Review: MS Fridtjof Nansen

What is the line? Hurtigruten Expeditions

Name of ship? MS Fridtjof Nansen

Passenger occupancy? 530

Itinerary? Disko Bay: The heart of Greenland

Start out with the big picture—what is this cruise line known for?

In 1893 Hurtigruten first linked northern and southern Norway by steamship. Three years later, the company kicked off expedition cruising when it first ventured to Svalbard. Today, Hurtigruten Expeditions is one of the world’s leading expedition cruise lines that takes adventurous travelers to some of the most remote and thrilling corners of the planet—from Antarctica to Alaska and the Galapagos to West Africa—and even a 93-day “pole-to-pole” itinerary from the High Arctic to Antarctica.

In keeping with this spirit of exploration and adventure, Hurtigruten Expeditions has named several of its ships after Norway’s most celebrated explorers. Fridtjof Nansen was (arguably) the greatest. One of the more enlightened explorers of his era, Nansen not only made the first crossing of Greenland across the ice sheet in 1888, but also was a scientist, diplomat, humanitarian, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate—a combination of adventure, science, and innovation that befits Nansen’s namesake ship.

Tell us about the ship in general.

Custom built in 2020 for the polar waters of the Arctic and Antarctica, MS Fridtjof Nansen and her sister ship MS Roald Amundsen are the world’s first battery-hybrid powered cruise ships and pioneers in Hurtigruten Expeditions’ growing fleet of smaller, more sustainable expedition cruise ships. The ship is powered by four engines and two large battery units, which reduce its fuel consumption by approximately 20 percent and cut CO2 discharge by more than 3,000 tons a year. Following an assessment of 400 ships, Scope ESG Analysis—the leading European provider of environmental, social, and governance analysis—named the Nansen the safest and most sustainable cruise ship in the world.

Hurtigruten Expeditions is known for its industry-leading science and education program—it’s the first and only cruise line with a Chief Scientist and the first cruise line with Science Centers onboard. The Nansen’s Science Center features museum-style exhibits and activity areas giving guests hands-on experiences to complement the lecture program. Guests are also encouraged to participate in the various citizen science projects that run during their expedition.

Who is onboard?

European, North American, and Australian retirees were the typical demographic on my trip, although there were quite a few younger traveling couples, groups of friends, and singles in the mix. Guests were typically an adventurous bunch, likely to swap stories about sailing to Antarctica, backpacking across India, and more.

Describe the cabins.

I stayed in a spacious upper-deck Expedition Suite with a roomy balcony (from where I watched a whale breach below me one evening). My bathroom had a heated floor and the cabin’s mini bar and wine rack were fully stocked with a complimentary first round. All cabins are outside and half have private balconies—aft suites additionally feature private outdoor hot tubs. Throughout the cabins and ship, interior design takes inspiration from Scandinavian nature and makes use of materials such as granite, oak, birch, and wool. The result is a calm, quiet sanctuary where you can relax and watch the landscape slide by or watch streamed and recorded lectures in privacy.

Tell us about the crew.

The crew is international, well-traveled, and a very impressive multi-skilled bunch. An example: One day Ursula, an assistant expedition coordinator, gave a talk about her experience following Nansen’s route across Greenland’s interior. A couple of days later she conducted an Icelandic language lesson in simultaneous English and German. Whether serving dinner or navigating guests around icebergs on a kayaking excursion, everyone is enthusiastic and energetic. While you’ll hear a lot of “madam” and “sir"—especially in restaurants—interactions are always friendly and relaxed.

What food and drink options are available on board?

The ship has three restaurants, as well as a lounge bar and (when sea conditions allow) a pool bar. Meals at top-tier Lindstrøm are included for suite guests (and dinner is available for all other guests at a surcharge, which is worth paying at least once). Lindstrøm is an elegant spot with Scandinavian-influenced decor—think muted colors, lots of natural light from big windows, wood accents, and contemporary artwork. The menu, too, has a Nordic influence as many of the ship’s suppliers are based in Norway. A reindeer carpaccio starter and grilled Greenland halibut were a couple of my favorite dishes.

Bright and always bustling, Aune is the main venue serving a buffet breakfast and lunch and à la carte (and occasional buffet) dinner. Favorites here were a musk ox shepherd's pie and a seafood buffet dinner, which included sushi, sashimi, king crab, and Greenland-sourced caviar and shrimp. I liked that buffet dishes were all presented in small sizes so I could graze without worrying about food waste.

Freidheim is the most relaxed option and, because it's open all afternoon and evening, often the quietest. An eclectic mix of international dishes, street food-style bites, and comfort classics are served here, from tacos to steamed buns and hamburgers. Save room for a blueberry milkshake or chocolate cream waffle.

Continuing the Norwegian theme, the bars offer aquavit tastings as well as an extensive list of Norwegian spirits. Several times during the voyage chefs served samples of Greenlandic dishes on deck, such as caviar, lumpfish roe, kalaalit kaagiat (Greenlandic cake), and musk ox salami sourced during our stop in Nuuk.

Is there a spa on board and is it worth visiting?

While there is no spa as such, the ship’s wellness center offers a small menu of services, including facials and massages. The trip is bookended by two sea days in either direction, which presents an ideal opportunity to visit. I opted for a hot stone massage on the second day of the trip, which got rid of knots lingering from my transatlantic red-eye flight. Opposite the wellness center, you’ll find a small but well-equipped gym. If the three treadmills are busy, you can head up to the top deck’s outdoor running track.

Activities and entertainment

The ship has a swimming pool, sauna, and two hot tubs but you won’t find casinos or movie theaters on board. Activities here lean high-minded rather than frivolous: think in-depth talks on icebergs, climate, and Norse history in the lecture hall and hands-on activities in the science center. More informal evening talks take place in the lounge bar and, on my trip, included traditional Inuit storytelling sessions.

Guests can also sign up to join the Science Boat for a taste of a scientist’s daily life. One afternoon I took part in collecting samples for the Fjord Phyto project. The project studies phytoplankton to better understand how they respond to water temperature changes in the polar regions, providing a key to help mitigate future environmental impacts. My expedition was the first in 2023 to collect samples in the Arctic.

How was the experience for families?

While there were a few younger travelers on board, and a few get-togethers for young explorers, there is not a lot of dedicated family programming. Traveling families should probably save this expedition for when kids are older.

Where did it sail and how were the excursions? Did anything stand out?

The ship sails from Reykjavik, Iceland across the Irminger Sea to southern Greenland then climbs north up the west coast until Disko Bay before heading back south and finishing in Reykjavik. Guests see a lot of the country: the 16-day cruise has the distinction of visiting every municipality in Greenland and—depending on which excursions you choose—all three Greenland UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The itinerary is almost evenly split between nature visits and community visits. On community visit days (to Qaqortoq, Maniitsoq, Sisimiut, Ilulissat, and Nuuk), guests can wander around freely or book optional excursions, which range from having coffee and cake in a local’s home to hiking part of the Arctic Circle Trail. True to its ethos of supporting local communities, Hurtigruten Expeditions partners with local guides for these excursions. I noticed, and appreciated, that cultural experiences are carefully curated to show both traditional and modern Inuit life. One of my favorites was an organized event held at the Katuaq cultural center in the capital, Nuuk, which featured a traditional drummer and mask dancers as well as contemporary pop singers. The event was followed by tastings of traditional dishes such as whale and seal blubber accompanied by beer from a Greenlandic microbrewery.

Expedition days typically consist of two Zodiac excursions in places of astonishing natural beauty. For example, our day in Kvanefjord—which is rarely visited by cruise ships—included a scenic cruise toward a sprawling, shimmering glacier followed by a landing on shore, inhabited only by old graves of Thule people, the ancestors of modern Inuit, dating back hundreds of years.

Are there any stand-out sustainability or green initiatives about this cruise?

As well as pioneering the world’s first hybrid battery electric-powered cruise ships, the company is in the process of converting the rest of its expedition fleet to hybrid battery power and plans to become the world’s first zero-emissions cruise ship by 2030. They’ve also enabled fleet-wide shore-power connectivity to eliminate emissions while in port and were the first cruise company to phase out single-use plastics onboard.

Each day that guests decline housekeeping, the company donates a small amount to the Hurtigruten Foundation, which supports environmental and community projects worldwide, including summer camps and activities for youth in remote Greenlandic villages.

Hurtigruten is a founding member of the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO), which promotes responsible tourism in the Arctic. Attendance at an AECO briefing is required for all guests and information sheets advising environmentally and culturally respectful best practices are displayed around the ship. As well as the basic stuff (leave no trace, don’t harass wildlife, etc.) guests are encouraged to “talk to, not about, the people you meet” and “work against prejudiced attitudes.”

Anything we missed?

While there were no Greenlanders on the team, I was impressed by the collective expertise of the cultural interpreters and historians on the expedition crew. Their in-depth knowledge of Greenland covered everything from its earliest peoples—who arrived more than four thousand years ago—to its contemporary culture and challenges. I particularly enjoyed the talks given by Jimmy, a longtime Danish resident of Greenland, former school principal, and educational consultant for the government of Greenland. His talks on everyday life and teaching in Greenland provided a privileged peek into Greenlandic life. He also provided an introductory lesson in Kalaallisut, the Greenlandic language, which came in handy during our community visits.

As a solo traveler, I also appreciated the efforts made for single cruisers: There were scheduled solo traveler meetups in the lounge bar and a nightly designated solo traveler table at dinner in Aune. From time to time, the company also waives single supplement fees to ensure that a lack of companion doesn’t preclude adventurers from achieving their travel goals

Why is the cruise worth booking?

Greenland’s unique landscape—its sprawling ice sheet means its communities all lie around the coastline, none of which are connected by roads—makes cruising perhaps the best way to visit. This cruise visits a region that is environmentally and socially fragile and, with its commitment to sustainability and responsible, respectful tourism, I felt confident that it tries to do right by the people and places it visits.