernen 休息室、俱乐部和其他娱乐场所的完整列表。

酒吧（餐后享用鸡尾酒的场所）商店（出售挪威纪念品和海达路德标志商品）沙龙甲板休息室（270 度全景）全景休息室（270 度全景和舒适的座椅）阳光甲板是举行海达路德特别仪式“北极圈洗礼”的地点，包括身着海王星服装的船员、冰冷的海水和热身镜头。

行程

MS Nordstjernen 行程计划以挪威沿海航行为基础。船舶航线包括美丽的挪威峡湾。

Nordstjernen 主要用作乘客和汽车的渡轮。不过，部分乘客会留在船上参加从卑尔根和希尔科内斯出发的 12 天往返行程。