HX Expeditions is an expedition cruise line with five ships, from the 90-guest Santa Cruz II in the Galápagos to two 490-guest hybrid ships in Antarctica, Alaska and the Arctic. It suits curious travelers who want lectures, science and a comfortable ship. We have sailed two HX ships and toured a third.
Where does HX sail?
HX sails polar and warm-water regions. Seasons below are from HX's current published schedule. Itineraries change, so confirm each departure with us.
Antarctica, the Falklands and South Georgia
Season: October to March. Ships: Roald Amundsen, Fridtjof Nansen, Fram.
Departures through the year on Santa Cruz II.
Our experience: we sailed the Northern Route on Santa Cruz II in January 2026.
Season: May to September. Ships: Spitsbergen, Fram.
Season: June to September. Ships: all four polar ships.
Iceland and the Faroes
Season: May to September. Ships: Fridtjof Nansen, Spitsbergen, Fram.
Season: November to March, for the Northern Lights. Ship: Spitsbergen.
Alaska
Season: May to September. Ships: Roald Amundsen, Fridtjof Nansen.
Northwest Passage and Arctic Canada
Season: August and September. Ships: Roald Amundsen, Fridtjof Nansen.
Scotland and the Hebrides
Season: spring, with a few late-summer departures. Ships: Spitsbergen, Fridtjof Nansen.
Our experience: we sailed the Hebrides on Spitsbergen from April 28 to May 8, 2025.
Chilean fjords and Patagonia
Season: repositioning voyages around October and March. Ship: Fridtjof Nansen.
Regions and seasons from HX's destination pages at travelhx.com, checked October 2026.
What ships does HX have?
HX has five ships. They range from 90 to 490 guests.
| Ship | Guests | Gross tonnage | Regions sailed | Our experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS Roald Amundsen | 490 | 20,889 | Antarctica, Alaska, Northwest Passage, Arctic Canada, Greenland | Toured by both |
| MS Fridtjof Nansen | 490 | 20,889 | Antarctica, Chilean fjords, Alaska, Northwest Passage, Greenland, Iceland, Scotland | Not yet aboard |
| MS Fram | 200 | 11,647 | Antarctica, Falklands, South Georgia, Svalbard, Norway, Greenland, Iceland | Not yet aboard |
| MS Spitsbergen | 150 | 7,344 | Norway, Svalbard, Scotland, Iceland, Faroes, Greenland | Sailed |
| MS Santa Cruz II | 90 | 2,664 | Galápagos | Sailed |
Guest numbers and gross tonnage from HX's ship pages: Roald Amundsen, Fridtjof Nansen, Fram, Spitsbergen, Santa Cruz II. Regions from HX's destination pages.
Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen are HX's two hybrid ships. HX says electric propulsion cuts their fuel use and CO2 emissions by 20 percent.
Cabin categories, suite inclusions and obstructed-view cabins from HX's Roald Amundsen ship page.
What is HX like aboard?
HX is casual. There are no formal nights and no dress code. Lectures, workshops and the expedition team sit at the center of the day. The larger ships carry a Science Center with microscopes, a small library and lecture space. HX calls the ship a "base camp," and that is a fair description. The ship is comfortable, but it exists to get you ashore and into the water.
We sailed Spitsbergen through the Hebrides in spring 2025. Days mixed landings with Zodiac time: a rare landing at St Kilda, Fingal's Cave by Zodiac, and e-biking on Islay. In January 2026 we sailed Santa Cruz II through the northern Galápagos. We snorkeled with sharks and a manta ray at Buccaneer Cove and walked among giant tortoises in the Santa Cruz highlands. The Galápagos trip showed us that an HX expedition doesn't need ice.
HX's education starts before you board. Before our Galápagos group sailed, HX ran a pre-trip webinar and sent an information package. Our travelers arrived knowing what they were about to see, and they came with questions. That made the guided time ashore more useful.
In September 2022 we toured Roald Amundsen in Boston. We saw every cabin category, the restaurants, the Science Center, the expedition gear and the mudroom. What stayed with us was the launch area. It was spacious and laid out for moving guests on and off the ship. That changed how we think about larger expedition ships. Passenger count alone doesn't tell you how a ship handles expedition operations. Now we don't just ask how many people are aboard. We ask what that number changes about your day.
Size changes the day. On a 490-guest ship, landings run in rotating groups, so you will not all be ashore at once. In return you get more public space, more dining choice and a full Science Center for sea days. On the 90- to 200-guest ships, groups are smaller and the ship feels quieter. Ask us how size plays out in the region you want.
HX says it stopped using heavy fuel oil more than a decade ago and removed single-use plastic from its ships. These are HX's own statements. We are happy to walk you through how they compare across lines.
What we heard at ECN in London, September 2026
Operator-supplied. This is what HX told us at the Expedition Cruise Network conference in London in September 2026. It is not our firsthand experience.
At ECN in London in September 2026, HX leadership told us they see HX less as a cruise company and more as a company built around experiencing the destination: the wildlife, the landscape, the science and the people. The ship is how you get there.
HX also presented its ocean-science work with SOOP, a research partnership that includes GEOMAR, AWI and Hereon. HX told us:
- HX has sampled seawater for research institutes since 1932.
- Automated sensors aboard Fridtjof Nansen measure ocean chemistry, the atmosphere and marine biodiversity while the ship sails.
- The system makes about 820 observations a day, and about 680,000 had been submitted since May 16, 2024.
- The data goes to SOCAT, PANGAEA and the Copernicus Marine Service, which are global ocean and climate databases.
- HX donated 289 cruise nights, valued at more than €260,000, to 19 partner researchers to support the project.
- HX supports AWI's 25-year HAUSGARTEN biodiversity study.
- HX's next steps are real-time data displays in its Science Centers and adding the sensors to more ships. These are plans, not yet in place.
This is ship-based science. It runs whether or not guests take part. It is different from citizen science, where guests help collect data on a landing or Zodiac cruise. HX supports citizen-science projects such as NASA cloud research, seaweed biodiversity and phytoplankton studies, but which projects run depends on the voyage. If citizen science matters to you, we will find out what is planned for your departure before you book.
Who is HX right for, and who should look elsewhere?
A strong fit if you want
- Lectures, a Science Center and an expedition team that explains what you are seeing
- Expedition activities on a comfortable, well-equipped ship
- A casual, international atmosphere
- Wildlife and landscape over shipboard entertainment
- An expedition even though you don't think of yourself as a cruise person
Look elsewhere if you want
- The smallest possible passenger count in Antarctica
- Butler service, formal nights and white-glove styling
- Big-ship entertainment, casinos and nightlife
- A guarantee of specific citizen-science activities on every voyage
How does HX compare?
- Lindblad Expeditions
Also built around naturalists and learning, with smaller ships on many itineraries. We have sailed Lindblad.
- Aurora Expeditions
Smaller ships and a more activity-led day. We have sailed Aurora.
- Quark Expeditions
Polar-only, with a long Arctic and Antarctic record. We have toured a Quark ship.
We book across every operator, so we compare HX's ships and dates against these before you commit.
Ship comparisons: National Geographic Resolution vs Roald Amundsen · Santa Cruz II vs Evolution
HX FAQs
How many ships does HX have?
Five. Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen carry 490 guests each. Fram carries 200, Spitsbergen 150 and Santa Cruz II 90. Figures are from HX's ship pages.
Where does HX sail?
Antarctica, the Falklands and South Georgia; the Galápagos; Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland and Norway; Alaska; the Northwest Passage; Scotland; and the Chilean fjords.
Is HX the same company as Hurtigruten?
No. HX and Hurtigruten are separate companies. Hurtigruten runs the Norwegian coastal service, which has its own page on our site.
Does every HX voyage include citizen science?
Not necessarily. HX supports several citizen-science projects, but which ones run depends on the voyage. We check what is planned for your departure.
Is HX good for first-time expedition travelers?
Often, yes. The ships are comfortable, the day is well organized and the lectures explain what you are seeing. If you want a very small group, we would compare HX with smaller-ship lines first.
Have you sailed with HX?
Yes. We sailed Spitsbergen through the Scottish Hebrides in 2025 and Santa Cruz II in the Galápagos in 2026. We also toured Roald Amundsen in Boston in 2022.
Our experience with HX: Chris and Erika have sailed two HX ships, Spitsbergen (Scottish Hebrides, 2025) and Santa Cruz II (Galápagos, 2026), and toured Roald Amundsen in Boston in 2022. We have not been aboard Fridtjof Nansen or Fram.
Keep exploring
Expedition cruise lines
Every line we book, compared side by side — who each one suits and why.
Roald Amundsen: our review
Our notes from touring her in Boston.
MS Santa Cruz II: our review
Sailing the Galápagos with HX — our ship review.
Antarctica
When to go, what it costs, and how to choose the right voyage south.
