More than a century before expedition ships came equipped with hybrid engines, science centers, and heated observation lounges, travelers were sailing to the Arctic in much simpler accommodations. Now, London-based cruise line HX Expeditions is re-creating a small piece of that rustic explorer experience.
To mark its 130th anniversary, the company has unveiled an “1896 Cabin” aboard its ship the MS Fridtjof Nansen, a single room designed to look and feel like the staterooms passengers might have slept in during the line’s earliest voyages.
The cabin takes its name from the year the company launched what it describes as the world’s first expedition cruise (HX was formerly Hurtigruten Expeditions and previously part of the Norwegian cruise company Hurtigruten; it is now a standalone company out of London). That sailing carried travelers from mainland Norway to the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, roughly halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, decades before expedition cruising became more accessible to global leisure travelers.
Spend the night experiencing what it was like sailing the high seas more than 100 years ago.
Courtesy of HX Expeditions
Tucked aboard one of HX’s newest, hybrid-powered vessels, the cabin looks markedly different from the rest of the ship. The room is clad in reclaimed timber, including more than 140 pieces of oak planks and beams sourced from old European barns and cabins, recalling the wood-heavy interiors travelers would have encountered on Arctic voyages at the turn of the 20th century.
The historical references continue throughout the cabin, with maritime antiques sourced from markets across Europe that are scattered throughout the room (including vintage trunks, historic maps, and a barrel concealing a small bar) and a fireplace designed to resemble an old shipboard stove serving as the room’s focal point. There’s also a porthole window and bunk-style berths that can sleep up to three guests.
HX even developed a custom scent for the space designed to evoke aged timber and sea air.
The cruise line sources many of the cabin’s decor from antique markets.
Courtesy of HX Expeditions
Travelers won’t have to commit to the experience for an entire voyage. The room functions as a one-night add-on experience available on select 2026 sailings. Guests can spend a single night in the heritage-inspired space before returning to their regularly booked accommodations.
The cabin will be available on MS Fridtjof Nansen’s 2026 itineraries, which include voyages in Greenland, the Canadian Arctic, Alaska, Chile, and Antarctica.
The launch is part of a broader anniversary celebration that includes heritage-inspired menus, commemorative keepsakes, and special onboard programming focused on the company’s history.
The overnight experience costs €100 (approximately $116 at current exchange rates) per person, and guests can reserve it either before departure or on board, subject to availability. Travelers who don’t snag a reservation will still be able to tour the cabin on embarkation days before it is occupied for the evening.
Proceeds from the historic cabin bookings will support the HX Foundation, the company’s charitable arm that funds conservation, scientific, and community initiatives in destinations visited by the cruise line.
The historic styling continues in the bathroom.
Courtesy of HX Expeditions
HX joins a small but growing group of cruise lines that have introduced bookable overnight experiences beyond traditional cabins and suites.
On Lindblad Expeditions ships National Geographic Endurance and National Geographic Resolution, guests can reserve glass-enclosed igloos perched on the observation deck, where they spend the night sleeping beneath Arctic skies or Antarctica’s midnight sun.
In the Galápagos, Celebrity Cruises offers a “glamping” experience aboard Celebrity Flora, allowing travelers to sleep outdoors in private cabanas on the ship’s top deck.
HX’s version stands apart in that it focuses less on the destination outside and more on re-creating a historic moment within.
