Admiral Simon Hardern, a global citizen with vast knowledge and experiences, has lived in six countries and travelled to nearly 120 others. This diverse background shapes his information-rich presentations, reflecting a life of service defined by unique cultural opportunities and political intricacies.

Simon served in the British Royal Navy for an impressive 34 years, holding key positions worldwide, commanding warships at three ranks and serving with NATO for 12 years in four roles including Chief of Staff at NATO's political headquarters in Brussels.

As CEO of Kenyon International Emergency Services, Simon played a critical role in effective incident responses, especially those involving loss of life. Recently, he has dedicated four years to living in Washington DC, working for a prestigious international organization mapping the world's oceans. Simon's extensive professional background and commitment to global affairs make him a truly exceptional presenter.

Title: COMMANDING A WARSHIP
Summary: Whilst not as large as a cruise ship, a warship is, nevertheless, an altogether more powerful, fast and expensive vessel designed to protect the oceans we routinely sail and the freedom of navigation that we sometimes take for granted. In this rare and unique presentation, Admiral Simon Hardern takes you through life on the ocean waves as a commander of a modern Royal Navy. He’ll give you a unique insight into foreign deployments to global hotbeds such as the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf. Simon also offers you the unique opportunity to pose any questions about the Royal Navy in general or life at sea as a modern-day sailor and commanding officer.

Title: NAVAL TRADITIONS AND ETIQUETTE
Summary: Most Naval Services across the globe rely on good order and discipline to function effectively. Equally, their traditions and etiquette still play an important part in how they operate. Join Simon as he takes a sometimes-irreverent journey through many of the more unusual and humorous ones told by someone who lived them first-hand for 34 years in the (British) Royal Navy!

Title: HOW SHIPS AVOID COLLISIONS - THE HIGHWAY CODE FOR THE OCEANS
Summary: There are rules that apply to ships on the ocean just like vehicles on the road to avoid catastrophic accidents and collisions. Join Simon as he simply explains some of the key ‘rules of the road’ told through his own considerable warship bridge watch-keeper and commanding officer experience.

Title: HOW DOES NATO WORK?
Summary: The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), formed in 1949, is the most successful global defence and security alliance ever. NATO has overseen the end of the Cold War and helped deliver the counter-terror campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. The Euro-Atlantic security is now undermined by strategic competition and pervasive instability and the Russian Federation poses the most significant and direct threat to the Allies’ security. Everything NATO does is through the Consensus amongst its 31 member nations (and, very likely, soon to be 32 Sweden accedes as expected); it is as challenging as you imagine! In this riveting presentation behind the curtain, Admiral Simon Hardern will take you through how the Alliance works and how the military and politicians reach decisions that guarantee support of the democratic freedoms we might take for granted.

Title: MANAGING AIRLINE CRASH RESPONSES
Summary: Although not something that we really like to contemplate, it’s good to know that airlines do take seriously preparing for, and responding to, an accident if one should ever happen (and we hope not, flying still being the safest way to travel … after cruising, of course!). There are several types of aviation-related, ‘non-normal’ events; in this presentation, Simon Hardern will talk you through some of the planning that goes into preparing for such eventualities. He will also recount two fascinating examples of how he directly supported aviation crashes in the USA and the southern Pacific Ocean. This is as much about the power of the human character during an incident and how humbling it is to see courage and compassion on display; providing the world with the one thing we all cherish … hope!

Title: RESPONDING TO THE BOXING DAY TSUNAMI
Summary: Following a 9.1 magnitude earthquake 18 miles below the ocean floor between the Burma and Indian Plates on Boxing Day 2004, the resulting massive tsunami caused waves up to 30 m (100 ft) high. It devastated communities along the surrounding coasts of the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 227,898 people in 14 countries in one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. In this fascinating presentation, Simon recounts the scope of the disaster response and the significant challenges rescuers faced with the incident response given the overwhelming number of deceased personnel as well as the critical lessons learned.

Title: MAPPING THE WORLDS OCEANS
Summary: Did you know that only 26% of the world’s oceans are surveyed to modern standards and that we know more about the surface of the Moon or Mars than we do about the topography of our seabed? If we were to try and map the oceans to the same fidelity that Google has mapped the land, it would take 600 years to complete it! Admiral Simon Hardern takes you on an entertaining journey from the development of the paper chart to the modern standards of today where vessels, such as cruise ships, navigate the world’s oceans via electronic navigational. Simon also looks ahead to new standards where the bridge of the future becomes very much more interactive from a navigational perspective!

Title: THE NEW SILK ROAD
Summary: The New Silk Road is a massive infrastructure and economic development project launched by the Chinese government in 2013 that aims to revive the ancient Silk Road trade routes that connected Asia, Europe and Africa by creating a network of railways, highways, ports, and pipelines. Covering over 70 countries, it has sparked both enthusiasm and controversy, with proponents emphasising its potential to boost global trade and development, while critics express concerns about debt diplomacy and geopolitical influence associated with China's involvement. Simon will take you through the project and explain some of the strategic concerns for Western democracies and the impact it could have on the Far East and Pacific nations.

Title: FIVE EYES - THE MOST ENDURING SECURITY ALLIANCE YOU MAY NEVER HAVE HEARD OF (DESTINATION SPECIFIC)
Summary: The Five Eyes is an intelligence alliance comprising five English-speaking countries: the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Rooted in post-World War 2 cooperation, it is often seen as one of the most significant and enduring intelligence-sharing arrangements in the world. It has played a crucial role in various intelligence and counterterrorism efforts over the years. Join Simon as he discusses the fascinating history and impact that this global alliance has had on Western security.

Title: HOW DO YOU PILOT A SHIP THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL (DESTINATION SPECIFIC)
Summary: The Panama Canal ordinarily sees 6% of all global trade passing through it every year; ships sailing between the east and west coasts of the United States, which otherwise would be obliged to round Cape Horn in South America, shorten their voyage by about 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km) by using it. The Panama Canal Authority employs over 300 pilots; each ship moving between the two oceans will use 5 of them to expertly guide ships through the canal locks and lakes. Training to reach senior pilot can take close to 12 years of intensive training. Join Simon as he explains what it takes to become a pilot upon whom a cruise ship will rely on to get it in, through and out of the Canal without incident.

Title: SAFELY MANAGING CRUISE SHIP ACTIVITY IN THE DANGEROUS WATERS OF THE ANTARCTIC (DESTINATION SPECIFIC)
Summary: There has been growing concern about the increase in cruise ship traffic in the Antarctic seas; this brings both opportunities and challenges. On one hand, it allows more people to experience the beauty of Antarctica and raises awareness about the importance of preserving this unique environment. On the other hand, it raises concerns about the potential negative impacts on the delicate ecosystem, including pollution, disturbance to wildlife, and the risk of accidents (oil spills, groundings and sinking hundreds of miles from support). Join Simon as he explains the issues at play and the efforts being made by the international community to mitigate the risks.

Title: THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF ICELAND (DESTINATION SPECIFIC)
Summary: Join Simon as takes you through key aspects of Iceland’s strategic importance to the Western world. Sitting astride the Iceland-Faroes and Iceland-Greenland Gaps, desolate parts of the North Atlantic Ocean, Iceland has been of immense importance to the security of Western Europe since World War 2. It remains relevant in today’s security paradigm, with Russia significantly increasing its military footprint inside the Arctic Circle and deploying a resurgent submarine fleet to threaten Transatlantic trade. As a founding member of NATO despite having no military forces of its own and the gateway to the many riches of the Arctic, we ignore Iceland's security at our peril.

Title: THE SINKING OF HMS ROYAL OAK AT SCAPA FLOW - THE FIRST GREAT BRITISH NAVAL DISASTER OF WORLD WAR 2 (DESTINATION SPECIFIC)
Summary: In October 1939, the British battleship HMS ROYAL OAK was sunk at the Royal Navy’s Home Fleet (supposedly) fortress anchorage of Scapa Flow in Orkney by a torpedo attack from the German submarine U-47. Over 800 sailors lost their life when the ship sunk; it had a considerable effect on British wartime morale just two months into the start of World War 2. Simon will recount the story of this audacious attack and how, even today, each year the Royal Navy commemorate the fate of those who died in the service of their nation.

All presentations can be tailored for specific voyages, interests and/or passenger demographics and each last no longer than 35 minutes, with time then for questions. Strong use of visuals with modest use of embedded video, with content adjusted where the demographic (such as family-orientated voyages) requires some adjustment to mitigate potentially distressing content. Strategic presentations are explicitly the Presenter's own interpretations and views but are delivered in a neutral manner.

I have been an enrichment presenter for Celebrity Cruises since the Spring of 2023, completing three cruises thus far and additional ones in late autumn 2024. I have also conducted two cruises with Crystal Cruises in the Autumn of 2023 and one with Virgin Voyages in the Spring of 2024. In addition and for interest, I ran the (British) Royal Navy Public Presentation Team, speaking to multiple audiences across the UK. Ninety per cent of the presentations I offer and deliver I have lived and breathed so I have significant experience; for that reason, I don't use a script and many of the presentations feature photographs from these experiences.

My presentations all last about 30-35 minutes; I very much welcome/encourage audience questions during them and also offer an opportunity at the end. As the audience arrives, I generally show photographs of my life as they pertain to the presentation subject so they can see the lived experience. Sometimes, I also show a short lead in the video to help contextualise what they are about to see and hear; this often generates questions and comments even before the formal start.

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.