Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) UK & Ireland has confirmed that its next annual Expedition Summit will be held on May 8th, 2026, centred around a visit to HX Expeditions’ ship MS Fram in Dover.
The event will afford travel agents the opportunity to board the 250-passenger expedition vessel, which underwent significant refurbishment in March 2025, including the installation of a new Science Centre, updated guest suites and cabins, and redesigned public and crew spaces. The programme will also encompass business sessions and networking opportunities, with a pre-event dinner scheduled in Canterbury on May 7th, and places for agents limited to just over 100.
This edition of the Expedition Summit will be the third convened by CLIA UK & Ireland, following earlier gatherings organised in partnership with Seabourn and Swan Hellenic. It follows the organisation’s recent first-of-its-kind Expedition Showcase held in Svalbard, which brought trade representatives to a polar destination for industry engagement.
In advance of the Summit, CLIA’s managing director for the UK & Ireland has framed the event as part of the association’s ongoing support for agents engaged in the growing expedition cruise sector, noting that expedition cruising has continued to gain traction within the wider cruise market.
Representatives from HX Expeditions have characterized the shipboard visit as an opportunity to showcase the attributes of their expedition product and share elements of the line’s operational heritage with attending agents as the company approaches its 130th anniversary.
The surrounding programme, including business and networking sessions, is being designed to enhance agent familiarity with expedition cruising opportunities and to facilitate professional interaction ahead of the event’s official proceedings.