MS Polar Star season has been cancelled

During the last years, Hurtigrutens' daughter company Spitsbergen Travel AS has chartered the explorer ship MV Polar Star to offer weekly cruises around Spitsbergen to its guests. Due to the fact, the shipowner Karlsen Shipping is placed in a receivership, we have to cancel all MV Polar Star`s expedition voyages on Svalbard in summer 2011.

Spitsbergen Travel and Hurtigruten ASA tried to find solutions together with the creditors of Karlsen shipping to be able to continue the Spitsbergen voyages in 2011 with Polar Star. Unfortunately, it was not possible to come to an agreement. There were also efforts to charter an alternative ship without any success.

857 guests booked on 11 sailings are affected by this incident. 512 guests are Germans, 65 from France, 11 from England, 61 from the US, 87 Norwegians and 21 other nationalities.

Hurtigruten ASA and Spitsbergen Travel are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause our guests.

As an alternative to the voyage on MV Polar Star we are glad to offer our guests a sailing on one of our other ships in Hurtigruten.

Booking period: new bookings must be made by 31st July 2011

Explorer / Norwegian Coast:

1. 50% off any new booking on any Hurtigruten product for travel up to and completed by 31 December 2012 for cruise only products
2. 40% off new booking on any Hurtigruten product for travel up to and completed by 31 December 2012 for package products

This offer is not combinable with any other Hurtigruten offers (e.g. Ambassador, Groups, EBD, GTY).

The incident can mean a loss to Hurtigruten ASA but we hope we can compensate it with the offer for rebooking.