HX (formerly known as Hurtigruten Expeditions) is making changes to bulk up its cruise inclusions. Soon, the line will include the following for its expedition cruise passengers:
- Daily expeditions and activities such as hikes, community visits, talks and more
- Full onboard dining, including breakfast, lunch and dinner with house wine and beer
- Wine, beer, spirits and cocktails available across the day and evening
- All-day coffee, tea and soft drinks
- Wi-Fi internet access
- Gratuities
- The line’s interactive science program, Science Center and activities both on and off the ships
- Access to sauna, hot tubs, fitness room and more
- Professional photos from the onboard photographer
- Opportunities to engage with and support local communities and environmental initiatives through the Hurtigruten Foundation
- A take-home expedition jacket and a reusable water bottle
Here, Alex Delamere-White, chief commercial officer at HX, shares why these changes matter for travel advisors and their adventurous clients.
What prompted the HX brand to go all-inclusive with its product lineup?
We've completed brand research where we've been talking to people that we want the brand to appeal to, and we define these as curious travelers — travelers who have a sense of purpose, a focus on sustainability and who really want a truly immersive experience in the destinations that they go to.
When we talked to travelers who have not done an expedition cruise but considered it, [the holdup] was very much that it is a complicated product. The overwhelming theme was to demystify it, because expedition cruising appeals to so many people.
The expedition sector is growing quickly, but I think it still has phenomenal growth potential.
Another theme that came out of that research is just people wanting to be very clear about what's going to be included and what's not going to be included. They want to know what costs they're going to have to pay for upfront and what might be additional when they're traveling.
Then, the second part is a global focus, strengthening our partnerships with the trade and B2B partners, none more so than in the Americas. One of the things they've spoken to us about since we established dedicated commercial teams for HX in the U.S. is they love the new brand.
But one of the things they said is, “please help us tell your story, and we need a simple story." And we've been doing a lot of work on that around our new identity, but we felt that we could go a step further. Going all-inclusive was a really great and bold step toward that.
Is this a permanent offering or just a short-term promotion? And when will it start to roll out?
This is a permanent offering. We will start rolling this out from October 2024. It's slightly different by ship just because of when the ships go to Antarctica. So, by the start of November, our whole fleet will be all-inclusive, including in the Galapagos.
How does this fit into HX’s new brand identity and differentiation from Hurtigruten?
It is really important that people understand that HX is different, particularly with the destinations that we go to and the experience that we want to offer. We'd already wanted to create a clear separation between the two, and the move to all-inclusive for HX is right for that brand.
How does HX now stand out from the expedition cruise competition?
[Going all-inclusive] is really us leading the way. And where we believe we are further differentiated from our competition is we're experts in expedition. We've been doing this longer than anyone, and we include all of our daily excursions, for instance. Another element is that our guests typically are travelers who come with a sense of purpose, who want to learn, and our onboard science centers are all included.
What should travel advisors specifically know about the all-inclusive news?
If I wanted one thing, it is for travel agents to know that HX believes that adventure is all-inclusive.
Expedition cruising is naturally a smaller niche product. So, I believe we have to make it really easy to sell. There's a fantastic opportunity for travel advisors to earn brilliant commission on expedition cruises.
We want to strengthen our partnerships, and I hope that this shows that we're listening and reacting and responding. This is directly in response to the feedback that we've gotten. So, I hope that travel advisors and travel partners like what they see and want to work this.
What is your vision for the future of the HX brand, fleet and deployment?
The expedition sector is growing quickly, but I think it still has phenomenal growth potential. Sustainability and a focus on improving the destinations that we go to is absolutely central to our strategy, and we believe there's a great opportunity for us to do that.
