Coral Geographer

MS Coral Geographer cruise ship is the 5th fleetmate and the newest vessel (currently under construction) of the Australian cruise company Coral Expeditions. The boat is currently being built in Vietnam (VARD shipyard in Vaung Tau) and scheduled for delivery in 2020. In May 2019, the company decided to use its option for building a second (same-designed) vessel, sistership to Coral Adventurer (launched in March 2019).

History - construction and ownership

The travel company Coral Expeditions (formerly Coral Princess Cruises) was established in 1984 by Captain Tony Briggs. His first ship was an ex-World War II Fairmile-class submarine chaser. The vessel was converted to carry up to 24 passengers on short overnight trips to the Great Barrier Reef from company's base in Cairns Queensland.

All Coral Expeditions ships are Australia-flagged, Australia-based, and employ all-Australian crew. Coral Expeditions' regions of operation include New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Kimberley and Northern Australia, Tasmania and South Pacific Islands. The fleet also includes Coral Discoverer, and the two motorized catamarans (sister-ships by design) Coral Expeditions 1 (fka "Coral Princess I") and Coral Expeditions 2 (fka "Coral Princess II").

The ship Coral Geographer was designed for ocean cruising to more isolated and shallower tropical destinations. The boat conforms to the highest maritime standards for operational redundancy, build quality, environmental compliance and safety.

One of the unique features on this shallow-drafted ship (4,5 m / 15 ft) is its tendering system, allowing passenger tendering (embarkation or disembarkation) within just 20 min. Through hydraulic lifts, both tenders (aka Xplorer boats) are lifted out of the water, making boarding/deboarding operations more efficient, without the need of gangways, ramps or stairs.

The ship also has dedicated to scientific research facilities and equipment. It has active stabilizers reducing roll in different sea conditions.

Cruise itinerary program

MS Coral Geographer itinerary program is based on Asia-Pacific cruises to Kimberley region, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and South Pacific Islands.

Coral Expeditions itineraries feature cruises around deserted islands and pristine reefs in destinations not popular for day trippers and large liners. Company's Great Barrier Reef (Coral Sea) itineraries depart from the Queensland ports Darwin to Cairns.

Cabins

Coral Geographer has only outside passenger staterooms (60), over 50% of which are with private balconies. Each cabin is fitted with en-suite bathroom. Staterooms as sizes range from 17 m2 (183 ft2 / on Promenade Deck 4, with large windows) to Balcony Suites of 56 m2 (600 ft2). Balcony staterooms are sized 22 m2 / 230 ft2.

Suite cabins are with outside-facing bathrooms. Both Suites (named after the Australian port cities Cairns and Darwin) are elegant, with a separate lounge area, in-cabin coffee machine and minibar. Each suite has an 8 m2 (85 ft2) private balcony. The sleeping area is furnished with a King-size bed convertible to 2 twins.

The Captain’s cabin is located forward on Deck 6, adjacent to the Wheelhouse/Bridge Observation Lounge.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The full-capacity, single-seating dining room restaurant is furnished with communal "wine table" topped with Australian stone. The restaurant serves buffet breakfast and lunch, along with multi-course table d’hote dinners. The showcase galley visible to passengers allows for fresh small-batch cuisine with Australian produce and local ingredients. Dietary requirements or restrictions are catered to with 2 weeks notice. The wine list is an abbreviated selection which reflects the variety of Australian wine. Australian and New Zealand spirits are also offered, including barrels of slowly ageing Tasmanian single-malt whisky.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The cruise ship features Australian (Queensland) themed interior and more than 1000 m2 of open deck space with wrap-around promenade deck. A couple of trademarked "Xplorer" tenders are located in the back of the vessel and seat all passengers (tendering capacity 60 seats each) to facilitate comfortable transportation between the ship and land. Six Zodiacs (large-capacity motorized boats) are used for landings and close to shore excursions.

An onboard reference library and a lecture lounge with multimedia capabilities are used for daily port talks, tour briefings and media presentations led by Coral Expeditions experts. The ship is operated with the traditional for smaller cruise vessels open bridge policy allowing passengers to visit the Wheelhouse (on Deck 5) and communicate with the officers on duty. The Observation Lounge (Deck 6) overlooks the Wheelhouse. Indoor and outdoor bars serve wines, beers, drinks. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available in all cabins and public areas.