Fram

Hurtigruten’s Fram will receive a full makeover – including upgraded restaurants, staterooms, a new science centre and an engine upgrade to reduce her environmental impact – for the first time since her launch in 2007. The keel-to-mast upgrade will bring several new features to the ship. All cabins and suites will be fully refurbished with natural Scandinavian materials such as granite, oak, birch and wool to create a more relaxed atmosphere. The main dining room will be converted into two new restaurants. Aune, the more informal of the two will have natural design elements and serve Scandinavian food. Lindstrøm, named after the favourite chef of Norwegian polar explorers, will offer cocktails and traditional Norwegian cuisine. The Qilak Observation Lounge will also be refurbished, re-emerging as the Explorer Lounge and Bar, which will provide handcrafted cocktails.

Norway-based expedition cruise operator Hurtigruten is to ban all unnecessary single-use plastic from its passenger ships by 2 July 2018 and eventually aims to become the world’s first plastic-free cruise company. To meet this goal, Hurtigruten will replace plastic straws with metal straws and remove all single-use plastic items such as cutlery, bags, coffee cup lids, toothpicks, aprons, butter packaging and more.

Hurtigruten will offer a series of East Coast voyages in the United States and Canada starting April 2018. Though Hurtigruten has sailed to the northernmost parts of Canada in the past, these itineraries mark the first time the line has sailed so extensively in North America and its first time in the United States. Sailings will range from eight to 16 days and will be aboard the line's Fram expedition ship. https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7927