Fire ‘happened so fast,’ drills helped
September 16, 2011
The fire that broke out on board the Hurtigruten ship MS Nordlys on Thursday was so explosive in nature that the vessel’s crew had no time to organize any fire-fighting attempts, crew members said Friday afternoon. With thick smoke quickly filling the ship, a rapid evacuation was the most important. Passengers have praised the “calm” [...]
High drama around Hurtigruten ship
September 16, 2011
Emergency crews were still working feverishly on Friday to prevent the damaged Hurtigruten ship MS Nordlys from capsizing at the dock. The situation remained critical but a Dutch salvage team was reportedly making heroic efforts. With Hurtigruten part of the national heritage in Norway, Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) kept following the drama live. It was just [...]
Line hit by 29 accidents in five years
September 16, 2011
Norway’s coastal shipping line, Hurtigruten, is popular with residents and visitors alike despite being unusually accident prone. Newspaper Dagens Næringsliv (DN) tallied up 29 accidents, albeit most of them minor, in the past five years before the line’s MS Nordlys caught fire this week. DN also reported that Hurtigruten received an official reprimand from Norwegian [...]
Hurtigruten fire leaves two dead
September 15, 2011
Two crew members were found dead on board a Hurtigruten vessel hit by fire in its engine room Thursday morning. Passengers and other crew on board the vessel that’s among those sailing along Norway’s coast were evacuated, many by lifeboat. The number of persons injured was set at 16. The cause of the fire on [...]
Hurtigruten show set Guinness record
July 5, 2011
It’s official: Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK)’s marathon TV documentary that aired an entire Hurtigruten voyage live last month has made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. NRK got the word on Tuesday that its nearly six-day show “Hurtigruten Minute by Minute” was approved as the world’s longest live TV documentary ever broadcast. It lasted [...]
Sun set on the show of the century
June 23, 2011
NEWS ANALYSIS: It was easy to feel a bit adrift when Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) finally wrapped up its marathon live coverage of an entire voyage by a Hurtigruten ship this week. For nearly six days, millions of people both in Norway and abroad sat transfixed in front of their TV or computer screens for hours on [...]
Storm didn’t chill Hurtigruten spirit
June 21, 2011
Gale-force winds and stormy seas showed passengers on board Hurtigruten’s celebrity ship MS Nord-Norge just how tough life can be in northern Norway, but the change in the weather didn’t seem to dampen spirits either on board or ashore. Crowds still turned out to enthusiastically greet the ship in the tiniest of towns, and hope [...]
Hurtigruten show draws millions
June 20, 2011
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK)’s decision to air an entire six-day voyage by one of Norway’s Hurtigruten ships live on TV has turned into one of its most successful programs ever. New ratings numbers show that more than half the population tuned in during the weekend. “I don’t think we’ve managed to digest just how much this [...]
Norwegians love Hurtigruten show
June 19, 2011
More than 1.3 million Norwegians tuned in just after Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) launched its non-stop live coverage of a Hurtigruten ship’s entire six-day voyage along Norway’s coast. Even more have been watching since, also from outside the country, and NRK’s show is exceeding all expectations. “These are fantastic numbers,” said Rune Møklebust, NRK’s program chief [...]
NRK launches marathon TV voyage
June 17, 2011
After months of planning and technical preparation, state broadcaster NRK went live Thursday night with its marathon coverage of a Hurtigruten voyage from Bergen north to the line’s turnaround point in Kirkenes. Viewers will be able to follow every minute of the trip on NRK’s channel 2, until it ends on Wednesday morning. All told, [...]
Sailing away on Hurtigruten
June 16, 2011
EXPATRIATE MUSINGS: Norwegians and foreigners alike are drawn to the coastal voyage in Norway known as Hurtigruten, which offers sea travel combined with stunning scenery, weather permitting. It’s a chance to see Norway’s fjords and mountain ranges, and visit large Norwegian cities and small fishing villages. Isabel Coderre (photo), who moved from Canada to Norway [...]
Fatal fall on Hurtigruten gangway
April 15, 2011
A Norwegian woman in 70s stumbled while walking down the gangway of the Hurtigruten ship Trollfjord, after the vessel berthed at Tromsø earlier this week. She ended up falling along the entire length of the gangway, and later died in hospital. It was the first time Norway’s famed coastal shipping line has experienced such an [...]
State boosts support for Hurtigruten
April 13, 2011
Transport Minister Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa announced Wednesday that Norway’s famed coastal shipping line Hurtigruten will continue to call at all its 34 ports between Bergen and Kirkenes, all year long. The “status quo” service comes only after Kleppa agreed to boost taxpayer support for the historic line that’s among the country’s top tourist magnets. Lengthy [...]
Couch-cruising along the coast
April 13, 2011
Norwegians will get a unique opportunity to cruise along the scenic coast of northern Norway this summer, without getting up from their couch at home. National broadcaster NRK is mounting cameras on board the coastal voyage vessel Nord-Norge, part of the Hurtigruten fleet, and plans to air a live marathon program filming every minute of [...]
Hurtigruten may drop some ports
June 30, 2010
Hurtigruten, Norway’s venerable shipping line that’s been carrying passengers and freight along the country’s northern coast for decades, may need to drop some of its ports. State officials say they want to maintain current service, but “not at any price.” The line now calls at 34 ports along the coast between Bergen and Kirkenes, some [...]
