Is this the coolest job in cruise? Life as an expedition ship’s Chief Scientist

Dr Verena Meraldi has a job most people only dream of – or perhaps couldn’t even dream was possible. She became the first ‘Chief Scientist’ in the cruise industry in 2007, overseeing the Science and Education programme at Hurtigruten Expeditions (HX). Since joining more than 17 years ago, Meraldi has been sailing aboard the expedition cruise line’s ships to the most remote region on earth: Antarctica. 

Here, often with the aid of regular guests, Dr. Meraldi will conduct all manner of scientific research – from assessing whale numbers to collecting samples of snow algae. It has not, however, always been the case that guests have been involved with such research, and soon after she began in her role, Meraldi quickly realised travellers wanted more than just top-line information and slideshows.

“We realised that people were hungry for more,” she recalls. “In 2016, when we launched MS Midnatsol, we decided to try a new concept and installed microscopes near the ship’s library. This was a big success, and guests would come every day to see what was being displayed and were keen to learn more about it.”

Such opportunities for guests have now become a hallmark of HX Expeditions: genuine participation in genuine, ongoing scientific research. So what are the sorts of things guests can get involved with?

As if witnessing magnificent wildlife and being surrounded by one of Earth’s most spellbinding landscapes wasn’t enough, Dr Meraldi shares that passengers are invited “to count seabirds, record cloud patterns for NASA, or examine plankton samples under microscopes in the ship’s Science Centre,” to name a few more Citizen Science projects available during an HX Expeditions Antarctica cruise. 

Despite its great distance from, well, anywhere, and trips coming in at vast expense, tourism in Antarctica has risen tenfold since the early 1990s, with more than 100,000 visitors recorded each year since the 2020 pandemic. Strict international regulations, from the number of people allowed ashore (50 percent of visitors don’t make it off their cruise ships onto land – though not the case with HX) to biosecurity rules on clothing, ensure only low-impact, well-managed encounters are possible. 

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For Dr Meraldi, the point of visiting the white continent goes far beyond guests marvelling at icebergs and penguins, it is to to ignite a deeper appreciation of the planet’s ecosystems and their fragility. “We developed our Science Program not only to support the scientific community, but also to offer our guests the added value of interacting with the researchers themselves,” she explains. “This and our lecture programme, combined with the participatory activities in the Science Centre, allow our guests to learn more in depth about the ecosystems they are visiting and understand the challenges they face.” 

What’s more, by contributing to Citizen Science projects, guests can even generate data that feeds directly into decisions made by governments and conservation commissions. Taking a holiday that has the ability to affect government policies? And contribute to scientific research? All while seeing unbelievable, oh-my-god-this-can’t-be-real, wildlife? Where do we sign?

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Antarctica is far from your usual holiday destination. Reaching it requires braving the notorious Drake Passage, where waves can dwarf ships, leading to even those made of the sternest stuff succumbing to bouts of seasickness, and itineraries are at the mercy of sudden storms or shifting sea ice.

When asked what the biggest obstacle when facing Antarctica is, Meraldi suggests the sheer unpredictability. “I would say the greatest challenge is that you can never be sure you’ll be able to go with plan A. Weather and ice conditions will always have the last call, but this is what expedition is all about, always be prepared and expect the unexpected.”

What awaits you on the other side, though, makes every white-knuckle crossing worthwhile. 

“Nowadays it is difficult to encounter a landscape untouched by humankind, everywhere we go we see signs of man and their activity…in the remote areas we go to, you can experience the wildlife and pristine, untouched landscapes.” For Meraldi, this is the most moving memory of all her time in spent in Antarctica. She recalls the feeling of simply “being in these vast expanses, acknowledging that silence is broken only by the forces of nature.”

It wouldn’t be a discussion about Antarctica without bringing up the starring members of Antarctica’s wildlife cast: penguins. Meraldi agrees: “Of course, who doesn’t love penguins?” Before quickly adding, “At least, in photos everybody does. Once you get to visit them, you find out they are quite stinky! But it is absolutely delightful to observe them and realise how perfectly adapted they are to survive in the harsh Antarctic environment.” 

Perhaps best observed from afar, then.

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Despite more than 17 years of exploring the polar regions in unimaginable depth, Meraldi still has destinations on her wish list. “I haven’t been to East Greenland, and it is at the top of my bucket list!” she shares. As for the coming Antarctic season, she’s energised: “Honestly, all the research projects we will be supporting this coming season are extremely exciting! We will be supporting whale research, penguin research, plankton research and snow algae research.”

In 2024 alone, under the direction of Dr. Meraldi, HX Expeditions dedicated a record-breaking 1,911 cruise nights to hosting guest scientists, while travellers themselves have contributed more than 30,000 citizen science submissions across 3,425 sessions – supporting research on microplastics, climate, cetaceans and lots more. The 2025/2026 season will also bring collaborations with the likes of Penguin Watch and the University of Tasmania once more: last year, HX Expeditions launched a world-first programme with the university to educate Antarctic passengers. Participants can access an online course from anywhere in the world and receive an official University of Tasmania certificate upon completion. 

Her job may be among the coolest on earth, but the mission is serious: combining exploration and education in one of the planet’s most vulnerable and final frontiers.

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