Winner and Guest Receive Special Sailing Aboard New Ship

     Seattle, July 2015—Hurtigruten, a world leader in exploration travel and the original Norwegian coastal route, is asking its many Facebook fans to help name its newest ship. The new addition to the Hurtigruten fleet, which has been given the temporary name MS Norway Explorer, will replace MS Midnatsol in the route along the Norwegian coast in the fall of 2016.

     The new name must begin with the letters MS (motor vessel), and it must be a Norwegian word (or word of Norwegian origin) that can be well translated. Today all Hurtigruten ships are named after natural phenomena, such as MS Nordlys (Northern Lights), MS Midnatsol (Midnight Sun), MS Polarlys (Aurora); places Hurtigruten sails to or passes, such as MS Finnmarken, MS Vesterålen, MS Nordkapp, MS Trollfjord, and MS Lofoten; or after important persons such as Norway's King Harald or Hurtigruten's founder Richard With. The proposals for name for the new ship should work with the current naming structure.

     Proposals can be submitted on Hurtigruten's Facebook page. Hurtigruten has the right to delete proposals that are inappropriate or offensive and expect participants in the competition to comply with Facebook terms and conditions. The contest is not sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook. Deadline for submission of proposals is August 10. The winner and a friend get to be guests of the captain on a special sailing aboard the new ship.

About the New Ship

     Hurtigruten's newest ship is modern and environmentally friendly, with the size and maneuverability that make it possible to get even closer to nature experiences. In the future, the new ship can also be used beyond Norway's coast for voyages to Greenland, Spitsbergen, Iceland and Antarctica.

• Built in 2009 by the Portuguese shipyard Estaleiro Navais de Viana do Castelo (ENVC)
• Modern and fuel efficient propulsion system
• Highly maneuverable
• Number of guests: 320
• Total  berth capacity: 180
• Gross tonnage: 7025
• Length: 97.53 m
• Width: 18 m
• Draught: 5 m
• Propeller system: 2x 360 Azimut thrusters
• Machine: Diesel Electric
• Speed: 17.4 knots

     Hurtigruten sails to the most remote of destinations as well as year-round along Norway's coast. The company's fleet of intimate ships, which each carry 100 to 646 guests, allows travelers to enjoy the scenery and culture of the destination in a relaxed atmosphere.

     Additional information, brochures and reservations can be obtained from travel agents or Hurtigruten's visitor-friendly website, www.hurtigruten.com; by phone at 877-301-3117; or fax at 888-524-2145. To order brochures 24 hours a day, call 800-582-0835.

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Gillies and Zaiser
212.724.7783
media@gilliesandzaiser.com
www.gilliesandzaiser.com
HTN-22 July 2015