OUR TEAM
“The most beautiful voyage is the one we share.”
Our crew
Our captains and officers, experienced and fully bilingual, will accompany you throughout the expedition.
Passionate about their ship, each new voyage is an experience they live with the same enthusiasm, the same thirst for discovery. Emotions, anecdotes, unexpected encounters, love of navigation...
So many things that drive them on a daily basis and that they will pass on to you with fervor.
Our guides and naturalists
Our expedition leaders are experts in their field. They lead a close-knit and experienced team of naturalists and guides, true specialists in the environments you will explore. You can count on their skills, their sensitivity and their deep respect for the fauna and flora.
They will be delighted to share their knowledge and passion with you, before your departure and throughout your trip.
You can also count on our local experts. Thanks to them, you will not only cross these remote regions, but you will learn how to preserve them and get to know them in their essence and their culture, in complete safety.
The Management Team
An expert team of travel enthusiasts
The strenght of Exploris also lies in its team of experts. Whether on board or on dry land, all of our staff benefit from an extensive knowledge of expeditions and are keen to share their passion for these journeys and their love for these incredible destinations with you.
Our mission is to support our passengers, our partners, our suppliers and share with them all the knowledge necessary to make them aware of the beauty and protection of the world around us.
Our team has travelled around the world and has extensive expertise in organising and conducting expedition cruises. Whether it’s travelling through the Patagonian wilderness, exploring polar wildlife surrounded by breathtaking scenery in Antarctica, or sailing through fjords, we will provide you with all the information you need for the adventure of a lifetime.
Philippe Videau’s passion for sea travel has been the common thread in his life and career. After 10 years as a merchant navy officer, he founded the world’s first expedition cruise company, Ponant. After 20 years at the helm of the company, followed by 10 years on its Supervisory Board, Philippe decided to focus on other ventures, but in the end, he returned to adventure travel, his true passion. In 2021, a new project was born with the creation of Exploris.
His favourite travel destination: “Antarctica, without a doubt. That first trip more than 25 years ago was a real revelation for me. One of the highlights was discovering this raw incredible nature on board a Zodiac.”
His cruise highlight: “There are many, but I remember that in July of 1999, I saw an iceberg for the first time, during an exploration cruise in Labrador, Canada. After a few days of sailing, we came across these icy mountains that emerge in the middle of the sea. Our captain decided to circle around them so that we could see them up close. It was an unforgettable moment, during which time seemed to stand still.”
A lifelong adventure and travel enthusiast, it has always made sense to Éric to build a career around his passion. After a variety of postings as a marketing and sales director at the Méridien Hotel and as part of the Lucien Barrière group, he discovered the world of expedition cruises at Ponant in 2006. Éric instantly fell in love with this type of product: the possibility of visiting destinations that would otherwise be inaccessible. He joined the Exploris adventure in its early stages.
His favourite travel destination: “Although I had been to 6 continents, it was the 7th, Antarctica, which truly blew me away. I was deeply struck and moved by this continent, more than any other, because of its raw natural beauty and abundant wildlife.”
His cruise highlight: “A few years ago, I took part in a fam trip to discover Antarctica and South Georgia. The only problem was that the cruise was 16 days long, which seemed a bit excessive. I brought along a few books and films to keep me busy during the trip. In the end, I didn’t read a single page or watch a single film. The trip was just too fantastic! As it turns out, the worst day on the cruise was the last, when I had to disembark from the ship.”
Trained as an engineer, David has always worked in the maritime sector. His fields of expertise range from naval construction to ship maintenance, safety and security, as well as environmental protection. David has taken on a dual role as part of Exploris, as both our Director of Maritime Operations and our CSR Manager. He manages our onboard crew and ensures compliance with safety and environmental standards and regulations. He supported Philippe Videau during the acquisition of Exploris One, and now oversees all the technical aspects of the vessel.
His dream destination: “Antarctica: I would love to discover the continent beyond what I’ve seen in photos – and beyond what I know from security regulations!”
His cruise highlight: “Waking up in the middle of the Ocean, surrounded only by water, a truly peaceful experience.”
The head office team
Executive Vice-President, Cruise Operations & Destination Programs Isabelle Vareille
Isabelle worked in a variety of travel sectors before focusing on sea travel: after working as a product manager for American travel destinations and a travel guide in sensitive travel areas, Isabelle joined the cruise industry and worked for a variety of companies including Ponant. Shen then joined Exploris in 2022. As the Executive Vice-President of Cruise Operations and Destination Programs, Isabelle selects the beautiful destinations that Exploris One visits, and devises unique and original trip itineraries. A real Swiss Army knife, she also ensures that environmental regulations are respected. Isabelle is Exploris’ point of contact for the various associations of which the company is a member.
Her favourite travel destination: “The one which is still to be discovered! I love the excitement of new discoveries; meeting the locals; exploring unknown places: a dream come true.”
Her cruise highlight: “When I was learning to manoeuvre a Zodiac in an Alaskan river, along with the expedition leader, we came face to face with a mother bear and her cub! We gauged each other respectfully, and once we had all gotten over our mutual amazement, we silently backed up and watched the bears fishing in the river. They then calmly walked away, without paying attention to us. Incredible moments.”
The world of cruise travel holds no secret for Corinne. She has devoted most of her career to the marketing of prestigious cruise companies, most notably at the “Compagnie Internationale de Croisières” (“Un Océan de Croisières”) for almost 19 years. Since she is especially passionate about expeditions, it was only natural for her to join Exploris in April 2022 as the Senior Vice-President of Sales for the French-speaking market.
Her dream destination: “Although all of Exploris’ destinations are enticing, I think I would have to choose the Antarctic and Arctic poles: they are as precious as they are fragile. One thing is certain: no one is the same after a trip to these regions, some of the most remote in the whole world.”
Her cruise highlight: “My first transatlantic journey, waking up every morning in the middle of the ocean… With the horizon as far as the eye could see, I had a feeling of complete freedom and satisfaction. It was a sort of enchanted interlude before returning to dry land!”
After meeting the Ponant team, Jérôme entered the world of cruises and became the company’s Executive Vice-President of Finance. He has been following the development of the Exploris project at Philipp Videau’s side for almost 5 years and is now helping our teams with the launch of the company. He manages all financial and operational aspects, and also works in the acquisition and construction of the next vessels. Jérôme is also in charge of coordinating all the IT systems, from our website to our booking system.
His dream destination: “Having already had the chance to explore the Arctic, I would now love to discover the opposite end of the planet and see the wonders of the Antarctic.”
His cruise highlight: “Without a doubt, an unforgettable cod fishing trip on an Arctic cruise, followed by a tasting of our catch on board the ship.”
Michael started his career in a luxury private concierge company as a Marketing and Communications Manager. He knows how to offer exceptional experiences to a demanding clientele. At Exploris, Michael is the Marketing Manager and is also in charge of communication. He knows how to capture the essence of this expedition company.
His dream destination: “South Georgia and the Arctic: there’s so much wildlife to discover.”
His cruise highlight: “One of the best moments I’ve ever had on board a cruise is when I admired wild dolphins swimming around the boat on the pontoon, with the sunset in the background.”
After training in tourism, Lucile specialised in the world of cruises, which quickly became her passion. She knows all the ins and outs of the business and is used to bringing a personal touch by proposing exclusive formulas to clients with the help of dedicated teams. Her love of challenges and the creation of new products led her to Exploris, where her department’s mission is to ensure customer satisfaction by listening to clients and assisting them at every stage of their trip.
Her dream destination: “The South and North Poles, which would be without a doubt the trip of a lifetime.”
Her cruise highlight: “Accompanying clients on their cruise, visiting Polynesia, all while making sure that they had the best possible experience.”
Drawing on his expertise, his mission is to develop and optimize the onboard experience and to ensure the comfort and well-being of passengers, while respecting environmental and human issues.
Seasoned traveler and passionate about his hospitality job, he was able to combine his two passions by joining the cruise industry. For 10 years, he discovered this universe by working as Hotel Director on board high-end cruise ships. Sylvain Zurita was trained at the hotel school in Thonon-les-Bains and first worked in prestigious hotel establishments in Savoy and England, but also in French Polynesia and the Middle East.
DISCOVER OUR FLAGSHIP EXPEDITIONS
*price per person, based on double occupancy,
subject to availability at time of booking
subject to availability at time of booking
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