MS Otto Sverdrup
Launched in 2002 as MS Finnmarken and renamed MS Otto Sverdrup after a Norwegian polar explorer who was a contemporary of Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen, this 530-guest vessel is one of three almost identical ships in Hurtigruten’s Millennium class, all built to accommodate the growing popularity of coastal Norwegian cruises. Designed to be a touch more upscale than her two Millennium-class siblings, MS Otto Sverdrup features gleaming Art Deco interiors and bonus spaces like an al fresco café and a pool flanked by hot tubs. The hybrid-powered ship now sails coastal Norway cruises from Hamburg and caters to a mostly German clientele.
What We Love
Local Cuisine: Hurtigruten serves just-caught fish and fresh ingredients sourced from regions around Norway, including smoked salmon, clip fish, and salted leg of lamb.
Pool and Sauna with a View: Don’t take these features for granted — MS Otto Sverdrup is the only ship in Hurtigruten’s Millennium class that offers both of these amenities.
Panoramic Lounge: This space hosts the best seats in the house for landscape- and nature-peeping.
Best Known For
Nature: No matter the season, there’s flora and fauna to capture on camera and landscapes known only to Norway: dramatic fjords, tumbling waterfalls, rugged mountains, and, of course, the Northern Lights.
Coastal Itineraries: Hurtigruten has been cruising up and down the coast of Norway from Kirkenes to Bergen since 1893. Today, it still runs a similar itinerary with the dual functions of a ferry and cargo service and tourism vessel. cruises to handpicked coastal ports with tourism as its focus.