The company, which is known for founding expedition cruising in 1896, says the 2023-24 season is the most extensive in its history, with an expanded global offering of small-ship expedition cruises that span five continents and more than 150 different itineraries.

“We are thrilled to offer the greatest ever selection of adventure travel opportunities covering some of the most extraordinary areas of our planet,” said Asta Lassesen, Hurtigruten Expeditions CEO. “This broad offering of unique small-ship expedition cruises is perfect for modern adventure travellers looking for one-of-a-kind experiences while exploring with authenticity, learning and sustainability at the core.”

Here are some highlights of the 2023-24 season:

• Four different, year-round itineraries in the Galápagos Islands aboard the newly upgraded MS Santa Cruz II in collaboration with the pioneering Ecuadorian company Metropolitan Touring. Earlier this month, Hurtigruten Group announced the acquisition of a minority stake in the Quito-based touring company
• Year-round expedition cruises to Norway and the Arctic with departures from Hamburg, Germany and Dover, UK, with MS Otto Sverdrup and MS Maud
• 34 different Antarctica departures, the largest ever offering on the Seventh Continent, with three ships exploring the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. Expeditions span 12-23 days, including several 16-day attempts to push south of the Antarctic Circle and into the remote wilderness
• A series of Pole-to-Pole expedition cruises – epic 66- to 94-day explorations from the Arctic to Antarctica – that combine bucket-list destinations such as Alaska, Iceland, Greenland, the Northwest Passage, South America and Antarctica with crossings such as the Arctic Circle, the Panama Canal and the Drake Passage
• More off-the-beaten-track Alaska expedition cruises
• Opportunities to explore the remote destination of Svalbard
• Explorations of both the East and West coasts of Greenland, eight full circumnavigations of Iceland, the Chilean fjords and more

All Hurtigruten Expeditions’ cruises feature large onboard expedition teams with experts specifically handpicked for each itinerary. Leading up to the 2023-24 season, the size of the expedition team on all Hurtigruten Expeditions’ ships will be increased even further. More expedition equipment will also be added to the ships, which means a wider range of activities for guests to choose from, including kayaking, small-boat exploration, hiking, lectures, science projects and more.

“Great will get even better. Sharing passion, knowledge and expertise of the areas we explore is the core of the Hurtigruten Expeditions experience,” added Lassesen. “Bigger expedition teams mean more of everything – more experts, more knowledge, more activities and more options for our guests.”

Source: Travelweek