By
Laura Hyde |
HX Expeditions has celebrated its 130th anniversary by hosting more than 350 travel advisors and media representatives onboard Fridtjof Nansen for the sector’s largest-ever familiarisation trip.
The “mega FAM” cruise sailed from Hamburg, Germany, to Helgoland in the North Sea from 5-7 May 2026. It showcased HX Expeditions’ approach to exploration, providing hands-on experience of the brand’s expedition model, including its onboard science and education programme.
Guests had the opportunity to experience shore landings on the main Helgoland island, as well as the offshore inlet of Düne. Here, they explored the quaint streets, admired the colourful coastal buildings, walked the beaches and red sandstone cliffs and saw the local wildlife, which included grey and common seals and an array of seabirds such as guillemots, gannets and pied oystercatchers. Expedition leaders were on hand to answer questions, suggest activities and keep guests safe by maintaining the 30-metre distance from the sunbathing seals.
Common and grey seals sunbathing on the beach on Düne (credit: Laura Hyde)
Onboard, guests partook in a number of workshops led by scientists and the expedition team in the science centre to gain insight into the citizen science initiatives available to HX passengers. Sessions focused on plankton analysis, ocean soundscape exploration and meteorology. There was also a cloud observation session delivered in cooperation with the NASA GLOBE Observer initiative.
Fridtjof Nansen’s onboard science centre provides hands-on experiences to deepen guests understanding of the destinations it visits
“Our goal was not only to provide our sales partners with information about HX Expeditions, but to create real experiences they can confidently share with their clients,” said Gebhard Rainer, CEO of HX Expeditions.
Helgoland’s traditional choir performed a selection of sea shanties onboard and the ship’s crew band, The Rolling Waves, treated guests to an evening performance of well-known classics from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.
A Helgoland choir performed traditional sea shanties onboard the ship
During the cruise, HX Expeditions unveiled its 1896 Cabin, the design of which is inspired by a 19th-century expedition cabin. Any guest who sails on Fridtjof Nansen in 2026 has the opportunity to spend the night in the cabin for €100 per person (for up to three guests), with 50 per cent of the profits going towards the HX Foundation, which supports environmental, scientific and community initiatives in destinations visited by HX Expeditions’ fleet of five ships.
The 1896 Cabin, a 19th-century replica expedition cabin, has been created to celebrate the company’s founding year and pioneering legacy (credit: Laura Hyde)
“This week’s mega FAM sailing aboard Fridtjof Nansen was a brilliant opportunity to show our travel partners first-hand what HX Expeditions is all about,” said Mark Walter, sales director for the UK and Northern Europe at HX Expeditions. “By experiencing a mini expedition to Helgoland, advisors were able to fully immerse themselves in our expedition model, from landings and science led activities to the onboard atmosphere that defines an HX voyage. We are incredibly proud of our teams whose passion and expertise brought the experience to life, and grateful to our trade partners for their continued support. As we celebrate 130 years of pioneering expedition cruising in 2026, the trade campaigns we are running over the coming months give partners another way to engage with the brand, drive bookings and share the HX experience with their customers.”