Hurtigruten Expeditions, the world’s largest expedition cruise line, is expanding its 2023 Arctic summer season with seven brand new adventures – bringing guests closer to the local people and deeper into the northern wilderness.
The new sailings from June to September 2023, spanning 11 to 19 days, will cover some of the most spectacular areas beyond and above the Arctic Circle aboard the small expedition cruise ship MS Maud.
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“We are delighted to continue to expand our offering of Arctic expedition cruises by introducing MS Maud on a range of the finest itineraries handcrafted by our team of experts and drawing on our nearly 130 years of Arctic experience. Working closely with local communities, our small ship expedition cruises take you where the big ships can’t go, closer to the people and nature of the North,” said Asta Lassesen, CEO of Hurtigruten Expeditions.
Departing from either Dover, UK or Reykjavik, Iceland, the new itineraries will take guests to Greenland, Svalbard, the British Isles, the Faroe Islands and Iceland.
With the addition of MS Maud to the Arctic in summer 2023, Hurtigruten Expeditions will offer a wider choice of Arctic expedition cruises than ever before, with five different ships exploring the Arctic.
Hurtigruten Expeditions’ local connections, combined with the small vessels, a fleet of Zodiacs and an expedition team of experts in science, adventure, history, photography and more, offer a unique opportunity to experience wildlife, volcanoes, glaciers and the world’s largest fjord system .
“From exciting encounters with local communities to vast wilderness and abundant wildlife, our small ship expedition cruises offer unique experiences in some of the most unique places on our planet. While exploring, our guests and crew not only add local value, but also contribute to scientific projects that are critical to understanding and preserving the areas for future generations of explorers,” said Lassesen.
Hurtigruten Expeditions established expedition cruising with the launching of the first small expedition cruise ships to the Arctic archipelago of Spitsbergen in 1896. Today, Hurtigruten Expeditions is the world’s largest and leading expedition cruise line, with a fleet of small, purpose-built ships that explore destinations such as the Galapagos, Antarctica, South America, West Africa and the Arctic – with a total of five Hurtigruten Expeditions ships exploring the Arctic in 2023.
New MS Maud Arctic Adventures for 2023 include:
— Two True Arctic Expeditions offering a unique combination of Iceland, the wild east coast of Greenland, the Svalbard archipelago and the rarely visited Arctic volcanic island of Jan Mayen. The 17-day cruises depart and land in Reykjavik, Iceland.
— A 20-day epic summer Greenland expedition cruise. Featuring 20 days and a flexible itinerary to explore icebergs, fjords, wildlife and communities along Greenland’s spectacular west coast – including north of Disko Bay.
— Two circumnavigation of Iceland expedition cruises that take guests on an 11-day deep dive from Reykjavik to some of Iceland’s most incredible sights – including crossing the Arctic Circle.
— Two 12-day island-hopping expedition cruises in the North Atlantic exploring Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the Shetland Islands, the Orkney Islands and the British Isles. As the first and final adventure of MS Maud’s 2023 summer season, they will start or end in Dover.
The expedition cruises can also be extended with 2-4 day land adventures in Iceland.
MS Maud features a state-of-the-art science center and a large fleet of Zodiacs for landings and exploring nature and wildlife. In addition to the Explorer Lounge, which spans two decks with floor-to-ceiling picture windows and 270-degree views, MS Maud offers huge open-air alfresco decks, outdoor hot tubs, a panoramic sauna, exercise room, and flexible dining options, including more locally inspired and sourced Groceries as well as herbal options.
