M/V Ortelius is a UL1 / 1A steel hull ice-class vessel that offers expeditions to Polar regions. The ship was originally called the Marina Svetaeva and was built in Gdynia, Poland in 1989. The ship 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. The ship is classed by Lloyd’s Register in London and flies the Dutch flag.
The Ortelius is the perfect ship for any expedition, can accommodate up to 123 passengers, and has an abundance of open-deck spaces. It is manned by twenty-two highly experienced nautical crew members, nineteen hotel staff, eight expedition specialists including lecturer-guides, and one doctor.
The Ortelius voyages are intended to offer passengers an exploratory wildlife program with as much time ashore as possible, the ship offers all the comforts of a standard hotel, including a bar and lecture room. Flexibility assures maximum wildlife opportunities. The Ortelius is equipped with 10 Zodiacs with 60hp Yamaha engines to afford excellent opportunities to experience the polar wildlife. The ship offers expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic polar regions. The Antarctic expeditions include Ross Sea, Polar Circle Deep South voyages, Weddell Sea, and Antarctic Base Camp trips. The Arctic expeditions include voyages to North Spitsbergen polar bear trips, Northeast Greenland, and Scoresby Sund.
The ship offers quad share and triple share cabins, twin with porthole or windows, twin deluxe, and superior class cabins.
In the spirit of an expedition, dress on board is informal. Casual and comfortable clothing is recommended for all activities. Much of the scenery and wildlife can be appreciated from deck which can be slippery so shoes with no-slip soles are required. Passengers are reminded to keep a parka close at hand in case one of our crew shouts “Whales!” over the loudspeaker. Guests are reminded to be ready to dash outside in a moment’s notice for whale sightings. Guests are urged to opt for layers, as it is warm onboard the ship but often cold on deck.
Wildlife encountered includes fur seals, arctic fox, crabeater seals, Emperor penguins, king penguins, leopard seals, walrus, and wandering albatross.
Activities include basecamp, helicopter tours, kayak trips, mountaineering, hiking, photo workshops, and polar diving. For scuba divers, the crew will offer 1 or 2 dives per day (depending on weather and ice conditions) under shallow ice, down along walls, from the beach, or from a Zodiac. Divers reach a maximum depth of 20 meters (60 feet). Diving under Polar waters is like no other dive – the combination of water, sunlight, and ice formations creates an ever-shifting spectacle of colors. Divers are required to have at least thirty logged cold-water, dry-suit dives. Equipment required: dry suit with hood, warm underwater garments, dry gloves, two sets of freeze-protected regulators, pressure gauge, depth gauge, computer, and BCD.