A Note from Martin Johnson, the Chairman of ECN

#expeditioncruising .

As 2023 draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the year and looking ahead to the next. Setting up the Expedition Cruise Network with Akvile has been an incredible privilege this year, and the response from both expedition cruise operators and our travel trade members has been overwhelming. While you always strive to ensure you've done as much due diligence as possible to launch a new venture with some certainty, I don't think either of us could have predicted the incredible position we’d find ourselves in by the end of this year, just over 9 months since our official launch.

Hurtigruten's MS Maud strikes trouble in the North Sea

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MS Maud (file image)

Expedition Cruising is not without its risks and Hurtigruten's MS Maud, (formerly MS Midnatsol) struck trouble on a recent voyage when it struck a fierce North Sea storm approximately 200 miles east of the UK and 120 miles west of Denmark

Catlante orders new catamarans

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Catlante Catamarans, which former Ponant executive Hervé Bellaïche now helms as president and CEO, ordered two new-design vessels.

The Catlante 560 series, to be built at the Normandy Yacht Service shipyard in Caen, France, are scheduled for delivery Oct. 15, 2024 and March 15, 2025.

The vessels, which will sail in the Caribbean in winter and the Mediterranean in summer, are available to book by the cabin and for private charter.

Read full report at Seatrade Cruise News

Reach the Arctic Before Any Other Ship in 2025 with Le Commandant Charcot

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Luxury expedition line, PONANT, launches sales aboard world-only luxury icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot to the Baffin Sea for Arctic summer 2025, where being alone on the edge of the world is a promise. PONANT embraces its spirit of innovation by embarking on its inaugural voyage on 6 March 2025, sailing ahead of any other ship. Offering 13 departures over 7 varied itineraries, including 2 new routes to explore the Great North.

Signature Luxury Travel & Style awards World’s Best Expedition Ships

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The winners of the highly anticipated 2023 Luxury Cruise Awards have been revealed by premium travel magazine, Signature Luxury Travel & Style.

Albatros Expeditions' Ocean Victory and the Ocean Albatros Unite in Antarctica

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Copenhagen, Denmark – Albatros Expeditions, a pioneer in polar exploration, has achieved a  historic milestone with both of its cutting-edge vessels, the Ocean Victory and the Ocean  Albatros, meeting for the first time at 65.067°S 64.027°W in the iconic Lemaire Channel in  Antarctica on the morning of 11 December. 

Paul Gauguin Cruises 2025 Moana Explorer Program Voyages

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Paul Gauguin Cruises, the award-winning luxury line renowned for its artfully authentic explorations of French Polynesia and the South Pacific, has announced its 2025 Moana Explorer Program voyages for younger guests aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin on 11 dedicated summer and holiday sailings.

[video] MS Caledonian Sky welcomed to Captain Cook Cruises Fiji fleet

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In an official ceremony held in Fiji last week, Captain Cook Cruises welcomed the luxury small ship MS Caledonian Sky to its fleet. 

Viking embarks on third Antarctic season

New 87-Day Expedition from the Arctic to Antarctic Announced for 2025

Viking® (www.viking.com) is celebrating the start of its third expedition season in Antarctica, as the Viking Octantis® and her identical sister ship, the Viking Polaris® have arrived again in the region. Both ships will spend the Austral summer in Antarctica before returning to North America's Great Lakes for voyages throughout the spring, summer and early fall.

Oceanwide celebrates 30 years of expedition cruising

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Today marks the 30th anniversary of Oceanwide Expeditions. Starting with a humble three-masted herring lugger, Oceanwide has expanded into a four-vessel fleet offering voyages in multiple destinations across the Arctic, Antarctica, and the sub-Antarctic islands.