Last Thursday, Norwegian broadcasting company, NRK, started airing the 5 day trip of the Norwegian cruise ship Nord Norge from Bergen to Kirkenes.  Nord Norge is one of many Hurtigruten ships that sail along the coast of Norway as a mode of transportation for everyday Norwegians and a spectacular treat for visiting tourists.  The entire 5 day trip with the 670 passenger and crew aboard was aired, minute by minute (as suggested in the title of the program) and it absolutely captivated the Norwegian population.

“Minute by Minute” aired for 134 hours on public Norwegian television; it has been determined that 2.54 million (over half of the Norwegian population) tuned in.  Thousands from outside of Norway watched the program as well.  NRK never thought the program would be so popular.  Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, was quoted saying that “This is Norway at it’s absolute best.”  What a cool thing.

I can’t speak for the whole population, but many of the Norwegians I know have not traveled that awfully much in Norway.  They are great about getting out of Norway and traveling south for example to catch some sun during the winter.  However, I know plenty of Norwegians down south who have never been up north.  The opposite isn’t usually true because Oslo, the capital, is in the south and most people have had to be there for some reason or another.  Regardless, the Hurtigruten is not an experience every Norwegian has had, much less seeing the entire northwestern coast.

I have only been on one leg of that trip-from Bergen to Ålesund and it was unbelievable.  I’ve never experienced anything like that.  Tremendously beautiful.  The great thing about this program is that the cameras were placed not only on the ship itself.  Other vessels sailing nearby filmed Nord Norge, as well as cameras in the ports when the ship would drop passengers off or pick them up.

Viewers got so excited about it, when the ship came into port, people would be waiting for her flying Norwegian flags or would have spontaneous gatherings to view the program.  Rune Moeklebust, the program leader, said that “The program seemed to have evoked national pride in a country enamored with nature.”

The point during the voyage when the most viewers tuned is was when Nord Norge sailed ino Lofoten at midnight, when the sun was shining bright.  Queen Sonja greeted the ship as she sailed into her destination, Kirkenes, the northern Norwegian city on the Russian border.  What a trip.

And some information about the ship itself:

MS Nordnorge

Year built:

1997

Place built:

Kleven verft, Ulstein

Passengers:

691

Berths:

457

Car spaces:

45

Gross tonnage:

11384

Length:

123,3

Beam:

19,5

Speed:

15

Check out NRK’s website here to see more information, videos, etc.