HX Expeditions will be the first commercial cruise line to call at Old Harbor, an Alutiiq community located on Kodiak Island, Alaska. This milestone marks another step in the company's commitment to an exploration model developed in partnership with local communities in Alaska.
The first visit took place last August aboard the MS Roald Amundsen, the world’s first battery-powered hybrid cruise ship, during the Alaska and British Columbia-Inner Passage and Aleutian and Bear Islands itinerary. Located on the southeast coast of Kodiak Island, Old Harbor is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the Kodiak archipelago and preserves a significant Alutiiq cultural heritage. Developed in partnership with the Old Harbor Native Corporation (OHNC), this port call has created a new opportunity for travelers to discover the community through its stories, traditions, and the perspectives of its own residents.
“Welcoming HX Expeditions to Old Harbor marks a significant moment for our community,” said Kristina Woolston, executive director of OHNC. “This collaboration reflects our commitment to sharing Alutiiq/Sugpiaq culture, history, and values in a community-led way that benefits its residents.”.
Prior to HX's first stop, the Old Harbor Alutiiq Tribe passed a formal resolution endorsing the visit and supporting the opportunity to share the community's culture, history, and values with the visitors.
Furthermore, one of the main objectives of this project is to improve the quality of life in the region and attract cruise ships as a way to boost the local economy, encouraging the purchase of handicrafts and traditional products made by indigenous tribes and generating income for the region both through traveler consumption and the fees and taxes associated with port calls.
As part of the preparations to welcome travelers, local artists and community members have reconstructed a traditional dwelling, known as a ciqlluaq. The project was created to welcome this and future visitors, while also contributing to preserving and transmitting the Alutiiq/Sugpiaq heritage to future generations.
Old Harbor will become part of the HX Expeditions program in 2027. As the only global expedition cruise line offering dedicated Aleutian Islands itineraries, including 18-day northbound and 18-day southbound expeditions, HX continues to expand access to some of Alaska's most remote destinations through partnerships designed to benefit both travelers and local communities.
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