HX's Maud rejoining Hurtigruten Coastal Express, West Africa operations halted

Maud, currently undergoing repairs at Bredo shipyard for damage caused by a rogue wave in December, will return to scheduled sailing from mid-April as part of the planned British Isles itineraries, before venturing into the Arctic for the summer season. 

Returning to HX in 2026 

The ship will then transfer to the Coastal Express fleet from November 1 under the Norwegian state contract as part of the line's environmental upgrade programs. It will not return to the HX fleet until 2026.

‘Hurtigruten is undertaking the most significant environmental upgrade in the cruise industry,’ said Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten Group. ‘The diverse fleet capabilities of the Hurtigruten Group give us the opportunity to temporarily move MS Maud from HX to Hurtigruten, filling the void left by the upgrade program…’ 

Maud sailed the Norwegian coast between 2003 and 2016. The ship started operations in Antarctica from 2016, moving across to the Hurtigruten Expeditions fleet from 2021.

West Africa sailings halted

HX is about to conclude its most successful Antarctic season ever but continues to explore growth opportunities in warmer waters, including the Galápagos. 

Previously, the line expanded its product portfolio to include West Africa for the 2023/2024 season but has elected to pause operations there for the upcoming season to ensure the safety of its passengers and crew, citing increasing regional instability.

Affected passengers

All passengers booked on any impacted sailings have been contacted directly, or will be contacted by their travel agent, with the option of choosing a full refund or 125% future cruise credit depending on their itinerary. 

Passengers on selected Antarctic sailings on Maud were automatically transferred to sailings on Fridtjof Nansen, Fram or Roald Amundsen.