Hurtigruten’s 2013/14 Explorer Brochure features New Voyages, Additional Departures & Savings up to 25%

Travelers seeking adventure in remote landscapes will be hard-pressed to choose between the array of voyages detailed in Hurtigruten's new 83-page full-color Explorer Voyager brochure, which details 21 itineraries, ranging from seven to 19 days, including three new voyages, additional departure dates for its Spitsbergen and Transatlantic routes and savings up to 25%.  Travelers can save up to 20% on 2013 sailings with Hurtigruten's new early booking discount system, where savings are had on a first come, first serve basis rather than by a specific booking date.  Also new is a flexible, multi-leveled pricing system and the opportunity to save 5% on a second voyage when booking two in sequence.  The popular 1893 Ambassador Club, a free loyalty club for guests who have sailed a minimum of three nights on any Hurtigruten ship in the past, receive an additional 5% discount on cruise fare as well as a range of other exclusive benefits.

    New itineraries are the 11-day "Southern Fjords & Disko Bay – Glaciers and Ice," which combines the highlights of southern Greenland's Disko Bay with stops in Iceland; the 10-day "Norwegian Fjords and Scotland – Historical Highlights," whose ports include the Shetland Islands, Leith and London; and "Western Europe – British Isles Explorer," a 12-day voyage that explores several islands before ending in Hamburg during its lively harbor festival, "Hamburger Hafengeburtstag."

Explorer Destinations

Antarctica: Increasing demand has Hurtigruten introducing a second departure of its 13-day "Polar Circle Expedition" for the 2013 season.  Unique to this year, guests on the "Antarctica, Falklands & South Georgia Voyage" visit South Georgia on Christmas Day, the 100-year anniversary of the consecration of the Whalers Church in Grytviken.  Though long known for its large variety of penguins, travelers will be equally enchanted by the dramatic scenery, countless species of bird and marine life, and haunting landscapes that comprise the "White Continent."  Five itineraries of 10 to 19 days run November through February, with all but one – the 19-day "Great Antarctic Expedition," which begins in Ushuaia – start and end in the lively capital of Buenos Aires. Fares reflecting early booking savings range from $6,302 to $9,782 per person, double.
 
Spitsbergen: located midway between Norway and the North Pole, the isolated island of Spitsbergen is only accessible by sea, making Hurtigruten's sailings the ideal way to take in the remote vistas.  The landscape of towering glaciers, spectacular fjords, Arctic deserts and the Midnight Sun is home to a wealth of marine life, migratory birds and land animals, especially polar bears.  The Expedition team illuminate the history and mystery behind unique Arctic sights such as the ice-filled Hinlopen Strait; Nordauslandet Island; historical settlements of Barentsburg and Ny-Ålesund; Bear Island; and Andreeneset, where the remains of the ill-fated 1897 Andree Balloon Expedition were found in 1930.  There are three departures of the 9-day "In the Realm of the Polar Bear" voyage, which circumnavigates Spitsbergen, and one each of the "Explorer Voyage" and "Climate Voyage."  Early booking fares for the July/August 2013 sailings range from $3,204 to $5,040.
 
Greenland: Hurtigruten's Greenland voyages combine breathtaking landscape – mountain formations, wildlife, icebergs and glaciers – with a deeper understanding of the Inuit people's heritage and culture, achieved through visits to Greenlandic communities and settlements.  Highlights include walking tours of Inuit towns with tongue-twisting names -- Qeqertarsuaq, Ukkusissat, Ilulissat and Uummannaq; abundant wildlife such as whales, seals, walruses, musk oxen, Arctic foxes and hundreds of bird species; and, on 15-day "National Park Expedition," the rarely visited Northeast Greenland National Park, the largest national park in the world.  On-board Expedition Leaders and experts teach guests about the biology, climate, history and geology and interaction with local people ensures lasting memories.  The four itineraries – ranging from nine to 15 days – depart in May through Sept., 2013.  Early-booking savings prices ranging from $5,917 to $8,206.
 
Europe: an array of countries are visited while aboard the MS Fram as it travels along the coast of Europe during its spring and fall sailings.  New for 2013, the popular "Southern Europe – Easter Voyage," which sails from Las Palmas to Lisbon, Portugal, will be forging a new route that takes in Arrecife, Agadir, Casablanca, Gibraltar and Portimão – among others; and the 19-day "Transatlantic Crossing," which debuted in 2012, will return with an additional departure date.  Other options include the 13-day "North Atlantic Islands – Autumn Adventure," the nine-day "Norwegian Fjords – Spring Adventure" and the 17-day "Western Europe – Migrating South."  Fares with early booking savings are priced from $1,344 to $4,107.

    Optional excursions provide guests with the opportunity to customize the cruise experience.  Guests are encouraged to book optional excursions prior to departure as space can be limited.

    As a leader in expedition cruising, Hurtigruten takes its commitment to safeguarding these remote destinations seriously and belongs to both AECO and IAATO - organizations that demand its members maintain responsible travel safeguards for future generations.  They also are promoting the clean-up of the Svalbard archipelago as well as making its deluxe expedition ship, MS Fram, available to marine biologists and other scientists as a platform for scientific research.

    Membership in the 1893 Ambassador Club loyalty is free of charge and its included discounts are for the cruise component only.  Guest who have already cruised can join by visiting www.hurtigruten.us/1893 or calling 877-301-3059; new travelers can join the program while onboard their voyage or after returning home.

    Hurtigruten is a world leader in expedition cruising, sailing to the most remote of destinations including Antarctica, Greenland and the Arctic's Spitsbergen, as well as year round along Norway's coast and Europe in the spring and fall.  The company's fleet of 13 intimate ships, with 151 to 646 berths, allows passengers to enjoy unique destinations in a relaxed atmosphere.   Additional information on all of these adventures, as well as brochures and reservations, can be obtained from travel agents or Hurtigruten's visitor-friendly web site, www.hurtigruten.us; or by phone: (877) 301-3117; fax (888) 524-2145; for brochures (800) 582-0835, 24 hours a day.