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  Hurtigruten, the iconic leader in Norwegian coastal voyages, has extended its unique Northern Lights Promise to September, allowing travelers to experience one of the world’s most natural wonders for an even longer period.   Hurtigruten has long been synonymous with the best of Norway's natural wonders, and in a commitment to ensuring guests have the best possible chance of experiencing the Aurora, the company has extended its Northern Lights Promise to start in mid-September rather than October.   The policy extension will allow thousands of guests to feel more confident experiencing the phenomenon that is on many travelers’ bucket lists, reaffirming Norway as the ultimate destination to witness this awe-inspiring natural phenomenon.   Having sailed the Norwegian coastline for more than 130 years, no company does Norway better than Hurtigruten, which is why the company has extended its acclaimed Northern Lights Promise, which it was the first-ever cruise line to offer. The policy provides guests with a second chance guarantee to see the lights if they do not occur within sight of the ship during a voyage of 11 days or more.   “At Hurtigruten, we firmly believe that Norway is the best place to experience the Northern Lights and that our coastal cruises offer the best way to explore Norway. We are thrilled to extend our Northern Lights Promise sailing period, allowing more guests to immerse themselves in the magic of the Aurora Borealis," said Hedda Felin, CEO at Hurtigruten. "This commitment reflects our unwavering dedication to providing exceptional experiences and ensuring that every journey with Hurtigruten is truly extraordinary."   In addition to extending the sailing period, Hurtigruten will continue to offer select astronomer-hosted sailings during the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons, following their successful introduction last year. The Astronomy Voyages offers guests exclusive opportunities to sail with renowned astronomers and enjoy multiple lectures and Northern Lights viewings onboard, making it an even more unforgettable voyage.

HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions is rolling out an 'all-inclusive' onboard offering as standard across the whole fleet. This will be introduced later this year, covering all destinations. As part of a phased approach, HX will start with Antarctica & Galápagos expeditions departing in October 2024. The 'all inclusive' offering includes expert-led daily expeditions, access to science-led activities both on board and in the wild, as well as drinks. The changes are part of a larger project to enhance the overall expedition cruise experience, as well as simplifying the product for travel agents. Alex Delamere-White, HX Chief Commercial Officer, said: "Expedition cruises can be a complex product for agents to sell, given the unique destinations we visit and varying experiences by operator.” “We're confident that by including so many elements as standard in the price, we can simplify life onboard and enhance our trade-friendly focus.” For guests booking a HX expedition, starting with Antarctica and Galápagos expeditions, their regular grade cabin will now include expeditions and activities such as hikes, community visits and talks, full board dining with house wine and beer, free Wi-Fi and gratuities. 

Related News Stories:  Hurtigruten Expeditions - TravelMole     Holiday Extras - TravelMole    

Expedition cruise line HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions has announced changes in its global commercial leadership team. Alex Delamere-White’s official appointment as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) was confirmed, following six months as acting interim CCO. Based out of the new HX HQ in London, Delamere-White will bring the global functions under one leadership model. Additionally, there are newly evolved roles for Nathaniel Sherborne and Jim Sayer. Sayer is appointed to SVP Global Marketing bringing together the global marketing functions under his leadership. As MD & VP Europe and Global Sales Enablement, Sherborne will extend his remit to include Europe and a new Global Sales Enablement Function. This includes the co-ordination of B2B activities for HX globally. Delamere-White brings has a broad range of cruise experience having led multi-site sales and marketing teams, e-commerce and loyalty programs for Carnival UK including P&O Cruises, Cunard, and Princess Cruises for over a decade. Most recently he was Chief Commercial Officer for McCarthy Stone, a leading property developer. Delamere-White said: “The last six months has seen pivotal change for HX, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.” 'My main focuses will be to continue to upweight our concentrated efforts on B2B and making long-term investments in our partnerships with the travel trade.” 

Related News Stories:  Hurtigruten Expeditions    

HX and Hurtigruten have unveiled the next phase of their new brand identities. Ahead of Wave Season, the brands are launching new visual profiles, websites, social channels, brochures, and booking materials to differentiate their brands. Hurtigruten Expeditions cruise brand is now transforming to HX, while Hurtigruten Norway, which celebrated 130 years this summer, will continue with its original name, simplified to just Hurtigruten. "This marks a defining moment as HX and Hurtigruten embark on the next phase of their distinct journeys," said Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten Group. Both the HX expedition cruise brand and Hurtigruten are wholly owned by Hurtigruten Group. New logos and visual identities will differentiate the brands. Both websites have been redesigned. HXs revamped website is at HXexpeditions.com. A full domain transition, including employee email addresses will be undertaken from April 2024. Hurtigruten will use the original Hurtigruten.com address with a split screen guiding visitors to either brand page until April. While maintaining separate social channels since 2021, HX will transition across platforms from 'Hurtigruten Expeditions' to 'HX Hurtigruten Expeditions.' Both brands will update and align future content with the refreshed brand identity. The new channels for both brands are live: Facebook: HX Hurtigruten Expeditions and Hurtigruten Instagram: HXHurtigrutenExpeditions and Hurtigruten LinkedIn: HX Hurtigruten Expeditions and Hurtigruten Norway YouTube: HX Hurtigruten Expeditions and Hurtigruten HX has also revamped guest communications. Starting this month, guests see a redesigned digital journey upon booking. Post-expedition, guests will gain access to a redesigned Logbook. Later this year, both the expedition line's B2B Portal and Guest App will undergo updates to align with the new visual identity. Over the next 12 months, onboard guests will witness HXs rebrand with updates notice physical elements—uniforms, room key cards, crew name badges, water bottles and more. In 2024, the fleet's six ships will be repainted and sail under new livery by the year end. "Each brand has its own, unique story. Bringing their identities to life is essential for global audience growth," Skjeldam added.

HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) has made a trio of hires for its trade team. It appointed Hayley Van Der Steen and Sophie Nelson as Trade Partnership Managers, alongside Megan Lewis, Inside Sales Executive. They bring extensive cruise and travel experience which will bolster relationships with travel agent partners. HX’s trade partnership managers and inside sales team are central to trade relations success, providing crucial support to travel agents. Hayley Van Der Steen brings 20 years' experience in the travel and hospitality sector, including business development roles. She also has first-hand experience onboard cruise ships as a Senior Officer. She brings a wealth of knowledge and a strong network of trade contacts. Recently becoming part of the ITT Board of Directors, Sophie Nelson has experience in key business roles, driving revenue and managing relationships. She started her career as a travel and partnership coordinator. As Trade Partnership Managers, they will be managing everything with the travel agent partners, from commercial and marketing, to system integration, product knowledge and training. The appointment of Megan Lewis as HX’s Inside Sales Executive brings additional sales support to trade partners, ensuring they receive the help they need. She will be facilitating front line incentives, as well as organising ship visits and Fam trips for trade agents. Nathaniel Sherborne, VP of Sales and Marketing UK and Nordics,  said; “The expansion of our team is a pivotal moment for us at HX, marking a long-term investment in the travel trade.’ “We welcome Hayley, Sophie and Megan, and are excited to have three seasoned professionals join us.”

Expedition cruise operator HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) unveiled its 2025-2026 season, adding a raft of new ports, landings, and itineraries. The season will showcase over 80 itineraries across five continents. As well as Alaska, Antarctica, Greenland and the Northwest passage, HX will offer more warm waters expedition cruises following its inaugural season in West Africa (launching November 2023). The programme includes the largest ever offering in Greenland with the addition of a fourth vessel, MS Spitsbergen. It is launching four itineraries, including three 'Grand Greenland' voyages that start and end in Nuuk: Icy Giants of Disko Bay, Mythical Lands of the North and Farthest North to Thule and Kane Basin. HX will offer two new itineraries in Iceland: Iconic Iceland - The Maritime Ring (onboard MS Maud) and Elemental Iceland – Circular Saga (onboard both MS Fridtjof Nansen and MS Maud). All three departures will leave from Reykjavik, where HX became the first cruise company to connect to shoreside electricity in Iceland. In 2025, HX will introduce four new Arctic Canada sailings, all originating from or concluding at the new port in Nuuk, Greenland. These voyages will encompass two Northwest Passage crossings, Guests can choose between the iconic east-to-west route, pioneered by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, and the new west-to-east sailing onboard MS Roald Amundsen from Alaska to Greenland. There will be 50 Antarctic expeditions facilitated by the addition of a fourth ship, MS Maud, in the 2023-2024 season. The new Svalbard in Spring – Return of the Sun itinerary includes areas seldom explored and include glacial hikes and kayaking safaris. HX will also return to West Africa, where it will be the only cruise line to exclusively sail the archipelagos of both Cape Verde and the Bissagos Islands.

Hurtigruten Expeditions (HX) is setting new sustainability benchmarks in Antarctica research for the 2023-2024 season, with over 1,100 cruise nights donated to researchers which support more than 20 projects. HX anticipates these guests will contribute 16,000+ data submissions through its Science & Education Program “It’s been almost 130 years since HX pioneered expedition cruising. With this history, we have a profound responsibility to safeguard the places we explore,” says HX Chief Scientist Dr. Meraldi, the cruise industry’s first on-staff Chief Scientist. Since 2018, HX's Science & Education Program has forged partnerships with leading science institutions. This season, HX has booked 1,158 cruise nights for third-party researchers in Antarctica, marking the highest number of cabins ever donated. “Scientists spend weeks onboard conducting Antarctica research, often alongside our curious guests who are eager to understand the ecosystems they’re exploring,” added Dr. Meraldi. By year-end, HX will have provided over 1,500 cabins to researchers across its global itineraries in 30+ countries. HX will also achieve a milestone by providing support for more than 20 research projects. Researchers collaborate closely with HX’s expedition team through lectures, demonstrations, and real-time data analysis in the Science Centers. In the 2023-2024 Antarctica Science Program, projects span drone-based whale research, penguin colony monitoring, and baleen whale population studies. A new project will study Humpback whale bubble net feeding behaviour. The University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies will also continue its social science study, examining the effects of Citizen Science activities on guest behavior during and after the cruise. Participating institutions include University of California Santa Cruz, Oxford Brookes University, ORCA, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, Norwegian Polar Institute and Western Washington University. In 2013, HX started contributing data to the Citizen Science project Happywhale. Since 2019, HX’s Science & Education Program has facilitated the publication of 17 scientific reports and papers. These findings have contributed critical data to the scientific community and supported research at several leading institutions.

  By earning the lowest Risk Rating, Hurtigruten Group leads the cruise industry in ESG management, placing fourth in the “Travel, Lodging and Amusement” subindustry category   Hurtigruten Group AS (“HRG” or the “Company”) has received an industry-leading ESG Risk Rating of 19.7 (Low) following an assessment by Morningstar Sustainalytics, an ESG research, ratings and data firm. With ratings categorized across five risk levels, Hurtigruten Group is the only cruise company to be awarded a Low ESG Risk Rating and ranks fourth (out of 127 companies) in the “Travel, Lodging and Amusement” subindustry category. The rating from Morningstar Sustainalytics reflects the low risk of the Company experiencing material financial impacts from ESG factors.   “This rating is a result of our company-wide focus on emissions, nature, community and people,” said Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten Group. “We have made significant strides over the past year, investing 66 million euros in emissions reduction. Our pioneering Green Bond, issued in 2022, has enabled us to finance ongoing environmental upgrades, including converting our fifth battery hybrid-powered ship. Simultaneously, we strengthened governance with executive compensation linked to ESG targets, a new whistleblower policy and improved supply chain control, emphasizing local procurement.”   In its latest ESG rating report, Morningstar Sustainalytics stated: “The company [Hurtigruten Group] is at low risk of experiencing material financial impacts from ESG factors, due to its medium exposure and strong management of material ESG issues. The company is not publicly held, which reduces its corporate governance risk compared to its peers. Although the company has a moderate level of controversies, its favourable risk assessment is primarily due to its above average policies and programmes.”   “This rating is a quantitative method to assess our ESG efforts and a valuable tool to scrutinize how we execute on our ESG strategy through programmes and policies across the entire business," explained Skjeldam. Hurtigruten Group – consisting of Hurtigruten Norway, Hurtigruten Expeditions, and Hurtigruten Svalbard – seeks to change the industry’s approach to sustainability. Hurtigruten Group was the first cruise line to ban heavy fuel oil (2009) and single-use plastics (2018). In 2019, Hurtigruten Expeditions added the world’s first battery hybrid-powered cruise ship and has since added two.   In 2022, Hurtigruten Norway converted its first battery hybrid-powered ship, with one more joining the fleet in 2023 and a third planned for 2024. The conversions are part of a 100-million-euro green upgrade that will reduce CO2 and NOx emissions by 25% and 80%, concurrently. Moreover, this June, Hurtigruten Norway’s first-of-kind Sea Zero initiative revealed early concept plans for the world's most energy-efficient cruise ship.   “In addition, our Svalbard operations have made considerable progress in reducing their impact, deploying two electric tour boats and eight electric snowmobiles. We are working towards becoming cleaner, greener, and quieter,” added Skjeldam.   The Group released its 2022 ESG Report in May, advocating for increased transparency and prioritization on emissions reductions over carbon offsetting. “As a travel company, we acknowledge our environmental impact and use ESG review as a tool for looking at our own behaviour. Transparency is key, allowing us to set ambitious targets and push ourselves – and the industry – to collectively protect the people and places at the heart of our adventures,” concluded Skjeldam.   Explore Sustainalytics’ full ESG Risk Rating for Hurtigruten Group here.

Hurtigruten Expeditions is opening a regional sales office in Shanghai. It comes as the company appointed a new CCO, Alex Delamere-White as part of executive leadership team. Hurtigruten Expeditions expanded its' APAC division with new team members serving Greater China. It named Joe Zoe as China Sales Director responsible for Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Other additions are and Sabrina (Hui) Ju, Nora (Junru) Huang, Yolan (Yan) Wang and Belle (Sijia) Liu as sales team members. It is led by APAC MD, Damian Perry. Delamere-White brings cruise sector experience from Carnival UK brands. Based in London, Alex will lead a team on an interim basis. Hurtigruten Expeditions takes guests to over 250 destinations in more than 30 countries worldwide. It recently unveiled new expedition cruises including combining the Patagonian fjords with Antarctica.

For 2024, Hurtigruten Expeditions is introducing new immersive Antarctica cruises. They are combined with the iconic Patagonian fjords of South America. The landmark adventure is the 17-day Antarctica, Patagonia, and Chilean Fjords Expedition, setting sail from Punta Arenas, Chile. It encompasses four days in the Chilean fjords and seven days exploring the wonders of Antarctica. In addition, expedition ship MS Maud will embark on 23 and 24-day voyages from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Antarctica and to Punta Arenas. It allows guests to explore South America, the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia in a single Antarctica cruise. There is opportunity to spot whales. penguins and seals. Guests also have the chanace to travel alongside working scientists and experts to gain valuable insights.

Is it possible to design a truly green cruise line? Do cruisers care? One cruise line is hoping the answer is yes to both. A medium-sized cruise ship emits greenhouse gases the equivalent of 12,000 cars. Nordic cruise lime Hurtigruten, known for its hybrid power ships, is aiming for carbon-neutral operations by 2040. CEO Daniel Skjeldam says the changes will in part be driven by customer demand for more sustainable cruise travel. To meet this, Hurtigruten unveiled ambitious plans for a truly zero-emission ship, powered by solar and wind energy. The ship would have three retractable wind sails integrated with large solar panels.

  Hurtigruten Group, the world's leading adventure travel company, showcased that its sustainable approach lives both on land and sea at The Sustainability Show 2022 in Islington (London, UK) this past weekend.   The recycled, recyclable, responsibly sourced and locally managed exhibition stand was created in partnership with experiential agency, PIE Factory. With an environmental ethos central to Hurtigruten’s core values, the travel leaders debuted their first exhibition stand made from reclaimed waste plastics, collected from around the world, and responsibly sourced materials. The innovative design included:  

• Recycled pressed plastic sheeting formed from assorted post-consumer waste sources and supplied by Good Plastic Company. Each panel is made from a single type of plastic so it can be easily recycled, extending its use indefinitely.
• Carpet made from 100% regenerated nylon including discarded fishing nets and post-consumer yarn waste, alongside shelving made from reclaimed wood.
• FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) timber refers to timber that has been harvested responsibly from well managed forests that are continuously replenished and ensure that there is no damage to the surrounding environment, or to native flora and fauna.
• All elements of the design were produced locally and installed by a local team (within 20 miles).

  “What better place to debut our 100% sustainable stand than here?” said Ant Daniels, UK General Manager at Hurtigruten Group. “This small, but important, step is part of a much bigger commitment to working with the best green technology providers to ensure our products are safer and more respectful towards nature, wildlife and the communities we visit. We’re extremely fortunate to explore the most unique destinations in the world and we strive to do this in a more sustainable and meaningful way. With that in mind, I’m hugely excited to see this stand re-used for many years to come!”   “Creating a space that showcases the wonderful world of Hurtigruten Group and aligns with their values and vision of a sustainable future is a project we are incredibly proud to have been a part of”, Nick Marks, Founder PIE Factory.   Also in attendance at the show was Verena Meraldi, Hurtigruten Expeditions’ Chief Scientist, as she discussed Hurtigruten Expeditions’ commitment to sustainability and how their onboard Science Centers allow guests to learn in more detail about the environment they are visiting. And yesterday the show welcomed Henrik Lund, Managing Director of Hurtigruten Foundation, who spoke about planning a sustainable vacation and what makes a greener holiday.