Comment: How Susan Calman has boosted Hurtigruten sales

The Hurtigruten Group has reported an “incredible start” to the new year, with strong sales on expedition voyages sailing from Dover on MS Maud.

Mark Walter, UK head of sales, said: “The uplift in interest is partly driven by the two-part Christmas special of Cruising with Susan Calman, featured on Channel 5 during the festive period.”

The show saw the comedian board the Christmas cruise in Dover and sail to the Norwegian city of Stavanger then go in search of the northern lights from Tromsø to Finnsnes.

Walter is also keen to share his favourite articles, videos and stories with UK travel agents to showcase the cruise line’s sustainability practices.

• Orca is one of the UK’s leading whale and dolphin conservation charities, dedicated to the long-term protection of these animals and their habitats in the UK and European waters.

“We are always spotting these creatures on our ships and want to do everything we can to support them, which is why we have partnered with Orca to help with their important work,” said Walter.

• MS Roald Amundsen and MS Fridtjof Nansen are powered by four engines and two large battery units.

“These combined with the hull structure reduce the ships’ fuel consumption and cut CO2 discharges by approximately 20%. We’ve created a video that takes you through the technology in more detail,” added Walter.

• He also highlighted how the company is tackling single-use plastics, commenting: “You won’t find items like plastic cups, plastic straws or plastic cutlery on board our ships.

“Absent too are plastic water bottles. We provide all our guests on an expedition cruise with a complimentary high-quality reusable bottle for use at water refill stations dotted around the ship.

“This simple act saves at least 1,000 plastic bottles a day on some of our larger ships.”