Travel advisors had a chance to see the otherworldly landscapes and iconic animals of the Galápagos Islands during a series of recent FAM trips hosted by HX (formerly Hurtigruten Expeditions).
In late 2023, the company launched a competition to give 100 travel advisors an opportunity to win a free FAM trip to the chain of volcanic islands off the coast of Ecuador. For each new booking a travel advisor made between December 26, 2023, and March 31, 2024, they were entered for a chance to win. At the end of the contest period, the company randomly chose the 100 winners.
The competition is part of HX’s ongoing commitment to supporting its trade partners, along with a new agent portal, a new online training program, a new B2B help desk phone line, webinars and more. HX has also been growing its presence in North America, with the hiring of several new business development managers.
In September, HX also hosted its largest-ever FAM trip, with more than 300 travel advisors attending a two-day trip aboard the MS Fridtjof Nansen. The ship sailed from Vancouver to Seattle through Gulf Island National Park Reserve, offering travel advisors a brief but immersive taste of the HX expedition cruise experience.
Travel advisors celebrate a successful FAM trip in the Galápagos Islands with HX (Photo Credit: Andres Mesias/HX)
The Galápagos contest winners joined three HX departures in late 2024: an “Iconic Wildlife & Sublime Scenery (Western route)” voyage in October, a “Nature and Wildlife (Northern route)” sailing in November and an “In Darwin’s Footsteps (Eastern route)” departure in December.
Advisors sailed aboard the MS Santa Cruz II, the 90-guest expedition cruise ship that was refurbished in 2021.
The Galápagos Islands are situated roughly 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean. The archipelago consists of 127 islands, islets and rocks, including four islands that are inhabited by humans.
Since 1959, 97 percent of the archipelago has been protected as Galápagos National Park. The waters surrounding the islands are also protected under the Galápagos Marine Reserve, which was created in 1986 and expanded in 1998. The archipelago has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978.
The Galápagos Islands are brimming with stunning landscapes (Photo Credit: HX)
During the December departure, travel advisors from the United States and Canada joined Kent Phillips, business development manager for Western Canada, for a first-hand look at HX’s Galápagos product.
The trip started with two nights in Quito, followed by six nights aboard the vessel. Advisors explored several islands and islets, including Mosquera Islet; Punta Pitt and Puerto Baquierizo Moreno on San Cristóbal Island; Santa Fé and South Plaza islands; Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island; Española Island; and Eden Islet and North Seymour Island.
For travel advisor Kelly LaPorte, the FAM trip was a “phenomenal” way to experience a bucket-list destination, she says. When selling the voyage to her clients back home in Windsor, Ontario, LaPorte plans to emphasize the trip’s value.
Travel advisors saw land iguanas while exploring the Galápagos Islands (Photo Credit: HX)
As of the fall of 2024, HX’s expedition cruises are now all-inclusive. The cruise fare includes all daily expeditions and activities; all dining; beer, wine, spirits and cocktails; coffee, tea and soft drinks; Wi-Fi; gratuities; access to the onboard Science Center and science activities; access to the fitness room, sauna and hot tubs; professional photos and videos taken by an onboard photographer; and and take-home expedition gear and a reusable water bottle.
In the Galápagos, the fare also includes transfers and round trip flights between mainland Ecuador and the archipelago, as well as a two-night pre-cruise hotel stay and a full-day excursion in Quito. It also includes extras, like the admission fee to Galapagos National Park and the transit control card for the Galápagos Islands. Onboard the ship, wetsuits and snorkeling gear are also available to use at no extra cost.
Waved albatrosses were just one of the highlights on HX’s recent Galápagos Islands FAM trips (Photo Credit: John Chardine/HX)
“The cost might initially seem like a barrier to some people, but now I can break down the price and explain exactly what’s included and why it’s such a great value,” says LaPorte, who owns TravelBookie.
With her clients, Karen Sutherland plans to highlight the trip’s accessibility and safety. HX offers a wide range of activities and excursions for travelers with varying levels of mobility, from adrenaline-pumping deep-water snorkeling outings to mellower glass-bottom boat rides and more. Guests also have the option to join shorter, slower-paced walks during landings.
Advisors saw sea lions while exploring Española Island (Photo Credit: John Chardine/HX)
“This trip was totally outside my comfort zone, but the crew made me feel so safe—they are so well-trained and so caring,” says Sutherland, a travel advisor with Expedia Cruises in Kingston, Ontario. “I’ll be able to convey to my clients and to my fellow travel advisors that there really is nothing to worry about. They give everyone an opportunity to participate. And they make you feel empowered. After having this experience, I would go anywhere with HX.”
She was also impressed by the onboard naturalist guides, who were genuinely excited to share their knowledge about the Galápagos with visitors.
HX’s FAM trips were held aboard the recently refurbished MS Santa Cruz II (Photo Credit: John Chardine/HX)
“You can tell they’re excited about the destination, and they’re passionate about teaching,” says Sutherland. “If you watch their eyes when they’re speaking, there’s a sparkle. They’re in the moment, they’re enjoying themselves.”
Many of her clients have already been on several traditional cruises and land tours. Now, they’re looking for “something different, something exhilarating and exciting,” she says. After the FAM trip, she says she won’t hesitate to recommend an HX Galápagos Islands expedition cruise.
“It’s perfect for people who are curious and inquisitive and want to immerse themselves in a destination,” she says.
The travel advisor FAM contest is just one of the many ways HX is supporting its trade partners (Photo Credit: HX)
Similarly, travel advisor Gayle Tan hopes to encourage more of her clients—who typically sail with contemporary and luxury lines—to consider an HX expedition cruise. She also believes the trip could be a hit with multigenerational groups and families with older children.
Travel advisors enjoyed hands-on science demonstrations and lectures onboard the MS Santa Cruz II (Photo Credit: HX)
“There are lots of families out there who want to do something different,” says Tan, manager at Expedia Cruises in Kerrisdale, Vancouver, British Columbia. “But just talking about it with all of my clients, they’re going to hear the excitement in my voice and I think they’re all going to be interested.”
Jon Silverman, a travel advisor with Frosch in Denver, Colorado, can’t wait to tell his clients about the many different animals he saw during the trip—from blue-footed boobies and hammerhead sharks to marine iguanas and waved albatrosses. Though he packed binoculars, he found he didn’t need them—he could see the creatures clearly from the hiking trails, the Zodiac boats and the glass-bottom boat.
Animals were the stars of HX’s recent FAM trips in the Galápagos (Photo Credit: Ashton Ray Hansen/HX)
