HURTIGRUTEN LAUNCHES 2013/14 EXPLORER BROCHURE WITH NEW ITINERARIES AND FIRST EVER DEPARTURE FROM LONDON
Hurtigruten has launched its 2013/14 Explorer Voyages brochure, featuring trips to Spitsbergen, Greenland, Antarctica and Europe. Offering agents a comprehensive range of expedition voyages to sell, the brochure features a voyage that offers the chance to spend Christmas Day in South Georgia plus three new European voyages including an itinerary that explores Norway and Scotland before finishing in Greenwich, and another that departs from Greenwich and explores the UK before heading over to Hamburg. This is the first time Hurtigruten has featured the London port of Greenwich. In addition, extra dates have been added on popular itineraries to provide agents with additional capacity to sell.
Kathryn Beadle, managing director at Hurtigruten UK comments: “We have launched our programme earlier this year to allow agents even more time to sell. Expedition cruises are becoming more and more popular as customers are not only seeking the more unusual and exciting destinations but they are also wanting to be educated on the areas that they are visiting. Our customers are well travelled and looking for new experiences and our Explorer programme fulfills this requirement. Nature programmes on the television focusing around colder climates such as the Frozen Planet and Prince Harry’s trek in Spitsbergen have put a focus on these areas, which in turn is driving demand. As our ships are smaller, agents really do need to ensure they are working hard to get customers to book early to avoid disappointment. It’s exciting news that we will have two voyages that include the UK in 2013 and these offer our customers something a little different, but still with the popular Hurtigruten style. We have grown our European sailing from five this year to eight in 2013 as they prove extremely popular.” The new brochure also features a 20% early booking discount, which is capacity controlled per departure. Another reason why early booking is essential!
Highlights include:
ANTARCTICA:
– THE GREAT ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION – this is the first time a voyage to the Falklands, South Georgia, the South Orkney Islands and Antarctica will depart from Ushuaia. Departing on 1 December 2013, voyage fares for this 19-day itinerary start from £4,758pp including the voyage on a full board basis, flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia and transfers in Ushuaia.
– SOUTH GEORGIA ANNIVERSARY VOYAGE – this Christmas voyage has been renamed and will have an extended stay in South Georgia including Christmas Day, which in 2013 marks 100 years since the Whalers Church was consecrated in Grytviken, the islands main town, on 25th December
1913. This church was pre-built in separate parts in Norway and bought to South Georgia. Departing on 19 December 2013, voyage fares for this 17-day itinerary start from £6,049pp including the voyage on a full board basis, flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia and transfers in Ushuaia.
– ANTARCTICA PENINSULA – POLAR CIRCLE EXPEDITION – Due to demand to go even further into and cross the Antarctic Circle, a second departure of the ‘Antarctica Peninsula – Polar Circle Expedition’ has been added. This travels to an area of Antarctica few others have laid eyes on. Now available on 22 January and 3 February 2014. Priced from £5,177pp including the voyage on a full board basis, flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia and transfers in Ushuaia.
EUROPE
– HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS – Norwegian Fjords and Scotland – this brand new itinerary travels from Bergen to Greenwich with many stops along the way. Before leaving Norway the ship will explore Hardangerfjord and Sognefjord then cross the North Sea to Lerwick on the Shetland Islands and the northernmost town in Scotland. Then it’s on to Kirkwall on the Orkneys Islands before heading south to Greenwich with stops at Leith (Edinburgh) and Newcastle. This 10-day itinerary departs on 22 April 2013 and fares start from £1,724pp voyage only.
– WESTERN EUROPE – BRITISH ISLES EXPLORER – offered for the first time, this itinerary which starts from Greenwich takes in some of the very best of the UK. After sailing down the Thames, the ship visits Portsmouth and then the Isles of Scilly with its miles of white sandy beaches. Cobh and Dublin are called at in Ireland before heading to Douglas on the Isle of Man, Iona and Staffa in the Hebrides, Portree on the Isle of Skye, Kirkwall on the Orkney Islands, Leith (Edinburgh) and finally across the North Sea to Hamburg. Voyage fares for this 12-day itinerary start from £2,498pp voyage only.
– SOUTHERN EUROPE – EASTER VOYAGE – this Easter, MS Fram will go from Las Palmas on Gran Canaria to Lisbon in Portugal. It will visit Lanzarote on Good Friday, Agadir on Easter Saturday and Casablanca on Easter Sunday before heading off to Gibraltar, Portimao and finally Lisbon. Departing on 28 March 2013, this week long trip is priced from £832pp voyage only.
GREENLAND
– An additional departure date has been added for the ‘Southern Fjords and Disko Bay – Glaciers and Ice’ itinerary that departs Reykjavik and travels the southwest tip of Greenland. The trip is now available on 31 May and 7 July 2013 and fares start from £3,662pp including the voyage on a full board basis and flights between Copenhagen and Kangerlussuaq or vice versa.
SPITSBERGEN
– Due to its popularity, an additional departure has been added for the Spitsbergen circumnavigation itinerary – ‘In the realm of the Polar Bear’ which offers the chance to travel the entire archipelago. Three are now available departing 14, 21 and 28 August 2013 with prices starting from £3,117pp voyage only.
Contact Discover the World Marketing for your copy of the 2013/2014 Hurtigruten Explorer Voyages Brochure!