After launching the world’s first expedition cruise in 1896, Hurtigutren Group AS is taking its adventure travel brand Hurtigruten Expeditions to the next level. This includes a new global brand identity that will launch this December, with a new name, HX, and logo across all materials. The new name is a nod to Hurtigruten Expeditions and its origin.
Hurtigruten Norway, which celebrated 130 years of operating the original Norwegian Coastal Express this summer, will continue with the iconic name but simplified to just Hurtigruten, maintaining the same name as when it first launched in 1893, signifying the “fast route” in Norwegian. Both Hurtigruten Expeditions and Hurtigruten Norway are 100% owned by Hurtigruten Group and form a portfolio of sustainable travel brands that includes extensive land-based activities, including hotels, restaurants and more through Hurtigruten Svalbard, and a 25% stake in Ecuador-based Metropolitan Touring, the pioneers of sustainable travel in the Galápagos Islands.
“The name Hurtigruten is synonymous with travel in Norway, just as it has been a renowned travel brand for over 130 years. Today’s evolution of our brand identities is the culmination of the work that started in 2021 when we split the two brands,” said Daniel Skjeldam, CEO, Hurtigruten Group. “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. 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. And 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.
The new HX brand and logo will be fully implemented starting in December, with updates to brochures, websites and social channels; livery repainting of the fleet’s six ships will commence over the next 18 months.
In 2020, the strategic separation of the two brands was announced to enhance operational and commercial autonomy for each business, allowing for the delivery of distinctly different guest experiences. Implementation of this separation began in 2021, and earlier this year, Hurtigruten Group completed its internal restructuring to align commercial and support functions with the dedicated ship operations. The Group also announced a fleet adjustment over the summer, shifting Hurtigruten Expeditions’ battery-hybrid-powered MS Otto Sverdrup to Hurtigruten Norway as of January 2024 while redeploying MS Maud to Antarctica due to growing demand. In the 2024-2024 Antarctica season, HX will offer guests more choices than any other expedition cruise company, with 36 departures across eight different itineraries spanning 12 to 24 days.
As the leader of expedition cruising, HX will continue to provide its guests with the same immersive small-ship experience deeply rooted in exploration with scientific research, expert-led lectures and community advocacy at the heart of the experience. The Hurtigruten Group offers more itinerary options to Antarctica, the Galápagos Islands, Greenland, Svalbard and the West African coast than any other expedition cruise company while also offering Alaska, Iceland, Canada’s Northwest Passage, the British Isles and many other exciting destinations. The most sustainable fleet in the industry, HX’s vessels include MS Roald Amundsen, the world’s first-ever battery-hybrid-powered ship, and its sister ship, MS Fridtjof Nansen.
Hurtigruten Group remains steadfast in its commitment to becoming the world’s most sustainable adventure travel company by investing in technologies and solutions to achieve emission-free travel by 2050. As the leader in sustainable travel, they most recently announced Hurtigruten Norway’s zero-emission ship that will launch in 2030.
