New ships ready for adventure
Ponant’s Explorer ships’ multi-purpose marina
Although several high-profile ships that were due this year have been postponed, a handful of small, luxury-expedition ships have been delivered and are ready to set sail – as soon as international travel restrictions allow.
Ponant’s fifth Explorer ship, Le Bellot, was recently delivered to the French company and its sister ship Jacques Cartier, the sixth and final in the series, is on schedule for August 2020. The super-stylish Explorer ships all carry a maximum of 184 passengers and 112 bilingual French-English crew and are noted for their spectacular Blue Eye underwater viewing lounges.
Multi-functional marina platforms (pictured) are also new to the Explorers and are used as sundecks as well as the embarkation point for zodiacs and water-sports such as snorkelling, paddle-boarding and kayaking.
Local cruisers can book now for Le Bellot’s inaugural season in Australia. The elegant ship will sail a 12-night voyage from Melbourne to Fremantle, departing on March 27, 2021 and calling at a range of desirable destinations along the southern coast. Among the ports of call are King Island, Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln, Esperance and Albany.
“We have designed this close-to-home voyage, with exclusive and inclusive shore-excursions, to showcase the natural beauty and produce of the lands and marine environments that are part of our natural heritage,” said Monique Ponfoort, vice president of Ponant Asia Pacific.
Other newly built small ships waiting in the wings include Hurtigruten’s 530-passenger MS Fridtjof Nansen, sister to 2019’s hybrid-powered MS Roald Amundsen. Both ships are scheduled to sail in Antarctica in 2020-21 and fares are discounted when booked by June 30, 2020.
Lindblad Expeditions’ 126-passenger National Geographic Endurance was ready to go in March, but the company has paused all its operations until the end of June 2020. According to Lindblad’s website, NG Endurance is making a 22-day South Antarctica voyage in October 2020.
Quark Expeditions’ Ultramarine, which will sport two twin-engine helicopters among other luxe-expedition features, has been floated out and is on schedule to head to the Arctic in May 2021. Ultramarine ramps up Quark’s renowned adventure options with activities such as heli-hiking, mountain biking and an ice-sheet experience.
Adventurous cruisers champing at the bit will have to wait a while longer before embarking on their dream voyage, but there’s much to look forward to once the world’s remote borders re-open.