It was on a family vacation to the Brecon Beacons and West Welsh coast that Tudor fell in love with nature and open countryside. However, his heart was set on a destination at the bottom of the world—it was his boyhood dream to visit Antarctica, a place that encompassed his passion for mountains and remote places. This passion took him into the Arctic during university breaks, where he worked as a volunteer guide, leading youth expeditions into Norway and Iceland. Tudor had to wait until he left university and took on a role with the British Antarctic Survey to realize his childhood dream and visit his beloved Antarctica for the first time. Since then, he has been fortunate to return numerous times and share this experience with his family.

His career has been anything but normal! Having spent time in both polar regions, Tudor knew he wanted to work for a company that wants to make a difference— giving guests an experience that has a sense of purpose and understanding while exploring and giving back to these breath-taking locations—and as such, he joined Hurtigruten and never looked back. Tudor started out as a guide on MS Fram around Antarctica before working his way up to Expedition Leader—a role that he likens to being a “dream maker.” This role gave him the opportunity to share his passion, experience, and energy with the guests on board and help to create special, unforgettable memories in some of the world’s most beautiful and remote locations. Yet, it’s not always smooth sailing with expedition travel, as the day's plans are at the mercy of the environment and there must be a Plan B, C, and the remaining 23 letters of the alphabet. From sailing the world to planning every possible outcome, the role of expedition leader is both challenging and rewarding, but for Tudor, it is all worth it to hear the phrase, “This is the best day of my life!.”

After many years on board a variety of ships, Tudor has moved away from a life at sea to become the VP of Sustainability and Industry Relations. With a love of the natural world and a hunger to protect it for future generations, sustainability is at the heart of everything Tudor does and something he shares with everyone at Hurtigruten. But in this new role, he wants to ensure that our guests can choose to travel with a company that cares and is actively invested in all aspects of their voyage. That’s why he is working in conjunction with the local communities to build positive relationships and ensure we offer authentic, local experiences that are mindful of the people and places we visit. He is also at the forefront of pioneering active green technology across our fleet, currently working with manufacturers to develop electric-powered small boats—bringing our guests closer to awe-inspiring experiences in a sustainable way.

That's not all: Following his time leading expeditions to the polar regions, Tudor has learned the importance of delivering hands-on experiences. That’s why another big focus is to reignite the childlike curiosity that still lives in all of us through the active Science & Education program. By working alongside Dr. Verena Meraldi and the team, they have built out a world-leading program that puts the destination and the natural world at the center of every voyage. In bringing together the scientific community and like-minded guests, they have been able to successfully collect a plethora of data that has advanced and supported research projects, government policy, and best practices the world over. So, whether that is seeing phytoplankton that had been collected earlier that day or listening to scientists share their research and insights, hearing the positive feedback from our guests is all in a day’s work.

But the team isn't stopping there—they are constantly looking at ways to develop and grow the program. Over the next few years, it's Tudor's vision to further develop the pre-voyage educational material through learning modules and follow-up information after the voyage. Tudor and Verena also want to foster longer-term relationships with the scientific community across Iceland and Greenland to strengthen the program across these polar destinations.