69 Cruising Alaska with HX Expeditions means experiencing Alaskan wildlife first hand big ships can’t enter. We’re working with indigenous people to design our itineraries, so you’ll experience Alaska from their point of view and you’ll have the opportunity to go to sacred places nobody else can. So, while cruise products might seem similar, there’s a big difference in the guest experience because expedition cruising is a specialist, and not easily scalable, product.” Demand for expedition cruises is growing. According to the 2025 State of the Cruise Industry Report from Cruise Lines International Association, it is the fastest-growing segment of the cruise industry, with 22 per cent more passengers choosing this type of voyage in 2024 compared with 2023. Rainer believes HX Expeditions’ focus on the experience of exploration resonates with today’s travellers, who he says are much more willing to spend money on experiences than they were a decade ago. “The pandemic changed things,” he says. “Many of us realised how quickly things can alter, so we’re now much more willing to spend money on ourselves and our experiences because we understand the value of what we’re buying. Additionally, changing working habits and the increasing prevalence of technology in our lives is isolating us as humans, and this is where the expedition cruise industry has the biggest potential to grow. It’s a niche product but we are able to incorporate the social and emotional connections people crave.” HX Expeditions’ 1896 Cabin offers guests the chance to spend the night in a 19th-century expedition cabin
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=