Aurora “first to market with this exciting new design”.
Aurora Expeditions managing director Robert Halfpenny has just announced the construction of the company’s first ever brand-new purpose-built expedition ship. The vessel will be built by US-based SunStone Ships Inc, and is scheduled for delivery in time for Aurora’s 2019/2020 Antarctic season.
The new ship will make the most of Aurora’s 25-year heritage of polar cruising, “offering unprecedented levels of safety and environmental protection, for operations not just in the high altitudes but across the planet”.
Halfpenny said “with the development of our purpose-built expedition ship, we stay true to our small-ship philosophy where the focus is on the experience and engagement with the environment, while at the same time providing the most comfortable form of travel in these challenging environments”.
“We are excited to be the first to market with this exciting new design…the patented X-Bow technology has the ability to pierce waves with much greater stability, making open sea journeys – like Antarctica’s notorious Drake Passage – more pleasant for passengers than what is currently available from other small ships on the market today”.
Halfpenny said the ship would offer a custom designed platform for divers and kayakers, a mud room for climbers and skier preparation and inflatable Zodiacs accessible via a dedicated sea-level Zodiac loading platform. Private bathrooms, balconies, a 180-degree indoor observation deck, gymnasium, sauna and spa will also feature.
Halfpenny said the new ship would complement Aurora’s existing fleet of vessels and destinations, with itineraries expected to be released later this year.
More details in today’s issue of Travel Daily and tomorrow’s Cruise Weekly.