By
Laura Hyde |
Hurtigruten Expeditions is rebranding as HX from December 2023, with repainting of the fleet’s six ships to be carried out over the next 18 months.
The new name is a reference to the Norwegian brand’s origins, which date back to 1893 when it launched the Norwegian Coastal Express route now operated by Hurtigruten Norway, which will simplify its name to Hurtigruten.
“The name Hurtigruten is synonymous with travel in Norway, just as it has been a renowned travel brand for over 130 years,” said Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten Group. “Today’s evolution of our brand identities is the culmination of the work that started in 2021 when we split the two brands. HX will remain at the forefront of expedition cruising and sustainable travel as we continue to significantly grow its global presence while strengthening Hurtigruten’s iconic position on the Norwegian coast. With HX, we are investing in our high-end expedition itineraries to some of the most adventurous, remote places around the world.”
Both HX and Hurtigruten Norway are 100 per cent owned by Hurtigruten Group. Following the brands split, an internal restructure followed, and in July 2023 HX carried out a fleet restructure.
“While we have traditionally been known as the Polar experts, we launched the Galápagos Islands last year, which is already our third most popular destination,” said Skjeldam. “We will be the only cruise liner to exclusively sail the West African archipelagos of both Cape Verde and the Bissagos Islands in this year’s most exciting new itinerary, which we are launching this autumn.”
HX will offer 36 departures across eight different itineraries spanning 12 to 24 days for the 2024/25 Antarctica season.