sustainable cruising | MORAL COMPASS: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good

Enjoy a traditional Norwegian Christmas onboard Havila Voyages, the family-owned, sustainable cruise line sailing Norway’s historic coast, and experience iconic fjords, reindeer, Northern Lights, snowmobiling, and other incredible winter activities found in the region.

Want to do something really extraordinary for the holidays? Enjoy a traditional Norwegian Christmas onboard Havila Voyages, the family-owned, sustainable cruise line sailing Norway’s historic coast, and experience iconic fjords, reindeer, Northern Lights, snowmobiling, and other incredible winter activities found in the region.

Embracing the chilly Northern atmosphere and icy vistas during a Havila journey adds to the magical holiday atmosphere onboard and ashore. Here are some of the memorable holiday activities with Havila Voyages:

Christmas Market, Norwegian Style: Europe’s iconic Christmas markets are an annual must-do for many travelers, and Havila Voyages offers a chance to visit an authentic market in the heart of Trondheim. Available on Northbound itineraries from December 3 to 20, the Christmas walk in Trondheim takes passengers through the scenic city and its historic cathedral before browsing the Christmas market at Torvet Square. Mulled wine and sweet treats await.

Tasty Treats: Yearround, Havila Voyages prioritizes local sourcing, seasonal ingredients and a-la-carte meals that promotes low-waste dining. During the holidays, guests can enjoy Norway’s classic holiday flavors like julegrøt porridge, saffron lussekater buns, Christmas cookies, and more.

Festive Tunes: At the cool Havblikk Bar and Lounge, the social heart of the ships, revelers can listen to classic holiday songs by a live musician while sipping on a warm coffee, mocktail, or local liquors and brews.

Activities Galore: The dreamlike views from Havila Voyages — including the stunning Northern Lights — compliment the festive setting onboard, with activities like a Christmas gospel, tree lighting, Christmas workshop and puzzles, and more.

Meanwhile, Havila Voyages is in the midst of holiday special deals on 2026 and 2027 voyages: Enjoy up to $800 in total benefits for sailings.

Havila Voyages is the newest operator with the most modern and environmentally friendly ships sailing on the 130-year old Norwegian Coastal Express route between Bergen and Kirkenes.

Havila Voyages’ first ship, Havila Capella (maiden voyage in December 2021) was crowned as the winner of the Next Generation Ship Award at Nor-Shipping 2022. Its four new ships are loaded with the world’s largest battery pack ever installed on a passenger ship, so they can sail through vulnerable fjords, such as the world heritage Geirangerfjord, for four hours straight with zero emissions.

The batteries are charged with clean hydropower ashore, and when we don’t use the batteries, we run on LNG (liquid natural gas) which – along with general efficient hybrid operation – cuts CO2 emissions by around 35 per cent. NOx emissions are reduced by 90 per cent compared to equivalent ships on the route. The hull is specially designed for maximum energy efficiency, and excess heat from cooling water and sea is used for heating on board.

“The fact that we can run for four hours on battery is not only revolutionary when it comes to protecting the environment – it’s a revolution in safety,” said Tom-Rune Einarsen, captain at Havila Capella. “Up till this day, the captain, the crew, and the passengers on any ship, have shared one concern: What if there’s a blackout? A battery pack this size is a backup that has never existed on any ship before. It will ensure that we always make it ashore safely, even at the unlikely event of the engines breaking down”.

“As one of only two companies officially entrusted by the Norwegian Government to operate the iconic route, we’ve been proud to lead with contemporary vessels since commencing sailings in 2021. Step aboard our modern, comfortable, and environmentally conscious ships for an unparalleled journey.”

See Havila Voyages at https://www.havilavoyages.com/voyages, https://www.havilavoyages.com/, +1 833 210 9067.

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*Lindblad Expeditions’ National Geographic Endurance.*

NEW YORK, NY, – Lindblad Expeditions, a global leader in responsible tourism, has become the first self-disinfecting fleet in the cruise industry. In keeping with their legacy of sustainability and protecting the places they explore, they have announced that they are now implementing Premium Purity fleetwide, a unique cleaning system which creates a cleaner, healthier ship while drastically reducing the impact on the environment.

The new system, ACT CleanCoat™, is a photocatalytic process that works when illuminated, breaking down unwanted microbes such as bacteria, viruses, mold, and airborne allergens. It can be applied to all surfaces which become self-disinfecting after application. Created by ACT.Global A/S, a Copenhagen-based company, the antibacterial spray is transparent, odorless, and activated by light, and protects a room like an invisible insulation – plus purifies and deodorizes the air for up to one year. Video

Chemical free, the product uses the ACT ECA water system created by electrolysis of salt and water, to clean the rooms which is completely harmless to guests, staff and the environment.

“As the oldest and most experienced expedition travel company in the world, we go to some of the most pristine places on the planet. We are very conscious of the waste we produce, and how the cleanliness of our ship and protection of our guests onboard is vital to a healthy environment,” said Bruce Tschampel, Vice President, Hotel Operations for Lindblad Expeditions.

“Premium Purity is unlike anything we have seen out there. Our ships are truly pristine and healthy, and we already have measurable results to prove it from our initial pilot program on one ship. We reduced guest reported illness by 50%; eliminated over 1,000 plastic bottles of cleaning products; and dramatically reduced water usage by 1.1 million gallons per year. The crew is raving about how much healthier the ship is and how effective it is to use this solution,” he continued.

The fleetwide rollout is another step in Lindblad’s commitment toward defining travel industry standards for sustainability and environmentally responsible operations. In 2019 they become a carbon neutral company, offsetting 100% of emissions from their ships, all land-based operations, employee travel, offices in New York and Seattle, and other contributors. They successfully eliminated guest-facing single-use plastics fleetwide in 2018 and have operated a sustainable seafood program aboard the fleet for many years. Other related sustainability initiatives include building new ships that reduce emissions while increasing efficiency; mandating supply chain solutions to eliminate plastic; sourcing and serving local, organic produce; and making crew uniforms from recycled plastic.