MV Coral Expeditions II

The 1985-built MV Coral Expeditions 2 cruise ship (fka “Coral Princess II”) is a catamaran operating in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef (Coral Sea, Australia). The vessel was constructed in Cairns, Queensland by NQEA Pty Ltd.

In 2025, after the termination of her charter with Coral Expeditions, the vessel (IMO number 8409240) was renamed “Nassau Agressor II” and reflagged to the Bahamas. Prior to this change, Coral Expeditions 2 was Australia-flagged (MMSI 503796000).

Until 2025, Coral Expeditions 2 was exclusively chartered to the Australia-based company and travel brand Coral Expeditions. Her itineraries featured coastal voyages around remote islands and pristine reefs inaccessible to day-trippers and larger vessels. The company's Great Barrier Reef programs operated between the Queensland homeports of Darwin and Cairns, each offering an in-depth experience of the diverse ecosystems within the UNESCO-listed marine park.

The catamaran design provides excellent stability in choppy seas, while her shallow draft (2.5 m / 8 ft) allows access to remote reef areas.

Coral Expeditions (formerly Coral Princess Cruises/fleet) was founded in 1984 by Captain Tony Briggs. The company’s first vessel was an ex-World War II Fairmile-class submarine chaser converted to accommodate 24 passengers on short overnight trips to the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns. All Coral Expeditions ships are Australia-flagged, Australia-based and crewed by Australians, making the company one of the few truly Australian cruise operators. Its areas of operation include New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Kimberley and Northern Australia, Tasmania and South Pacific destinations.

On December 15, 2014, Tony Briggs (Founder and Managing Director of Coral Princess Cruises Pty Ltd) announced that the Singapore-based Kallang Capital Holdings (part of PrimePartners Group Pte Ltd) had acquired a majority stake in the company.

In 2025, ownership changed again as Kallang Capital Holdings sold the vessel to a Cairns-based fishing company.

Shipboard facilities

Coral Expeditions 2 has 4 decks and 25 staterooms. The vessel underwent a major refit in 1996 after her acquisition by Coral Princess Cruises Australia (now Coral Expeditions), followed by another major refurbishment in 2015.

Coral Expeditions 2 is not a luxury vessel by contemporary cruising standards. Extensive use of teak creates a warm, traditional maritime atmosphere in the staterooms and dining room. The upper deck offers wraparound windows, while the Sun Deck—adjacent to the lounge—provides ample seating with tables and chairs. It may receive additional loungers in the future, as the small spa pool is expected to be removed during the next refurbishment. As an expedition-focused ship, she has no full-length cabin windows or balcony accommodations, though this is rarely an issue since passengers typically spend most of their time outdoors or ashore.