Norræna Ferry Ready for Facelift

The Smyril-Line ferry Norræna (Norröna) will be getting a major facelift this winter, increasing its capacity by 100 passengers, Morgunblaðið reports.

The ferry sails year-round between Denmark and the port of Seyðisfjörður, East Iceland, with a stop in the Faroe Islands. It is the only passenger ship with a regular route in the North Atlantic.

December 19, the ferry will dock at the Fayard Ship Repair Yard in Munkebo, Denmark, where she will stay until early March. In the meantime, a cargo ship will be leased for transporting goods to and from Seyðisfjörður, but no passenger transport will be offered during this time.

“During the high season, we need room for more passengers,” states Linda Gunnlaugsdóttir, managing director for Smyril Line in Iceland.

An additional 50 double cabins will be created, in addition to a new outdoor café-bar and facilities with a view of the Atlantic Ocean. Recreational options will be increased as well.

Linda states that now, while demand is down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is the right time to start this large project.

After the changes, the ferry will have a 1,582-passenger capacity.

Aside from this year, Norræna has seen demand steadily increase. Most of the passengers bring their own vehicles to Iceland and spend a long time in the country. For the Icelandic tourism industry, this is a very important group, Linda states.