In a cruising first, HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) is launching brand-new guest experiences across their Arctic Canada sailings co-designed with Inuit Elders and residents within the isolated communities dotted throughout the Northwest Passage.
The company said in a statement that the programme marks “the first time a global cruise company has introduced a community-led programme of this scale in the region.”
This programme will debut in Gjøa Haven, Pond Inlet, and Cambridge Bay – remote and rarely visited Arctic communities that are largely inaccessible outside of short seasonal windows.
Launching in summer 2025, the community-led excursions will be offered on HX’s 26-day Northwest Passage sailings:
Westbound from Greenland to Alaska aboard MS Fridtjof Nansen, HX’s newest hybrid-powered vessel, and eastbound from Alaska to Greenland aboard MS Roald Amundsen, the world’s first battery hybrid-powered cruise ship.
A key member of the development team for these new experiences is Mariah Erkloo, an HX Product Planner and Inuk who was born and raised in Pond Inlet.
She has helped shape the concept and strengthen relationships between HX and local partners. “This kind of collaboration is exactly what’s needed in Arctic tourism.
“It’s encouraging to see it begin in a way that centres Inuit voices and priorities. From the community side, if this model continues to grow with care, it will strengthen the experience for both locals and visitors.
“I look forward to seeing how it evolves and the lasting positive impact it will have for our communities and the people who travel through them,” said Erkloo.
Each excursion has been created in partnership with Inuit hosts to offer guests a rare opportunity to engage with daily life, culture, and traditions in the Canadian Arctic through the perspective of the people who live there.
Chief Expedition Officer, Alex McNeil, said:
“These intimate excursions are an opportunity for travellers to create meaningful personal connections with local residents and experience the beauty of Inuit hospitality like never before.
“By keeping excursions to an average of 10 to 12 guests, we ensure each experience is personal and rooted in genuine exchange, offering a level of access, connection, and cultural integration you won’t find with other cruise lines.”
HX worked hand-in-hand with Inuit to create experiences that invite guests to share in the day-to-day life of those who call these shores home.
A new model for Arctic travel
This summer, HX guests sailing through the Northwest Passage, a route so remote it has been transited fewer than 450 times by ship in recorded history, will have the opportunity to take part in locally created, community-led experiences such as:
- Guided hikes to local landmarks with Inuit storytelling
- Participating in the lighting of the traditional Qilliq and learning its cultural significance
- “Arctic Conversations”: small-group discussions with community members about life in the North
- Arctic char fishing with local harvesters using traditional weir techniques
- Visiting summer cabins to learn how Inuit continue to live off the land
- Collaborative art-making sessions using techniques and materials unique to each region
- Storytelling with respected Elders sharing personal experiences and ancestral knowledge
- Joining community events like bingo, card games, or demonstrations of Arctic sports
These excursions offer a rare and meaningful opportunity to connect with life in the Arctic, designed not just to inform but to foster genuine connection between guests and hosts.
Economic empowerment and community ownership
In a move that sets a new precedent in the cruise industry, HX will not take any margin from these excursions in their first phase.
100% of the revenue will go directly to individuals, artists, and local businesses in Nunavut – supporting sustainable economic growth, fostering local pride, and ensuring these experiences remain community-owned.
Excursion pricing ranges from £29 for a community bingo event to £125 for a four-hour Arctic char fishing tour, capped at eight guests
This initiative reinforces HX’s commitment to long-term collaboration, cultural partnership, and a more inclusive future for Arctic travel.
Read more about the inspiration behind these excursions here.
See the full list of excursions with details and pricing here.
Visit the Travel Pursuit News Hub for more exciting updates.
