Chat with HX Expeditions CEO Gebhard Rainer: Expedition Cruising, Wildlife and What’s Next

By Sarah Ong, Senior Expedition Advisor at Cruise Norway

“So… because it’s not every day I get to be on an expedition with the CEO of the company, do you mind if we do an interview for my company’s website?”

That was pretty much how this interview came about.

I asked Gebhard Rainer, CEO of HX Expeditions, over lunch while we were onboard MS Fram exploring Greenland on the Arctic Odyssey voyage, and he simply said yes!

We found a quiet corner of the ship and had a chat. It wasn’t a formal interview setup, just a few questions and a conversation about expedition cruising, wildlife, travel and the future of HX.

Despite being the CEO, he was incredibly approachable and down-to-earth. The whole thing felt much more like a conversation with a fellow expeditioner than an interview with a CEO.

Here’s what we talked about.

I started with a fairly simple question. After all the places he has travelled to and the expeditions he has experienced, what still excites him about heading out on another voyage?

“The prospect of discovery”

Gebhard:
“My favorite part of being on an expedition voyage is really the prospect of discovery. Seeing new things, experiencing new things, and getting into places where not many people have been before. There are so many unique places to explore, with so much to learn and see. East Greenland, for example, is one of those places, and to me, that's the most exciting part.”

Gebhard Rainer, photographed by Yuri Choufour

What has been your best wildlife encounter?

I like asking this question because everyone’s experiences are so different. You never know what story someone might share.

For Gebhard, it involved being surrounded by whales while out on a Zodiac.

“I had the privilege of joining Dr Ari Friedlaender from UCSC and the California Ocean Alliance on a Zodiac one morning in Antarctica to collect samples of whale skin and blubber for research. We got very close to a female whale and her calf, and while he was aiming to take a sample from the mother, a huge humpback whale surfaced right beside us. He said we had to take a sample from that one as well!

I was literally next to whales, surrounded by whales. It was an incredible experience.”

Gebhard on the science boat with the expedition team, photographed by Yuri Choufour

What is one thing you wish more people knew about expedition cruising?

Gebhard:

“I wish they would know more about the difference between an expedition experience versus a cruise experience.

I think the phrase ‘expedition cruise’ can be a little misleading. When people hear the word cruise, they often think of a big ship with 5,000 people, water slides and casinos. But the expedition experience is very different.

You still travel in comfort, with high-quality food and drink and a very good standard onboard. But the focus is on the destination, not the ship. With a traditional cruise, the ship itself is often a big part of the experience. We are an expedition company, and we are selling experiences, not a cabin on a ship.”

How important are travel partners like Cruise Norway Worldwide Expeditions to HX, and what do you value most about those partnerships?

As an expedition advisor, this was a question I was especially interested in asking. I was glad to hear Gebhard’s immediate answer: “Extremely important.”

Gebhard:
“What I value most in our partnerships is the willingness to understand these niche products, such as expedition experiences, and to experience them firsthand. That allows our partners to share the storytelling, emotion and experience with their clients and really bring the product to life.

At the end of the day, we are selling an emotional product. We are not selling a tangible product. You need people who can tell a story and convey that emotion to the customer.

Travel partners are extremely important to us. Around 65% of our business comes through the travel trade, and I believe that becomes even more important in the luxury segment, particularly when it comes to meaningful, experience-led travel.

People investing in a trip of a lifetime want someone who can explain the experience, make a recommendation and share the stories behind it. Even though you can book online, there is still real value in having a person who can bring that experience to life.”

If you could join any HX voyage as a guest tomorrow, which itinerary would you choose?

Gebhard:

“I would do all of them! It’s difficult to choose because every destination has something special to offer.

I think Alaska is very special and underrated. Its reputation has been shaped a little by the big cruise ships, but expedition cruising in Alaska is a very different experience. You can reach remote places and see unique wildlife that you wouldn’t necessarily encounter on a larger ship.

I also think the community visits are very special. When you visit communities in Nunavut along the Northwest Passage, you gain a better understanding of how people live, the harsh conditions they face during winter, and why hunting remains important to their survival, even when certain species are protected. I think it’s important to understand these communities, their way of life and the realities they face.”

MS Fram in East Greenland, picture by Sarah Ong

What are you most excited about for the future of HX? 

Gebhard:

“What excites me most is the opportunity to scale what we do today. That means expanding our itineraries, destinations and fleet, but also giving our people more opportunities to share their passion through storytelling and create even more individual, personalized experiences for our guests.

I think we are only at the beginning of what is possible.”

Can you share anything about future ships or new routes? 

Gebhard:

“We don't have any concrete plans at the moment. We became an independent company only a year and a half ago, so we're still at the beginning of that journey. We're the oldest start-up in the world, with a 130-year history!

Next year will be about developing our expansion and growth strategy, including looking at new ships, timelines, financing, size and comfort, as well as new destinations.

At the moment, we cover the cold-water destinations, along with the Galápagos as our one warm-water destination. So the logical next step is to look at expanding into warmer waters. From an expedition perspective, there are some really interesting areas further east, including Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. That's something we're looking at.”

It was great to have the chance to sit down with Gebhard and chat about expedition cruising, his own experiences and what the future might look like for HX. Now I’m curious to see which new destinations they might explore next! 

Scoreby Sund and MS Fram, picture by Sarah Ong