Elite Traveler Spring 2022

INFLUENCE DAY IN THE LIFE OF... A day in the life of... Florence Kuyper by Serina Tatham

You can often fi nd me… Outside — I ideally spend most of the day either on the ice, on land or in the Zodiac. When the ship’s in the ice or in calm waters, we’re with the whole expedition team outside on the decks to talk with our guests, to explain where we are or what animals we’re seeing. But I’m always working, from early morning to late evening. It’s very intense for me and my team. That’s also why you can only do this if you’re really passionate and driven. I love these regions, and I love sharing them with our guests. The job is quite technical, but to lead a team and organize 200 guests is also very much a matter of human a ffi nity. Luckily I can do both, and I enjoy both. When I’m not working, I’m typically back home in the Netherlands. I always miss my bicycle (we “Sometimes I retreat to a quiet place where I can ‘have’ the landscape, the ice, the lights, just to myself, by myself. This is how I reload my battery”

An expedition leader for Ponant, Florence Kuyper divides her time between the Netherlands and her second home, Antarctica. After a long career in social a ff airs, a voyage to the polar region in 2004 sparked a long-term love a ff air with the icy terrain. When she’s not working, you can often fi nd her enjoying two of her favorite pleasures: A cappuccino and one of the most remarkable landscapes on the planet. We spoke to Florence, who has just set out on Ponant’s new ship Le Commandant Charcot for the season. The fi rst thing I do is… Look outside. When I’m on board a Ponant ship, I immediately look outside for two reasons: Firstly, I love the polar regions, so what’s better than waking up and looking at that beauty? I sometimes don’t even want to go to sleep in the evening because I don’t want to miss a second of it. That’s how beautiful it is. Secondly, I always look to see what the weather is like. Is there ice, wind, swell, snow, fog, or is it a beautiful sunny morning in paradise? In short, I’m assessing the outside conditions, because they will determine if I can maintain my initial plan or if I should make an adjustment to the planned activities.

Clockwise from top Florence Kuyper; guests on an excursion; Ponant's latest vessel, Le Commandant Charcot; guests exploring on kayaks