VIDEO: Onboard the Greg Mortimer Ship

   December 8, 2019 ,   Cruise Industry

MS Greg Mortimer cruise ship is an ice-strengthened (polar class 1A / PC6) expedition vessel. The boat is owned by SunStone Ships (USA) and operated under charter by Aurora Expeditions (Australian company specializing in the Arctic and Antarctic cruise tour itineraries).

Greg Mortimer is the first in a series of ten "Ulstein CX103" design (Infinity-class) expedition vessels, with sisterships Ocean Victory (2020-Sept), Ocean Explorer (2021-Feb), Ocean Odyssey (2022-March), Ocean Discoverer (2022-Sept), Ocean Albatros (2022-Oct) plus 4 more (TBN) units. The patented ULSTEIN X-BOW design is one of the unusual for expedition ship features. The vessel also utilizes the latest technologies in naval engineering.

Ship's name honours Greg Mortimer (born 1952) - Aurora Expeditions company's co-founder (together with his wife Margaret Mortimer). He is best known as one of the first Australians to climb Mt Everest without oxygen (in October 1984).

With a combined delivery and naming ceremony, the vessel was christened on September 6, 2019 (at the Haimen Shipyard) but the official naming ceremony was held on October 31 in Ushuaia Argentina. The ceremony was led by godmother Margaret Mortimer (co-founder of Aurora Expeditions) and attended by officials from the shipowner (SunStone Ships Inc), CMI Leisure Management, Ulstein Group, VIP guests, as well as the cruise ship's crew and passengers on the current voyage.