Explore More Issue 18

COLUMN
NORSE HERITAGE
While there are many beautiful spaces on board our ships, I
am particularly fond of our Wintergarden on our Ocean ships
where those who come here to relax or enjoy afternoon tea
are surrounded by ironworks inspired by the gates of Oslo’s
iconic Vigeland Sculpture Park. These are showcased Port and
Starboard side and depict key Viking destinations from around
the globe. The Wintergarden itself features a beautiful wooden
canopy which represents Yggdrasil, the mythical Norse tree of
life. Look closely and you’ll also notice two iron ravens – figures
that also come from Norse mythology. Known as Huginn and
Muginn, they are said to have flown around the world gathering
intel for the Norse god Odin. The mythical pair is also depicted
on an iron gate sitting on Odin’s shoulders and whispering the
world’s secrets to him.
We are proud of our heritage, and we love sharing Nordic
traditions and folklore with our guests.
NORWEGIAN ART ON BOARD
On board our ships we have
a comprehensive collection
of Norwegian art spanning
the spectrum from national
romanticists to up-and-coming
artists. Of special note are
the works by Ørnulf Opdahl,
a contemporary artist who
focuses on the stark landscapes
of northern Norway; Kåre
Tveter, who painted moody
scenes of Svalbard and is
particularly important to me
because he did a lot of his
work on the farm where my father
grew up; Jakob Weidemann, a
Modernist whose colourful pieces
I find to be especially evocative;
Hans Dahl, a national romanticist
who painted bucolic scenes of
country life; and of course, Edvard
Munch, Norway’s most famous
Expressionist. Those staying in
our Owner’s Suites can enjoy
original works by Tveter and
Weidemann in the comfort
of their rooms.
MAMSEN’S DINNERWARE
Mamsen’s, which is named after my beloved
grandmother, is a deli where guests can enjoy
delicious Norwegian treats throughout the
day and evening. Many of the recipes used
come straight from Mamsen’s kitchen, and
the dishware also has a special story behind
it. After my grandmother passed away, I was
packing up her flat, when I came across the
dishes that we’d used countless times before. I
turned them over and noticed that the name of
the pattern was ‘Tor Viking’. Viking’s Chairman,
my father, is named Tor, so it seemed like a
sign from above that we were meant to use
these dishes on board our ships!
Figgjo Flint resurrected the cherished
pattern exclusively for Viking and called it
Tor Viking II; we surprised my father with the
dishware when the café first launched. Seeing
this pattern brings back many wonderful
memories of meals with Mamsen for both my
father and I, and it brings us great joy to share
it with our guests.
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