Hurtigruten Serves the World’s Best Cheese; Submerges another 4,500 sparkling wine bottles into the ocean

• Hurtigruten has been serving the award-winning Nidelven Blå cheese since 2015.
• Following its initial success with Bubbles of the Sea, another 4,500 sparkling wine bottles have been submerged outside the Norwegian coast to be served next year.

Oslo, Norway (December 21, 2023) – Hurtigruten‘s Coastal Kitchen concept assures guests will not only enjoy some of Norway’s best produce, but also some of the world’s best. Nidelven Blå, a Hurtigruten partner since 2015, was once again named the World’s Best Cheese at the 2023 World Cheese Awards, which recently took place in Trondheim, Norway.

The cheese, produced by Gangstand Gårdsysteri, has been featured onboard Hurtigruten Norway’s Coastal Express ships since 2015, and 3,863 kilos of Nidelven Blå have been consumed so far. It is available onboard the ship’s main restaurant, Torget on the Original Coastal Express, and Flora on the refurbished MS Trollfjord’s Svalbard Express and North Cape Express routes during both breakfast and lunch at various times throughout the sailing. Besides the award-winning cheese, guests can also enjoy ice cream, sorbet, and other cheeses from Gangstand Gårdsysteri.

“Gangstand has been part of our Norwegian Coastal Kitchen concept since its inception in 2013 when we started inviting local producers along the Norwegian coast. They are now a cornerstone of our food concept, and we are extremely proud to have such a high-quality producer as our partner. We love to highlight the very best of Norwegian produce to our guests, and even more so knowing it’s also the world’s best,” said Øistein Nilsen, Hurtigruten Norway’s Culinary Director.

“Gangstand now has more medals from the World Cheese Awards than the 34 ports a Hurtigruten Coastal Express ship visits during its journey up and down the Norwegian coast,” added Nilsen. “Eighty percent of all the food served onboard Hurtigruten Norway is locally produced along the coast. Our unique farm-and-fjord-to-table flavors are an essential part of the journey, where guests will feel like a true traveler, not a tourist. Just like we have for well over a century, we are proud to support small, local fisheries, farms, butchers, and other small businesses along the Norwegian coast.”

Early last year, Hurtigruten launched its new Culinary Ambassador program, and another unique concept is Bubbles of the Sea (‘Havets Bobler’ in Norwegian), initiated late last year when 1,700 bottles of sparkling wine were submerged outside the Norwegian coast at 112 feet (34 meters) for six months. Due to its success, the company has just submerged 4,500 bottles to be indulged onboard next year, including 4,200 standard 0.75cl bottles and 300 magnum-sized 1.5-liter bottles.

“We believe in bringing a touch of the Arctic to the world of sparkling wine. Our Norwegian coastline is the perfect place to create something truly unique for our valued guests seeking one-of-a-kind experiences,” said Hurtigruten CEO Hedda Felin.

The Bubbles of the Sea is a Classic Cuvee, 2018 vintage, made using traditional methods from hand-harvested grapes of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. This exclusive creation is crafted by the renowned Rathfinny Wine Estate, a family-run vineyard located in Sussex, England. Besides being served onboard, guests can purchase bottles of sparkling wine to bring off the ship.

For more information, please contact:
Anders Lindström
Head of PR & Communications, the Americas
646.944.9029
Anders.Lindstrom@hurtigruten.com

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