Spitsbergen to Sail HX Expeditions’ First Scandinavia Program

HX Expeditions has announced 57 voyages across 14 destinations for its 2028-29 season, including 26 new itineraries, two destinations new to the company and five program changes. The deployment expands its Antarctica, Alaska, Greenland, Scandinavia, Arctic Canada, Svalbard and ocean-crossing schedules while continuing year-round Galapagos operations.

The 200-passenger Fram will begin Antarctic departures from Stanley in the Falkland Islands. HX said it will become the first major expedition company in more than a decade to use the islands as a gateway to Antarctica, and that the routing allows more time in South Georgia and Antarctica.

New routes to Antarctica and South Georgia

The 490-passenger Roald Amundsen will add a 19-day Antarctica and South Georgia itinerary.

Stanley does not have a large cruise terminal. Larger vessels generally anchor offshore and transfer passengers by tender to the public jetty in the town center, although smaller ships can sometimes use FIPASS or other port facilities. The season announcement did not specify the embarkation arrangements for Fram.

Shorter Alaska and Greenland options

In Alaska, HX will replace its previous 10- and 13-day Inside Passage itineraries with two eight-day expeditions between Vancouver and Sitka. Each sailing will include five full days in Southeast Alaska and one sea day, and passengers can combine the northbound and southbound voyages. The company is also adding a 17-day Aleutian Islands itinerary between Vancouver and Whittier.

Greenland additions include an eight-day Discovering West Greenland itinerary sailing roundtrip from Nuuk and centered on the communities and icebergs of Disko Bay. HX will also add an 11-day version of Exploring the Garden of Greenland.

First dedicated Scandinavia program

HX will introduce its first dedicated regional Scandinavia program aboard the 220-passenger Spitsbergen. The schedule includes a 13-day Sweden and Finland itinerary in the Gulf of Bothnia, available in both directions, as well as a 10-day voyage between Norwegian fjords and Swedish islands. A 14-day Norway Cape to Cape itinerary will operate beyond the Arctic Circle.

The Arctic season grows

In Arctic Canada, Roald Amundsen will sail a new 19-day Northwest Passage expedition that fully circles Baffin Island. Svalbard will feature in 23 departures during 2028, the company’s largest program in the archipelago to date. The schedule will extend from the Midnight Sun period through the return of the Northern Lights.

Nine new ocean crossings

The season adds nine Atlantic and Pacific ocean-crossing voyages. Atlantic routes include Bermuda, Cape Verde, Salvador and Recife, while Pacific itineraries incorporate Golfito, Huatulco and La Paz.

Several of the crossings will pass over the Equator. Other additions include a voyage reaching Seville through the Guadalquivir River and Pacific routes connecting HX operating regions.

The year-round Galapagos program will continue aboard the 90-passenger Santa Cruz II with In Darwin’s Footsteps and Nine of the Best Isles itineraries, along with extensions incorporating Machu Picchu. The season overview did not specify which two destinations were firsts for HX, provide pricing or include a named executive statement; full itineraries are available on the company’s website.

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