Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie is a freelance journalist whose travels have taken her around the world by air, land, and sea for such publications as Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, and Afar. She took her first expedition cruise in 2021 and has been hooked ever since, travelling to the Arctic and Antarctic as often as she can.

Though she's happiest in the cold (unless she's snorkelling), her adventures on the water have taken her to many non-polar destinations, too, including the Galápagos, the Seychelles, and Japan. In 2024, she travelled to the Tristan Archipelago on a South Atlantic crossing, landing on Tristan da Cunha, Inaccessible Island, and Gough Island. As a fledgling birder, she was thrilled to add the northern rockhopper penguin and Inaccessible rail to her life list.

When she's not at sea, Stefanie can often be found chasing storms, rocket launches, or the northern lights across North America—or relaxing at home in beautiful Upstate New York.