The Expedition Cruise Network (ECN) has announced the keynote speakers for its 2026 conference

Marine archaeologist Mensun Bound will deliver the keynote on day one of the two-day event, which will take place on 29-30 September at Glaziers Hall, London.

Bound was the director of exploration on the team that discovered Endurance, the lost ship of Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1914-17, in the Weddell Sea in 2022. He will speak on the first day which is targeted at agents who are new to expedition cruising.

Antonia Ward will speak on day two of the conference, which is aimed at more experienced expedition cruise sellers.

Ward is the chief futurist at Stylus, a trends intelligence consultancy, and she will explore how travellers are expected to discover, research, book and experience travel in the years ahead to provide insight into how businesses can prepare for evolving consumer expectations and emerging technologies.

More than 150 delegates and 30 exhibitors are expected to attend the conference which will also include educational sessions, expert-led panels and a drinks reception.

Akvile Marozaite, chief executive and co-founder of ECN, said: “The ECN Conference continues to bring together the people, stories and ideas shaping the future of expedition cruising.

“Antarctica inspires more travellers to discover expedition cruising than any other destination, so it felt entirely fitting to welcome Mensun Bound to our stage. The discovery of Endurance represents the very spirit of exploration that continues to draw travellers to the polar regions today, and for our audience of advisors who are new to expedition cruising, there could hardly be a more inspiring introduction to the sector.

“Day two shifts the focus from exploration history to the future. As expedition cruising continues to grow and evolve, understanding how travellers’ expectations, behaviours and booking habits will change over the next decade is becoming increasingly important. Antonia Ward’s insights will provide valuable perspective for experienced sellers and product teams looking to stay ahead of these developments.”

She added: “Together, these keynote sessions perfectly reflect what the conference is all about: celebrating what makes expedition cruising such a compelling way to explore the world while also looking ahead to the opportunities that will shape the sector’s future.

“I am very much looking forward to welcoming our global expedition cruise community to London this September for what promises to be our most exciting conference yet.”