Featuring cutting-edge design and technological advances, the launch sets a new benchmark in expedition cruising.

In a ceremony attended by senior management, key stakeholders and international media, Coral Expeditions christened its newest addition to its Australian fleet of expedition ships. Mrs Quek Peck Lim was named godmother of the new vessel and blessed her launch.

During the ceremony, Mark Fifield, group general manager at Coral Expeditions, commented: “It has been a rewarding journey from the initial conception of Coral Adventurer to now seeing her embark on open waters. The build process tracked ahead of schedule and on budget. We have stuck to our conviction of a true expedition product, with capacity limited to only 120 guests so we do not dilute the guest experience.”

Coral Adventurer sets a new standard in expedition cruising with its unique itineraries to the most remote areas in the world, as well as its ground-breaking design. Coral Expeditions and Vard shipyard have instilled more than 34 years’ experience in building and operating expedition ships in order to design Coral Adventurer, which features the latest technical advances.

Brisbaine-based design firm Arkhefield was responsible for the ship’s elegant and contemporary living spaces, all of which embody in their design the company’s Australian roots as well, as the exotic locations the ship will visit.

A guest observation lounge located in the bridge – a Coral Expeditions trademark – will allow passengers to immerse themselves in the navigation activity and interact with crew along the way. Meanwhile, the Barralong Room, a multi-purpose space created in partnership with the Australian Geographic Society, will host interpretive activities and projects that connect guests in an engaging format throughout their voyage experience.

The ship’s lightweight dual Xplorer expedition tenders, another trademark feature of all Coral Expeditions vessels, will extend the capabilities of the ship by allowing fast transit for all passengers with open views and deeper exploration on shore excursions. A small fleet of inflatable zodiacs allow for more intrepid exploration and personal experiences.

Coral Adventurer’s maiden voyage, In the Trail of Tasman, includes an 18-day expedition cruise through the Indonesian Archipelago. The action-packed itinerary retraces the historic explorations of Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, who was first to map the coastlines of New Zealand, New Guinea and Northern Australia in the 17th century.

Coral Expeditions’ senior master, Gary Wilson, added: “Our itineraries are like no other as the combination of expedition cruising in remote coastal waters, matched with our warm Australian hospitality and decades of expedition experience ensure guests enjoy pushing the boundaries and taking travellers even closer to places that haven’t been explored before.”

For more information, visit coralexpeditions.com