Page 28: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Q1 2016)

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CRUISE CAREERS

HAMMERFEST HURTIGRUTA

Credit: Esther Kokmeijer/courtesy Hurtigruten AS

We established a full HR organization that encompassed the seaborne side to strengthen it by working heavily on developing an organizational culture that would generate strong business results. We involved the whole organization in developing a new set of values that we’ve trained all people globally on.

Marit Finnanger, Senior Vice President, People and Organizational Development, Hurtigruten

Credit: Ørjan Bertelsen/courtesy Hurtigruten AS tions with third parties (including Hurtrigruten adventure out- we’re attractive as an employer and to help train our people ? ts) shore-side. It might also be in their scope of work to have to deliver on the expectations of our customers.” The land and to maintain (satcoms) with hotels, transport – someone from shore “campus” is to make online systems, communication the (marine) business.” Judging from the from the job ads we and learning accessible. read and destination information, other roles might also have to master crafts such as rubber in? atable boats, kayaks or ca- Staying Competitive noes as well as crowd control. With ships growing larger to be more pro? table, it is hard know Hurtigruten’s ? nancial future. The company has sur-

Land of Giants vived with government help for years but is turning a new leaf,

Hurtigruten has been in the United States for “a few years one marked by pro? tability and independence. Still, its jour- now.” A little of? ce in New York was moved to Miami before ney brings it into the realm of the global giants, and staying settling in Seattle, “a cruise industry hub and starting point for competitive might mean adopting some more of the trappings cruises to Alaska and to the polar regions,” Henriksen says. of say, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings’ of Florida, with its

While the Norwegian coast is inundated with hundreds of “contemporary and luxury” market dominance. That said, an foreign-owned cruise ships on a regular basis, the Hurtigruten NCL vessel’s trademark “guest freedom” is mirrored in Hur- here stands out as one of Norway’s strongest brands. People tigruten’s informal gjestfrihet: The Norwegian word for hos- trust the service with their children. Business is constant. In pitality is a composite of the words “guest” and “freedom”. the U.S. market, the situation is reversed, and the company Mimicking NCL anytime soon doesn’t seem likely: as we must vie for attention. To stand out, it’ll rely on its niche ser- write, a newly furnished M/S Kong Herald (King Herald) sets vice. “We are more a destination to explore rather than strictly sail southward from Trondheim heading for Bergen with new, a cruise to take,” says Finnanger, adding that “We offer cruis- sleek, metal, stone and wood furnishings. The typically Nor- es, but we focus on the uniqueness of the experience outside wegian design is the start of a 550 million renovation of four the ships as well as inside. Our employees are part of that 1990’s era ships. First impressions hint of an arty hotel in coast- unique experience, part of the brand we’re building globally.” al town Aalesund (one of 34 Norway stops on an 11-day route).

To that end, Finnanger and the new company leadership So while Royal Caribbean might ? oat a giant new Harmony have started building Hurtigruten Academy, for now a vir- of the Seas for 6,300 guests, Finnanger says she hopes Hurti- tual school and a type of intranet for learning that’ll launch gruten travelers might instead seek deliberate (“disharmony”) in December 2016. “It’ll be our learning platform to ensure akin to the kind experienced by a landlubber using sea legs for 28 Maritime Professional 1Q 2016| | 18-33 Q1 MP2016.indd 28 2/29/2016 10:46:01 AM