Frittjof Nansen – Gebhard Rainer HX new CEO (formerly Hurtigruten Expeditions) stood on the balcony of Fridtjof Nansen’s oversized suite on the upper deck, talking to the camera about the brand’s transition to independence.
In a smooth shoot, he thanked HX staff for their hard work as the expedition line will complete its separation from sister brand Hurtigruten, which sails off the coast of Norway, in November. The brands will become independent cruise lines within the Hurtigruten Group. The transition period begins in October.
Renner told staff in the recording that once the separation is final, take a break because 2025 is going to be a busy year.
HX has entered the final stage resetrebranded, restructured and hired Rainer, who most recently served as CEO of Sandals Resorts International. Rainer expects these dramatic changes to translate into increased bookings, particularly in North America, where 18% of HX’s current bookings come from. Rainer thinks 50% is possible.
But he said adventure activities are hard to sell, which is why HX hosted 300 travel advisors, media and guests aboard the Fridtjof Nansen in September for its largest-ever family trip. A two-day cruise from Vancouver to Seattle gave us a taste of the HX experience, which included an expedition-guided kayak tour, a small boat cruise to collect water samples, and viewing a scientific research demonstration underway on the ship.
The product “requires you to tell a story,” Reiner told consultants on his first night on board. Sales scouting also requires the consultant to understand the product in order to feel confident selling it.
“It’s not an easy product to sell because you need to have a story to make it interesting and engaging for people who don’t usually know much about adventure,” Rayner said.
Several travel advisors on this cruise agreed, saying they had never been on an expedition cruise before and that few, if any, expedition cruises were for sale. But they want to do it.
HX is part of the growing adventure segment of the cruise industry. Well-established US cruise lines such as Silversea and Seabourn have launched adventure products, while new entrants such as Atlas Ocean Voyages have also chipped away at market share.
To attract consultants, HX is working to make it easier to sell its products, such as moving to an all-inclusive pricing model that includes food and beverages, alcohol, WiFi, gratuities, daily adventures (like hikes and community visits), professional photos, adventure jacket straps Come home and a reusable water bottle.
“We now have the ability to develop a strategy that works for HX,” said Alex Delamere-White, the brand’s chief commercial officer. “I firmly believe that to be successful in the United States, we need travel advisors to love us. We are not a mass market product. We need a very passionate group of travel advisors with whom we have strong connections and relationships, which is what we are doing these days. The heart of what is done here.”
With the name change and other company transformations, Rainer sees 2024 as a transformational year for HX. While the company has a slight lead in bookings, it is learning to schedule trips in advance to benefit from longer booking windows. HX opened bookings for the first quarter of 2027 shortly before this cruise, and executives plan to start selling spring 2028 cruises in March.
“You need to start selling early because people are looking for a booking window,” Renner said.
Overall bookings will grow 18% in 2025, he said. The Galapagos Islands lead the way, with bookings up 245% for 2024. Bookings for the Northwest Passage are also strong, up more than 40% in 2025.
If all goes well in 2025, the first year of independence from Hurtigruten, Rainer expects to order the next generation of hybrid ships in 2026.
