Hurtigruten — the name means 'the fast route' — began in 1893, when Captain Richard With's steamer Vesteraalen started a regular service along Norway's rugged coast, carrying mail, cargo and passengers between communities that roads barely reached. For more than a century the coastal service remained a working lifeline as well as a voyage, and that dual character still distinguishes the line from conventional cruise operators. The five ships in this directory reflect that heritage. They are modest, practical vessels built for year-round coastal work rather than resort cruising, ranging from Nordlys at 11,204 GT to Midnatsol at 16,151 GT, with Nordkapp and Nordnorge between them. The exception in character is Fram, at 12,800 GT, a purpose-built expedition ship named for Fridtjof Nansen's famous polar vessel, designed for exploration cruising rather than the daily coastal pattern.
The fleet — 5 ships in this directory
Sources: https://www.hurtigruten.com/en/help/about-hurtigruten