Hurtigruten's MS Midnastol and MS Trollfjord will be stationed in Tromsø for New Year's together this year. The 12-day voyages depart from Bergen aboard the MS Midnastol and Kirkenes on the MS Trollfjord are priced from $2,203 to $7,657 per person, double, with voyages including Christmas celebrations priced the same. Members of the 1893 Ambassador Club, a loyalty club for those who have previously sailed with Hurtigruten, receive 10 percent savings as well as a range of complimentary onboard benefits.
Hurtigruten's decision to dock its ships in Tromsø for end-of-the-year celebrations are unsurprising, as Tromsø scored the second and third spots on Hurtigruten's list of its ten top shore excursions in 2011. The Midnight Concert in Tromsø and Artic Capital in Tromsø excursions found them just behind the North Cape excursion in Hunningsvåg as far as popularity.
Crystal Cruises is now offering new itineraries to Canada and New England. The newly redesigned Crystal Symphony gives guests the choice between seven and eleven-day itineraries that sail between Boston, Manhattan and Montreal. Crystal is capitalizing options available in Canada that were put on display during June's Canada New England Cruise Symposium 2012, which paints its destinations as a closer alternative to European ports. The destination is scheduled to welcome 1,000 calls into ports, bringing in an economic factor of close to $1 billion.
Meanwhile, the river cruise industry heated up as Viking River Cruises announced its order of two more ships in 2013, bringing the total number of ships launched by Viking next year to eight, a first for the industry. Viking launcehd six ships last year, and is positioned well to take advantage of the rapid increase in interest travelers have had with the river cruise industry. Each of the new Viking Longships will be 443 feet long and will offer 95 staterooms per ship.