What is it like to cruise Alaska’s Inside Passage with HX Expeditions?
What an itinerary!
The itinerary was amazing. That’s what we went to Alaska for – the glaciers, the mountains, the waterfalls and the forest. The wildlife was a bonus we had hoped for but, in fact, it was far more than we had hoped for. Bald eagle after bald eagle, seals, seabirds, black bears, salmon, whales…it was a feast!
Our HX Expeditions cruise on the MS Roald Amundsen started in Whittier in Alaska, we sailed down the southeast Alaskan coast to the US/Canadian border and we finished in Vancouver.
We ventured into fjords that only a small expedition ship can access and we visited tiny Alaskan remote indigenous communities that can’t accommodate the large cruise ships. We spent most of our days exploring nature and interacting with wildlife from zodiacs or from hikes and we barely saw a shop. That’s the experience we were looking for and that’s the experience we got. We felt we saw “real” Alaska at its wild, pristine and remote best rather than “tourist” Alaska.
There are many cruise ships plying the Alaskan coast each year around May through September. Many of them hold thousands of people and many dock at the same port on the same day – five or six at a time disgorging huge crowds. That was not our experience. We could appreciate the grandeur and the beauty of the natural landscape and wildlife without hordes of people.
If you’d like to see the itinerary day by day, check out our YouTube video here.
The zodiac rides
Zodiac cruising is a key part of an expedition cruise. Passengers have the opportunity to leave the ship on these inflatable rubber boats every day, often twice a day. HX allocates you to a group (if you are travelling with a group, you let them know so that you are in the same zodiac group), and ten or so passengers plus a driver hop on a zodiac to cruise and admire the scenery or to access land.
On this cruise, we had a wet landing once, meaning you get off (and back on again) in the water. This is way less scary that it may sound and, wearing the waterproof boats that HX loans you, you don’t get wet. Good practice is to wear waterproof pants every zodiac ride in case of rain or splashing. Alaska, even in summer, is cold so you don’t want to be sitting around in wet pants.
The zodiac rides are sooo fun. As an experienced driver zips you around and talks to you about what you are seeing, you feel like a real explorer but with all the comfort of the modern and cozy Roald Amundsen to return to after the zodiac ride is over. Some days, the weather was cold and icy so returning to the warm ship was a real treat.
HX runs a Citizen Science Program and a zodiac is repurposed as a Science Boat. We had a trip on this and collected real-life data about the clarity of the water and plankton samples. This data is then fed back to various real-life projects contributing to scientific knowledge and research. Very cool!
There is no need to be scared or put off about how to get in or out of zodiacs. The HX team is very experienced and patient. We talk about this on our YouTube episode and even demonstrate the sailor’s grip you use. Have a watch!
The Science and Education Program
This is another bonus of an expedition cruise. On the Roald Amundsen, the Expedition Team numbered 30 and included an ornithologist (“the bird guy”), a “whale guy,” marine scientists, a glaciologist and an historian. They were all very knowledgeable and really keen. There were always Expedition Team members in and around the Amundsen Science Centre and also on the deck which our Suite looked onto, binoculars in hand scanning for wildlife.
The Expedition Team gave a series of lectures. These were held in the Lecture Hall but could be watched live or on demand on your cabin TV. The lectures were fascinating and we learnt so much. Topics ranged from the life cycle of the salmon to local history to clouds to sea otters to bears to whales. There was something for everyone!
The relaxed vibe
The vibe onboard was very relaxed including the dress code which was very casual even for dinner. Hiking/outdoor wear was what most people wore during the day and even at night for dinner.
The favourite accessories on board were not a designer bag nor outfit but a telephoto lens and binoculars! Our Suite had a set of binoculars but any passenger could rent a set free of charge from Reception.
We felt that the other passengers were like-minded travellers who were also in awe of the beauty and grandeur we were witnessing.
Our sanctuary
The Roald Amundsen dates from 2019 so it is new and stylish in an understated, minimalist way. There is a pool and two hot tubs, a sauna, gym and wellness centre and a shop.
It’s a small ship holding a maximum of 490 passengers. On our trip, there were only 288 passengers and 171 crew so the passenger to crew ratio was great.
The Explorer Lounge & Bar is at the bow (front) of the ship and is large with expansive floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides. There was always a spot to sit here and have a drink or read or simply gaze out the windows. Other than our Suite, it was our favourite spot on the ship.
There are three restaurants to choose from – Aune, Fredheim and Lindstrøm which all serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. All have floor-to-ceiling windows so, on several occasions, we had whale sightings with our meals!
Aune is the Main Dining Room where breakfast and lunch are buffets and dinner is à la carte. Fredheim is more casual – think burgers, bao buns and hot dogs with killer milkshakes. They did have a few themed dinners which we enjoyed.
Lindstrøm is the fine dining restaurant and is complimentary for Suite guests. Non-Suite guests pay a supplement. We mainly ate at Lindstrøm but we enjoyed meals at each restaurant. Having three dining choices, each with rotating menus, meant we didn’t get bored.
As for drinks, basic beer, wines, cocktails and barista coffee are included in the fare for all passengers. Premium spirits, wines and cocktails are available for an additional supplement. We found the standard range of included drinks was enough for us although we did have a couple of port wines and Baileys on ice as after dinner drinks some nights.
If you want a closer look at the MS Roald Amundsen and our Suite (the Helmer Hanssen Suite), watch our YouTube ship review episode here.
So, did we like cruising the Alaskan Inside Passage with HX Expeditions?
No, we LOVED it!
For us, expedition cruising is about:
• visiting remote and special locations that larger cruise ships cannot access;
• the daily use of zodiacs to get closer to nature and wildlife; and
• the science and education programs onboard which enable a deeper and richer understanding of the unique environments and animals you are seeing.
HX Expeditions delivered all this in spades.
We loved our Alaskan cruise, it felt special to cruise with HX onboard the Roald Amundsen. The ship itself was modern with great dining options and fantastic lounges and learning facilities.
In fact, we loved our HX Expeditions cruise so much that we are tossing up which itinerary to sail next with HX Expeditions!
Top packing tip: Pack layers including a waterproof outer layer, gloves and a beanie. Alaska is cold even in summer. Also pack a sunhat and sunglasses for sunny days. Don’t forget comfortable walking shoes. HX provides a waterproof jacket with a hood which you keep and knee-length waterproof boots which are yours for the cruise only.
Leonie and Andrew cruised at their own expense, but they had some support from HX Expeditions. The 13-day cruise they did was called “Where the Mountains Meet the Sea 2026” which you can find on the Panache Expeditions website. You can follow Leonie and Andrew on Instagram @we_like_to_cruise_and_travel and on YouTube at @weliketocruiseandtravel
