MS Roald Amundsen

Relax and rejuvenate in the elegant Explorer lounge & bar. Sink into a comfortable armchair and gaze out at the magnificent views through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The ship has spacious outdoor areas. They are perfect vantage points to sit back, relax and watch the world go by. The observation deck is located on deck 11, where you will also find the outdoor gym and running track. 

Enjoy the refreshing pool with your favourite cocktail. What better way to get into holiday mode than by sipping on a cocktail while in the hot tub, creating a great atmosphere with great views.

The ship has a small selection of books on different topics that is available to guests while on board. The library is located on deck 6.

In our on-board shop you can buy clothing suitable for expedition cruises. Our Expedition Team will be happy to give you expert advice on how to dress properly according to the destinations. We offer a great range of both warm and practical clothing, and we focus on fabrics with natural fibres. We also offer souvenirs, handicrafts, and postcards, in addition to a small selection of soap, toothpaste, and other personal effects. 

The reception is located on deck 6.

After a day of exploring new destinations, guests can relax and rejuvenate in the aft infinity pool and hot tubs as one of the highlights.

After a day of exploring new destinations, guests can relax and rejuvenate in the large gym and Wellness center.

The ship has a wellness center where the guests may buy treatments as body massage, face, hand and foot treatments.

The ship has a wellness center where the guests may buy treatments as body massage, face-, hand- and foot treatments.

The Outdoor Running Track Located on Deck 11.

The onboard Expedition Team is composed of the Expedition Leader, the Assistant Expedition Leader, the Expedition Coordinator plus several lecturers and experts. Your Expedition Leader will regularly update you on the progress of the trip as well as the different points of interest and wildlife sightings that may occur. Biographies of the Expedition Team can be found on board. In the ships science center, you will be able to find information regarding the trip and book optional excursions and activities

Let the participants reveal the adventurer they carry within, and get to know the spectacular surroundings by taking part in the excursions we offer. You can also take a brief break and join in one of the activities that take place on deck. This will recharge your batteries for the next session.

Take a break and fill all of your senses - storytelling about food and its traditions is a large part of the gastronomic experience on our ships.

Our on board photographer will be there to assist guests in the use of their photo equipment and to help improve their photo skills. To enhance the experience of the places we explore, we use photography actively with our guests. Slideshow shared onboard before the end of the voyage and made available for all guests in an Expedition Logbook - including a selection of photos as well as the Daily Programs, Expedition Team biographies, Maps from the voyage and more for sharing/download.

HX cannot allow children under the age of 5 to travel with us to Antarctica and South Georgia. For safety reasons, children under 12 years of age will be considered for participation in each landing.

The MS Roald Amundsen is suitable for wheelchair-users. Persons in need of special assistance must travel with a companion. Please note that the gangway must be used to wheelchairs-users to embark / disembark. In ports where tidal conditions or other circumstances require use of a portable gangway, or during landings with tender boats, it is not possible to use/take wheelchairs.

Nome is not suitable for wheelchair embarkation or disembarkation. For cruises with embarkation and/or disembarkation in Longyearbyen, we only accept bookings of wheelchair users on request.

Passengers who use a wheelchair must bring their own, standard size, foldable chair.

There is always an English-speaking physician and nurse on board. The ship has a small medical facility with the necessary equipment and drugs to handle small emergencies. In the event of a serious emergency, the nearest hospital will be contacted. Medical consultations as well as medicines will be charged to the passenger affected.

All guests must have personal travel/health insurance. If you depend on medication, remember to bring sufficient supplies to last through any unforeseen delays. We also recommend that you keep your medication in your hand luggage properly labelled and with clear instructions for its use. If you depend on vital drugs, please inform the ship’s doctor upon arrival. Illness on board can lead to quarantine and orders from the ship’s physician and captain, must be followed.

Onboard dress is informal. For all voyages, we advise you to bring breathable rain and windproof clothing. A warm hat, gloves, scarf and thermal clothing can be useful, together with thermal underwear, during the winter months. Sturdy shoes are important for some shore excursions and a walking stick/trekking pole may be useful.

If you have special requests (e.g. dietary or medical) please inform us as soon as possible. We will do our best to meet such requests but cannot guarantee to do so and under no circumstance will any such request be accepted by us so as to form part of a contractual agreement.

Please note the use of passenger-operated drones is not permitted during your voyage. This is for general safety as well as the protection of the vulnerable wildlife and other guests’ personal security.

On board, smoking is only permitted in designated areas on outside decks. Smoking is not permitted in cabins or private balconies. Throwing cigarette butts overboard is strictly prohibited. A cleaning charge of approximately EUR 150 will be applied for smoking in your non-smoking cabin to cover the cost of cleaning the linen and curtains and thus return it to a non-smoking standard. E-Cigarettes, according to Norwegian law, are the equivalent to tobacco cigarettes and are therefore only permitted in the designated smoking areas.

Smoking is prohibited when the ship is refueling. Announcements will be made on board accordingly.

Smoking is not allowed during nature landings in AECO and IAATO areas, except for city landings.

Wi-Fi is available throughout the ship. Note that it is limited connectivity, and that both internet and telephones from time to time will be out of range due to the vessel’s location. Due to capacity limitations the provided, included Wi-Fi is limited to browsing and not streaming. Please contact the reception if you have any questions related to the Wi-Fi usage.

The areas we sail in have poor mobile connections, or in some cases there are none available on shore. Check with your carrier for details. 

We kindly remind you to be careful walking on board the ship while at sea, especially venturing out on deck, mind the signs for warning of wet and slippery decks. Be aware the doors toward the outer deck are potentially dangerous in windy conditions. Please adhere to the signs and announcements when it is not advised to go outside. While walking inside, hold on to railings but not to door frames to avoid injury.

À la carte dining option

On the ships holding an A’la carte restaurant suite guests are offered to eat their dinner here any day they wish. Reservations must be done on board.

Suite breakfast

On the ships holding an A’la Carte restaurant suite guests are offered to eat their breakfast here. High-end breakfast for suite guests only. A la carte breakfast served at the table.

Room service

Offered to all suite guests free of charge within the opening times.

Suite check-in

For suite guests, there will be an exclusive check-in in a separate area onboard the ship, where the guests may meet and greet some of the ships officers.

Welcome greeting

On embarkation day, the suite guests will find a carabiner watch, a bottle of champagne and a welcome greeting from the captain inside their suite after check-in.

Turn-down service

Daily turn-down, including fresh towels, chocolate or similar on the pillow, turn-down of the bed.

Laundry service

Free of charge for all suite guests.

In-suite

Bathrobes and Binoculars will be available with a possibility to buy.

The sturdy boats enable both water-based exploration and safe landings in otherwise inaccessible areas. You will need to be fairly agile to board these but there is otherwise no need to worry about travelling in them. The crew will show you what to do and as long as you follow their instructions, after a few times it will become second nature.

On all landings in small boats guests are expected to wear proper footwear. In Antarctica it is mandatory to use rubber boots for all landings. For all other destinations boots can be useful. You are welcome to bring private rubber boots, or you can borrow a pair on board free of charge. See separate point “Equipment rentals”. Landing operations depend on favourable conditions.

On board we serve a buffet breakfast. Lunch and dinner varies between buffets and set meals, all in accordance with your daily program. Meal times and type will be announced in the daily programme. In our main dining, the Head Waiter will assign tables prior to arrival. Information about table number and meal times will be in your cabin upon arrival. Please provide information regarding special requests for seating arrangements and dietary to your sales office/travel agent.

On the ships holding an A la Carte restaurant, our suite guests may eat their breakfast in a la carte style. For dinner, this restaurant (Lindstrøm) will be open for all guests, but for an additional charge for all other guests than suite guests.

Fredheim is the ships third dining option, and will be open all day offering international 'street food'. Included for suite guests only.

You can hand in your mail at the reception, and for the cost of stamps we will forward the post in every port where possible. The time needed for delivery of mail may be relatively long. HX Expeditions accepts no responsibility for lost mail. 

The ship complies with all safety requirements and is a modern vessel suitable for sailing in icy waters. Upon arrival on board all passengers will be instructed in safety procedures, and the use and location of the safety equipment. There is a safety plan situated on the inside of the cabin door.

We stress the importance of becoming acquainted with the ships safety plan. Special safety regulations will apply on landings with the tender boats. Please follow the instructions given by the Expedition Leader and crew/ staff. Special lifejackets for use during landings will be handed out to all passengers before first landing. A mandatory briefing regarding the safety guidelines will also be given.

The working language on board is English. Announcements and written information are also given in German. Announcements may be given in French and Chinese on selected departures. In order to be able to accommodate lectures in another language than English, we will offer a possibility for an “in ear” translation to German.

The HX APP is your digital guide onboard, it is recommended to download it before you come onboard, To be able to follow the activities on board, make restaurant reservation, book tours and find A-Z info here from the minute you step onboard. The App will only work while you are on board as it is connected to the ship’s Wi-Fi.  

On many of our expedition cruises we are landing in areas covered with snow. Terrain might be muddy, uneven, wet, and very slippery. The weather may be inclement and cold. This is part of being an explorer.

In Antarctica, it is mandatory to use rubber boots for all landings. For nature landings in Arctic Canada or other locations, rubber boots are recommended. A pair of special purpose boots can be borrowed on board free of charge for the duration of your cruise, and we will make sure that they are rinsed and declared clean from seeds and other biological material after every landing. This is to avoid unintentionally spreading invasive species into fragile environments. We carry sizes from 32 to 50. If you need a smaller or larger size than this, or prefer to wear your own boots, you are welcome to bring private rubber boots, but please be advised that our Expedition Team will have them checked before going ashore, to make sure they are suitable for landing.

We also lend out walking sticks on board. If you are more comfortable using your own walking sticks, bring them along with you, but bear in mind that they must be properly cleaned and disinfected after every landing.

You will be issued a cruise card upon arrival on board as part of the check-in procedure in accordance with ISPS regulations. All our guests are requested to wear this card when disembarking the ship in all ports of call and landings. The card serves as a control system on the gangway, enabling the ship to know which of our guests are on board or ashore at any time. This card, in addition to being the key card for your cabin, is also your payment card on board. The card is the only means of payment for the onboard facilities.

To activate the cruise card account, you must have a Visa, American Express, Diners, or MasterCard. Other credit cards can be used to pay for the final invoice, but not for activating the cruise card account. In the morning, 24 hours before your cruise ends, you will receive a draft copy of your account. The evening before the cruise ends, the account will be totalled and settled on board and a receipt will be emailed to you.

Please note that when using your credit card on board the ship your account will be debited in Euros, the official currency on board the ship. Credit cards that are used to make payments on board must be valid for at least three months after the journey has ended. The rate of exchange will be the one stipulated by your credit card company.

Please note that there are no money exchange services or facilities for cash withdrawals on board.

Guests are reminded that only beverages sold and/or provided in the restaurants, bars, cabins, and suites can be consumed on board. Any alcoholic beverages purchased in ports-of-call will need to be stored separately on board the ship by our crew. Your purchases will be returned to you and delivered to your cabin on the last day of your sailing.

According to Norwegian law, persons over the age of 18 are allowed to purchase beer and wine. Spirits are only available to persons over the age of 20 years.

Exploring our blue planet for more than a century has taught us the importance of being green.

Meaningful Change

As a result, we are now supporting 41 environmental, cultural and social projects in 11 different countries. These range from helping endangered orcas in the Pacific Northwest and protecting Galápagos seabirds, to securing safe spaces for vulnerable Greenlandic children and enabling community storytelling for the Itquamavit elders in Canada’s frozen north. We hope that the ripples we create today will one day turn into the waves of the future.

With the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as our compass, our cruises to the planet’s most stunning corners are where explorers can truly feel at home.

After all, it’s not about us, it’s about all of us.

Saying Goodbye to Plastic

We announced our war on plastics in 2018 when we were the first expedition company to ban non-essential single-use plastic throughout our entire operation. That means you won’t find items like plastic cups, plastic straws or plastic cutlery on board our ships. You also won’t see our shops selling microplastic-made fleeces but stocking natural wool clothing instead.

Absent too are plastic water bottles. We provide all our guests on an expedition cruise with a complimentary high-quality reusable bottle for use at water refill stations dotted around the ship. This simple act saves at least 1,000 plastic bottles a day on some of our larger ships.

Inspiring Environmental Ambassadors

Witnessing the beauty of our planet is sure to leave a lasting impression on you, and you’ll talk enthusiastically about these stunning destinations with friends and family for decades to come. To make sure you can speak informatively when you return home, every one of our expedition cruises has a focus on the environment.

The Expedition Team give lectures that raise awareness of climate change, ocean plastic, and the measures we can all take to help ease these issues. It is our hope that engaging with nature on our expedition cruises will inspire you to do all you can to cherish and protect the precious world we all share.

Connecting With Communities

We are dedicated to supporting the local communities we visit, and to creating beneficial ripple effects that continue long after we’ve left. By trading locally and sourcing services such as food produce and excursions from local suppliers, we contribute to the livelihood and welfare of people.

We strive not only to connect with these communities, but to share genuine friendship with them while always respecting their values and customs. As guests in their home, our emphasis is on appreciating their unique culture and ensuring our interactions are positive and upbuilding for all. You can therefore enjoy authentic experiences knowing your visit is doing good, both for you and for them.

A Footprint We’re Proud Of

You’ll likely encounter a range of wildlife during your expedition, doing so from a safe distance. We’ll be sure to never get too close to them, out of respect for their welfare as much as yours. By not disturbing wildlife with our presence, you’ll be able to observe their natural behaviour, in their natural habitat. We want to leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but pictures! In fact, in many of the areas we visit in Antarctica, we even specifically wipe out our footprints so as to prevent penguins tripping and falling into them.

Working Together As One

Sustainability isn’t something we can do alone. Everyone in our industry needs to work together for a greener future. We are therefore founding members of the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) and members of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). These trade member organisations work to establish sustainable tourism in polar regions, fighting mass tourism by limiting ships and shore visits, and creating guidelines that protect fragile environments and rare wildlife.

We’ve also committed ourselves to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. These guiding principles will take us steps ahead of current regulations to offer you greener and more sustainable expedition cruises on and for the planet.

Serving Planet-Friendly Plant-Based Food

We offer full menus of delicious plant-based dishes that will impress even those yet to be convinced by this way of eating. These meals not only have low or even zero CO2 footprints, they also promote healthier living and prove conclusively that vegan and vegetarian cuisine can still taste great. We’ve also put in place food management waste programmes on all our ships, aiming to reduce food waste by at least 30%.

Investing in Green Tech

Building our two new hybrid-powered expedition ships, MS Roald Amundsen and MS Fridtjof Nansen, represents the biggest investment in our almost 130 years of history. They are packed with ground-breaking green technology, such as battery packs, heat recovery systems, and a cutting-edge hull design. These innovations combined reduce carbon emissions by more than 20 %, compared to other cruise ships of the same size.

HX stopped using heavy fuel oil more than a decade ago and campaign for its worldwide ban. To set a new standard, we are also considering a range of new, green fuel options, including biofuels made from organic waste.

Doing Your Part

There are a range of simple things you can get involved in during your cruise to do your bit. Help out on a beach clean-up where the refuse we collect is brought back onto the ship to be recycled. Citizen Science projects get you to observe our natural world closely and contribute to current research.

Even hanging a tag on your cabin door to say your towels and bed sheets don’t need changing can save energy and water. You also have the option to donate to the HX Foundation which funds projects around the world.

We are setting a new, more sustainable standard for expedition cruising. You can be sure we will continue with our commitment to sustainability; leading the way with green tech, protecting our planet, supporting local communities, and inspiring more to action.

With the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as our compass, our cruises to the planet’s most stunning corners are where explorers can truly feel at home.