Hurtigruten renames cruise ship to...

Vessel will return to its original name, MS Finnmarken

Hurtigruten is set to rename one of its most well-known ships.

From mid-May 2025, MS Otto Sverdrup will revert to its original name – MS Finnmarken – which was given at its unveiling in 2002.

This move follows the return of the ship to the Hurtigruten fleet in 2024, having been with Hurtigruten’s then-expedition company HX (formerly Hurtigruten Expeditions) for three years.

Hurtigruten and HX are now two separate companies, having completed the acquisition by separate groups of investors in March 2025, and each has different brands and naming traditions.

While HX uses names connected to explorers and polar pioneers, Hurtigruten pays homage to its Norwegian heritage, calling its ships after places along Norway’s coast, natural phenomena and Norwegian royalty, such as MS Kong Harald, named after Norway's King Harald V.

A name rich in history and meaning for both guests and employees, Finnmarken has a “strong connection and deep roots to many along the coast,” said Hedda Felin, CEO of Hurtigruten.

“We look forward to welcoming guests back on board a ship with a name that honours that history.”

Following the rename, the ship will continue to operate the North Cape Line, sailing between Hamburg in Germany and Finnmark, the county in Norway it is named after.

Looking further ahead, Hurtigruten has set out plans to design a ship that can sail emission-free in normal operations on the Norwegian coast by 2030. The ‘Sea Zero’ concept aims to cut energy by between 40% to 50% compared to today’s ships.

For more information, visit Hurtigruten’s B2B Agent Portal at www.agentportal.hurtigruten.com and www.hurtigruten.com/en. For travel trade enquires, visit www.connectingtravel.com/cruise-hub/hurtigruten or contact Carla Hines, Head of Sales Emerging Markets on +44 (0) 7826 912 426 or carla.hines@hurtigruten.com

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