2025 Readers' Choice Awards: Best expedition cruise line

Winner: HX Expeditions & Hurtigruten

Why you love it…

Once both operating under the Hurtigruten name but now split into distinct brands, Hurtigruten and HX Expeditions stand out for spellbinding adventure voyages. (With readers still referring to the brands interchangeably, we’ve made the call to combine votes.) Hurtigruten, while not an expedition cruise company, continues to offer its beloved original journeys along the Norwegian coast – where guests travel alongside locals and experience the country’s wonders through an authentic lens. Meanwhile, HX Expeditions, which specialises in global expedition cruises, creates once-in-a-lifetime encounters with rare wildlife, remote cultures and breathtaking landscapes that foster a richer appreciation of our planet.

Hot tip…

Feed your curiosity with HX Expeditions’ Science & Education programme, where onboard experts lead fascinating lectures and hands-on research opportunities to deepen guests’ knowledge of their destination.

Runners-up

Scenic

Whether sailing through icy Antarctic wilderness or chasing celestial spectacles in Iceland, Scenic delivers epic adventures with plush luxury hospitality.

Silversea

Personalised service and all-inclusive comfort meet unforgettable destinations on Silversea’s expedition voyages, which include Galápagos and Kimberley sailings.

Viking

Curious travellers can benefit from onboard enrichment programs when voyaging to the Arctic, Antarctica, North America and South America onboard Viking’s state-of-the-art expedition ships.

PONANT

This luxury cruise line’s elegant small ships allow guests to explore remote destinations while treading lightly and enjoying a distinctly French hospitality experience.

For all the winners and runners-up, visit our 2025 Readers’ Choice hub.