by Jason Leppert
Last updated: 3:15 PM ET, Wed September 20, 2017
Adding to the ever growing list of upcoming expedition ship new-builds is Australia-based Coral Expeditions.
The line has signed a contract with Norwegian shipbuilder Vard to construct its fourth vessel for mid-2019. Another is expected to follow.
The 120-guest ship will be custom made for remote ocean sailings available only to smaller craft. Its 60 cabins will ensure an uncrowded environment.
The vessel will apply Coral Expeditions' 34 years of total expedition shipbuilding and operations experience and be Australian flagged and staffed. It will also benefit from Vard's own 70 years of rugged ship construction knowledge.
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Besides upholding high quality build standards, operational redundancy and environmental compliance, the ship will showcase a number of signature Coral Expeditions features:
- A pair of "Xplorer" tenders on hydraulic platforms for easy guest excursion embarkation and disembarkation sans steps or queues.
- A naturally-illuminated high-tech lecture lounge for daily expedition expert presentations and briefings.
- Host facilities for scientific research missions and regional exhibitors.
- Spacious public venues such as a dining room with seating for all guests.
- All outside staterooms, over half of which come with balconies.
- An open bridge policy as well as observation lounge overlooking the bridge.
- Several indoor and outdoor drink bars serving the likes of Australian wine.
The new ship will also display modern Australian decor with tropical Queensland-inspired colors and textures. Cabins will range in size from 183-square-foot staterooms to 463-square-foot suites. A gym and elevators, as well as active stabilizers for passenger comfort will also be onboard.
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It will embark on itineraries to the Kimberley region, Cape York and Arnhem Land (The Top of Australia), Papua New Guinea, the Spice Islands, Indonesia and the South Pacific. Reservations will open in October 2017.
The new ship comes at a time when demand is high for Coral Expeditions' small-scale destination-centric alternative to large vessel cruising. The company is considered Australia's longest running and most awarded expedition cruise line. It began with environmentally-conscious sailings along the Great Barrier Reef and has become a three ship fleet.
Coral Expeditions I and Coral Expeditions II are seagoing catamarans, and Coral Discoverer is the flagship. The brand is based in Cairns and travels to the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef, the Kimberley region, Cape York and Arnhem Land, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the Islands of the South Pacific, Tasmania and South East Asia.
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