Hurtigruten MS Roald Amundson Aug 2024 NW Passage

[Futureaarpmember]

This is for the NW Passage voyage starting from Vancouver BC on Aug 20, 2024; charter flight 8/21 to Nome, Alaska to board the MS Roald Amundson and sailing through the Bering Straits to the top of Canada through the proposed route (subject to navigational requirements) to Greenland and completing in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada September 14, 2024.

[Futureaarpmember]

My wife and I are in Vancouver BC right now 8/20/2024 at the Hyatt Regency (see pics of outdoor pool and spa) muster point for the early morning bus to the Vancouver BC International airport to fly the Alaskan Airlines charter to Nome, AK (w a technical stop in Anchorage). Tomorrow upon our 12:30 pm ALDT arrival at Nome, we the ship, MS Roald Amundson, opens for boarding at 1:15 pm - 3:30 pm. Our cabin is 5XX (# to be provided after we complete).

I will be attempting to provide our experience, good and bad, about the Northwest Passage to Greenland and terminating in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

For most part, up until now, we have found the Hurtigruten communications to be quite lacking, as they require all communications to be done through our travel agent who has told us Hurtigruten has not been providing much help in preparing us for the journey. This is in comparison to the much better communication Albatross provided for our Dec 2023 Antarctic Expedition on MS Ocean Victory. Today at the 11 am Hurtigruten hospitality desk, when we received our info and luggage tag packet, we also provided any special dietary restrictions for the early morning breakfast for our 8/21 early morning hotel to airport. Unfortunately, the morning staff seemed very confused on how to deal with my written dietary requirements info but told me they would take care of it. At the 5:30 pm breakfast pick up today, we found they lost my written instructions (which I had taken a pic) and had us waiting for 30+ min to create a sack breakfast suited to me dietary restrictions. Now I fear they may have not registered the dietary restrictions my wife and I provided to Hurtigruten through our travel agent. We shall see.

[mrmoviezombie]

10 hours ago, Futureaarpmember said:

we have found the Hurtigruten communications to be quite lacking

Yes. We found this very true. We did this cruise in 2022. Nice friendly people but don't expect them to volunteer any information. Especially anything you could discover yourself by reading the notice posted on the disused lavatory at the back of deck A.

Just expect to ask them lot of questions, about what the plan is and what's going to happen, and it'll be fine.

It's a really small ship, so stay on them about the dietary restrictions once you are on the ship and they will be able to figure it out. That's said, sadly at this point what's in the ship provisions is it until Greenland or maybe Cambridge Bay.

[Futureaarpmember]

After waking up this morning at 4:00 am to eat the sack breakfast given out the previous evening, we put the last items into our luggage to catch our assigned 5:15 am buses to the 2nd chartered Alaskan Air flight for Vancouver BC International Airport to Anchorage (for a quick crew change) then Nome, AK (8:30 am departure 1 pm Nome arrival) to board the MS Roald Amundson. Glad we weren't assigned to the 1st plane that required catching the buses at 4:15 am (7am flight arriving 11:30am). We were told breakfast drinks, fresh fruit and meats in our breakfasts had to be consumed or thrown out before going through security. Picked up our rolling luggage off the bus from Hyatt to get into a long queue at Alaska for our travel group tickets (that precluded us getting any Alaska loyalty benefits) and checked bag tags we had to drop off after the passport check and before the security check. Having TSA pre-check and Global Entry greatly helped getting through the US International security check and passport control to allow for a nice short stop at the airport Priority Pass lounge (a benefit of our travel CC) before heading to the gate for boarding with the rest of our group E ship mates.

We arrived into Nome on their stormiest day of the summer with rain and 25kt winds. We came down the air stairs, and walked without pause through the very small Nome terminal to directly board the chartered yellow school buses to take us 1. directly to the now boarding ship or 2. to the center of the small Nome business and retail downtown.

We chose to board and check in 1st to shed our carryon load with the plan to then head into town in a subsequent shuttle after we got a bite and situated into our cabin.

This turned out to be the better choice.

[Futureaarpmember]

[Futureaarpmember]

As we were the 2nd bus from our plane, we had quite a wait for the 1st bus to board the ship. As my pics show, the gangway was quite steep, and to complicate matters, the waves whipped up by the strong winds were entering in a direction unimpeded by the breakwater such that the waves were inundating the base of the boarding ramp by several feet. The timing of the passengers had to be quick to be in sync with the waves flooding the base and making the climb angle oscillate by several degrees. With the passengers mostly composed of older adults (including me) with impaired balance and their carry-on baggage in their hands and on their shoulders, nimble group jumps from terra firma onto the slopped ramp with a strong hold of the side raile became quite challenging. Great care had to be taken to avoid a slip and fall or getting wet. Once aboard we queued in front of the 5 crew members processing our ships cards and pics, confirmed by passport or US / Canadian driver's license.

We quickly headed to our deck 5 ocean view starboard cabin and got situated to grab our 1st lunch aboard.

With a quick organization and a change, we were ready for lunch at the ship's deck 6 buffet aft to be followed by a quick souvenir trip to Nome on a shuttle.

 

As we got to deck 4 to exit the ship for the Nome shuttle, we were told they had to stop all disembarkation and boardings, because the wind had gotten to 45 knots and larger seas in the protected harbor to the point it was too dangerous. At this point, there were still 80 passengers yet to check in as they had chosen to either go to Nome 1st (many from the earlier flight who arrived before the ship was open for checking in) or had checked in early enough to catch the last shuttles to town.

For safety reasons, this resulted in the 80 staying in town at a pizza restaurant past the original plan to do the mandatory safety evac drill at 5:30 pm. With only 12 rooms available in all of Nome, all were able to be to the ship and checked in by 8:30 pm. We finally got to do the safety briefing at 9 pm.

We are now departing tomorrow morning after the winds get calmer and the seas smoother so that we can safely back out.

 

Edited August 22 by Futureaarpmember

[Futureaarpmember]

Since we didn't get to shore, we productively spent our time exploring the ship, which seems well appointed for an expedition ship (comparing similarly sized ice rated hull MV Ocean Victory, and in the Galapagos, Silversea MV Silver Origin). The key difference is the Roald Amundson's significant space dedicated to the HX emphasis on the "Citizen Science" program with actual environmental data gathering and studies supplies and equipment to collect information used in the overall world databases for improving the statistical reliability of environmental trend analysis to identify ongoing trends and changes.

Deck 6 is the main interaction/activity (fwd) and dining (aft) deck. In the lecture area (best seats closest to lectern) the HX Helly Hansen weather resistant hooded non-insululated shells (men's style only) were being given out. Unfortunately, the previous Alaska itineraries used up the Large sized and only one Medium was left. So my wife and I decided to instead get a $35/each credit returned to us as our Columbia OutDry gear and systems are much superior.

Adjacent to the lecture room is the library/lab study area.

Outside, fwd, is the deck 6 and inclined ladder (stair) to deck 7 observation areas.

No access aft from dk 7 observation area, so back to dk 6.

 

Edited August 22 by Futureaarpmember

[Futureaarpmember]

JfjNext, midships inclined ladder (stair) to do 7 midships nicely sized fitness & wellness center (not yet open on embarkation day).

Quick observation on the stair railings: they are uncomfortable to the hands as the metal corners feel overly sharp (NOT cutting sharp).

The fitness center was quite spacious with several different apparatus, but the lightest free weight barbell was 4Kg - sort of heavy for many of the passenger demographic of the ship.

Then up to Dk 10 for the Explorer Lounge (fwd), sauna (mid), jacuzzis, small pool, and the only area in which smoking is allowed (aft).

According to a couple trying out the jacuzzi, the temp is a bit low for the cold arctic. I learned from the hotel director the temp is set to 38°C (100.4°F); whereas I think I prefer 39 or 40°C (102-104°F).

Notice the only ash trays on the ship.

Edited August 23 by Futureaarpmember

[Futureaarpmember]

Top deck 11 - all outside, red items are the outside calisthenic stations, the red deck line is the outside track:

1 lap = 150 m = 165 yd = 0.09675 mi

[Futureaarpmember]

Expedition Dk 3, aft (and medical center entry):

Expedition Center for initial donning of parkas, provided boots, provided kayaking protective clothing and gear, zodiac life jacket, etc.

Two side passenger load/unload areas for zodiac boardings.

Kayaking wear and gear (ours I think may be the last sailing that the activity costs €125 - when Hurtigruten splits off HX expedition arm as a separate entity - all activities are included?).

Vessel garage releasing through the stern doors with authorized crew only.

Boot disinfection station to prevent spread of excursion organics, soils, etc to help prevent spread of diseases (e.g. bird flu) and non-endemic species spread.

The medical center entrance in case of medical need, just-in-case:

This is how one person, on Saturday Aug 24th, got evacuated by USCG helicopter to Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow) Alaska and then by plane to the nearest capable medical facility that can handle the situation.

During pre-dinner summary presentation:

[Futureaarpmember]

Dinner aboard ship was a buffet at the Aune dining room, aft starboard on dk 6 while waiting out for the strong gale force winds and 10+ ft waves in the breakwater protected port to subside enough for the 80  stranded passengers who had gone into Nome but couldn't safely ascend the severely moving sloped gangplank. We eventually got the 80 on board by 8:30 pm (pizza and drinks for them in Nome instead of the ship's yummy buffet that more or less accommodated my wife's and my restricted dietary needs). We then finally had all the passengers sit through the mandatory emergency evacuation briefing.

Window seats are 1st come, 1 serve, so queue up early.

Included with dinner and other meals, are complimentary beverages of house wines, beer, and sodas. Also self serve coffee, tea, and juices. Bar drinks incur extra fees at the bars.

Muster stations (on our ships card) was the location of the mandatory presentation.

Menus for breakfast, lunch (including take-aways), and dinner are available on the Hurtigruten app that must be downloaded. The menus for the next day are provided at 7 pm each day. If you have dietary restrictions, we found out after the 2nd day, you must fill out the menu items and any modifications you think will be okay, on a separate slip of paper given to you by the Matrê De or by your server at the table. Once completed, it must be given to the head chef by either the Matrê De or the wait staff either before the end of dinner service the previous day or during breakfast the day of the dinner.