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Opinions on new ship design - Greg Mortimer. Would you book this?


soraya
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I've been looking for a well priced cruise since we went to the Antarctic in 2009 with Silversea when we got a great 2 for 1 offer as it was their 1st season in Antarctica. Just seen another great deal BUT the ship is a really radical new design and a really odd shape.

 

Looking for some opinions - has anyone seen/booked it?

 

https://www.auroraexpeditions.com.au/ship/greg-mortimer

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The theory is that the X-Bow should lead to a more stable and smooth crossing for the Drake. However, there is some skepticism about the lack of bow viewing space. I've se n that there are hydraulic platforms that can be lowered on the sides of the bow, but I would expect them to get crowded during big moments.

 

I'm curious to start hearing some reports once she enters service. I would think that people who've never been might not miss the bow space quite as much as the dedicated bow bunnies.

 

Having been on a ship where the very front of the bow was closed off for operations, most of the time I didn't actually miss it (though there were a few moments when I was frustrated). But since I was back to full bow access on my last expedition, it really reminded me how much I loved it, and I was among the few who spent hours out there every day.

 

So personally, since I don't usually have seasickness issues, I would probably choose a different ship with better bow access, if I could find something else for the same ship size and price range. If I couldn't find an alternative, I would go for it and see what it's like! However, I would be nervous to book early in the first season in case of delays on delivery.

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I can't imagine not being able to get out on the bow. Some of our best times were there: going through the Lemaire Channel, watching a few Orcas teaching their young how to hunt seals, having a group photo and champaign celebration after crossing the Antarctic Circle, etc.

 

Those fancy viewing platforms are tiny.

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Thanks everyone - at 9000USD pp for an Antarctic circle crossing, it was v tempting! But, I'd like it to be delivered and trialed first! The bow isn't a deal breaker, but the technology being new in such an inhospitable place does bother me.

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For what it's worth, the X-bow technology isn't really all that new. The first ship to use it went into service in 2006, and since then it has been used in over 50 ships in various industries. They're actually becoming somewhat common in the North Sea.

 

I would be slightly worried about a new ship, simply because of the risk of delayed delivery or general teething issues, but the technology itself doesn't give me pause at all as it has been fairly well tested here in the northern regions.

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I went to the launch the other week that Greg himself attended.

 

It's not a vessel I would personally choose. Aside from the lack of bow there is also a huge lack of decent deck space. It's been designed for balcony cruisers who don't want to leave their luxury cabins.

 

Also agree with Kaisatsu. I would never pay a deposit on something still under construction. That goes for ships, apartment buildings - anything !

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Sooo, after one of those conversations with my spouse about novel design, wanting them tried and tested etc.

 

I drove past Aberden Harbour and there were 3 ships in port with this bow design. I couldn't believe it. In fact, there are quite a few here and they seem to have been adopted by the oil and gas industry as being much more stable in bad seas.

 

I understand that Lindblad have ordered one too.

I'l still wait a bit and see how the first passenger vessel does though.

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I suspect it's yet another example of 'form-over-function'. The designer thinks it looks smart, but it doesn't really work for the consumer.

 

This is not so much a "form over function" decision, but a decision on what function to emphasize. The owners, engineers and architects of this ship obviously made a decision that the "function" they wanted to emphasize was stability in rough seas. Read a little from a shipbuilder's perspective:

 

'While a traditional bow vessel rises on the waves and then drops violently onto the surface of the water, an X-BOW vessel, less subject to the vertical motions induced by the waves, continues on course more smoothly, while maintaining its speed. And because it uses less fuel to get through the waves, it also helps to save energy'

 

https://ulstein.com/innovations/x-bow

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  • 1 month later...

We booked a 10 day cruise in Svalbard for June 2020 so it goes without saying that the ship design doesn't concern us. The zodiac loading setup on the Mortimer seems to be well thought out & efficient. In theory, that should mean more time away from the ship and closer to the sites / wildlife.

 

Also, the price for Svalbard was about 40% of what we paid for a Silver Cloud Expedition cruise to Antartica earlier this year for the same class cabin and length of cruise. Granted, there is and should be a price difference between four & five star service levels .... but still, it's significant .... and eating six course meals every night was never the motivator for an expedition cruise.

 

Of course we are hoping the previously expressed concerns about the ship delivery don't materialize.

 

Hope to have the good fortune to see some of you on board.

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  • 1 year later...

A couple of months ago I recall reading (perhaps in the Cruise Industry news?) that the builder had orders for 10 of these Ulstein bow ships. The Mortimer will be the first to float, and since we have booked two back to backs for 2021 we have fingers crossed for a successful build and a timely sailing schedule.
The zodiac loading looks great and oh... that mudroom! How wonderful to have the ability to store your gear in lockers!

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On 5/9/2019 at 11:36 PM, maztoz said:

A couple of months ago I recall reading (perhaps in the Cruise Industry news?) that the builder had orders for 10 of these Ulstein bow ships. The Mortimer will be the first to float, and since we have booked two back to backs for 2021 we have fingers crossed for a successful build and a timely sailing schedule.
The zodiac loading looks great and oh... that mudroom! How wonderful to have the ability to store your gear in lockers!

Ulstein has had orders for over 100 X-bow ships since they went into production in 2006. They are certainly going to become more common in the cruise market, as there are currently pending builds for Nat Geo as well as a Chinese expedition charter.

 

having sailed more than once on the MS Expedition, I will certainly agree that a mushroom for gear storage and drying is a wonderful amenity for a polar expedition vessel!

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The new Ulstein X-Bow [Cross bow] has been used in over 100 small vessels in the offshore oil supply & research sector since 2006.  There are also ocean going tugs & some of the new expedition ships.

It's claimed major benifits are - Improved power efficiency because of a softer entry into waves.  Lower levels of noise & vibration in heavy seas.  Reduced bow impact & slaming.  More comfortable onboard conditions in heavy weather.  

Photos - 

Bourbon Mistral - Rig supply.

Oceanic Vega - Seismic.

ALP Keeper - Tug

Bourbon Mistral.jpg

Oceanic Vega - seismic.jpg

Tug ALP Keeper.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

More X-Bow sisters for Greg Mortimer.

Owners Sunstone Ships have ordered a seventh vessel of the Infinity class from the Chinese builders of Greg Mortimer.

Name & Delivery date -

Ocean Victory - 10/20 

Ocean Explorer - 1/21

Unnamed - 9/21

Ocean Odyssey - 3/22

Ocean Discoverer - 9/22

Ocean Albatros - 10/22

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hurtigruten have taken delivery of there new PC6 vessel Roald Amundsen abt. 21000 gt. 530 pax. 

With a new type of hybrid electric drive that is a first with batteries drive some of the time.

First sister ship Fridtjof Nansen in 2020 & another not named in 2021.

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  • 1 month later...

Scenic Eclipse a 22,498 gt yacht according to Scenic - has departed Croatia & called at Valletta & now at Gibraltar 4 Aug. & on way to Reykjavik 15th Aug.  She is registered in one of the worst flag of conveinience countries in Europe - Malta.

 

World Explorer 9271 gt has departed Portugal where she was built & sails under the flag of Portugal.

Also on way to Reykjavik to start her first cruise

Scenic Eclipse 2019-8.jpg

World Explorer 2019-8.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

Oh my. Apologies to those who like it, but I find the silhouette really bad-looking, although I can appreciate that it's probably efficient at sea.

I wouldn't mind as much if it had some decent outside spaces, but I find them really lacking for my taste.

Looking forward to have the first trip reports to see if that is really an issue.

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2 hours ago, SarniaLo said:

Oh my. Apologies to those who like it, but I find the silhouette really bad-looking, although I can appreciate that it's probably efficient at sea.

I wouldn't mind as much if it had some decent outside spaces, but I find them really lacking for my taste.

Looking forward to have the first trip reports to see if that is really an issue.

I would also miss having more space on the bow deck, but I'm curious to see how she holds up in the rough Drake crossings. If she performs as well as hoped, this could be a boon for people who are especially prone to seasickness. (Glad I don't have that issue!)

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  • 3 years later...
On 3/6/2018 at 12:51 PM, notjaded said:

 

This is not so much a "form over function" decision, but a decision on what function to emphasize. The owners, engineers and architects of this ship obviously made a decision that the "function" they wanted to emphasize was stability in rough seas. Read a little from a shipbuilder's perspective:

 

'While a traditional bow vessel rises on the waves and then drops violently onto the surface of the water, an X-BOW vessel, less subject to the vertical motions induced by the waves, continues on course more smoothly, while maintaining its speed. And because it uses less fuel to get through the waves, it also helps to save energy'

 

https://ulstein.com/innovations/x-bow

I find it amazing, that after thousands of years of building ships, ship hulls, and bows, that we are still learning to design radically different desgnes.  I would have expected that every hull designer understand the tradeoff on hull elements, and that the design would settle onto a particular designs. 

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