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| Silver Endeavour, one of the world’s most luxurious expedition ships, embarks on Silversea’s first Antarctica voyage of the 2024/2025 season |
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| Albatros Expeditions Ocean Victory (file image) |
During the early hours of November 9th, 2024, MV Ocean Victory sustained damage from an unknown source, affecting the stabilizer system of the vessel and causing slight water ingress into void spaces on the vessel. This damage was sustained off the coast of the island of South Georgia in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Thankfully, nobody onboard has sustained any injuries from this incident, nor is there any immediate risk to the vessel or those onboard after our crew worked hard to minimize the impact of the damage. However, after a thorough initial assessment of the damage, the Captain and owners of MV Ocean Victory have taken the difficult decision to return immediately to port to make necessary repairs to the vessel. The safety of our guests, crew and vessels is our utmost priority. We are grateful to the guests onboard MV Ocean Victory for their understanding and patience during this difficult period and thank them for their continued support as we worked to return them and the vessel safely to South America.
Industry insiders are speculating about the future of the 56m, 32-passenger boutique vessel, which was to be managed by Ponant and championed by industry identity Sarina Bratton. Bratton was contacted for comment, but declined.
According to reports received by Expedition Cruising, Ponant sales reps contacted trade partners to advise that Ponant would no longer be marketing the vessel. Competing operators have also emailed their respective databases offering places to passengers displaced by the cancellations.
In a statement sent to ExpeditionCruising, Ponant Asia-Pacific CEO Deb Corbett said:Launched by now-defunct operator, Island Escape Cruises, the vessel was arrested in 2022 and later sold at auction. The Pearling dynasty, Paspaley, purchased the vessel for a reported A$5.5 million.
Have you been affected by these cancellations? Let us know
The cavalcade of enrichment that has always been part of the expedition experience is now further enhanced with dedicated photographers and videographers whose task it is to record the voyages for guests. Once upon a time, a camera was just thrown into the hands of an available crew member, but now we are seeing credentialled documentary artists produce broadcast and magazine-quality material as a permanent reminder for guests to keep as lasting mementoes of their life-changing vacations.
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| (c) Gennadiy Skorokhod/Swan Hellenic |
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| (c) Gennadiy Skorokhod/Swan Hellenic |
In a first for ExpeditionCruising.com, we are travelling aboard the gorgeous newbuild vessel, SH Diana, beginning in the exquisite Seychelles Islands and culminating in East Africa.
Read this story for further information on cruising New Zealand by small ship.
Hurtigruten’s feted Coastal Express itinerary, in which ships of this venerable Norwegian line ply a string of western coastal communities, has always seemed a misnomer because for an express it makes a lot of stops. It’s a mail and milk run in effect, disgorging goods and sometimes passengers at these isolated communities among the fjords. However, mostly the people are along for the ride on this spectacular coastline, the longest in Europe.
