Ocean Atlantic

The 1986-built MV Ocean Atlantic cruise ship is an ice-strengthened expedition vessel designed for commercial cruise shipping operations in polar regions (Arctic and Antarctica). The vessel is owned by SunStone Ships Inc (USA) and until 2023 was operated under charter by the polar cruise travel company Albatros Expeditions (Copenhagen Denmark-based) specializing in Arctic and Antarctic voyages.

The vessel (IMO number 8325432) is currently Portugal-flagged (MMSI 255806400) and registered in Funchal Madeira. Previously, it was France-flagged (MMSI 538003028) and registered in Majuro/Marshall Islands.

The list of other Albatros-chartered ships also included Ocean Adventurer, Ocean Atlantic, Ocean Diamond, Ocean Endeavour (sistership), Sea Endurance, and the newbuilds (SunStone-owned sisterships) Ocean Victory (2020) and Ocean Albatros (2023).

Polar itineraries

Albatros Expeditions itineraries are in Arctic Europe (Svalbard Norway, Faroe Islands, Scotland), Arctic Canada (with Greenland and Iceland) and Antarctica (with Patagonia/Chilean Fjords and SGSSI-South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands).

In July 2022, Albatros Expeditions canceled the ship's entire Antarctic 2022-2023 schedule. The program included 9- to 21-day voyages visiting destinations in South Georgia the Falklands.

Ship history

The 230-passenger ship Ocean Atlantic was built in Szczecin Poland and launched as ferryboat. The initial owner was FESCO (abbrev "Far Eastern Shipping Company") based in Vladivostok Russia. In the period 1986-1988, the ferry operated a regularly scheduled service from Vladivostok to ports in Japan and South Korea.

The vessel was built in Szczecin Poland as a Ro-Ro ship (passenger and car ferry) ship "MS Konstantin Chernenko" for the USSR (Soviet Union / Russia) Black Sea Shipping Company. The ship was launched as the 7th / last in a series of all 7 "Dmitriy Shostakovich-class" ferries (project B-492/B-493). The list of sisterships includes Dmitriy Shostakovich (1980, scrapped 2016 as New Imperial Star), Georg Ots (1980, illegally scrapped in 2014), Lev Tolstoy (1981, scrapped in 2014 as Ocean Life), Konstantin Simonov (1982, now Ocean Endeavour), Mikhail Suslov (1982, scrapped in 2013 as Ocean Jewel of St Petersburg), Mikhail Sholokhov (1986, scrapped in 2011 as Phoenix) and Konstantin Chernenko (1986, now Ocean Atlantic).

Originally, each of these ferries was designed with max passenger capacity ~400, crew capacity ~170, powerplant with 4 marine diesel engines (model Sulzer-Skoda / combined power output 12,800 kW), propulsion (2 fixed propellers), max speed 20 knots (23 mph / 37 kph), 9 decks (6 passenger-accessible).

In 1989, the vessel was renamed to "MS Russ" and homeported in Stockholm Sweden for regularly scheduled ferry service between Stockholm and Riga Latvia. In the period 1995-1997, it was chartered to the "Pacific Cruise Company". During summer 2000 (as MS Russ"), the ship operated on the route between Odessa Ukraine and Haifa Israel (Black Sea - Eastern Mediterranean). In 2001, the ship operated on cruises between Russia and Japan.

In 2010, the vessel entered drydock in Italy for an extensive refit and refurbishment. It was rebuilt/transformed to a cruise ship and renamed "SC Atlantic". In the period 2010-2012, the ship operated on Baltic Sea cruises leaving from homeport St Petersburg Russia. Itinerary's ports of call were Helsinki Finland, Stockholm, and Tallinn Estonia.

In July 2012, the vessel was sold to the Miami-based company "International Shipping Partners Inc" and renamed "MS Ocean Atlantic". In July it arrived and remained docked in Gdynia (Gdansk) Poland until 2013. In the period 2015-2017, the cruise ship was homeported in Helsingborg Sweden. Following the 2017 refurbishment in Gdansk, the ship was chartered by Quark Expeditions (Seattle USA-based polar cruise travel company).

Ocean Atlantic's max passenger capacity is 198, but when chartered by Quark Expeditions, its capacity is reduced to 132. This expedition ship has an ice-strengthened hull (ice class 1B) and is powered by four marine diesel engines (total power output 14400 kW). The ship has a fleet of 8 lifeboats (fully enclosed) and 20 Zodiacs (large-capacity inflatable boats used for landings and coastal cruising). The vessel has two stabilizers: (Electrofin SR-4). Its draft is 19 ft (6 m) allowing access to remote islands and unique coastal destinations. Ship-to-shore communications are via Inmarsat Capsat Fleet 77 (satellite phone and Internet).

Decks and Cabins

All Ocean Atlantic staterooms are oceanview/outside (either with portholes or picture windows) and as sizes range between 11 m2 and 35 m2 (120-375 ft2). Cabin amenities include an en-suite bathroom, hairdryer, bathrobes, bath products (shower gel, shampoo, soap), LCDTV, electronic safe box (in the closet), individual climate control, standard European 2-pin plugs (220 V).

The largest accommodations are the Premium Suites (2-room suites on Marco Polo Deck 5). Other cabin grades are Category A (Marco Polo Deck 5), Category B (Magellan Deck 7 and Hudson Deck 8), Category C (Columbus Deck 4 and Marco Polo Deck 5) and Category D (porthole, Columbus Deck 4).

The boat has 9 decks, of which 6 are passenger-accessible and 3 with cabins.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

MS Ocean Atlantic has 3 lounges, 2 professionally-staffed bars, Fitness (modern Gym), Library (well-stocked with polar books and DVDs), Polar Boutique (shop), Dining Room Restaurant (4-star international cuisine), Infirmary/Medical Centre (clinic run by a licensed physician), 2x lifts (elevators don't access all decks), Mud Room (used for wet gear storage), several lecture halls, observation platforms, Sauna Room, swimming pool.

All public areas on Erickson Deck (deck 6) are with large windows.

Quark cruise deals

Quark Expeditions cruise deals are inclusive of:

• 1-night pre-cruise hotel stay, group transfers (airport-hotel on the day prior departure, and hotel-ship on embarkation day)
• onboard accommodation (daily housekeeping service)
• all onboard meals (breakfasts, lunches, dinners) - know that the ship's galley/kitchen can't prepare kosher meals
• all Zodiac landings (daily, weather permitting) and Zodiac transfers and cruising (daily)
• media presentations by Expedition Team members and special guest lecturers
• waterproof expedition boots (onshore landings)
• complimentary Quark Expeditions logoed parka
• lifejackets and immersion suits
• complimentary coffee, tea and cocoa (24 / 7)
• hairdryer and bathrobe (in all cabins)
• pre-departure materials (including maps)
• all service taxes and port fees
• all onboard luggage handling
• emergency evacuation (medevac) insurance to a max benefit USD 100,000 pp
• Fly-cruise deals are inclusive of complimentary house wines (by the glass), beers and spirits on the ship, also of all gratuities (staff and crew) and all domestic flights (prior to embarkation).
• Shipboard laundry and Ironing services are available at additional cost.
• Ship-to-shore communications are via Inmarsat Capsat Fleet 77 (satellite phone and Internet) and cost extra.