| Geographer welcomed

CORAL Expeditions has welcomed its newest ship Coral Geographer, with her maiden trip embarking from Cairns y’day.

Geographer, sister to 2019’s Coral Adventurer (CW 26 Apr 2019) was welcomed to the fleet on Tue in an intimate dockside ceremony in the Far North Queensland city.

She features expansive open deck spaces, lounges and bars; and majority balcony staterooms & suites, featuring a collection of Indigenous Australian art.

Having arrived in mid-Mar, Geographer has undergone an extensive fit-out in preparation for her maiden voyage.

Purchasing Manager Gary Wun-Hym, the line’s longest-serving staff member, had just completed two decades of service, and so was given the honour of christening the Geographer with a bottle of champagne.

The arrival also brings good news to the Cairns tourism industry, with the employment of over 90 new ship and shoreside team members, and the injection of millions of dollars into the region’s economy through supply chain and visitation.

The maiden voyage departed yesterday, taking a small group to explore the eastern states.

Pictured: one of Geographer’s first-ever guests boards the ship.