Ortelius

Fortified for both poles of the planet, the ice-strengthened Ortelius is perfect for your Arctic or Antarctic expedition.

Ortelius was originally the “Marina Svetaeva”. Built in Gdynia, Poland in 1989, it served as a special-purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science. Later it was re-flagged and renamed after the Dutch/Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius (1527 – 1598), who in 1570 published the first modern world atlas. At that time his atlas was the most expensive book ever printed. Ortelius is classed by Lloyd’s Register in London and flies the Dutch flag.

The vessel has the highest ice-class notation (UL1, equivalent to 1A) and is therefore suitable to navigate in solid one-year sea ice as well as loose multi-year pack ice.

Though our voyages are primarily meant to offer our passengers an exploratory wildlife program with as much time ashore as possible, Ortelius offers all the comforts of a standard hotel ― along with a bar and lecture room. Flexibility assures maximum wildlife opportunities. As such, Ortelius carries 10 Zodiacs with 60hp Yamaha engines.

Please be aware that a small number of cabins may have a partially obstructed view due to the size of the windows and the design requirements of the ship. For example, some windows may be partly obstructed in the lower half by a gangway. The best view is always on the outer deck or the bridge.

♦ Cabins & Amenities

• All cabins with private facilities and ample storage space
• Hair dryer
• Flatscreen TV
• Electrical Supply: 220v, 60Hz (standard European with two thick round pins)

♦ Onboard Facilities

• Restaurant (one open seating)
• 24 hour beverage station (Tea, Coffee and water are available at no cost)
• Large open deck spaces, giving excellent opportunities to enjoy the scenery and wildlife
• Lecture Room
• Observation Lounge
• Bar
• Library
• Small ‘souvenir shop’
• Open Bridge
• Laundry services
• Clinic with licensed English-speaking doctor
• Ship-to-shore satellite communications

There is no passenger elevator between decks.

♦ Notes

• Single Supplement: 1,7x the Twin or Superior cabin rate.
• Request-Share Program: we match solo travelers of the same gender with other solo travelers who indicate they are willing to share. Cabin share is available in the following categories: Twin, Triple or Quadruple.
• Adventure Options: must be pre-booked and paid for prior to start of the trip. Ask for availability on each specific voyage (there are limited spaces). During our “Basecamp” departures all offered activities are free of charge (camping, kayaking, snowshoe/hiking, mountaineering, photo workshops as well as our standard included shore excursions and zodiac cruises).
• Mandatory Medical Evacuation & Repatriation Insurance: not included (US$100,000 per person for Antarctica voyages / US$50,000 for Arctic voyages / US$300,000 for Ross Sea voyages).
• Fuel Surcharge: it may be applied for all bookings if there is a substantial increase in fuel costs.