Hurtigruten Expedition announced the line-up of voyages for its 2023-24 expedition cruise season, and revealed a bit about marketplace booking trends.
Among the highlights? The expedition line will undertake deeper exploration of Antarctica, position more ships in Canada’s Northwest Passage and include more off-the-beaten-track Alaska.
Larger Fleet, More Options
The 2023-24 winter season will be the most extensive in Hurtigruten Expeditions’ more than 125 years of operations. The line's expanding fleet is opening up new opportunities. The line will position three ships in Antarctica for the full season, its largest offering ever for the "White Continent," Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Expeditions will range from 12 to 23 days, including several 16-day attempts to push south of the Antarctic Circle and into the remote wilderness
The battery-hybrid powered, eco-friendly Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen will do the first simultaneous full Antarctica transits in opposite directions and meeting mid-passage.
Guests will also have options for more off-the-beaten-track Alaska expedition cruises, as well as opportunities to explore the cradle of expedition cruising—Svalbard, Norway in the remote Arctic region. Hurtigruten is credited with "founding" expedition cruising in Svalbard in 1896.
In addition, Hurtigruten Expeditions will explore both the eastern and western coasts of Greenland, eight full circumnavigations of spectacular Iceland, exploration of Chilean fjords and more.
“We are thrilled to give our explorers the first taste of our 2023/24 expedition cruises," said Asta Lassesen, CEO, Hurtigruten Expeditions, in a press announcement. "From the high north to the deep south of Antarctica, we will offer more options, more destinations and even more activities for modern-day adventurers in a more sustainable way than ever before."
Larger Expedition Teams
All Hurtigruten Expeditions’ cruises have a large onboard expedition team with experts hand-picked for each itinerary. Leading up to the 2023-24 season, the size of the expedition team on all expedition ships will be increased even further. More expedition equipment will also be added to the ships.
For guests, that will mean an even wider range of activities to choose from—such as more kayaking, more small-boat exploration, hiking, lectures, science projects and other activities. In addition, cruisers will be able to mix and mingle with more experts—building their knowledge and understanding of the destinations.
"Our onboard colleagues, and the way they share their passion, knowledge, and expertise of the areas we explore is the core of the Hurtigruten Expeditions’ experience," emphasized Lassesen. "Bigger expedition teams means more of everything – more experts, more knowledge, more activities and more options for our guests."
Trio in the Northwest Passage
For the 2023-24 season, Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen will transit the iconic Northwest passage—and meet mid-transit. Fram will also explore the iconic Canadian area.
Hurtigruten Expeditions is focused on sustainable cruising, so the company used the time in the recent global pause in cruising to further invest and upgrade, installing fleet-wide, shore-power connections. It's also adding Hurtigruten Expeditions’ signature state-of-the-art "Science Center" to all its expedition ships. The program brings scientists aboard for every cruise, and guests can participate in citizen science research projects, if they so desire.
Recently, battery-hybrid-powered Fridtjof Nansen, was rated “the safest and most sustainable cruise ship in the world” by Scope ESG Analysis, the leading European provider of ESG analysis in its first ever in-depth assessment of 400 cruise ships.
Strong, Pent-Up Demand
Hurtigruten Expeditions says it's seeing strong and consistent demand across all markets, with bookings that are back to pre-pandemic levels.
“We see a huge pent-up demand for authentic adventure travel, with substantial and growing demand for more sustainable and unique experiences. We expect to see this trend to strengthen as we continue to expand our global offering," added Lassesen.
For more information, visit www.hurtigruten.com.
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