MS Otto Sverdrup deck plans

MS Otto Sverdrup (2002-built as "MS Finnmarken", last refurbished in 2021) is the first of the three Millennium-class (newest) Hurtigruten ships - with sisterships Midnatsol and Trollfjord (Eirik Raude). These ships serve Hurtigruten’s Norwegian Coastal Voyages (NCV) program for ferry and cruise travel by passenger-cargo vessels sailing regularly (year-round) along the coast of Norway and visiting a total of 34 different ports of call. MS Finnmarken itinerary calendar has sailings between Bergen and Kirkenes, with some departures from Tromso.

MS Otto Sverdrup deck plan shows 263 cabins for 526 passengers. MS Finnmarken deck plan shows 282 staterooms for 628 passengers (max capacity was 740 on Norwegian coastal voyages) served by 75 crew-staff (all Norwegian).

The boat has 8 passenger decks (6 with cabins, all connected by 2 elevators), 1 car lift (connecting decks 2-3 only), 4 bars, 3 lounges, Spa/Sauna, Fitness. This is the only Hurtigruten vessel with both whirlpools and a swimming pool. The ship has five cabin decks with mostly twin-bed configuration outside staterooms – all with large-size picture window views. Smoking is not allowed, except on outdoor deck areas and on cabin balconies.

Deck plan changes 2020 refurbishment review

During the scheduled for 2020 drydock refurbishment (January 4 - March 8, by Fosen Yard AS, in Kvithylla Norway), the Finnmarken ship was renamed to "Otto Sverdrup". The USD 35 million drydocking project included complete renovations to all staterooms (cabins and suites) and recategorization. For the project were used only natural Scandinavia-sourced materials, like birch, granite, oak, wool. Aft on Deck 8 (former wellness area/gym and sauna) were added 5 large suites with floor-ceiling windows.

The refurb also added 4 new restaurants - Aune Restaurant (Hurtigruten's new, Scandinavian-themed Dining Room), Lindstrom Restaurant (speciality dining venue), Fredheim Restaurant (named after a hunting station in Svalbard Norway) and an outdoor grill bar (Deck 8).

Another new venue is the Science Center (Deck 4) - education room also serving as cruise ship's expedition team headquarters. A larger wellness complex (Spa lounge, Gym, Panoramic Sauna, massage treatment rooms) was added on Deck 7. The ship's outdoor pool deck was redesigned and fully renovated, the Gift Shop expanded, the Car Deck transformed into boat-launch area serving cruise liner's own fleet of RIBs and inflatable boats and for expedition equipment storage.

Ship's passenger capacity was reduced from 628 to 526 via double-occupancy only rooms and reduced number of cabins (282 to 263).

In February 2021, the Hurtigruten-owned Kleven Verft (shipyard in Ulsteinvik Norway) announced a contract to rebuild Finnmarken into the hybrid expedition cruise ship Otto Sverdrup.

As subcontractors, in the project participated Hareid Group (1950-founded supplier of electrical products and services) and Fjordtec/Fjord Technology AS (Ulsteinvik-based, marine engineering and consultancy company). The vessel's HVAC systems (Heating-Ventilation-Air-Conditioning) were supplied by AF AeronMollier. The hybrid package (including shoreside power capabilities) was supplied by Siemens AG.

The "Otto Sverdrup" project followed the 2020-Q1's "Finnmarken" refurbishment project conducted at Fosen Yard.