Just minutes before eight o'clock this Tuesday morning, the Fridtjof Nansen made its entrance into the port of Pasaia. With its 140 meters in length by 23.6 meters in beam and its eleven decks high, it stands as an imposing cruise ship capable of bisecting the bay's landscape.
This became evident as it traversed the access channel to the Gipuzkoan dock. For a few minutes, the vessel became a screen, obstructing the view of the opposite shore. The residents of San Pedro were deprived of the sight of the ancestral homes whose foundations are rooted in the sea in Donibane. Locals from this district could no longer see the Albaola maritime factory, the Falkon terrace, or even the motorboat's pier that ferries across the bay.
While the port pilots advised the captain of this polar expedition vessel, one of Facal's tugboats assisted it from the stern during both its entry and the necessary maneuvers in inland waters. It took forty minutes for it to moor at the Buenavista pier, the same location where the ships Le Bellot and Greg Mortimer have docked in recent days.
Although it has a capacity for 530 passengers, on this occasion, more than 330 people are traveling aboard the Fridtjof Nansen, mostly of German nationality. They departed from Lisbon in recent days and, after making stops in Ferrol and the previous day in El Musel port in Gijón, they are pausing their journey for a few hours in Pasaia. Early this Tuesday afternoon, it will resume its voyage towards Bordeaux. Its next destinations will be Île d'Yeu, Douarnenez, and Saint-Malo, before heading towards Heligoland and, finally, Hamburg.
Built in 2020 at the Kleven Yards shipyard in Norway, this cruise ship was named after the Norwegian explorer, scientist, humanitarian, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Fridtjof Nansen. It is designed for adventure voyages to remote parts of the planet such as Antarctica, the Arctic, Alaska, Greenland, Iceland, and Canada. In spring, however, it undertakes voyages across Europe, like the one that has brought it to Pasaia for the fourth time in recent years.
Its main hallmark is sustainability. It is a hybrid vessel that can navigate in electric mode. Furthermore, it boasts the most modern technologies to minimize its environmental impact. Its respect for the environment is also evident in one of its existing prohibitions: the use of single-use plastics.
Life aboard the Fridtjof Nansen can be summarized in one word: luxury. Travelers have a total of three restaurants offering a wide variety of gastronomic options, both locally and internationally inspired. All cabins are exterior. Additionally, those located in the stern area feature private outdoor jacuzzis with spectacular views. One must not forget its internal and external observation platforms with an infinity pool, a gym, a wellness center, and even a science center. This is where the crew and passengers share knowledge about the locations encompassed by their journeys, serving as the true headquarters for the expeditionaries.
The new cruise season for Pasaia port includes six stops. The next one is announced for mid-May, when the Scenic Eclipse is expected to arrive.
