HX Expeditions Becomes First Commercial Cruise Line to Visit Old Harbor, Alaska

HX Expeditions made a historic visit to Old Harbor, Alaska, over the weekend, becoming the first commercial cruise line to call at the Alutiiq community on Kodiak Island.

The visit took place on August 2 aboard MS Roald Amundsen during HX's “Alaska & British Columbia | Inside Passage, Bears and Aleutian Islands” voyage. Located on the southeastern coast of Kodiak Island, Old Harbor is one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the Kodiak Archipelago and home to a rich Alutiiq cultural heritage.

Developed in partnership with Old Harbor Native Corporation, the visit created a new opportunity for guests to experience the community through local stories, traditions and perspectives.

“We are committed to creating opportunities that strengthen our community while honoring the values that have sustained our Indigenous people for generations,” says Lillian O'Brien, board chair of Old Harbor Native Corporation. “We are proud to showcase Old Harbor in a way that reflects our culture, supports our people and creates lasting opportunities for future generations.”

Ahead of HX's inaugural call, the Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor passed a formal resolution endorsing the visit and supporting the opportunity to share the community's culture, history and values with visitors.

As part of the community's preparations, local artists and Elders reconstructed a traditional village home, known as a ciqlluaq. 

Guided by community members, guests explored the village, visited the Russian Orthodox Church, learned about food security initiatives at the community's hydroponic farm and heard how subsistence practices remain central to community life. 

The experience concluded at the Nuniaq Center, where residents shared traditional arts and crafts, including beadwork, carving, painting and jewelry-making, and invited guests to take part in augca'aq, a traditional Alutiiq dart game.

“Our village has been actively improving our quality of life here, and one of the ideas was to bring in cruise ships to generate revenue through passengers purchasing Indigenous arts and crafts, while also supporting the community through sales taxes and docking fees,” says Jeffrey Peterson, chief of the Alutiiq Tribe of Old Harbor. “HX was a pleasure to work with, and the passengers were genuinely interested in our culture and our traditional way of life. We look forward to working with HX in the future to make these types of trips even better for the village and passengers.”

To commemorate HX's inaugural call, community leaders presented the ship's captain with a ceremonial paddle, a traditional symbol of welcome, friendship, and safe passage. Guests and crew were also invited to participate in celebrations marking the historic occasion.

Following its inaugural visit, Old Harbor will be included in HX's 2027 program. HX continues to expand access to some of Alaska's most remote destinations through partnerships designed to benefit both travelers and local communities.

"We believe communities should have a voice in how tourism develops and how their stories are shared," says Sam Imes, Alaska expedition product planner at HX Expeditions. "Working alongside Old Harbor Native Corporation has allowed us to create an experience that reflects the community's vision for tourism while giving guests a meaningful connection to this remarkable place." 

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