Meet the HX Expedition Team

You’ll be impressed by the breadth and depth of knowledge and experience among our Expedition Team. Several are specialists in their fields and have held prestigious posts within the scientific and research community. Among them are lecturers, conservationists, journalists, researchers and CEOs. Your guides may be marine and wildlife biologists, social anthropologists, oceanographers, archaeologists, ornithologists, palaeontologists or glaciologists.

Adventurers in their own right, the Expedition Team have decades of exploration knowhow and are experts on the destination you are in. Some are Arctic Nature Guides or rangers; others have worked as ecologists on remote research and conservation projects; all are well-versed in AECO and IAATO guidelines. Each team member is deeply committed to sustainability and trained to safeguard you, the wildlife, and the fragile habitats we explore.

What sets our Expedition Teams apart are their energy and enthusiasm. They love nothing more than to chat with guests out on deck and on landings, sharing fun facts and anecdotes. They are also talented communicators, delivering powerful lectures and engaging talks on topics such as glaciology, history, biology, archaeology, anthropology, and other destination-specific themes.

Citizen Science Projects, like HappyWhale and phytoplankton photography, are another way you can get involved in a positive way. The Expedition Team will introduce the available projects, explaining their importance in helping scientists gather real-time data for studies related to climate change and endangered species. Uploading your observations of wildlife and nature to live research projects contributes to our collective understanding of our precious planet.

With their scientific skillset, the Expedition Team are well placed to help you make good use of the ship’s state-of-the-art Science Center. You’ll have advanced microscopes to analyse rock, fossil and biological samples taken from the field. Some Expedition Team members are even involved in conducting their own research while on board and will only be too happy to share their findings with curious guests.

The multi-talented Expedition Team will be busy organising a range of onboard activities for you too, covering art workshops, photography tips, yoga classes, and meditation sessions. They’ll also accompany you off the ship on landings, scouting out the area, answering questions, pointing out interesting sights, and taking the lead on thrilling hikes.

"One of my most memorable moments as an expedition guide happened in Svalbard in 2023, during a smooth landing at Smeerenburg. Guests were enjoying watching walruses, and we were observing another ship in Virgohamna when a call warned of a polar bear swimming our way. We calmly began guiding guests back to the ship, but the bear approached faster than expected. We evacuated in a zodiac, leaving gear behind. Fortunately, the bear ignored it and instead went after the walruses—unsuccessfully. From the ship and zodiac, we watched an incredible wildlife encounter. Once the bear moved on, we retrieved our gear and returned safely."

"In the almost four years I’ve spent with HX guiding guests from pole to pole, I could pick just one of the many highlights from the incredible wildernesses we are so lucky to visit. But there’s a place with ever-changing views and endless wildlife spotting opportunities. A place that has seen tears of overwhelming joy from guests and guides, heard unified ‘ooo’s and ahh’s’, and felt hundreds of boots rushing across its surface. My favourite place is the bow of the ship, my main office. Where our shared patience and perseverance is rewarded with extraordinary memories almost everywhere we go."

"My favorite thing is definitely being part of the expedition team as their cultural ambassador where I get the opportunity to show and explain Greenland and the ways of the inuit. From being in nature where I can talk about the culture to give lectures on a more personal level plus sharing the amazing stories and tales that Greenland holds within its borders.

What I do hold dear the most is those small golden moments I get to see and share with people from all over the world who gets to see and feel the serene beauty of Greenland and just sit together in between the fjords and admire the raw beauty of the country where I grew up."

“I feel so privileged to be able to share with our guests my love and passion for some of the most astounding natural wonders in the world. Above everything else on board, my favourite part is taking the guests out with the zodiac boats in my home, Patagonia, and in the Antarctic: feeling the glacial breeze on my face, seeing their expressions of awe before such spectacles of nature, allowing ourselves to be embraced by the experience and bonding over such ephemeral moments that will stay in our memories and hearts forever. These are the moments that truly make me feel alive.”

"I first joined HX as an intern fresh from university after finishing my master's degree in conference interpretation. I did not know much about ships and expeditions, but I was an expert in my field. And like many more of fellow expedition team members, I found a way to use what I learned in a unique way. Fast forward to today and I am still excited about being the German voice on board, either for on-board lectures providing simulatanious interpretation or on land, helping the guests to connect with beautiful nature in their native language."