Episode 157 - Akvile Marozaite, Expedition Cruise Network Ltd
Expedition cruising uniquely positions you in a place of becoming. Faced with the most awe-inspiring, remote, and wildlife-rich places on Earth, you can’t help but be changed by the experience, bringing yourself closer to your potential for intention and impact..
In this episode of the Soul of Travel Podcast, Christine hosts a soulful conversation with Akvile Marozaite, CEO of Expedition Cruise Network Ltd.
Born in Lithuania, Akvile moved to the UK in 2007 to pursue her career in travel. In 2011, she joined a luxury cruise brand where she discovered a passion for expedition cruising. Having traveled to some of the remotest corners of the world and worked in various roles in the sector, in 2023, Akvile co-founded Expedition Cruise Network, a B2B organization that connects expedition cruising brands to the travel trade community to promote and grow the sector.
What is expedition cruising?
Expedition cruising is all about small-group experiences to remote places to get to know the destination firsthand. Akvile even suggests dropping the word “cruising,” since the only similarity between expedition cruising and large-scale cruising is the fact that you travel by boat. One of the many reasons why Akvile loves this type of travel is that it is centered around nature–nearly always the best that planet Earth offers, “the spectacle that’s in front of you.”
Akvile also appreciates the educational element of expedition cruising; when traveling to remote places, you are typically accompanied by specialists in your expedition team who will bring that destination to life and help you appreciate things even more.
The itineraries, while set overall with a start and end date and destination, become a little more spontaneous–following weather patterns, wildlife patterns and behavior, food sourcing, transportation shifts, and more.
Experiencing these intimate trips, Akvile says, brings you even closer to the group with whom you travel. “You will get to meet people. You will make friends. And some of these friendships may last a lifetime.”
Impact-Driven Expeditions
Expedition cruising, says Akvile, was probably born from going to ultra-remote places such as the Arctic and Antarctic to explore and get to know how life and the world function in these places. Expedition teams and ships are focused on both education and impact, often combining lectures and learning sessions with the experiences off the ship. “In a world that is changing rapidly because of the climate crisis, and because of our activity, these guys are often the first advocates protecting the places that we visit.”
Akvile is proud of the sector and the intentionality with which expedition cruise providers and facilitators are so closely connected to creating a positive impact through innovation and evidence-based practices.
“You cannot protect something that you haven’t experienced.”
The “Big Magic” of Expedition Cruising: The Power of Awe
Akvile shares her “Eureka” moment in which she found her life’s purpose on an island where sea lions and seals came to mate in Russia in June while she was traveling with a previous company. The moment she landed, she was equally terrified and filled with awe in seeing the incredible wildlife. She immediately knew she wanted to always learn more, “that there will always be something astonishing and incredible, and sometimes fearful. It made me feel very alive in that moment."
“There will always be something astonishing and incredible, sometimes fearful. That’s why I love this form of travel. It takes you to these places and you feel alive, and you feel connected to the rest of the world in ways that you can rarely achieve elsewhere.”
Expedition Cruising as a Solo Traveler
Akvile and Christine share the benefits of expedition journeys as solo travelers. Traveling solo offers the opportunity to connect even more deeply and forge new relationships with friends and expedition team members; Akvile shares that teams are often available for meals and chatting throughout the journey. More than a simple luxury trip or even one with a small group of friends, solo traveling on an expedition brings a stronger sense of adventure, flexibility, and adaptation—all elements that come together to create a truly transformational experience.
Soul of Travel Episode 157 At a Glance
In this conversation, Christine and Akvile discuss:
Their shared love for expedition cruising
The deeper connections forged through the intimate nature of expedition cruising
Nature-based community travel
Expedition cruising for solo travelers
Join Christine now for this soulful conversation with Akvile Marozaite.
LOVE these soulful conversations? We rely on listener support to produce our podcast! Make a difference by making a donation on PayPal.
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goal #5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Sustainable Development Goal #9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
Sustainable Development Goal #12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Sustainable Development Goal #13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Sustainable Development Goal #14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
Sustainable Development Goal #15: Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
Resources & Links Mentioned in the Episode
Visit expeditioncruisenetwork.com to connect and link to tour operators to find your next expedition cruise. For expedition cruise operators, join the network!
Connect with Akvile on your favorite social media network: Instagram / Facebook / LinkedIn.
Listen to Christine’s Soul of Travel Podcast interview with Alessandra Alonso.
Connect with Jo Rzymowska, Vice President and Manager of Celebrity Cruises.
About the Soul Of Travel Podcast
Soul of Travel honors the passion and dedication of people making a positive impact in the tourism industry. In each episode, you’ll hear the stories of women who are industry professionals, seasoned travelers, and community leaders. Our expert guests represent social impact organizations, adventure-based community organizations, travel photography and videography, and entrepreneurs who know that travel is an opportunity for personal awareness and a vehicle for global change.
Join us to become a more educated and intentional traveler as you learn about new destinations, sustainable and regenerative travel, and community-based tourism. Industry professionals and those curious about a career in travel will also find value and purpose in our conversations.
We are thought leaders, action-takers, and heart-centered change-makers who inspire and create community. Join host Christine Winebrenner Irick for these soulful conversations with our global community of travelers exploring the heart, the mind, and the globe.
Subscribe & Review on Apple Podcasts
Are you a Soul of Travel subscriber? Click here to subscribe to Apple Podcasts, so you don’t miss the latest episodes!
Listener reviews help expand our reach and help us rise up the ranks! Rate and review your favorite episodes on Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast app.
Credits. Christine Winebrenner Irick (Host, creator, editor). Esme Benjamin (Guest). Original music by Clark Adams. Editing, production, and content writing by Carly Oduardo.
Learn more about Lotus Sojourns
Looking for ways to be a part of the community? Learn more here!
Find Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community for like-hearted women.
Follow us on Instagram: @journeywoman_original, @she.sojourns, and @souloftravelpodcast.
Become a supporter of Soul of Travel!
WE WON A BESSIE AWARD! The Bessie Awards recognize the achievements of women and gender-diverse people making an impact in the travel industry. To view the complete list of 2022’s winners, visit bessieawards.org.
Soul of Travel Episode 157 Transcript
Women’s travel, transformational travel, sustainable travel, women leaders in travel, social entrepreneurship
Christine: Born in Lithuania. Akvile moved to the UK in 2007 to pursue her career in travel. In 2011, she joined a luxury cruise brand where she discovered a passion for expedition cruising. She has traveled to some of the most remote corners of the world and worked in various roles in the sector. And earlier this year, OC Villa Co-founded Expedition Cruise Network, a B2B organization that connects expedition cruising brands to travel trade community to promote and grow the sector. As a passionate advocate of expedition cruising, Akvile looks forward to bringing the ECN to the forefront of the travel, trade community, and trade media's awareness. Beside her passion for expedition cruising, Akvile is a firm believer in diversity and inclusion and the need for greater gender equality in the industry. In 2022, she joined the Women in Travel male allyship program, which cemented her belief in the positive outcomes of allyship.
In our conversation, Akvile and I have the opportunity to share about our love of expedition cruising talk about its unique value and the incredible experiences it offers travelers. We talk about the deeper connections forged through the intimate nature of this type of travel and why it is great for solo travelers. This is a topic that hasn't been brought to the podcast before and I'm really excited to be sharing it with you today. I hope that we can transport you to some of the remote and magical places we've seen and help you to experience the awe and wonder. Join me now for my soulful conversation with Akvile Marozaite.
Welcome to Soul of Travel podcast. Today I am so excited to be joined by Akvile Marozaite and we first connected, I saw her participating in a panel hosted by Venous that was called Integrating Sustainability into travel business. And when I saw the panel line up, I thought, oh my gosh, I have to learn who this woman is and I want to quickly express my gratitude to Richard Edwards, who's the CMO of Contours and URS Foundation because he's the one that posted it on LinkedIn and created our magic connection. And as I went researching, I saw your profile and read that you love to write and talk about expedition cruising, sustainability, gender equity, diversity and inclusion. And I was like, oh my gosh, this person is one of my people. And I knew that I couldn't wait to meet you and bring your wisdom and expertise to the podcast. So I'm so glad that you're here. Welcome to Soul of Travel.
Akvile: Thank you so much, Christine. It's a great pleasure and thank you for deciding to invite me. I really appreciate this.
Christine: Yeah, thank you. Well, just to begin, I would love to turn it over to you and give you a moment to introduce yourself and tell us about the work you're doing right now.
Akvile: Okay, thank you. So yes, my name is Akvile and I am the CEO of Expedition Cruise Network. Expedition Cruise Network is a B2B commercial organization that connects expedition cruise companies to travel trade community. We are really on a sort of mission to connect these companies to travel, trade and to give them tools and knowledge to sell expedition cruising, which is something I am personally incredibly passionate about. I am originally from Lithuania, hence my name and surname, which is a mouthful. But yeah, I think that's in a nutshell who I am and what I do and why I do so.
Christine: Yeah. Thank you. Well, normally at this point in the podcast I would share a bit about how you got into travel and your backstory, but we're going to save that for later. And I'm going to do something a little bit different and share just a little bit about my backstory and how it relates to this topic. And then we'll jump into more about our conversation. My listeners might not know, but one of my first positions in my career was with Linblad Expeditions and it was there that I really quickly fell in love with educational travel and responsible travel and also expedition cruising. And it was a place that I really realized that travel could be so much more than just going someplace. And where I was witnessing travelers experiencing personal growth, I was seeing business created kind of in alignment with my personal values. And I had always been kind of resistant to the idea of cruising because I just didn't understand how it could serve me as a traveler the way that I wanted to experience the world. And so in that position, I really got to see and experience fully what the value was that was in this type of travel. So I think today what I'd love to do is break down why we both really love and advocate for this style of travel and how it's so different from what most travelers think of when they think of cruise travel. So I'd love to start with just asking if you can share a bit of a definition of expedition cruising to set the stage for what we're going to be talking about.
Akvile: Absolutely. So I think when we talk about expedition cruising, you rightly said we should forget the word cruising in it. I think it's just because nobody found a better explanation, that's why it is there. But expedition cruising is very much about traveling to very often remote places on both small ships. They usually are limited in guest capacity because it's all about experiencing destination firsthand hand. And I think I was thinking about this quite deeply today, and probably one of the reasons I personally left this form of travel is because it is very much nature focused. So I think very often travel is all about humans. It's all about our entertainment, our enjoyment. Whereas expedition cruising is very much about seeing these places being a part of a bigger thing of a spectacle that is happening in front of you. So definitely there's that element. And as you mentioned, there is also the educational element, which is something that I absolutely love because again, I do think it's a quite unique feature of expedition cruising because when you travel to these places, you're typically AC by expedition team and it's a group of people who will be specialists in different topics, marine biology, geology, anthropology, it really depends where in the world you're traveling and they will bring that destination to life will make you appreciate things even more than you had or probably, I remember we chatted about watching for example, you don't really think of yourself as a beta, but very often after that kind of trip you will come out and you'll find yourself very often looking at the beds and kind of wondering what is the species, how they live, how they mate, what's the life?
So yeah, I think that's what expedition cruising is.
Christine: Yeah. Thank you for bringing up expedition staff. That was kind of the next thing I wanted to talk about because I do think it's really important and endlessly valuable in this travel experience. The expedition team that you will be traveling with really is the one that, like you said, brings another level of connection and helps to bring this experience to life and they share all of their unique expertise. And when you and I talked before, I mentioned after my first time traveling with this type of a crew and staff, I could never imagine myself not having them with me again. I'm like, how will I ever just go on a hike and not be able to say, excuse me, what's this tree and why is it relevant to this ecosystem? Or, I've really noticed this and they have all the answers. And for me again, to be deeply connected to a place I am is important and they really add that. So can you talk just a little more about the value that they add to the travelers and to really helping to support conservation and bring some of these more impact driven parts to this experience?
Akvile: Absolutely. So expedition cruising probably was born from going to places such as Antarctica or thetic areas that do not necessarily have any human population. And it's very much about the going to these remote corners of the world, looking at the wildlife, looking at the ecosystems, understanding how they function and so on. An expedition team is really the core team on board an expedition ship because they are the ones who will be accompanying you on a zodiac rights, who will be walking with you assure and who will be interpreting what you're seeing. Not only this, when you travel on expedition ships, it's very common to have lectures as well that lead you into the destination that sets the scene if you like, before you arrive to place. I explain to you what you've witnessed when you were at the place. So it really is an incredible way to absorb the information that probably would take you years and years to read about the place and to really appreciate it fully, whereas expedition team really bring it to light.
And I think in a world that is changing rapidly because of climate crisis and because of our activity, these guys very often are the first advocates of protecting the places that we visit and they really bring that to life as well. And just as Sarah David Attenborough said, you cannot protect something that you haven't experienced. And I think expedition teams play an incredibly crucial role in bringing that to life and to really kind of giving you that sense that okay, this is what I should be doing and this is why I should be doing these things.
Christine: And they really help you fall in love with things that you might've missed when you were exploring yourself. I can remember this one guy showing me frogs or snails or a certain type of fern or things like you have deeply connected. And then if they also share what they're impacted by in terms of development or disease or infestations of things, you then take that with you and become this advocate for these places when you leave.
Akvile: Absolutely. And I think most of us live in urban environments, so I think we're very detached from nature these days and we are becoming more and more detached for various different reasons. And I think being on expedition ship and again sitting in a lecture about glaciology and then probably going into another one to hear about the marine mammals and seeing the bigger picture and how everything is interconnected, I think it's so important in general in life to understand that we are part of rather than the only thing that matters. And I think again, in nature, everything makes sense and we probably have ideas about things, so what we don't, what we think is worth it to be here and what is not, whereas nature, everything makes sense. And again, on expedition ship you get to appreciate that because that's what expedition team members usually bring to life. Just what you mentioned when the guys explained to you why this fer is important to the ecosystem in that particular geographical region and so on. Yeah, absolutely.
Christine: Yeah. And so we talked a little bit too about how we would wish we could kind of strip the word cruising out of this category of travel. And so I want to talk a little bit more about the things that these companies are layering into the travel experience that really are working to create and support change in the industry and focusing on sustainability and climate action and the opportunities that they're creating. But before we get there, I actually thought it might be helpful just to paint an even more clear picture of the experience because again, I think many of my listeners are maybe more familiar with this type of travel, but if they aren't what we're talking about, how you're explaining being in connection with nature, it's really is small ships. And for example, one of the ones I went on in Alaska I think had maybe 40 cabins.
I mean maybe that might not have been that big. I think it was about 70 passengers. So you see that ship pull up into a port next to another cruise ship that we're used to thinking about and it looks like it's the tugboat or it's a very different experience. And so when you're traveling, you are able to take that boat into small bays and like you said, hop on a zodiac and go for a hike. And you're amongst very few people. So not only are you connected so much with nature, but you're actually really sharing experience with other individuals. And so for people that haven't had the joy of experiencing this kind of experience, I just really wanted to paint the picture of what it's like it's you have maybe 70 on a smaller boat, 200 or maybe so on a larger expedition ship plus year five or six naturalists and expedition staff and then your pursers and it becomes a very intimate setting. So I just really wanted to maybe paint that picture for people to understand what we're talking about.
Akvile: Absolutely. And I think the other interesting and very often aspect of expedition cruising is that the itineraries by definition can become quite spontaneous because it's all about, it's not about going from A to B2C to D and finishing F, it usually starts somewhere and it finishes somewhere. What happens in between can very much depend on the weather on what you're going to experience on wildlife and so on. So for anyone who is considering or probably coming across expedition cruising for a first time, it's another thing that you have to sort of appreciate about this form of travel. It's very much guided by what happens outside. And I often like to make an example that there is no money in the world that you can pay a humpback whale living in a wild to breach in front of you when it happens. It's probably one of the most amazing things that you will ever experience because appreciating the animal of that size and just kind of feeling how small you are and equally just seeing that in front of you is something phenomenal.
And I think that's what expedition cruising often facilitates because you often travel in these areas where you can witness this incredible phenomena. And of course when you're sitting at a zodiac with probably another 10 people and so on, you experience something that is quite unique and adventures bond people. And I think it's something very, very primal in us as well to have these kind of relationships that get built because you experience something together. So I think again, expedition cruising is a very good conductor of that togetherness because you are traveling on a small ship in a week's time. You definitely know everybody. You will have shared the Zodiac with people, you will have talked about it during lunchtime, evening over drink, whatever it is. So yeah, absolutely. It's another very important aspect of expedition cruising. You will get to meet people, you will make friends. Some of these friendships will last for life because you would have shared something very unique and memorable.
Christine: And I think when people are really seeking connection like they are now and really seeking healing and understanding the world, it's just such an incredible vehicle to make that happen. Literally incredible vehicle to make that happen. Exactly. Yeah, I'm really excited to talk about this more. So as I mentioned when we're trying to explain the difference between this and to really talk about I think what so many companies are doing well that are in this segment of the industry is putting their words in action. And I think it's because of this intimacy with the place that they operate and they know how important it is to preserve the culture and the land and the people and the water. And so there's so many things that have evolved out of that. And I know one example you had shared with me in the past was a program that Hurdy Gruin is doing with bringing scientists on board. But I would love for you to share a little bit more about what that looks like. This is this whole other side to this area of business that I think is why it's also really important.
Akvile: Absolutely. And I think some aspects of sustainability probably get more media attention because they are big issues that are not necessarily easily resolvable. And I think it's important to talk about these as well. So of course the whole entire marine sector is facing a challenge of finding a suitable fuel that will make it a more responsible form of travel. But as you rightly said, sustainability and just doing the right thing does not end by having a fuel that takes you to place. It's without having serious environmental damage. But in expedition cruising, I think citizen science projects and just in general assisting science to visit some of these remote places is something that not only her grin does a lot of companies do as well. However, her grin probably is one of the leaders in this arena. So just this season they a donating over 1000 and hundred places for scientists to join them on board the ship's going to Antarctica to do the science.
So that's one part of it, which considering how costly it is to do research in a place like Antarctica where there is no human population, I think that's phenomenal, that's 1000 hundred more scientists than we're supposed to be there to getting the guests on board, the ships involved with citizen science. It could be anything from monitoring the whales and dolphins and collecting the data to helping the scientists assess the what is happening with put langton and various other elements. And it's not only about the Antarctica, it happens in other regions. Almost all of our expedition cruise operator members have citizen science projects in place. It's very much about the communities, it's very much about cutting your waste. It's very much about looking at every single touch point your supply chains, making sure that you are every time increasing your sort of doing the right thing.
And in fact, actually there are two expedition cruise operators that I know of that have announced a net zero ship by 2030, which is 20 years ahead of the year ahead of the United Nations goals. So both he Gruten and Nan are planning to launch a ship that will be net zero. So I think they managed to accomplish that. And I think sometimes as well being ambitious, even if you don't necessarily know there are a couple of unknowns left and so on, it's actually what drives the change. And I think in that sense, expedition cruising is really leading the way and I'm very proud about the sector and the things it's doing. Of course more needs to be done, but I also think it's the sector that is really ambitious and probably will be the first one to make some serious changes in how we travel to these places on both the ships.
Christine: Yeah, I mean I agree from my perspective of what I've witnessed since I had that first job 20 years ago until today, I feel like I've constant constantly witnessing innovation coming out of that space. And I don't know if it's because of the people that are really drawn to that type of travel and that end up working. There are already people that are really passionate about creating change or that it's just a completely different energy, but I feel like it really is a space that's pushing the needle forward. And also, like you said, not afraid to just make a big claim. And I think that's the only way we can move forward. We get so afraid, I think in our business to make this claim and then not achieve it because of what that looks like. But then you forget about the 80% of the way that you got there, which was a huge amount of growth from where you started, which is really worth celebrating. And again, I think that this segment is really great at embracing that and then being like, okay, well now we're together going to get this next 10% and this next 10%.
Akvile: Absolutely. And I mean it's not only that as well, it's when you look back at the sector itself, it's probably the only sector that I know of really that has voluntarily agreed to self-regulate through organizations such as ITO or I ico, so iata, international Association of Anta tour operators. And when you look at how the guidelines of specific sites of wildlife and so on, it's actually quite exemplary. And having worked for a couple of expedition cruise companies, I know for sure that eventually these guidelines part of the standard operation procedures for these organizations. So even if you are operating in the region that perhaps doesn't have these guidelines, it becomes something that people internalize and they become the way forward how you are going to be around the wildlife and how you're going to treat everything around you. That applies as well to communities because in the destinations like the Arctic, which are populated again, there are specific ways to and guidelines how expedition cruise operates are supposed to behave.
And that again applies to every single place you go. But also from a automation point of view, expedition crews, team members, the captains, the people who work on board these ships, they're the frontmen, they are seeing what's happening. They are the ones who also probably are witnessing some magnificent things. And it's I think only natural to want to protect it and to do your side, your part of the job to make sure that you're doing your best in your best ability, what you can to make sure that these places remain as intact as they can remain.
Christine: Yeah, I do think like you were saying, that kind of intimate connection and going to a place over and over again, it would be human nature that you want to support what is fueling you professionally and personally. And so like you said, then things get put into place that create that then later become the precedent that you're setting. And I just think it's, again, the intimacy is really important in bringing all of these pieces together and the relationships that are forged. And as a traveler, again, you're going to likely encounter if you are going to a place that's inhabited local people and small communities and small businesses in a way that many people don't have the access to that type of travel. And so I think it's just such a unique experience and I would really love to now dive into what I think we would both agree is the big magic of this kind of travel.
I think we would not be doing a service if we didn't jump into that a little bit. And like I said, it's such a unique way of experiencing and it's this place where we can really tap into the magic and the power of awe, which I know we had shared experience where we were talking a little bit about that moment of being on the sea and really connecting with where we were. But I would love for you to share about an experience that you in particular had that really set you on the path to where you are now because it really shifted what you thought you knew and what you thought you needed to learn. If you would just share a little bit of your backstory there.
Akvile: Absolutely. So my personal journey into expedition cruising started a long time ago. I worked for a company called Silvery. Silvery has Expeditions branch, and in 2014 I had an opportunity to go and work on both one of its ships, silver Discover, it was a small vessel, 120 passengers, and I joined the ship in Bali and we were heading, we had a voyage around about part of the world and then we headed towards the Russian forest. And regretfully, that part of the world is currently closed because of the of course geopolitical situ situation between Russia and Ukraine, but is an absolutely phenomenal part of the world actually. And I think few people can attribute a specific day and time and place where you had this kind of eureka moment. It's like, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. And it did happen to me actually.
So it was literally the very first stop, a tiny little island called Eleni Island in Russian, it means the seal island, it's part of the Illa Islands group, and it's a little tiny outcrop. It was June and during that time of the year, a lot of, well still a sea lions and northern first seals come to mate and to, it's a peak season. This also. So on the lower side of the island, it was full of these huge animals making a lot of noise smelling. And so on a sort of higher ground, there were thousands and thousands and thousands of kilomet. And I remember also just an approach to the island. I saw some gulls and I silly because I still didn't know much. I just asked the ontologist on what the zodiac, Chris, I was like, Chris, what is that seagull? And he was like, Illa, there is no such thing as seagulls.
So that was kind of first lesson in terms of appreciating different species of the birds and so on. But when we landed, I think that was the moment when I was in such awe and equally terrified because the animals were huge and they were making loads of noise. And I was just so in awe in so many different ways because I just realized how much I don't know and how incredible that wild life is and how much I want to learn more. And knowing as well that it'll never end in some ways that there will be always something new to learn. There will always be something astonishing and incredible, sometimes fearful. And I dunno, it really made me feel very alive in that moment. And I think that's my personal reason why I love this form of travel because it takes you to these places and you feel alive and you feel connected to the rest of the world in ways that you very rarely can achieve elsewhere, maybe when you're love.
Christine: Yeah. Yeah. I think I had a very similar moment and it's like there's something about it that just awakens this joy in you or this, I mean just life, like you said, you become so connected. And I wanted to talk to you about this in the context of luxury travel. And we talked about this a little bit in our planning call that cruising and especially small boat expedition cruising can fall into this luxury category and that attracts a certain type of traveler who maybe has seen it all and they can be a little bit detached from an experience. And as you mentioned, there's something about you can't pay for some of these incredible natural experiences that you have, and this magic is almost like childlike. And I think it's really, this is what's so important. This is what lives in this space that we really need to be or not need to be.
But I think what we're so excited for other people to experience, because it is such a catalyst for so many things, and you and I had this shared goosebump kind of moment recounting what it feels like to be what feels like the ends of the earth out in the sea. There's an endless horizon and the sky is, especially in the northern hemisphere when it's both dusk and dawn at the same time, and it's so quiet and then you can hear the sound of the whales and it's so powerful. And I think it's something when you have, going back to awe, it's something that just shifts fundamentally what you know about the world when you have those moments. And I would just wonder if you have another moment like that that you experienced that is so powerful or perhaps one that you witnessed in a guest that really changed what they perceived about the world around them.
Akvile: I think, well, in terms of experiences, there were so many in different places and so on, and I think you rightly said that sometimes, and especially I was working for at the time for an ultra luxury expedition cruise company. So the type of travelers who travel probably are the most experienced travelers in the world, and they can be a little bit jaded about the experiences. But again, I think it goes back to the fact that expedition cruising, sometimes you go to places that some phenomena may happen there you cannot guarantee because it's not something that inability to arrange or pay for. And I think that spontaneity is something that really clicks with people. Of course, you have some magnificent animals that live in the sea, and I think on earth you don't, apart from probably seeing elephants in the wild and so on, you don't really appreciate the size of the magnificent creatures, whales and dolphins. And the fact as well, that just very surprising because especially if you grew up in a urban environment and the own knowledge about the wildlife comes from the films, how wildlife is curious about you. So just like you're sitting on a zodiac and suddenly you have these alliance coming close to you and having a look at you and sort of like you're looking at them, they're looking at you, there's this wonderful thing that you appreciate, that curiosity is not human trait.
It's profoundly widespread in various different ways and forms and shapes. And so that's that. And then I think expedition cruising isn't just about the wild places, which goes sometimes to some really remote destinations where people probably hold onto the old ways of living. And I think just being sometimes in a place that is so removed from daily tourism or again, I like to mention Russian Paris because in my opinion it's such a wonderful place. We had opportunities to visit this couple of times I've been to this place called Tim Lat Village and the human interaction that you have there, there's also something out of this world and you're sitting together with the elders of the village whose life is about gathering and hunting, and they're all dressed in these beautiful parks that are made from animal skins and stuff like that. Your life is as far removed from this as it can possibly be.
And yet you find these common traits in what makes us human. We all have similar needs. We all want to be happy, we all want to be loved, we all love to dance. Actually, just the kind of bad connection of dance that you get to experience, whether you are somewhere in the Tim Village, in Russian barista, whether you are in a place like Papua New Guinea and how the song, the dance, the celebration for food and sometimes drinking and all these kind of things is something that is a common threat. And these experiences can be also very profound because sometimes living in western hemisphere being used to traveling in countries similar to ours and stuff like that, we get a little bit sort of, we forget that there are other ways of being, other ways of living life and celebrating life which are equally phenomenal. And I think this is another moment that very often clicks with people, which understanding that despite of massive differences means, and the availability of stuff life can be very, yeah, there are a lot of very common things regardless where we come from. And that's reaffirming in my opinion.
Christine: Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I mean, I think for me, that exchange is what I always try to facilitate in one of my experiences because it's the thing that has changed who I am and what I want out of life the most. I just think it's the most impactful. And like you said, there's in my mind, I'll try to replay the reel of that in my mind. And I usually can't even remember the language barrier or a lack of being able to communicate. I just feel the connection and the understanding and the shared experience and that moment of realizing how important it is that we're humans sharing this experience regardless of what that experience looks like and how it's shaped. And I think being able to travel in a way that connects you to those places is really unique. And I think, again, this is one of the things I love about this type of travel is you don't have to be an intrepid traveler, forging your own way, like you said through Papua New Guinea or something, you can access these moments that would be nearly impossible as your everyday traveler to experience. And I think they are the ones that really shape how we see the world.
Akvile: Absolutely. And I think again, the beautiful thing about expedition cruising, it does really go to some truly difficult to access places that are not necessarily spoiled by everyday tourism. And because tourism sometimes can change the local communities, it can change the place I think for majority of places that these ships visit. And because the nature of this type of travel is also very small, I mean 200 people, maximum 200 people is not a huge amount to engage with. And I think a lot of expedition cruise companies are really doing the best to make sure that they don't overwhelm the communities. And there are things in place to make sure that these things don't happen. And I think more and more are trying to work with the local communities for these visits and so on. But I also, one of the reassuring things for me has been in some places that just seeing how much the locals enjoy that as well.
And there are some things that you just cannot fake. You literally see that your visit has brought joy to people because it's a celebration of the culture, it's a possibility to showcase it, especially in some truly remote places where probably they don't have many opportunities, they nurture it just amongst themselves and equally for the visitors just to be, again, in the case of the ultra luxury company, I think for many people it would have been a very educational experience as well, how you can survive not necessarily having a lot and be actually very happy as well. Because the one thing that I liked to reflect on during my travels, and especially when it related to visiting communities, very often you wouldn't see any people abandoned or the community looks after its own. So regardless whether that person is not well or whatever it is or in need, there is a community that has the back.
And that is something very, very beautiful. I think for us, again from Northern Hemisphere where during my travel summit, people who get on board the ships to escape loneliness because maybe they don't have anyone at home and the ship gives them that kind of place where they feel part of something, it makes you reflect on the values we have on what matters in life. And of course, I don't necessarily argue that you should drop everything and pack your bags and transfer to a remote at all in the South Pacific, but it really kind of makes you think. And I think expedition cruising in some ways is a thinking person's trip because if you have open mind, things will come out of it, a richer person one way or another. So yeah,
Christine: I love that sentence so much. You did mention hopping on one of these experiences alone, and I did want to talk to you about solo travelers because I think this is such a great space. I witnessed that as well on a ship. I wanted to talk about how you think this is a really great experience for solo travelers to really explore.
Akvile: I think it connects to a couple of things that I mentioned a little bit earlier. So first of all, it's a small ship. You get to know people and very often it's also very inclusive because it only takes an evening or so to meet people from the moment when you have your safety trail, you're standing wearing funny jackets outside and there's a lot of little banter going on already and then to the time you go for dinner, and it's very common for sharing a table with somebody or someone inviting you if you show up and so on. So some companies facilitate that by making sure that expedition team as well is available for dinner times and so on. But then you start going on the zodiacs, you start taking part in the activities to show you meet people immediately. And it's something that you have to be incredibly antisocial and incredibly unlikeable person, which I don't think anyone really is.
There is something to be liked about everyone to not succeed in making friendships or to connecting to the others. Because again, if you do have these wonderful moments, when something wonderful happens, it's a memory that you share with that person. And it's such an icebreaker. I mean, you're just sitting there, wow, let's see what's happening. It's like it's impossible not to talk to the people around you and this is how friendships are born. And I think again, when you think about the safety traveling by ship, expedition, cruising is probably one of the safest ways to travel always. Well, not always. I often think about solo female travelers because I think we as women sometimes need a little bit more assurance, or not necessarily more assurance, but we probably have more dangers lurking for us. And expedition cruising in that sense is an incredible way to experience Destin nations in a safe manner. Whether you're going to remote regions such as Antarctica, the Arctic or the Galapagos, or you're traveling in a group to places a little bit more about the culture and about the human inhabited places because again, you're always the group, you're always looked after expedition team, you're always with somebody. So I do think it's a wonderful way to experience it on your own as well as with somebody you you want to experience it with.
Christine: Yeah, I think it is really great because it allows you to land with a community. And like you said, it doesn't take long before you feel really a part of that community. The other thing that I really loved witnessing and experiencing is multi-generational travel in this way because of the educational component, I was telling my daughters about it, and they are so excited they would love to have this kind of experience. They love the science and then the adventure and the activities. And then the other thing is even if you're either a younger traveler or an older traveler, you might feel like you shouldn't be a part of the experience either way. And what ends up happening is the younger travelers are experiencing a destination through the wisdom of someone older and the older travelers are seeing through these young eyes things that they had forgotten were magical. And so I think it's also such a great space for that type of travel.
Akvile: Absolutely. And what a privilege as well to be able to learn about the natural world by being there at the young age. I think we often talk about the ambassadors in expedition cruising. So of course the ATO has a sort of more formal program called Antarctic ambassadors, but it really is about that once you visit places, once you actually witness them, it really becomes part of you. It's part of your experience, and then you are more inclined to do something about it if something needs to be done to make sure that that place remains intact. And I think for kids, it's such a incredible experience to be able to do that at the early age.
Christine: Yeah. Well, I wanted to talk a couple more things before we wrap up our call One, I think we mentioned gender equity at the beginning of this conversation. And when I started in this industry, and especially in this space, I noticed how many men were in the decision-making roles. I was lucky to have great female mentors, but really did notice that it was the men making much of the decisions. And I know we would really like to encourage more women to be in this space, to be in leadership. And I know that you're a great, you're showing that we can be a part of this and be a part of decision makings in your current role, but what can companies do to find more balance in leadership roles in the expedition cruising industry, and maybe what shifts could they make to attract more female leaders?
Akvile: I think a lot of times being more inclusive is all about being intentional. So it is a very male world. Expedition, cruising. I think things are changing for the better and depends as well, which sort of aspect of expedition cruising you're looking at. And I think it's quite regular to see more and more expedition team members who are females and leaders as well and so on. But I do think it just has to be intentional. You have to, every decision you take, you should consider that or have that question, have I thought about this? Have I made my decision and opened this space and given the seat to somebody I could have given? And I'm not being biased on promoting somebody just because they are a male or whoever. So I think that's one of the big things to consider. And there are companies that are doing that or just even reporting, just being transparent, just starting to count. I think it's very often about that because the moment you start like, ah, okay, I've got 20% of female in my leadership force, why am I doing something about it? I think the moment you see that number, this is where the intention starts because a firm believer that a suitable person should take the role regardless of who they are.
However, I think you also have to be intentional about promoting talent or building it as you go. So if you don't have at the moment people suitable at these leadership roles come from diverse backgrounds, it's time to build it and to be intentional about it. And that's something that I feel very, very strongly about. And I think once you get there, we should also be very proud sort of showing up and also supporting the other women. Women. I mean obviously we are talking now about the females, but just in general diversity there. I think the more diverse we see, the more we all benefit from it and we kind of make it normal as opposed to, I forgot the word, the exception to the rule. So yeah, I think it's very, very important. And to also, I do consider myself as a feminist and I often think about these things. How do you claim or how do you become hurt in the environment about sounding angry or upset of not necessarily having equal stake in the whole thing, but I think just sometimes just being you and doing what you're doing and sort of speaking your truth politely and affirmatively. So yeah, I think that's the way to go for me
Christine: In this arena. Thank you for sharing that. And I wanted to end the conversation with giving you the opportunity to share a pearl of wisdom or a mantra or anything that really inspires you. And I know we talked about this before and before you share yours, I wanted to share something you said to me that really resonated. You kind of just alluded to it again, but how do you become heard? You must talk about things. So just showing up and being a representative force is a way to be heard and to be seen. And that's something, since you said that statement to me has really just kind of ran on repeat. So I appreciate that. But I would love for you to share something that has resonated with you that you really turned to for inspiration.
Akvile: So I am an avid reader and I do like quotes. That's the one thing. And I think one of my favorite quotes in the last couple of years, and I don't even know how I stumbled upon it, but it's actually by Dolly Parton out of all the people, and she once said, find out who you are and do it on purpose. And I think it's such a profound quote because it's finding who you are is what we do sometimes all our life. It's not a straightforward thing, but I think it probably should be the most urgent task we should all try to accomplish because you cannot fake yourself. And I think once you find your feet and you find who you are, it's kind of also easy to be that person because you know where you start, finish and you can then start speaking your truth because you cannot fail to be yourself.
You can fail to be everything else. Or if you're chasing something that it is not necessarily your real value or your real aspiration, you will get hurt at some point once you have to face yourself. And so I think to me, it has always been about this urgent need to know who I am and then bettering it or shaping it and building on the things that I feel passionate about and just speaking my truth as well. And you can do that in a very polite way without offending anyone else. So yeah, that to me is probably one of the most important things in both personal life and professional life. And I wish everybody to spend some time and find that.
Christine: Yeah, I agree. I think it's so important. And interestingly enough, right before we had this conversation, I was speaking with a friend of mine who does coaching to really help you identify your soul's purpose and then how you can bring that forward and express it in what you do. And I was just telling her since I've worked with her and really spent some time reflecting literally what you just said, I feel like my feet are so solid on the ground and I have all of these parts of my identity behind me holding me up, and I am able to stand in my purpose and in being in such a different way. And it is so incredible when you witness somebody else doing that and showing up. And then what you create from that space of authenticity is really powerful no matter what it is that you're creating. And I've also talked with so many women on this podcast about that once you're creating the thing that you are so passionate about, you have such a greater potential to create impact and draw in the other people that are going to support you on your mission. So I love that that's where you landed this conversation.
Akvile: Thank you. Yeah, I think it's, it's probably so beautiful because it's something intrinsic. It's not something that once you, what your values are, and it also evolves as well. It's not that there's something set in stone and you keep on growing all the time. And I think it's also beautiful that evolution. It would be such a sad thing if you just ended up knowing who you are and never evolve again. And I think it's part of the whole thing, but you kind of become unshakeable in some ways because it's like your core is strong and then it allows you to withhold anything else that is happening. But yeah, absolutely. I'm a firm believer in that. And
Christine: Yeah. Thank you. Well, to wrap up our call, we always do a series of rapid fire questions, so we'll jump into those. Now, you mentioned you love reading or avid reader, what are you reading right now?
Akvile: I'm actually reading a book about creating a podcast because it's something I think at some point I would love to pursue. I am currently conducting a series of interviews, which I think is my, I'm edging towards that. So that's the book I'm reading on how to, and just understanding a little bit, a little bit that part of the sort of making storytelling and all that. And actually I do like Stephen King quite a lot. It's one of my favorite offers. So yeah, on the fiction side, you will often find me reading something from Steven King and looking for some new material as well.
Christine: Well, I love that you're reading about podcasting. I think we talked about this when we first met as well. So I'm definitely a fan of that and using that as a space for creating more impact, ensuring your authentic voice. So I'm here to support you when you get to the point where you want to push the button that says you're actually doing podcasting. The next question is, what is always in your suitcase or backpack when you travel?
Akvile: Oh, that's a difficult one. It depends how long and how far I'm traveling. But actually I do like to have my favorite mug because it somehow is the one thing that makes me feel like I'm home wherever I am in some ways. And I do like to have my refillable water bottle, so that's always there. And then Kindle as well. Kindle goes everywhere regardless where I go to. So Kindle is, yeah,
Christine: We have a similar foundation and strategy for what we need in our heads. Exactly. To Sojourn is to travel somewhere as if you live there for a short while. Where is one place that you would still love to sojourn?
Akvile: There's so many of them. One place that I really, I would love to go back and back probably is Baha, California in Mexico. I don't dunno why. It's just one of these places that I really sort of, you go to and you're like, oh my God, this is wonderful. Yeah, probably that. And I keep on talking about Russian Forest, probably it's my, in the world of expedition cruising I think is such a phenomenal place and it's such a shame, but it's a part of the world that is closed. I do hope. But things will change in future and more people will get to experience that magical place, massive there. Yeah.
Christine: What is something you eat that immediately connects you to a place that you've been
Akvile: Probably there is a dessert called Hall Hall, which is a Filipino dessert. It's a quite unusual thing. Did do have a variation in Malaysia called I think A, B, C. And once upon a time, I spent three months in Philippines, which was a very unique experience and it's beautiful, beautiful country. And I think that is the one thing that probably if I get to eat again, is something that is always very much about Philippines to me.
Christine: Who was a person who inspired or encouraged you to set out and explore the world? I
Akvile: Think my dad mostly, not necessarily in terms of exploring the world, but just having an inquisitive mind. He always encouraged to think outside the box, and he also showed by example of different solutions to how to make things or resolve mathematical equation. They sometimes were very irritating because I just couldn't see the pattern. But equally, I think that was a big inspiration to think outside the box or at least ask the question why. And I think it's a very important attribute in life to get to places.
Christine: If you could take an adventure with one person, fictional or real, alive or past, who would it be?
Akvile: To most places I would go with my husband, of course, but otherwise, if it was fictional or past and so on, I think I would like to go somewhere on a trip with George Collin, the comedian for some reason. I think he's a philosophy in some ways, and I think it would be fun to experience places for his incredible sense of humor and equally very sharp and sort of incisive way to see life through the layers and layers and layers. Yeah, well, not fictional. Yeah, past character.
Christine: I can definitely see him sitting at the dinner table on an expedition cruise being the life and the moment of that experience. So that's great. Yeah. So the last question is really an opportunity for you to recognize a woman that you admire in the space of travel. That's really our intention behind Soul of Travel, and I'd love to give you the opportunity to do that here as well.
Akvile: I'm a very greedy person. I have two women. So Alessandra Lonzo, she's the founder and MD of the Women in Travel Assist here in uk. And I think she does phenomenal job in promoting diversity and inclusion and equity in the sector and beyond. So I really, really admire her. And also Joe, I can't pronounce his name, Mosca, former Emma and managing director of the Celebrity Cruises. I think she's also an incredible trailblazer in travel industry and a person who speaks the truth and is never shy of doing that. So yeah, these two ladies would definitely be my choices.
Christine: Thank you so much. Well, my guests are definitely familiar with Alessandra, and I'll take her episode in the show notes because I have interviewed her and worked with her, and I'm so grateful that you mentioned Joe as well. And I'll make sure I'll get the spelling of her name so I can include that for our guests as well. A thank you so much for being here. I have loved so much being able to meet you and was so excited to have this conversation, and I'm grateful that we were able to bring this into the conversation here at Soul of Travel.
Akvile: Thank you. What's been wonderful.
Christine: Thank you.
You can find me on Facebook at Lotus Sojourns on Facebook, or join the Lotus Sojourns Collective, our FB community, or follow me on Instagram either @lotussojourns or @souloftravelpodcast. Stay up to date by joining the Lotus Sojourns mailing list. I look forward to getting to know you and hopefully hearing your story.