Aurora Expeditions

Aurora Expeditions (AuroraExpeditions.com) is a polar cruise company and travel brand, and one of the industry's small cruise lines.

Aurora Expeditions is an Australia-based company (headquartered in Sydney NSW) established in 1991 by Greg Mortimer and his wife Margaret.

The company's current CEO (Chief Executive Officer) is Michael Heath. Its CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) is Greg Cormier, who in 2024 succeeded Hayley Peacock-Gower.

Company History and Changes

Aurora Expeditions' founder Greg Mortimer (1952-born) is a mountaineer who, together with Tim Macartney-Snape (1956-born), successfully climbed Mount Everest, reaching the summit on October 3, 1984). Being the first Australians who successfully climbed Everest, they are also among the few who did it without supplementary oxygen. In 1975, Tim Macartney-Snape founded the adventure travel company Australian Himalayan Expeditions (now World Expeditions).

In 1983, Greg Mortimer became the first to climb the Annapurna Mountain (by its south face). In 1988, he became the first Australian to climb Vinson Massif (Antarctica's highest peak, within the Ellsworth Mountains' Sentinel Range), and the first to climb Mount Minto (Admiralty Range, Victoria Land, Antarctica). In 1990, he, together with Greg Child (1957-born) became the first Australians to climb K2 (the Earth's second-highest mountain, after Everest). In 1994, Greg Mortimer climbed the Chongtar Kangri (in China's Xinjiang region, on the border with Pakistan), at the time the world's highest unclimbed peak.

Aurora Expeditions specializes in small group travel, focusing mainly on cruises to Antarctica (Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctic Circle, Weddell Sea (Elephant Island), Ross Sea and East Antarctica), New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands (Snares Islands, Auckland Island, Campbell Island, Stewart Island, Ulva Island, Antipodes Islands, Bounty Islands), the Chilean Fjords/Patagonia, and the British overseas territories South Georgia (South Sandwich Islands) and Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas.

Besides the sea cruises, the company also provides professionally guided land tours themed on wildlife watching, hiking, trekking, climbing, skiing, snowboarding, paddling, snorkelling and scuba diving, camping, and Zodiac boating (shoreside cruises).

Aurora's first Antarctic expedition was in 1992, and its first Arctic expedition in 1997.

In 2019, Aurora's first newbuild vessel, Greg Mortimer (132 passengers, 79 cabins), was named after the company's founder.

In 2022, the fleet joined the sistership Sylvia Earle (132 passengers, 71 cabins).

In 2025, the fleetmates joined Douglas Mawson (154 passengers, 86 cabins).

Before the long-term chartered fleet of China-built newbuilds, Aurora Expeditions seasonally chartered the ships Polar Pioneer (1982-built, for 5 years, in the period 2016-2021), and for short periods operated Ocean Explorer (2021-built) and Ocean Odyssey (2022-built).

Aurora's new ships were constructed by China Merchants Heavy Industry/CMHI at its Haimen Shipyard (Jiangsu China).

All Aurora Expeditions ships are owned by SunStone Maritime Group AS (via its subsidiary SunStone Ships Inc) and operated under exclusive long-term charters by Aurora Expeditions. The vessels are currently Bahamas-flagged and registered in Nassau.

Post-COVID changes (2023)

In 2023, Aurora Expeditions upgraded shipboard connectivity (on Greg Mortimer and Sylvia Earle) with SpaceX's Starlink Internet. The high-speed connectivity is complimentary (accessible free of charge) and provided in all cabins and public areas fleetwide.

In August 2023, Aurora Expeditions' subsidiary Pacific Travel Partners acquired the assets of Vantage Deluxe Travel, following Vantage's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, which placed its assets under court jurisdiction. Pacific Travel Partners' acquisition was limited to the assets and didn't involve taking over Vantage's entire business or retaining the previous management. Pacific Travel Partners committed to honoring the obligations owed to unsecured creditors, including clients who had paid for travel services they hadn't yet received. These clients were provided with credits to be used towards future travel with Pacific Travel Partners. Following the acquisition, Pacific Travel Partners was renamed/rebranded to Vantage Explorations.

As of 2025, Aurora Expeditions' fleet consists of three full-time chartered ships - Greg Mortimer, Sylvia Earle, and Douglas Mawson.

Since 2024, on all polar voyages, the ship's max passenger capacity is limited to 130.

The company's shipboard teams serve specially curated enrichment programs led by expert guides and inclusive of pre- and post-land tour activities and shore excursions at each call port.

Departures to East Antarctica and the Ross Sea are from Hobart (Australia) and Dunedin (New Zealand).

In April 2024 was announced that MS Douglas Mawson will signal the company's return to East Antarctica after a 15-year hiatus. The itineraries included the "Mawson's Antarctica" itinerary (departing from Hobart) retracing Sir Douglas Mawson's historic Australasian Antarctic Expedition voyage (1911-1914).

Itineraries 2027

Aurora's 2027 Arctic and Beyond season groups 25 voyages scheduled for Greg Mortimer and Sylvia Earle. The itineraries, ranging between 8 and 16 days, visit some of the planets most remote waterways and coastlines - from the European Arctic to the tropics, calling at Svalbard Norway, Greenland, the Northwest Passage, Scotland UK, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Costa Rica, and Panama.

The program includes 15x polar expeditions (10x discovery voyages) and introduces new Special Edition sailings. Among these are three themed as "Polar Bears in the Changing Arctic" (in partnership with New Scientist Discovery Tours), "The Arctic Women's Expedition: Svalbard and Greenland", and "Iceland and East Greenland - Through the Lens Photography".

The Antarctic Women's Expedition itinerary (February 23 to March 4, 2027) would be led by an all-female expedition team and was designed for female travelers seeking a shared exploration experience. The 10-day voyage will begin in Punta Arenas (Chile) with participants flying to King George Island to embark Sylvia Earle.

Aurora's Discovery program is expanded with multiple departures from Scotland, Costa Rica, Iceland, and also with combined Scotland and Norway (B2B/back-to-back) itineraries. On all voyages will be available for booking 10x solo cabins, bookable without an additional single‑occupancy surcharge.

Itineraries 2026

Aurora's 2026 Arctic and Beyond program includes new voyages in Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean, the UK (British Isles, Scotland, Ireland) and along the Atlantic Coast. It marks the company's first-ever expeditions to these regions, complemented by the introduction of 10x solo cabins (no single supplement) on every sailing.

Season 2026 groups 42 departures and is highlighted by a Solar Eclipse cruise from Greenland ("Jewels of the Arctic" itinerary) and new expeditions to Indonesia and Borneo. The schedule also lists the new 7-day Costa Rica voyage.

In 2026, Aurora Expeditions introduces 10x solo cabins (per ship/per sailing) to accommodate the growing demand from single cruisers. The staterooms are offered for booking without a single supplement.

Signature itineraries part of the 2026 schedule include:

• (Sylvia Earle) Jewels of the Arctic (Solar Eclipse 2026): Oslo to Reykjavik, August 2nd-26th, 2026
• (Greg Mortimer) In the Wake of Wallace: Indonesia and Borneo: Bali to Singapore, October 8th - November 8th, 2026
• (Greg Mortimer) Historic Trails and Wilderness: Scotland, Faroes and Iceland: Aberdeen to Reykjavik, May 17th-29th, 2026
• (Sylvia Earle) Natural Treasures of Costa Rica: San Jose (roundtrip), April 23rd-29th, 2026
• (Douglas Mawson) Moor than a Myth: Marrakech to Barcelona: June 20th - July 2nd, 2026
• (Douglas Mawson) Luck of the Irish: Dublin (roundtrip): May 8th-26th, 2026
• (Douglas Mawson) Myths of the Mediterranean: Athens (Piraeus) to Naples: September 14th - October 1st, 2026

Itineraries 2025

Aurora's 2025 Arctic and Beyond schedule introduced 4 new voyages and 7 Ultimate Adventures. The itineraries cover diverse destinations, including Svalbard, the British Isles, Greenland and Iceland, and the Canadian Arctic (via the Northwest Passage).

In the Svalbard Archipelago, Aurora introduced charter flights from Oslo to Longyearbyen (Spitsbergen Island).

2025 season's highlights included:

• (Greg Mortimer) Spitsbergen: Realm of the Ice Bear, roundtrip from Oslo (June 16-23, 2025)
• (Sylvia Earle) Iceland's Westfjords and North Coast, roundtrip from Reykjavik Iceland, (July 28-August 5, 2025)
• (Sylvia Earle) Southern Greenland: On the Trail of the Vikings, from Reykjavik to Toronto Canada (August 4-17, 2025)
• (Sylvia Earle) Wild Landscapes of West Greenland, roundtrip from Toronto (August 15-29, 2025)

Aurora's new "Ultimate Adventures" are expanded (consecutive/B2B) voyages maximizing travel time and adding value savings. Examples in 2025 included the 20-day 'Wild Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland,' the 23-day 'Arctic Wonders: Iceland and Spitsbergen,' the 26-day 'Greenland in Depth,' and the 26-day 'Northern Isles: Scotland and Iceland.'

Antarctica itineraries 2023-2024

The company's 2023-2024 Antarctic and 2023 Arctic and British Isles programs (scheduled for Sylvia Earle and Greg Mortimer) featured 6 new itineraries, including the 9-day Antarctic Explorer Express (a shortened version of the Antarctic Explorer Voyage) and the 18-day Circle and Weddell Voyage.

Aurora's 2023 Arctic and British Isles voyages included 5 new itineraries - "Svalbard in Depth", "Iceland, Jan Mayen, and Svalbard", the "Complete Northwest Passage Voyage" (from West Greenland to Nome, Alaska), the "British Isles, an Ireland and Scotland Discovery Voyage" (the Hebrides, Orkney, Shetland Islands, and Ireland's west coast), the "Northern Lights Explorer".

2023-2024 Antarctic itineraries were titled

• (Greg Mortimer) "Falklands~Malvinas and Antarctic Peninsula" from Santiago de Chile to Ushuaia (Argentina) (Oct 22-Nov 6, 2023)
• (Sylvia Earle) "Antarctic Peninsula in Depth", roundtrip from Ushuaia (Nov 28-Dec 12, 2023)
• (Sylvia Earle) "South Georgia and Antarctic Odyssey" visiting the South Sandwich Islands, roundtrip from Ushuaia (Jan 19-Feb 11, 2024)
• (Sylvia Earle) "Antarctic Explorer Express" from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas (Chile) (Feb 10-18, 2024)
• (Sylvia Earle) "Deep Weddell Following Nordenskold", roundtrip from Ushuaia (March 24-April 6, 2024)
• (Sylvia Earle) "Circle and Weddell", roundtrip from Ushuaia (March 8-25, 2024)

Arctic and British Isles 2023 itineraries were titled:

• (Sylvia Earle) "Svalbard in Depth" roundtrip from Longyearbyen (June 26-July 10, 2023)
• (Sylvia Earle) "East Greenland Explorer" roundtrip from Reykjavik (Aug 15-28, 2023)
• (Sylvia Earle) "Iceland, Jan Mayen, and Svalbard" from Reykjavik to Longyearbyen (June 13-27, 2023)
• (Sylvia Earle) "Complete Northwest Passage" from Toronto (Canada) to Anchorage (Alaska) on (Aug 24-Sept 22, 2023)
• (Sylvia Earle) "Ireland and Scotland Discovery" from Dublin (Ireland) to Aberdeen (Scotland) (May 17-June 2, 2023)

Itineraries 2022-2023

Aurora Expeditions' 2023 Arctic and Global program (2022-2023 brochure) featured 7 new itineraries and a new region. It marked the brand's first visits to the Atlantic Islands (Cape Verde, Portugal's Azores, and Spain's Canary Islands), the Arctic Circle Voyage (from Scotland to Norway), the Northern Lights Explorer (Aurora Borealis-themed), and the Jewels of Coastal UK (Lundy Island, Cornwall, Wales' Pembrokeshire Islands).

Other destinations included North America (USA's Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, Mexico's Baja California/Sea of Cortez), Southeast Asia (Indonesia's Raja Ampat and West Papua), Northern Europe (Scotland and Ireland), Central America and the Caribbean (Costa Rica and the Panama Canal), Canada's Northwest Passage, the European Arctic (Norway and Greenland), and Russia's Kuril Islands and the Wrangel Island, in addition to the extensive Antarctic 2022-2023 season.

The season's highlights were the 9-day "Gulf of California" itinerary (Sea of Cortez) and the 13-day "Alaska Adventure" itinerary planned to visit Canada's Haida Gwaii Islands, Annette Island (Metlakatla Indian Community), Misty Fjords National Monument, Saint Lazaria Wilderness (St Lazaria Island).

Itineraries 2021-2022

The company's 2021-2022 program included new destinations and itineraries to the South Sandwich Islands, Antarctica, Costa Rica, and Ireland.

The itineraries were titled:

• (Sylvia Earle) 25-day South Georgia and Antarctica Odyssey (South Sandwich Islands)
• (Greg Mortimer) 7-day Guanacaste (Costa Rica)
• (Greg Mortimer) 13-day Ireland's West Coast
• (Sylvia Earle) 17-day Sub-Antarctic Safari
• (Sylvia Earle) 16-day Solar Eclipse in Antarctica

Itineraries 2020-2021

Aurora Expeditions' 2020-2021 season (based on Greg Mortimer) featured new itineraries and destinations, such as Iceland, West Greenland, Russia, Costa Rica.

The program's signature itineraries were titled: 12-day "East Greenland Explorer", 16-day "Franz Josef Land Explorer" (Barents Sea, Russian Arctic), 22-day "Solar Eclipse in Antarctica", 12-day "Costa Rica and the Panama Canal", 23-day "Antarctica Complete" (the Antarctic Circle and the South Georgia Island), 11-day "Iceland Circumnavigation", 11-day "West Greenland Explorer" (Ilulissat Icefjord).

Itineraries 2018-2019-2020

In March 2018 was announced Aurora Expeditions' inaugural 2019-2020 polar season of MS Greg Mortimer.

In July 2017, the company marked 25 years of small-ship expedition cruising in Antarctica, with 200+ Antarctic cruises completed since 1992. The Polar Pioneer ship's 18-day "25 Year Anniversary" voyage (to Antarctica and South Georgia) departed Ushuaia on December 27th, 2017, and on January 13th, 2018, ended in Valparaiso-Santiago de Chile.