M/V Ortelius is an excellent ice-strengthened expedition ship for voyages throughout the Arctic and Antarctica. Aqua-Firma's in-house polar team have guided and lectured onboard and know the ship in-depth. Ortelius was originally built in 1989 for the Russian Academy of Science, but has since been refurbished and renamed for Abraham Ortelius, a Dutch cartographer who in 1570 published the first modern world atlas of the World-which at that time was the most expensive book ever printed.

One of our favourite polar expedition ships carrying just 108 passengers, she has recently been refurbished throughout and offers modern, spacious and comfortable accommodations with expert natural history guides. Ortelius has a unique combination of being one of the smallest expeditionary ships with a high Lloyds 1A ice rated hull, giving her an advantage over other vessels. Her flexibility and strength facilitate exploration of some of the most challenging locations on the Planet; a broad portfolio offers everything from Classic Expedition cruises to exploring the very far north of Spitsbergen where she can sit comfortably in the pack ice, to Adventure Basecamp voyages where activities such as snow shoeing, kayaking, camping (Antarctica only) and photo workshops are included. On certain departures she carries 2 helicopters for exploring the Emperor Penguin colony in the Weddell Sea and for Antarctic Semi-Circumnavigation Voyages. Her heli-deck is otherwise used as open deck space for enjoying scenic views, and of course a weather-dependent BBQ in a remote corner of the planet.
 

Contact our Polar Team to discuss ship options

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PIC

She boasts plenty of open-deck spaces (including the bow) and a superb panoramic bridge which is accessible to passengers and a wonderful vantage point to stand beside the captain as he navigates through the ice. Onboard you will find her restaurant, which offers a mix of buffet-style and plated meals with open seating; spacious bar and lounge area with lots of windows and direct access to the observation decks; the lecture room has large screens, though you may find that many of your lectures take place in the lounge to make the most of the views as you sail; and plenty of outside deck space to enjoy uninterrupted views. Be sure to enjoy an early-morning coffee or late-night hot chocolate out on Deck 6 with only a few of your fellow passengers and guides around to really get a sense of the remoteness of the polar regions.

A considerable number of quadruple, triple and twin cabins offer attractive lower starting prices for our Polar voyages. Meanwhile, superior cabins offer greater space and more amenities for those seeking a higher standard of accommodation. All cabins are spacious outside cabins with a minimum of two portholes or windows per cabin and all offer en-suite bathroom facilities and ample storage space.

The Ortelius, though very comfortable does not have some of the additional facilities that some of the larger ships have (e.g. more than one dining room, sauna etc) but that is part of her charm – you can really focus on the place and experience alongside your expedition team. Her voyages aim to offer a quality exploratory wildlife program, with a first-class natural history team, endeavouring to spend as much time ashore as possible. She carries 11 zodiacs (60hp Yamaha - 9 of which are in use, while the remaining 2 are on reserve) for shore landings and cruises, allowing enough space for all 108 guests to be off-ship at the same time.

Client review:

"..the expedition team was first class, we enjoyed their insights, knowledge, lectures and personalities tremendously. The food!!!!…. All spectacular.  The Captain with his open bridge policy- a superlative experience- heavily influenced by the incredible staff on board. 

It was the trip of a lifetime, and I wouldn’t hesitate recommending it to anyone…. I will look no further than booking here again."   

C Pretorius (Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctic Peninsula Voyage)