Hurtigruten Group CEO Discusses Re-Brand, New Strategy

Hurtigruten Group officials this week announced their plan to re-brand Hurtigruten Expeditions as HX, emphasizing the division’s global expedition-style itineraries and creating a clear separation from Hurtigruten Norway, the company’s 130 year-old coastal voyage provider.

Under the changes, Hurtigruten Norway will be simplified to “Hurtigruten” while maintaining its “fast route” Norwegian coastal voyages.

Meanwhile, HX will provide “immersive, small-ship experiences” emphasizing “scientific research and expert-led lectures” plus community advocacy and sustainability, with itineraries journeying to Africa’s west coast, Antarctica, the Galápagos Islands, Greenland, and Svalbard.

The HX fleet includes 530-passenger, battery-hybrid-powered ship Roald Amundsen and sister vessel MS Fridtjof Nansen. TravelPulse spoke with Daniel Skjeldam, Hurtigruten Group’s CEO, to discuss the rationale behind the new branding. 

TP: What was the thinking behind the re-branding?

DS: Hurtigruten consists of several companies: we have a Hurtigruten Norway, we have Hurtigruten Expeditions, we have Hurtigruten Svalbard and we also own a stake in Metropolitan Touring in Ecuador.  We are sending Hurtigruten Expeditions in a different direction from Hurtigruten Norway. 

TP: Why the new strategy?

DS: There is a much more high-end offering on Hurtigruten Expeditions, a global offering with very interesting destinations [across] the entire world, [while] Hurtigruten Norway is still core to what it’s always been since 1893, and that’s a very high-end working ship on the Norwegian coast.

We’ve felt everyone looks at these as the same. We’ve seen a need to differentiate and make the product proposition and branding much clearer and distinct for the two companies. That’s why we’re making the change now. 

TP: So the original Hurtigruten product will remain in place?

DS: Yes. Hurtigruten Norway goes back to the roots of Hurtigruten. That name really described what it is. It means “the fast route,” and that’s still the concept of the operation on the coast. With this change, we bring a lot more clarity as these are two very different product propositions, sailing in different regions and the guest delivery is very different. 

“We’re a brand that has a Norwegian origin but that has a very global appeal.” – Daniel Skjeldam, CEO of Hurtigruten Group (Courtesy of Hurtigruten Group)

TP: What other changes come with the re-branding?

DS: The commercial teams working Hurtigruten Norway and Hurtigruten Expeditions have been separate since June. This is important to understand because it means that the [marketing] structure for the two companies will be completely different.  Part of the strategy for HX will be to sell more to travel advisors. 

TP: How will that work?

DS: The mix in the group has been around 50/50 business-to-consumer and business-to-business, but we expect with the new initiatives happening in in HX that we can increase the share of bookings in the business-to-business channel by working even closer with travel advisors, especially in North America, where we feel we have a lot of potential.

TP: How has the company fared with North American travelers this year?

DS: We’ve seen very good figures for HX in the North American market. Compared to last year, over numbers are up 93 percent and if you compare prior to COVID, comparing 2019 departures with 2023 departures, we're up almost 1,000 percent in the North American market. So it’s a massive game-changer for this business. 

TP: What aspects of the product have made it popular with North Americans?

DS: We’re a brand that has a Norwegian origin but that has a very global appeal, with the product that is purpose-built for the North American market being all inclusive with very little extras to pay when you're on board the ship.  Also, our massive focus on sustainability is something we see getting more and more traction in in the North American market.  

TP: What aspects of the HX product make you believe you can grow the customer base?

DS: Through HX we introduced a brand into the North American market that is a cruise product. It is a product [consumers] can be pretty familiar with, but with a Norwegian flair and heritage, a high focus on sustainability, and a focus on science and learning and part of the guest proposition. I think it’s a very good fit for the North American market.”

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