Cruise Frog guide
HX Hurtigruten Expeditions
HX Hurtigruten Expeditions, usually shortened to HX, is an expedition cruise line that grew out of Hurtigruten's polar program. Hurtigruten set up its expedition voyages as a separate business in 2021, and in February 2025 a group of investors completed the purchase that made HX an independent company based in London. HX dates its exploring history to a pioneering Hurtigruten voyage from Hammerfest to Svalbard about 130 years ago.
Style
Expedition
small ships to remote places, with naturalists and landings
Best for
- Adventure seekers
- Couples
- History and culture
Fleet rating
No ships rated yet.
About HX Hurtigruten Expeditions
The fleet has five ships. Fram, built in 2007 for polar waters, and Spitsbergen, a former ferry hull rebuilt in 2016, were both refurbished in 2025; Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen, delivered in 2019 and 2020, are battery-hybrid Polar Class 6 sisters for up to 490 guests. In the Galápagos, HX sells voyages on Santa Cruz II, owned by the Ecuadorian company Metropolitan Touring. Two former coastal ships that spent a few years in the expedition fleet as Otto Sverdrup and Maud returned to Hurtigruten in 2024.
Fares include meals, gratuities, drinks, daily excursions and Science Centre activities, and every voyage carries an expedition team of naturalists and guides. Antarctic voyages sail mainly round trip from Ushuaia, while the northern program covers Norway, Svalbard, Greenland and the British Isles.
What HX Hurtigruten Expeditions is known for
HX is known for its science-focused onboard program, built around the Science Centre and citizen-science projects, and for running two of the first battery-hybrid expedition ships. Reviewers often praise the expedition team's lectures and landings, the Scandinavian design and the inclusive fares, and Fram and Spitsbergen came back from 2025 refits with new cabins and science spaces.
The main criticisms concern scale and change. Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen carry up to 490 guests, large for expedition ships, and travelers sometimes find that shore landings are shorter or less frequent than on smaller vessels because guests go ashore in groups. The brand has also changed shape several times in a few years, with ships moving between Hurtigruten and HX and a sale to new owners, which has confused some repeat guests about programs and loyalty benefits. Fridtjof Nansen ran aground off Norway in January 2022; no one was hurt and she returned to service after repairs.
Who it's for
HX suits travelers who want a polar or remote-coast voyage with a strong learning element: couples and solo travelers interested in wildlife, science and history, and people who like an inclusive fare and a casual Nordic atmosphere more than formal luxury. The hybrid sisters have more facilities, including pools, hot tubs and several restaurants, while Fram and Spitsbergen trade some amenities for fewer guests, and Santa Cruz II covers the Galápagos.
Travelers who want the fewest people at each landing may prefer a line limited to about 100 to 200 guests, and those looking for butler service and large suites should compare luxury expedition lines. Families can sail, but the program is aimed mainly at adults.
- Adventure seekers
- active excursions, remote places
- Couples
- romantic dining, quiet spaces, balcony cabins
- History and culture
- port-intensive itineraries, lectures, included excursions
How it rates
None of HX Hurtigruten Expeditions's ships has been rated yet. A line's rating is the average of its ships' scores.
Where HX Hurtigruten Expeditions sails
Ships
Fram2007 · 11,647 GT · 200 guests · Antarctica · Northern EuropeFram is a polar expedition ship built by Fincantieri in Italy for Hurtigruten's expedition program and in service since 2007, named after the vessel used by explorers Fridtjof…
Fridtjof Nansen2020 · 20,889 GT · 490 guests · Antarctica · Norwegian FjordsFridtjof Nansen is the near-identical sister of Roald Amundsen, a battery-hybrid Polar Class 6 expedition ship built by Kleven in Ulsteinvik and delivered at the end of 2019. She…
Roald Amundsen2019 · 20,889 GT · 490 guests · Antarctica · Norwegian FjordsRoald Amundsen is the first of two battery-hybrid expedition ships built by Kleven in Norway for Hurtigruten's expedition fleet, and began her maiden voyage from Tromsø to…
Santa Cruz II2002 · 2,664 GT · 90 guests · GalápagosSanta Cruz II is a 90-guest Galápagos expedition ship owned by the Ecuadorian company Metropolitan Touring, which formed a partnership with Hurtigruten's expedition arm in 2021…
Spitsbergen2016 · 7,344 GT · 150 guests · Norwegian Fjords · Northern EuropeSpitsbergen began as Atlântida, a ferry completed in 2009 at Viana do Castelo, Portugal, that the operator Atlanticoline never accepted because of weight problems. Hurtigruten…Former ships
| Ship | Sailed | Gross tons | Left |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maud | 2003–2024 | 16,151 | November 2024 |
| Otto Sverdrup | 2021–2024 | 15,690 | January 2024 |
Where to fly in
- Ushuaia - Malvinas Argentinas International (USH)3 HX Hurtigruten Expeditions ships sail from Ushuaia, Argentina1 lounge on Lounge Frog
- Galapagos Baltra (GPS)1 HX Hurtigruten Expeditions ship sails from Baltra, Galápagos1 lounge on Lounge Frog
- Tromsø Airport (TOS)1 HX Hurtigruten Expeditions ship sails from Tromsø, Norway
Quick answers
What is HX Hurtigruten Expeditions known for?
HX is known for its science-focused onboard program, built around the Science Centre and citizen-science projects, and for running two of the first battery-hybrid expedition ships. Reviewers often praise the expedition team's lectures and landings, the Scandinavian design and the inclusive fares, and Fram and Spitsbergen came back from 2025 refits with new cabins and science spaces.
Who is HX Hurtigruten Expeditions best for?
HX suits travelers who want a polar or remote-coast voyage with a strong learning element: couples and solo travelers interested in wildlife, science and history, and people who like an inclusive fare and a casual Nordic atmosphere more than formal luxury. The hybrid sisters have more facilities, including pools, hot tubs and several restaurants, while Fram and Spitsbergen trade some amenities for fewer guests, and Santa Cruz II covers the Galápagos.
Where does HX Hurtigruten Expeditions sail?
HX Hurtigruten Expeditions's ships in service sail Northern Europe (4 ships), Norwegian Fjords (3 ships), Antarctica (3 ships) and Galápagos (1 ship).
How many ships does HX Hurtigruten Expeditions have?
HX Hurtigruten Expeditions has 5 ships in service on Cruise Frog: Fram, Fridtjof Nansen, Roald Amundsen, Santa Cruz II and Spitsbergen.
Where is HX Hurtigruten Expeditions based?
HX Hurtigruten Expeditions is headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has operated since 2021.
What is HX Hurtigruten Expeditions's loyalty program called?
HX Hurtigruten Expeditions's past-guest loyalty program is HX Explorers.
What is the largest HX Hurtigruten Expeditions ship?
Fridtjof Nansen is HX Hurtigruten Expeditions's largest ship at 20,889 gross tons, carrying 490 guests.
Cruising with children
HX is an expedition choice for a family that wants to learn and explore together. The destination’s acceptance rules come before preferences about the ship.
Read the HX Hurtigruten Expeditions family guide →