HX Expeditions Holdings and Hurtigruten Group are now officially separate companies after investors acquired HX and committed to spending 140 million euros to improve the cruise line's fleet.
The Fram and Spitsbergen ships will receive upgrades to cabins, suites, science centers and restaurant areas in this year's second quarter, HX said.
HX is the line formerly known as Hurtigruten Expeditions -- that name change was made in late 2023. The separation of HX and Hurtigruten began in 2021, when Hurtigruten split the operations of its expedition cruises and Norwegian coastal cruises.
Former Sandals chief executive Gebhard Rainer was hired as HX's CEO last year, and he continues in that role following the official separation of HX and Hurtigruten Norway.
"Today's announcement is an important day in HX's history as we continue our journey as a standalone company with the resources and strategic support to deliver on our next phase of growth and innovation, which will benefit our employees, guests and strategic partners," Rainer said. "We look forward to exploring new growth opportunities around the globe and enhancing our industry-leading customer offering and creating the very best in mindful travel experiences."
The investment in HX was led by Arini Capital Management, Cyrus Capital Partners and Tresidor Investment Management. Its former sister line, Hurtigruten Norway, is owned by an investor consortium led by Arini Capital, AlbaCore Capital and Barings.