Falmouth will play host to one of the oldest cruise ships ever to dock in the port when the Norwegian passenger vessel Nordstjernen arrives on Saturday for an overnight stay at the Balaena cruise terminal.
The round trip cruise from Bremerhaven is part of the 70th anniversary year of this historic ship which has been in service since 1956.
The ship is a veteran of Norway’s world-famous Hurtigruten coastal service, which sees ships calling at 34 ports along 2,500 nautical miles of dramatic fjords, islands, and Arctic landscapes.
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I did this amazing voyage on the ship Midnatsol from Bergen to Kirkenes on the border with Russia in 2005.
These ships are a lifeline for Norwegian coastal communities, carrying passengers, cargo and mail.
The scenery was just breathtaking, the onboard service was outstanding.
The Nordstjernen will call at Portsmouth before Falmouth, from where she will sail for the Isles of Scilly, Fishguard, Avonmouth, Lundy, Penzance, Dartmouth and Cowes IOW.
The planned excursions here include Pendennis Castle, the Maritime Museum, the Lizard Peninsula and Trebah Garden.
Nordstjernen is Norwegian for the North Star.
The ship is affectionately called ‘Stjerna’ which means star.
Built in Hamburg, Germany, the 88 metre long Nordstjernen served 56 years in the iconic Hurtigruten fleet until 2012.
The Norwegian government then made her a protected national asset, one of Norway’s most preserved historic ships.
On July 12, 1977, on a summer voyage to Svalbard in the Arctic, Nordstjernen became the first passenger vessel to reach 82 degrees north latitude.
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