HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) has confirmed a 3-year partnership with broadcaster, explorer, author, and marine biologist Monty Halls, who will act as brand ambassador during the company’s 130th year of expedition cruising in 2026.
Halls previously collaborated with the HX Foundation in 2024 to introduce the Big Blue Bag initiative, an ocean clean-up programme designed to reduce plastic waste through four standardised marine protocols. The new agreement extends his involvement both onboard and ashore.
His first voyage under this role is scheduled for November 19th, 2026 in the Galápagos Islands, aligning with his position as President of the Galapagos Conservation Trust. During this sailing he will address guests on the Big Blue Bag project. The timing of the announcement coincided with the 190th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s first arrival in the Galápagos in 1835.
As part of the collaboration, Halls will also participate in two exclusive expedition voyages in the Western Isles of Scotland. These itineraries, titled Island Hopping in the Hebrides, depart on May 7th and 17th, 2026. He will contribute to the curation of the programmes, drawing on his expertise in the region’s natural and cultural history. The sailings will include sessions on the Big Blue Bag project, a personal Q&A, and a lecture linked to his forthcoming book on the wartime foundation of the Commandos in western Scotland, due for release in spring 2026.