The M/V Ortelius is the ice-strengthened and ideal polar vessel for your Antarctic expedition and is fortified for both world poles. The vessel has the highest ice-class notation (UL1, equivalent to 1A) and is therefor suitable to navigate in solid one-year sea ice as well as the loose multi-year pack ice. Ortelius only accommodates up to 108 passengers and has an abundance of open-deck spaces. It is manned by highly experienced nautical crew members and expedition specialists.
Though these voyages are primarily meant to offer passengers an exploratory wildlife program with as much time ashore as possible using Zodiacs, Ortelius offers all the comforts of a standard hotel.
The Ortelius ship was built in Gdynia, Poland in 1989. It served as a special-purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science but later was renamed for Dutch/Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius. In 1570 he published the world’s most expensive print book at the time, a modern world atlas: Theater of the World.
Unsure if the M/V Ortelius ship is right for you? Review our Antarctica destination overview for full details on seasonality, routes, ship selection, pricing, expedition inclusions and how North South Voyages can help make your Antarctic dream to reality.