HX’s Maud Transferred to Hurtigruten’s Coastal Service – Cruise Industry News

After three years offering expedition itineraries, Hurtigruten Expeditions (HX)’s Maud was transferred back to Hurtigruten’s coastal service earlier this month.

As part of the transition, the 2003-built ship was reflagged to the Norwegian Ordinary Ship Register (NOR) and regained its original name, sailing again as the Midnatsol.

The 500-guest vessel is now offering Hurtigruten’s Coastal Express Route, which cruises between Bergen and Kirkenes for 11 nights.

The itinerary includes stops in 34 ports along the Norwegian coast as part of an operation that includes not only passenger service but also transportation for goods and cars.

While original plans called for a temporary transfer, Hurtigruten Group’s future plans for the ship are currently unclear.

According to the company’s original announcement, the vessel was scheduled to replace the Vesterålen, which is set to undergo a major refurbishment lasting through late 2025.

After completing its schedule along the Norwegian coast, the Midnatsol was poised to return to HX’s fleet ahead of a season in Antarctica and South America in late 2025.

The itineraries, however, are no longer available on HX’s online booking tool, and the vessel has since disappeared from the expedition operator’s website altogether.

The temporary transfer was announced as part of Hurtigruten’s ongoing environmental upgrade program, which included more vessels undergoing significant refurbishments.

A sister to the 2002-built Trollfjord, the Midnatsol was built in Norway and debuted in Hurtigruten’s coastal service in 2002.

The 16,151-ton vessel had been dedicated full-time to exploration cruises in Northern Europe since 2021.

Before joining the expedition fleet as the Maud, the ship also underwent a major refurbishment that reduced its capacity from 674 to 500 guests.

Between its coastal and expedition fleets, the Hurtigruten Group currently operates a fleet of 16 cruise ships, including the hybrid-powered sisters Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen, as well as the Galapagos-based Santa Cruz II.