Line Up

Wil Cheung

When Wil first experienced an Aurora storm in Iceland back in 2015, he was determined to help as many people as possible see the Aurora. He has since seen the Northern Lights over 300 times and helped hundreds of thousands of people see, and experience it through his broadcast channels and tours to Iceland. He is a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, an ambassador of Aurorasaurus, a delegate of the International Dark Sky Association and Aurora chaser for UK Astronomy. He is based within Northumberland Dark Sky Park as founder of Twice Brewed Stargazing, a stunning venue with 24 telescopes and a planetarium.

 

With Wil’s understanding of the Aurora phases he’s truly excited to help everyone on this tour experience the stunning displays of the Aurora, welcome on board!

Owen Humphreys

Owen Humphreys is an award-winning photographer, working for the UK’s biggest and leading press agency, PA Media (formerly known as The Press Association) for over 28 years.

 

Owen has a wealth of photography experience and expertise, photographing everything from the visit of Nelson Mandela and George Bush, to royal weddings and tours of Pakistan and Afghanistan. From the beauty of astro and weather photography, the agony and ecstasy of football World Cups and Olympic Games, to the pressure of capturing breaking world news stories such as the Queen’s death - Owen has photographed it all.

 

With Owen’s decades of experience in the world of photography and his passion for astrophotography, he’s excited to be on board helping our guests capture moments to treasure forever.

Dr Maggie Lieu

Dr. Maggie Lieu is an astrophysicist at the University of Nottingham, where she leverages Machine Learning and Bayesian statistics to tackle complex astronomical challenges, such as asteroid detection and dark matter mapping. In addition to her research, she teaches Machine Learning in Science, inspiring the next generation of scientists. Dr. Lieu is also an editor for the Astronomy and Computing journal and beyond academia, she engages a wide audience through her YouTube channel, Spacemog, where she shares her passion for space, demystifying the universe and promoting science education.

Taz Lawson

Taz first started her career on the ocean as a Wildlife Guide on whale watching boats in Cornwall in 2017, and her passion for whale, dolphin and porpoise conservation has led to her current role working on cruise ships where she conducts surveys and delivers lectures all about these marvellous marine mammals.

Taz will be joining us onboard to deliver talks about the cetaceans that we could see on our voyage, and will be on deck most days to search the seas for marine life.

David Nikel

David Nikel, originally from Northampton, moved to Norway in 2011 and became a citizen ten years later.  Inspired by the magnificent fjords, the midnight sun and the dancing Northern Lights, he swapped the I.T. industry for a career as a writer.  He now runs the website and YouTube channel ‘Life in Norway’, has authored a travel guidebook, and writes regularly for Forbes on all things Scandinavia.  David will be sharing his insights on all things Norway throughout your cruise.

Chris Baber

Chris has a passion for home-cooked family-style food and is on a mission to make cooking easier, more accessible, and delicious. His passion for seasonal food makes it all the more cost effective too. He worked under Atul Kochhar at his Michelin-starred restaurant, but his real passion is inspiring others and making home cooking accessible for everyone.

Ian Sproat

Ian first started his photography journey in 2020 during the COVID lockdowns, since then, he has explored all areas of photography including city-scapes, landscape, wildlife and his absolute passion - the night sky. Ian has been part of some large local organisations teaching amateur and more advanced photography throughout his journey. In 2024, Ian was selected for Photographer of the Year and reached the judges final 3 in his category.

 

Ian will be joining us on board the cruise to help people discover the beauty of photography, whether it's with a phone or more advanced kit, he's here to help discover all the wonders of the world through a lens.