Tuesday, 26 May 2026 23:22

Taste of history in HX’s 1896 cabin

The 1896 cabin on MS Fridtjof Nansen The 1896 cabin on MS Fridtjof Nansen

HX Expeditions’ 1896 cabin is now available on board MS Fridtjof Nansen, the expedition cruise-liner’s first hybrid-battery powered expedition ship.

The cabin experience is inspired by the 19th century cabins found on board HX’s first ships from the original voyages 130 years ago.

Gebhard Rainer, CEO of HX Expeditions, says the company hopes the 1896 cabin gives guests a sense of what life at sea was like 130 years ago. ‘History, after all, is best remembered when lived.’

The cabin includes over 20 distinct furniture pieces, including bunk beds and a single bed, wooden chests, chairs, stools, wardrobes, an old-fashioned desk and even a hidden bar in a barrel.

There are handcrafted wooden interiors – wall planks, ceiling beams and flooring designed to evoke late-19th-century expedition ships. The wood sourced for the cabin is made from an old cabin in Germany, giving it an authentic feel. There is even an old-fashioned wooden toilet seat that has been installed.

The 1896 cabin also has a feature fireplace – with stone-effect detailing and ambient lighting as a focal point – plus vintage maritime décor such as horns, framed artwork and expedition-era.

ProMag