MS Serenissima

MS Serenissima was built in Norway in 1960 and launched by Hurtigruten as Harald Jarl, a ship with a long history at sea. After an extensive refurbishment in 2003 costing over 20 million dollars, she operated for Noble Caledonia as MS Andrea. In 2012, she was acquired and renamed MS Serenissima, beginning passenger operations in April 2013 following a full renovation. She is now a small ship, just 87 metres long with a shallow draft of 4.9 metres, allowing her to navigate narrow waterways and remote harbors inaccessible to larger vessels. This compact size and maneuverability make her ideal for expedition cruising, opening up destinations few other ships can reach.

Onboard, the 59 staterooms are fully air-conditioned with an LCD television, telephone, and en-suite bathroom, plus hairdryer, robes and slippers, with water replenished daily. Cabin sizes, layouts, and bed and bath configurations vary significantly, adding to the yacht-like charm of the ship. This variety means each cabin has its own character, though all cabin windows, whether portholes or picture windows, are non-opening.

The ship carries her own fleet of Zodiacs for near-shore expedition cruising and passenger transfers in destinations without docking facilities, making it easy to reach small islands, fjords and isolated anchorages that larger ships simply cannot approach. This capability has made her well suited to voyages exploring remote coastlines and waterways beyond the reach of bigger, more conventional cruise ships.

MS Serenissima suits the experienced cruisers, explorers, and history enthusiasts who want to visit remote places in comfort without the bustle of a large ship, as well as those drawn to the intimate, unhurried pace of small-ship cruising.

Have you set sail aboard this shallow-draft expedition favorite? You can log your MS Serenissima voyage on The Cruise Globe to trace the precise route that your specific cruise took!