Ocean Explorer
A modern polar expedition ship featuring the X-BOW® design, accommodating 138 guests in the Antarctic and Arctic, offering a smooth ride and every comfort on board.
The Ocean Explorer is part of the Infinity Class, built in 2021. With its forward-raked ULSTEIN X-BOW® bow, it cuts more smoothly through rough seas than conventionally built expedition ships, and its two-story library at the bow offers panoramic views of the ice through floor-to-ceiling triangular glass panels.
Continue reading
Four separate boarding points at sea level ensure that Zodiac landings are quick and orderly; with 15 Zodiacs on board for 138 guests, everyone can move from the ship into the wilderness without having to wait in line.
Inside the ship, you’ll find a main restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows, a lecture lounge that seats 160 people and features a large screen, the Latitude Bar, a two-story observation deck with a bistro on Deck 8, and a spa area with a sauna, fitness center, and two outdoor hot tubs at the stern.
Operating in Antarctica from November through March and in the Arctic from May through September. A ship that operates year-round in the polar regions.
Stephanie Gräf
Travel expert, inventia | Travel beyond the ordinary
Specialist in travel to the Arctic and Antarctic.
I am your contact person for questions and bookings relating to the Arctic and Antarctic, and I am delighted that you are one of the few people who are traveling to the ends of the earth.
You can reach me by phone or email:
+49 (0)201 858 90 960
welcome@inventia.de
Onboard amenities
- Main restaurant (355 m², 144 seats) with floor-to-ceiling windows
- Private dining room for up to 36 people
- Latitude Bar & Lounge (seats 46)
- Explorer Lecture Lounge (160 seats, large screen)
- Discovery Library, a two-story space in the X-BOW bow (140 m², 47 seats)
- Observation Lounge & Bar (Deck 8, 63 seats, panoramic windows)
- Observation Bistro (Deck 8, 44 seats)
- Tundra Spa & Sauna (15 people), Fitness Center (75 m²)
- Two outdoor hot tubs at the stern (Deck 7)
- Medical center offering 24/7 care provided by two doctors
- Polar Boutique on board
- 15 Zodiacs for landing operations, four boarding points at sea level
Included in every cabin:
- An expedition parka as a gift
- Reusable water bottles and expedition boots available for rent
- Your own locker in the Ready Room
- Air conditioning, refrigerator, safe, hair dryer
- USB charging stations, TV, and an onboard portal with a daily schedule
- Wi-Fi package included
- Underfloor heating in the bathroom
What we love about her
- ULSTEIN X-BOW® – The forward-raked bow minimizes vibration and noise, cutting more smoothly through rough seas than conventional expedition ships.
- Discovery Library at the Bow – A two-story library with floor-to-ceiling triangular glass panels right at the bow, your prime spot for viewing the ice.
- Four boarding points – Zodiacs launch directly at sea level, 15 boats on board for 138 guests, disembarkations without waiting in line.
- Ruhig und komfortabel – Geräumige und luxuriöse Kabinen sorgen für eine ruhige Atmosphäre ohne Lärmbelästigung durch benachbarte Kabinen
- Sustainable technology – fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines and a gasification system that converts onboard waste into energy – no waste transport, smaller environmental footprint.
- Spa and hot tubs at the stern – a sauna with a panoramic window, a fitness center, and two outdoor hot tubs, open in all weather conditions.
ship data
Key data:
- Type: Polar expedition ship
- Ship class: Infinity Class
- Year of manufacture: 2021
- Flag: Portugal
- Length: 104 .4 m
- Width: 18 .4 m
- Draught: 5 .3 m
- Propulsion: 4 × Wärtsilä engines, 5,600 kW
- Cruising speed: 16 .5 knots in open water
- Ice class: 1A , PC6 (Polar Class 6)
- Bow design: ULSTEIN X-BOW®
- Max. guests: 138
- Cabins: 72 (including 7 single-occupancy cabins)
- Crew: 105
- Zodiacs: 15
- Lifeboats: 2 (plus 25% reserve capacity)
sustainability
A modern polar research vessel with an active sustainability program.
A gasification system (MAGS) located inside the ship converts onboard waste into energy, so no waste leaves the ship. The fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce engines reduce fuel consumption and noise pollution in the sensitive polar waters.
The expedition team is a member of the IAATO (International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators) and the AECO (Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators), and therefore adheres to strict guidelines regarding minimum distances from wildlife, biosecurity, and maximum group sizes during landings.
Safety: Two ship's doctors are always on board, and the ship has 25% more lifesaving capacity than required by SOLAS regulations.
Reducing plastic waste: Straws and napkins provided only upon request; reusable water bottles for all guests; shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel in large containers instead of single-use packets.
Research on board: Scientists regularly travel on these voyages to study polar ecosystems. This helps build a long-term database to support conservation efforts.
Deck plans & cabin categories
Click on a cabin category for more details.
Studio Single
Outside cabin with porthole, approx. 15.4 m², double bed (can be converted from two single beds), desk, refrigerator, TV, infotainment system, bathroom with shower and heated floors, max. 1 person, for single occupancy only with no single supplement, Deck 3.
Studio Veranda Single
Outside cabin with floor-to-ceiling window and walk-in balcony, approx. 15.1 m², single bed, refrigerator, TV, infotainment system, bathroom with shower and heated floors, max. 1 person, for single occupancy only with no single supplement, Deck 7.
Deluxe Veranda Forward
Outside cabin with walk-in balcony at the bow, approx. 16.9 m², double bed (can be converted from two single beds), refrigerator, TV, infotainment system, bathroom with shower and heated floors, max. 2 guests, also suitable for single occupancy, Deck 4.
Porch Stateroom
Outside cabin with floor-to-ceiling window and walk-in balcony, approx. 19.3 m², double bed (can be converted from two single beds), separate seating area with two club chairs and a reading table, desk, refrigerator, TV, infotainment system, bathroom with shower and heated floors, max. 2 guests, also suitable for single occupancy, decks 4, 6, and 7.
Veranda Suite
Balcony suite with floor-to-ceiling windows and an accessible balcony, approx. 19.2 m², double bed (can be converted from two single beds), separate sitting area with a sofa bed, desk, refrigerator, TV, infotainment system, bathroom with shower and heated floors, max. 2 guests, also suitable for single occupancy, Decks 4 and 6.
Triple Suite
Balcony suite with two living areas and a double-width walk-out balcony, approx. 27.7 m², two single beds in the inner bedroom and a third bed in the outer seating area with a sofa bed and activity table, refrigerator, two TVs, infotainment system, bathroom with bathtub (with showerhead) and heated floors, max. 3 guests, Deck 6.
penthouse suite
Premium Balcony Suite with two living areas and a double-width walk-out balcony, approx. 25.0 m², double bed (can be converted from two single beds) in the inner bedroom, outer seating area with a sofa bed, direct access from both rooms, refrigerator, two TVs, infotainment system, bathroom with shower and heated floors, separate guest restroom in the seating area, max. 2 guests, also suitable for single occupancy, Deck 7.
Owner's Suite
Premium Top Suite with two living areas and a walk-in balcony three times the size of a standard balcony, approx. 41.2 sq. m., double bed (can be converted from two single beds) in the inner bedroom, outer living and dining area with a sofa bed, club chairs and a dining table for four, refrigerator, two TVs, infotainment system, two main bathrooms with bathtubs and heated floors, max. 2 guests, also suitable for single occupancy, Deck 7.
MS Ocean Explorer in front of a massive glacier
Ship in front of a massive glacier
MS Ocean Explorer Panorama: The ship among icebergs
Panorama featuring a ship among icebergs
The MS Ocean Explorer expedition ship, seen head-on against a backdrop of Antarctic snow-capped mountains
Expedition ship seen head-on against a backdrop of Antarctic snow-capped mountains
MS Ocean Explorer with a large iceberg in the foreground
Ship with a large iceberg in the foreground
A bird's-eye view of the MS Ocean Explorer X-Bow in the pack ice
Bird's-eye view of the X-Bow Bug in the pack ice
MS Ocean Explorer, head-on in drift ice with passengers
Ship collides head-on with drift ice while carrying passengers
MS Ocean Explorer Discovery Library Lounge Area
Discovery Library Lounge Area
MS Ocean Explorer: Two-story library with X-Bow glass panels
Two-story library with X-Bow glass panels
MS Ocean Explorer Lecture Lounge with Large Screen
Lecture Lounge with a Large Screen
MS Ocean Explorer Main Restaurant with round tables
Main restaurant with round tables
MS Ocean Explorer Latitude Bar with bar counter
Latitude Bar with a bar counter
MS Ocean Explorer Private Dining Room
Private dining room
MS Ocean Explorer Outdoor Hot Tub at Sunset
Outdoor hot tub at sunset
MS Ocean Explorer Sauna with Panoramic Window
Sauna with a panoramic window
MS Ocean Explorer Gym with Treadmills
Gym with treadmills
MS Ocean Explorer Studio Single Cabin
Studio Single Cabin
MS Ocean Explorer Studio with Veranda (Single)
Studio with a Veranda (One-Bedroom)
MS Ocean Explorer Veranda Stateroom
Veranda Stateroom
MS Ocean Explorer Deluxe Veranda Forward
Deluxe Veranda Forward
MS Ocean Explorer Veranda Suite
Veranda Suite
MS Ocean Explorer Junior Suite
Junior Suite
MS Ocean Explorer Triple Suite
Triple Suite
MS Ocean Explorer Penthouse Suite
Penthouse Suite
MS Ocean Explorer Owner's Suite
Owner's Suite
Traveling by ship
26.075 €
The Arctic during the solar eclipse
13.077 €
Antarctic Express – Southbound by sea & northbound by air
11.725 €
Antarctic Express – Flying south and sailing north
19.871 €
Northwest Passage – From Canada to Greenland | MS Ocean Explorer
20.906 €
Fly&Cruise Antarctic Express: Antarctic Circle | MS Ocean Explorer | MS World…
21.586 €
Entdecker und Könige: Falklandinseln, Südgeorgien und Antarktis | MS Ocean Explorer
10.341 €
Antarctic Explorer: Experience the 7th Continent | MS World Voyager...
15.636 €
Fly&Cruise Antarctica Express: Flight over the Drake Passage | MS World…
17.224 €
Penguin safari on South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula | MS World Voyager...
12.821 €
