The Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) has appointed PONANT Explorations UK and Ireland General Manager Anthony Daniels as its new Chair, replacing co-founder Martin Johnson, who is stepping down.
ECN CEO Akvile Marozaite said: “We are extremely grateful for Martin’s leadership which has been instrumental in establishing the strong foundations of the network and we are excited to welcome Anthony Daniels as Chair of the Expedition Cruise Network as it enters its next chapter in building a thriving community dedicated to the future of expedition cruising.
“Anthony has played a pivotal role in the story of ECN from the very beginning. He was instrumental during our launch, ensuring that one of the first major expedition cruise companies joined the network, and he has supported us ever since as a founding member of the ECN Advisory Board. His long-standing commitment to our community underscores not only his passion for expedition cruising but also his belief in the value of ECN as the home of this sector.”
Martin, who will continue as a director of ECN, said: “It has been a privilege to represent such a dynamic industry and serve as Chair of the Expedition Cruise Network in its formative years. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved in such a short time.
“We’ve built an engaged community of expedition cruise specialists and forged strong partnerships across the industry. As ECN continues to grow, I’m delighted to hand over the reins to Anthony Daniels, whose wealth of experience and passion for expedition travel make him the ideal person to lead us into the next chapter. I look forward to continuing to support ECN as a director and founder, and to seeing the network flourish.”
Anthony added: “I am absolutely thrilled to be stepping in as Chairman of the Expedition Cruise Network. Expedition cruising is such an inspiring and rapidly evolving sector – it blends adventure, discovery, and stewardship of our planet in ways few others do. At PONANT Explorations Group, we see firsthand how innovation and sustainability can shape extraordinary travel experiences, and I look forward to bringing that perspective to our exceptional community of operators, travel professionals, and partners. Together, I believe we can set new benchmarks for education, quality, responsibility, and impact in expedition cruising.”
The news was announced on Wednesday, at the start of the second day of ECN’s second annual conference, held in London. On Tuesday evening, at a gala dinner onboard the Dixie Queen paddle steamer on the River Thames, Martin had revealed the winners of the ECN Awards.
They are:
Favourite expedition cruise operator for polar region: Oceanwide Expeditions
Favourite warm weather expedition cruise operator: Golden Galapagos
Favourite expedition cruise operator for luxury: Silversea Expeditions
Favourite expedition cruise operator for sustainability: Oceanwide Expeditions
Favourite micro–expedition cruise operator: Golden Galapagos
Favourite specialist expedition cruise operator: Heritage Expeditions
Favourite expedition cruise operator: Oceanwide Expeditions
Favourite expedition cruise operator representative: Danielle Bates, National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions
Best expedition cruise travel agency: Mundy Adventures
Best expedition cruise tour operator (ATOL bonded): Swoop Antarctica
Best individual expedition cruise seller/travel advisor: Andrew Browning, AdventureSmith Explorations
Best individual newcomer to expedition cruise – cruise seller/travel advisor: Kathryn Waites, Panache Cruises
Best newcomer to expedition cruise: Panache Cruises
There were two special recognition awards. Selar received the award for Innovation of the Year, while the Lifetime Achievement Award went to UnCruise CEO Captain Dan Blanchard.
