Expedition cruise line · 5 ships · sailing 2 regions — Norwegian-rooted, science-led expeditions on the first battery-hybrid ships.
HX is the expedition arm of Norway's Hurtigruten heritage, rebranded from Hurtigruten Expeditions to HX in 2023-24 (adopting an indigo-blue and sand livery) to separate it from the coastal-ferry operation. It built and operates the world's first battery-hybrid powered cruise ships and centres its identity on sustainability, real expedition science and small-ship polar access.
Active, curious travellers who want authentic polar and remote expeditions with a strong learning and citizen-science element, in an informal Scandinavian atmosphere. It suits those who prize zodiac landings and naturalists over formal luxury; it is not for guests wanting dress-up formal nights, casinos or big-ship production entertainment.
A fleet of small, purpose-built expedition ships. The flagship Amundsen-class twins MS Roald Amundsen (2019) and MS Fridtjof Nansen (2020) are the world's first battery-hybrid powered cruise ships, each carrying around 500 guests. They are joined by the smaller, veteran expedition ships MS Fram (2007), MS Maud and MS Spitsbergen (2009), plus a Galapagos vessel, sailing Norway, Svalbard, Iceland, Greenland, Antarctica and beyond.
The standout vessels in the fleet — and the amenities that set them apart.
Named for the first explorer to reach the South Pole; pioneered hybrid-electric expedition cruising.
Sister ship to Roald Amundsen; the two once met in the Northwest Passage as the first battery-hybrid ships to do so.
Named after Nansen and Amundsen's polar exploration vessel; a nimble small ship for remote polar routes.
Informal Scandinavian dining with no formal nights, built around locally sourced Nordic ingredients across multiple restaurants (such as Aune, Fredheim and the à-la-carte Lindstrøm), pairing regional cuisine with the destinations sailed.
Expedition- and science-led rather than show-led: each ship's Science Center hosts lectures, workshops (photography, biology) and hands-on citizen-science projects, complemented by the expedition team's daily briefings and guided landings.
Expedition-focused and largely adult in feel; select departures welcome families, but there are no mainstream kids' clubs or waterparks.
Fares include meals and the core expedition experience (zodiac cruising, landings, lectures and expedition-team guiding), with many polar voyages providing a complimentary loan of a weatherproof expedition jacket. Alcoholic drinks, Wi-Fi tiers and optional paid excursions are generally extra unless a specific package or promotion includes them.
Regions in Noura's Cruise Navigator, most sailings first. Tap a region for its ports and season.
MS Fram · from Tromsø
Longyearbyen (Svalbard), Norway → Ny-Ålesund (Kongsfjorden), Norway → Magdalenefjorden (Svalbard), Norway → Hinlopen Strait (Svalbard), Norway → Hornsund (Spitsbergen), Norway → Barentsburg (Svalbard), Norway → Longyearbyen (Svalbard), Norway
MS Spitsbergen · from Dover
Dover, England → St. Peter Port, Guernsey → St Mary's (Isles of Scilly), England → Cobh (Cork & Blarney), Ireland → Stornoway (Isle of Lewis), Scotland → Kirkwall (Orkney), Scotland → Lerwick (Shetland), Scotland → South Queensferry (Edinburgh), Scotland
MS Roald Amundsen · from Bergen
Bergen, Norway → Nordfjordeid, Norway → Geiranger, Norway → Ålesund, Norway → Flåm, Norway → Stavanger, Norway → Bergen, Norway
MS Fram · from Reykjavík
Reykjavík, Iceland → Grundarfjörður (Snæfellsnes), Iceland → Ísafjörður, Iceland → Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland → Scoresby Sund, Greenland → Akureyri, Iceland → Húsavík, Iceland → Bakkagerði (Borgarfjörður Eystri), Iceland
Noura turns this intelligence into a real itinerary — flights, hotels with perks, and timing dialled in — at no planning cost to you.
Compare HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) with other expedition lines — or read how the tiers differ.
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