If you have ever wondered what it felt like to sail as a polar pioneer, HX Expeditions is giving guests a rare chance to lean into that nostalgia. From 2026, a recreated late 19th-century 1896 expedition cabin will be available on selected voyages aboard MS Fridtjof Nansen, inviting you to spend one night in a space inspired by the line’s earliest explorers, complete with handcrafted period details and a strong sense of story.
From 29 January 2026, HX Expeditions will offer a meticulously researched 1896 expedition cabin on board MS Fridtjof Nansen, bookable as a one-night add-on for single or double occupancy at €450 (approx A$800) per night, featuring handcrafted furnishings, authentic scents, special in-cabin touches, and a pledge to donate half of all profits from bookings to the HX Foundation.
HX has always leaned into the heritage of exploration, and this new historical cabin takes that theme from the lecture theatre right into your sleeping space. Rather than just reading about early polar voyages, guests step into a carefully curated environment that feels like a living exhibit, while still sailing on a thoroughly modern expedition ship.
It is a playful but thoughtful idea that will appeal if you are the sort of traveller who enjoys the stories behind each voyage just as much as the glaciers, wildlife, and landings.
The late 19th century was a defining era for polar exploration, when wooden vessels pushed into ice-choked seas and crews spent long months living in compact, functional quarters. HX’s recreated expedition cabin draws on that history, using period-style furnishings, muted colours, and tactile materials to echo the feel of those original spaces.
You are not roughing it in quite the way those pioneers did, yet you are surrounded by objects and visual cues that reference their world. It might be the look of the timber, the presence of an old-style writing desk, or the softness of lantern-like lighting. Each detail is there to help you imagine life on a very different kind of voyage.
HX notes that the historical setting is based on meticulously researched expedition cabins from the late 19th century, suggesting the team has dived into archives, plans, and photographs instead of guessing at the look. The aim is to create a room that feels grounded in real history rather than a themed pastiche.
Placing the cabin on MS Fridtjof Nansen feels fitting, since the ship itself is named after one of Norway’s most famous polar explorers and already has a strong educational focus. Having a single bookable historical cabin from 29 January 2026 adds another talking point to voyages that already highlight science, culture, and the evolution of polar travel.
Part of the charm lies in the emphasis on handcrafted furnishings and small, story-rich details. Rather than generic décor, this space is filled with bespoke pieces, from period-influenced furniture to classic textiles and carefully chosen ornaments. Authentic scents are woven into the design as well, adding an extra sensory layer to the experience.
It becomes the sort of environment where you catch yourself noticing everything, from the grain of the wood under your hand to the way light falls across a trunk or coat hook. Those little touches can make the night feel less like a novelty and more like a quiet, atmospheric encounter with another time.
On paper, this is simply a one-night add-on. In reality, it is a short, memorable chapter within your wider polar journey. Guests enjoy their usual stateroom or suite for most of the voyage, then transfer into the historical cabin for a single night that is designed to feel special from the moment you turn the handle and step inside.
Because capacity is so limited, the experience feels more like a private ritual than a standard upgrade, something you plan for, anticipate, and then look back on as one of the emotional highlights of the trip.
The cabin can be booked for single or double occupancy at €450 (approx A$800) per night, and availability is restricted to one night per guest, per sailing. This rotation means more people have the chance to try it across a season, rather than a single party having it reserved for the entire voyage.
You might choose to book it for a night that falls mid-journey, once you have settled into ship life, or for a date that coincides with a personal milestone, such as a birthday or anniversary. Either way, it functions as a highlight rather than the baseline, which makes the memory sharper and more distinct.
While the room leans heavily into nostalgia, it still has to work as a guest cabin on a modern expedition ship, with contemporary safety systems and standards. You can expect the visual language of a bygone era, yet still sleep in a proper bed, enjoy discrete modern conveniences, and wake ready for a full day of landings or small-boat excursions.
That balance is important. It allows you to inhabit the mood of an earlier expedition without sacrificing the warmth, reliability, and practicality that underpin contemporary polar travel. The experience focuses on emotional immersion, not physical hardship.
This kind of stay is ideal for guests who love narrative and atmosphere. History enthusiasts, polar buffs, devoted readers of exploration accounts, and keen photographers will likely be among the first in line. Couples may see it as a uniquely themed night at sea, while solo travellers could relish the chance to journal or read in a space that feels like a private study from another century.
It will also appeal to those who enjoy limited edition experiences. With only one such cabin per sailing, and only one night available per guest, there is an inherent sense of scarcity that makes it feel genuinely special rather than just another category on a deck plan.
Securing this cabin is less about scrolling through endless room types and more about adding a distinctive layer to an itinerary you already love. You begin by choosing your voyage on MS Fridtjof Nansen, then decide where in that itinerary you would most like your historical night at sea to sit.
Thinking about the overall shape of your journey will help you make the most of this one-night opportunity, especially if you are travelling as a couple, family, or group of friends.
At €450 (approx A$800) per night, the cabin is priced as a premium add-on for single or double occupancy, reflecting both its handcrafted design and its limited availability. Because there is only one such cabin, and only one night per guest, per sailing, it makes sense to express your interest early when planning with your cruise adviser.
The rate buys you the atmosphere, the historical setting, and the special touches, alongside the knowledge that half of all profits are directed to the HX Foundation. All your usual voyage inclusions, from dining to daily activities, remain unchanged, so this cost is solely for the themed experience.
When deciding which night to choose, it can be useful to think about the rhythm of your itinerary. Some travellers might opt for a sea day, when there is more time to linger in the cabin, engage with its details, and simply soak up the ambience. Others may prefer a night that follows an especially powerful landing or scenic day, using the space as a quiet setting to reflect and write.
Getting this timing right can turn the cabin stay from a fun one-off into the emotional anchor point of the entire voyage, something you reference whenever you think back on your trip.
A standout element of this initiative is HX’s decision to donate 50 percent of profits from cabin bookings to the HX Foundation. That means your night in the cabin directly contributes to projects connected with science, education, or environmental work in the regions the line visits.
For guests who care about the impact of their travels, this adds a meaningful layer to the indulgence. You are not only treating yourself to a rare experience, you are also supporting causes that reflect the spirit of exploration, stewardship, and responsible travel.
This 1896-themed cabin is more than a cleverly styled room. It is a prompt to think about where your voyage fits in the long story of polar exploration, from wooden ships navigating by stars to today’s hybrid-powered vessels guided by satellites and science teams. Spending a night in a space that echoes the past can make you more aware of how much has changed and how much curiosity has stayed the same.
For travellers flying in from Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe, or the Americas, it is a chance to connect emotionally with the explorers whose names appear on maps, museum walls, and lecture slides throughout your journey.
Early explorers wrote about cramped cabins, long nights, and hard choices in remote places. While your own voyage is far more comfortable, the cabin environment offers a small window into that world. You might find yourself seeing a particular headland, glacier, or stretch of sea differently the next day, knowing a little more about the courage and hardship involved in charting it.
That sense of continuity can make your time on deck, in the science centre, or ashore during landings feel richer. You are not just ticking off bucket-list sights, you are participating in an ongoing story of human curiosity in the polar regions.
If you plan to book the cabin, it is worth weaving it into your onboard routine. You might attend history-focused lectures in the days leading up to your stay, spend time with charts and old photos in the ship’s library, or pair the night with a low-key evening of journalling rather than a late-night social schedule.
These choices help you tune in to the mood the cabin is designed to evoke. When you move back to your usual stateroom or suite, you may carry a deeper appreciation for both the comforts of modern travel and the legacy of those early journeys.
For international guests planning a wider holiday around their polar voyage, this cabin can become one of the emotional centrepieces of the trip. You might add a city break in Europe, Norway, or elsewhere before or after sailing, exploring museums and cultural sites that extend the historical theme.
By the time you return home, it is often these carefully curated, story-driven experiences that stand out as much as the big glaciers and wildlife sightings. The cabin becomes a story you tell whenever someone asks what made your voyage feel different.
Before you decide which HX sailing is right for you, it helps to see how MS Fridtjof Nansen and her itineraries compare with other expedition options. S.W. Black Travel’s Cruise Finder lets you explore polar and global voyages side by side, filter by region and season, and pick out departures where this 1896 cabin could be the perfect extra touch.
You can experiment with dates, compare itineraries, and note which voyages offer the right blend of history, science, and scenery, then bring that shortlist into a conversation with a cruise specialist when you are ready to plan in more detail.
A night in HX’s recreated 19th-century cabin is the kind of travel moment that lingers long after your suitcase is unpacked. It blends story, design, philanthropy, and polar scenery into one neat package, giving you a tangible connection to the explorers who helped map the regions you now visit in comfort and safety. When paired with a full expedition itinerary, it becomes a thread that ties your voyage together in a uniquely personal way.
If you would like to explore sailings on MS Fridtjof Nansen, check availability, or fold this special cabin into a broader journey from Australia or anywhere else in the world, the easiest next step is to get in touch with our team to start planning your cruise.
Wherever you are travelling from, adding this one-night stay to your itinerary is a simple way to honour the spirit of exploration, support the HX Foundation, and turn an already memorable expedition into a story you will be telling for years to come.