MS Roald Amundsen
MS Roald Amundsen, launched in 2019 by Oslo-based Hurtigruten — which has a 130-year heritage of coastal Norway cruising with its sturdy fleet of purpose-built vessels — definitely added some high gloss and polish to expedition cruising. Offering a range of adventurous itineraries in Antarctica, South America, Alaska, and the Northwest Passage, this 530-guest vessel offers all the comforts and amenities of a luxury-class small ship, including three beautifully designed restaurants and an inviting deck with an infinity pool with two hot tubs.
Yet these amenities come with the added benefit of expedition-class construction and an ice-class rating that enables it to cruise into places other small ships can’t access. Better still, thanks to its first-of-its-kind hybrid electric-powered engine system, the ship's fuel consumption and carbon emissions have been reduced by 20%. As of 2024, MS Roald Amundsen is part of Hurtigruten Group’s rebranded HX expedition division.
What We Love
It’s an Expedition Ship with Style: With its sleek, neutral-hued Scandinavian interior design — think contemporary furnishings in birch, oak, wool, and granite — and striking art collection (there’s even a series of three paintings by Norway’s Queen Sonja in the Lindstrom specialty restaurant), this ship named for the Norwegian explorer who was the first man to reach the South Pole has taken expedition cruising to remote destinations up a notch. Guests can relax in the welcoming Explorer Lounge & Bar and dine in three restaurants featuring modern decor: Aune, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner; Fredheim offering more casual “street food” menus; and specialty restaurant Lindstrom, which is complimentary for suite guests and an extra charge for all other passengers. Soft drinks and wine and beer are included at mealtime. To relax, guests can head for the dry warmth of the spacious co-ed sauna, which features a picture window view of the passing scenery outside.
The Green Initiatives: In addition to being the world’s first hybrid electric-powered expedition ship (incorporating battery packs to support the engines and using clean diesel rather than heavy crude for fuel), MS Roald Amundsen also operates without any single-use plastics onboard — a policy Hurtigruten put in place fleet-wide in July 2018 to celebrate its 125th anniversary. The ship also carries battery-operated snowmobiles for emission-free land exploration.