MS Fram Cruise Ship Inspection

I went to Gloucester, Mass. in October to have lunch and inspect Hurtigruten's M/S FRAM. The following is my report and some photos:

http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=2505150013/a=106081225_106081225/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

The Itineraries:

• Hurtigruten has unique itineraries to Norway, Antarctica, Spitsbergen (up near the Arctic circle), and Greenland.
• They focus on the destination, the wildlife, the natural beauty, the culture, and some very unique excursion experiences.
• If you would like more information about the destinations, there is a Webinar for agents on 10/13 and one for consumers on 10/22 - see the Hurtigruten website.
• The Norway itineraries are port-heavy and can be port-to-port so that if your client wants to do some cruising and some land touring, it can be customized.

The Typical Customer is:

• Empty Nester
• Well-Educated
• Relaxed Lifestyle
• Independent
• Has time & money
• Retired or semi-retired

The Ship:

• The FRAM is Hurtigruten's newest ship and was built in 2007.
  
• The ship is small compared to the mass market cruise lines and has a capacity of 318.
• The Captain and crew were very friendly and efficient.
• Everything on board was in tip-top shape - clean & well-maintained.
• The art work on board is lovely and is all native art from Greenland.
• The public areas were plentiful, welcoming, and cozy.
• The observation lounge has glass throughout and offers spectacular views.
• There is wireless available throughout Deck 4 (fee) for those wanting to blog about their daily adventures.
• The ship itself has a shallow draft allowing it to come very close to land.
• The Polar Circle Boats that are used for getting up very close to the ice. land, and wildlife are well constructed and have handrails and seats.
• The life rafts are covered - something you may not think of as being important until you had to use one!

The Difference (from typical mass market cruise ships):

• There are very few balcony cabins
• They serve 3 meals a day - no 24 hr buffets
• No pools (but there were two whirlpools topside), no casino, no shows - remember these cruises are about the destination, not the ship
• Boots and coats are available for all guests
  

The Cabins:

• I found the cabins to be on the small side, very sensibly & tastefully decorated, and constructed for efficiency.
• The largest cabin, the Grand Suite, was rather modest considering it was the largest and most expensive cabin on the ship (it did have a balcony). The bathroom in the Grand Suite was "cruise ship standard" - small, cramped, with no tub.
• The suite and mini suite were smaller, but still comfortably sized with small sitting areas.
• The interior and standard outside cabins were "petite" even by cruiseship standards. As you can see from the photos, the inside cabin that was set up for quad occupancy had room for little else but the beds. Where would 4 people put their luggage?

The Food:

• We were treated to a buffet lunch which was freshly prepared and consisted of a wide variety of Scandinavian dishes, fresh vegetables, soup, salad, meats, fish, cheeses, breads, and a great dessert buffet . Delicious!
• The small ship allows the chefs to be more creative and the food to be served freshly prepared.

The "Secret" :
Shh! The Marketing Director shared with us that the Captain, Arnvid Hansen, was one of the first to come to the rescue of the Explorer. a ship that sank in the Antarctic after being hit by ice in 2007. All passengers were recovered with no injuries (but their life rafts weren't covered and the cold and wind could have really caused some problems). He has been widely recognized and given awards for his life-saving work and quick response.

In Summary:
If you are looking for luxury, pampering, and a spacious stateroom, this ship is not for you. If you are looking for small ship intimacy on some really interesting itineraries, this ship could be just the ticket!