Ocean Explorer

The 2021-built MS Ocean Explorer cruise ship is an ice-strengthened (Polar Class 1A / PC6) expedition vessel owned by the Danish company SunStone Maritime Group (via its USA-based subsidiary SunStone Ships Inc). Until May 2023, she was operated under charter by Vantage Cruise Line (a subsidiary and brand of the Boston-based company Vantage Travel Service Inc, trading as “Vantage Deluxe World Travel”).

In 2023, Ocean Explorer was chartered by Aurora Expeditions (an Australian company founded in 1991 and specializing in polar expedition cruises). During the summer 2023 season, Ocean Explorer took over the Arctic schedule (Svalbard, Norway) of Greg Mortimer, which was drydocked after sustaining propeller damage in East Greenland. Ocean Explorer’s operations for Aurora Expeditions began on July 24, with roundtrip voyages from Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen Island (Svalbard Norway).

The vessel (IMO number 9883194) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311000869) and registered in Nassau.

In January 2024, SunStone confirmed that the charter agreement with Quark Expeditions for Ocean Adventurer would end in October 2024, with Ocean Explorer replacing her. The statement also noted that, after October 2024, Ocean Adventurer would be available for charter or sale.

Quark Expeditions subsequently signed a multi-year seasonal charter agreement with SunStone for Ocean Explorer to operate voyages to Antarctica and the European Arctic. Following the announcement, Quark opened bookings for Ocean Explorer’s Antarctica seasons (2024–2025 and 2025–2026/winter) and Arctic season (summer 2025).

Vantage Travel Service Inc's bankruptcy (2023)

In May 2023, the two Vantage Travel-chartered ships Ocean Explorer (May 29) and Ocean Odyssey (May 31) arrived and were permanently moored in Caen (France). Reportedly, the vessels were laid up by SunStone Ships Inc for approximately three months at the request of the charterer, which was experiencing financial difficulties. All scheduled voyages for both ships were canceled by Vantage Travel Service Inc.

On June 8, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office (led by Michelle Henry) filed a lawsuit against Vantage Travel, citing “deceptive and unfair business practices” and alleging that refunds owed to elderly customers were being withheld.

On June 20, Vantage Travel laid off all employees after quietly postponing all voyages through August 28. Reportedly, since January 1, 2020, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (led by Andrea Joy Campbell) had received a total of 1,120 consumer complaints about the company, including 478 filed in 2023 and 108 from Massachusetts residents.

On June 29, Vantage Travel Service Inc filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and entered into an agreement with United Travel Pte Ltd (owner of Nordic Hamburg Shipmanagement GmbH and the cruise brand Heritage Expeditions New Zealand) to sell its entire business.

Vantage Travel received court approval to promptly complete the sale through a supervised process. The company’s legal advisor was Casner & Edwards LLP, while Argus Management served as financial advisor.

On July 5, during a preliminary court hearing in Boston related to the bankruptcy filing, two potential bidders were revealed—Pacific Travel Partners Inc (a subsidiary of Aurora Expeditions Australia) and United Travel Pte Ltd. Both submitted offers including debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing.

On August 4, Pacific Travel Partners submitted a bid of USD 1.5 million in cash for Vantage Travel’s assets (excluding the full business), and on August 9 it won the auction. On August 22, Pacific Travel Partners officially acquired Vantage Travel’s assets, including intellectual property, customer lists, and prospecting data. The company also committed to honoring obligations to unsecured creditors, including Vantage clients who had prepaid for future travel services, by providing credits usable toward future voyages.

Note: Ocean Explorer departed Caen on July 13 (without passengers) and arrived in Stavanger Norway on July 16. On July 19, it was announced that the ship had been chartered by Aurora Expeditions.

Ship technology

As one of ULSTEIN’s INFINITY CX103-class vessels, Ocean Explorer has a maximum draft of 5.1 m (17 ft), a gross tonnage of 8,228 GT, and a maximum capacity of 162 passengers plus 99 crew and staff. She has 77 passenger cabins (including 15 single staterooms and 10 with portholes/without balconies) and 53 crew cabins. Crew facilities include a dedicated mess hall (bar lounge/dining room), gym, and laundry room.

The vessel is equipped with two rescue boats, two lifeboats (150 seats each, 300 total), four liferafts (50 seats each, 200 total), one passenger elevator, and one service elevator.

Ocean Explorer is the third vessel in a series of ten ULSTEIN CX103 (INFINITY-class) expedition ships, with sisterships Greg Mortimer (2019), Ocean Victory (2021), Sylvia Earle (2022), Ocean Odyssey (2022), Ocean Albatros (2022), and Douglas Mawson (2025). Four additional units were originally planned but later canceled and replaced by the new BOUNDLESS-class vessels.

The patented ULSTEIN X-BOW design is one of the defining features of this expedition ship series. The vessel is technically managed by Cruise Management International (a Miami-based passenger vessel and fleet management company), while CMI Leisure Miami handles hotel operations.

The interior design for the entire SunStone-owned CX103 series was contracted to the Weston, Florida-based company Tomas Tillberg Design.

With the highest ice class for passenger vessels (1A / Polar Class 6), MS Ocean Explorer has icebreaking capability through ice up to 1 m (3 ft) thick and complies with the latest Polar Code requirements, offering enhanced safety and environmental protection.

The major advantage of the patented ULSTEIN X-BOW design is improved seakeeping and stability compared to traditional bow designs. X-BOW vessels experience reduced vertical motion in heavy seas, maintain higher average speeds, and achieve lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions.

The ship is equipped with advanced propulsion and safe-return-to-port systems, as well as dynamic positioning technology supplied by Kongsberg Maritime. These computer-controlled systems maintain position automatically via three propulsion units—one Brunvoll bow thruster (880 kW) and two Scania fixed-pitch propellers—supported by two zero-speed retractable stabilizers (Rolls-Royce Aquarius). This configuration allows stable station-keeping during Zodiac operations without the use of anchors. The power plant consists of four Wartsila diesel engines (1.08 MW each, total output 4.32 MW) and four auxiliary engines supplied by Ingeteam.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

The newbuild expedition vessel features three bars and extensive outdoor observation areas, including a forward Observation Deck fitted with two hydraulic platforms and two viewing platforms. A stern marina platform supports the ship’s kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving programs. The vessel carries a fleet of 20 large-capacity Zodiac RIB boats for landings and tender operations. The aft Zodiac loading platform is a new-generation design that enables faster and safer boarding.

The Sun Deck (top deck, forward) is furnished with premium outdoor furniture (sofas, armchairs, and sun loungers) and is used for relaxation and wildlife viewing. At the bow of the top deck is the Observation Lounge & Bar, which also serves as a meeting room, lecture hall, and show lounge for live performances. Midship is the funnel structure with four exhaust stacks.

Additional facilities include a Medical Centre (Infirmary), Change Room (Mudroom), Bar Lounge (lecture theater and cinema on Deck 5 forward), Dining Room Restaurant with a hot-rock cooking station, Ship Shop, Lobby with Reception Desk, Library (200+ books), Art Room, and a Wellness Centre featuring a gym, spa, sauna, massage treatment rooms, and hair studio. Outdoor amenities include a Lower Sun Deck (Deck 7 aft, with lifeboats and liferafts) and an Upper Sun Deck (Deck 8 midship) with sunbathing area, swimming pool (infinity pool), and two Jacuzzies.

Four Zodiac docks (two on each side, at sea-level hull access) serve as launch platforms.

Complimentary and unlimited WiFi is available onboard. The expedition team (5–17 certified specialists) delivers themed lectures throughout each voyage. Live music, cultural events, and alcoholic beverages served with dinner (beer and wine by the glass) are also included.

Decks and Cabins

Ocean Explorer staterooms (77 total, including 15 single-occupancy cabins and 10 without balconies) accommodate a maximum passenger capacity of 162. Most cabins (around 80%, excluding only Deck 3 cabins with portholes) feature private step-out balconies accessed via floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors. Each balcony is furnished with a small table and two deck chairs. Approximately 60% of cabins can be booked for triple occupancy, accommodating a third guest on a pull-out sofa bed.

The ship has 8 decks, of which six are passenger-accessible and four contain cabins.

Suites are offered in three categories—CS (Captain’s Suite), JS (Junior Suite), and BS (Balcony Suite). These are the largest accommodations onboard, featuring double-size balconies and additional services such as in-room dining, including continental breakfast served on the balcony.

Each stateroom includes a private full-size bathroom with shower/WC, hairdryer, and premium bath amenities. There are 20 pairs of connecting balcony cabins that can be combined into family staterooms accommodating up to six guests. The ship does not have wheelchair-accessible cabins suitable for passengers with disabilities.

Standard cabin amenities include hotel beds (king-size or two twin beds, 200 x 160 cm, with ample under-bed storage), a sleeping couch (sofa bed), bedside cabinets, mirrored vanity (writing desk/dressing table) with chair, built-in dressers with drawers, minibar/refrigerator, 42-inch smart HDTV (local and satellite reception), telephone (onboard use only), digital clock/alarm, seating area (small table with one or two armchairs), spacious wardrobe (with hangers, drawers, and electronic safe), individual climate control, and a medical emergency call button.

Quark Expeditions Itineraries (2024-2025) South America

Under charter to Quark Expeditions, Ocean Explorer (replacing Ocean Adventurer) was scheduled to begin South America and Antarctica voyages on November 4, 2024, with her inaugural Quark cruise operating roundtrip from homeport Ushuaia Argentina.

The 20-day Antarctic itineraries visit destinations in Antarctica (Antarctic Peninsula), as well as the UK territories of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, with landings at locations such as Port Stanley/East Falkland Island, the South Shetland Islands, Elephant Island, South Orkney Islands, and Anvers Island.

Itineraries

Listed below are Ocean Explorer’s inaugural cruise itineraries announced in May 2019 for the 2021 season:

• Across the Indian Ocean: India and the Best of the Emirates
• Around the Arabian Peninsula: Dubai, Oman, Egypt, Jordan and Israel
• The Beauty of the British Isles
• East Asia Adventure: Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Beyond
• Eastern Mediterranean Crossing: The Holy Land, Greek Islands, Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt and the Suez Canal
• Essential Asia: Hong Kong to Singapore
• Jewels of Scandinavia and the Baltics
• Lisbon to London: A Coastal Odyssey
• Mediterranean Delights: Greece, Italy, France, Monaco and Spain
• Pearls of Northern Europe and the North Sea
• Spain and the Portuguese Coast: A Cruise Around Iberia

For the 2021–2022 season, Vantage Travel offered 15 itineraries, four of which included Flynn Cruiseport Boston (Massachusetts USA).

• “Autumn in New England and Canada” from Montreal (Quebec Canada) to Boston MA
• “Charting the Eastern Seaboard: Colonial America and Cultural Capitals” from Boston to Nassau (Bahamas)
• “Canada’s Spring Awakening” from Boston to Montreal
• “From the Amazon to the Americas” – repositioning from Callao-Lima (Peru) to Boston
• “Final Frontiers: Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands”
• “Deep into the Amazon: Brazil, Colombia and Peru”
• “Arctic Adventure: Iceland, Greenland, and Beyond”