— Alena, how did it happen that you ended up in the Arctic?
— It was both chance and destiny. As a yoga teacher, I believe in fateful moments. One day a new student came to my class, and on his social media I noticed photos of polar bears, penguins, icebergs… After the class we were having tea, and I asked him: “How did you get to places like that?” He told me he was a sailor on an icebreaker, travelling every year to the Arctic and the Antarctic. And then, quite unexpectedly, he said: “Would you like to come with us?” Of course, I couldn’t say no.
He gave me the ship owner’s number. I called, was invited for an interview as a stewardess, and back then I had no idea the profession of polar guide even existed. I simply decided: I’ll go at least once, just to see the Arctic and Antarctic, even if it’s as a stewardess.
— What was your first cruise like?
— I fell in love immediately with everything I saw. We went to Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. Everywhere was astonishing. It was physically demanding — working as a stewardess on board is hard. But what kept me going was that on that ship I was allowed to join all the landings, and I even had the chance to go kayaking. Imagine — on my very first kayak outing, I encountered narwhals – the rarest of whales, hardly anyone ever sees them! My colleagues, who had been working in the polar regions for twenty years, told me it was their very first sighting too. And for me — it was on my first cruise!
That was a sign. Narwhals are extraordinarily rare, magical creatures, with a single left tooth – a tusk – up to two or three metres long and weighing up to ten kilos. They really look like unicorns of the ocean. An unforgettable experience!
Later I was invited to work on a nuclear icebreaker heading to the North Pole. I couldn’t refuse. I wanted to see the very top of the planet. On that voyage I even managed to plunge into the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean.
During the expeditions people started asking me to give yoga classes. The guests enjoyed it, and I was taken on another cruise – this time as a spa manager. But on that ship spa staff were not allowed to go ashore as often as I wished. For me, it was unbearable — seeing everything only through a porthole. After my first season I realised: I didn’t want to be inside the ship, I wanted to be outside. That’s when I made up my mind: I would become a polar guide, whatever it took!

— What did you have to do to become a polar guide?
— An awful lot. I realised this profession required serious study. First, I trained at the Expedition Guide Academy in Denmark. Then I earned a certificate in Zodiac driving in the Netherlands – one of the best courses in the world. I passed all the international exams with AECO (for the Arctic) and IAATO (for the Antarctic). It took a huge investment, both financially and emotionally, but I knew for certain I was taking the right steps. Being a guide is my calling.
— How quickly did you get your first job?
— Almost immediately. I was invited to join Swan Hellenic. In 2022 I started as a trainee in Antarctica. Then I began giving lectures – speaking about history and about the birds we encountered along the way. And now I am already the Assistant Expedition Leader.
— What does an assistant’s role involve?
— As it turns out, an enormous amount. I prepare the daily programme for our guests, coordinate transfers, excursions, broadcasts and lecturers. I work with shore agents, send hundreds of emails, respond to guest requests. I arrange who has which transport, note their special needs and individual wishes.
All of this is “invisible work”, but it is vital: guests feel comfortable only when the day has been planned properly.
— Do you still manage to spend time on the water?
— Sometimes. I try. I drive Zodiacs, give lectures, speak with passengers. But often I simply don’t have the time. Still, I know my work is what allows others to experience the Arctic. I have a million chats with all the ship’s departments. If Ryan, our Expedition Leader, needs something – I’m always there.
Sometimes it is tough emotionally: I love nature, I want to be on the water, to see the birds and the icebergs, yet instead I have to arrange transfers or write emails.
— Which is harder: guiding or administration?
— I wouldn’t say which is harder, I’d put it this way: the most important thing is to love this work and these places. Without a passion for the Arctic or Antarctic, it’s impossible to be a guide. It’s very cold, very difficult, and sometimes dangerous. You must know how to read the sea, how to act in fog, how to use GPS, how to prevent panic in a tricky situation. You need to be in love with these regions and confident you can handle any task and ensure passenger safety.

— Alena, was there a moment when you thought: “This is exactly why it was worth going through all the challenges”?
— There have been dozens of such moments. But the most magical one happened in Antarctica. I was at the helm of a Zodiac with a photographer, Lynn. And suddenly a humpback whale swam right up to us! We stopped, holding our breath. He touched the pontoon gently with his tail – so carefully, as if he knew how fragile we were. He even brushed the snow off the Zodiac with his tail.
It wasn’t just observing – it was communication. And it was only with us. There were other boats around, yet he chose ours. I believe Lynn and I had the right kind of energy. And on that same enchanted day, a gentoo penguin leapt straight into our Zodiac! It hopped around in the boat, stood beside us for a while, and then slipped back into the water.
It was a day when nature came to us of its own accord. Moments like that stay with you forever.

— What is the hardest part of your job?
— It’s not so much about difficulty as about what really matters — a genuine love for the Arctic and the Antarctic. Without that, it’s impossible. It’s cold here, sometimes dangerous, often physically demanding. But if you’re not in love with these places – you simply won’t endure.
— Which skills are particularly important?
— The ability to stay calm in any situation. If the waves rise, the fog rolls in, or a polar bear appears on the horizon, you must be able to make quick, confident and panic-free decisions. Each of us carries a GPS on our phone, we constantly monitor the weather, visibility and tides.
In the Arctic we are especially vigilant: a polar bear is no joke. If it comes closer than twenty metres, we are obliged to shoot. And that is not only a tragedy (none of us want to kill a bear!) — it would mean a court case, explanations, and trauma for the whole team. So far, neither we nor our colleagues have ever had such an incident. But there have been moments when bears appeared suddenly — from behind a rock, from behind a hut. You must always be ready.

— What would you say to someone living in Cyprus who is wondering whether to take a polar cruise? Why should they come here?
— Because here it is just you and nature. In the Arctic — the tundra, a polar bear somewhere in the distance, icebergs, birds. In Antarctica — permafrost, ice, penguins. And silence. You begin to hear yourself. No cities, no cars, no rush. Only you — and the Earth. The real Earth.

— You don’t just follow a schedule drawn up months in advance, do you? You change plans during the cruise.
— Yes, everything is very flexible. We have preliminary bookings of landing sites through AECO and IAATO — the regulatory bodies for the Arctic and Antarctic. But every morning the Expedition Leader and the Captain look at the forecast, the ice, the wind, the fog — and then make a decision.
We have special apps that show the swell, visibility, and weather windows. For example, if there’s fog in one bay, there’s no point going there — we’ll head somewhere else instead. Everything can be rearranged within minutes.

— What advice would you give to people going on an expedition for the first time?
— Firstly, be flexible. The plan can change at any moment – and that’s perfectly normal.
Secondly, be open. Don’t assume you know everything. Here the scale is different, the pace is different, the feeling of the world itself is different.
Thirdly – simply look. Very often the best moments happen when you are just standing on deck, gazing out at the sea.
What you should be prepared for:

• The weather can cancel everything. And that’s fine. Sometimes the plan changes several times in a single day.
• You will have early mornings. Polar nature doesn’t wait. And if there’s a chance to see a polar bear, we’ll leave our staterooms and go out on deck, even if it’s only six in the morning.
• You may feel seasick. It’s best to bring tablets against it.
• An expedition is not about comfort, but about experience. Yes, the food is excellent and the staterooms are cosy. But the essence is that you step out of your comfort zone and connect with nature. That is the point.

— And what would you say to those who want to become guides?
— You need to love this with all your heart! And not just be knowledgeable – you must be calm in any situation. Swell, fog, waves – you must be the one who knows how to act. It’s about responsibility. And also about patience. Because this is not about romance – it’s about daily physical and emotional work. But if you love the polar regions, you will be happy here.

UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS

SOUTH GEORGIA: WHEN YOU’RE A DROP IN THE OCEAN
“On the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, you find yourself standing among a hundred thousand king penguins and fur seals. It looks like a scene from a BBC documentary. You don’t feel like a tourist, but a silent observer from another world. There are just a hundred of us — and a hundred thousand of them. And yet — silence. Just the wind and the cries of birds.”

A LITTLE ELEPHANT SEAL AND A BIG LESSON
“Once it was still allowed to sit on the shore. One day I sat down – simply to watch. A small elephant seal pup came over to me. He didn’t expect anything from me. He just came to be nearby. I didn’t touch him – that’s not allowed. I simply sat quietly, trying not to move. And we communicated without words.
It was so moving. Today such moments are no longer possible – strict rules have been introduced because of bird flu and environmental requirements. But back then I was lucky – it was an unforgettable encounter!”
Would you like me to keep elephant seal pup (precise but less lyrical) or leave it simply as little elephant seal for a softer, more poetic feel?