First ever ship to be christened in South Georgia: Welcome Ocean Victory
Albatros Expeditions celebrates the first ship ever to be christened in the archipelago of South Georgia, simultaneously reaching new environmental standards for the industry.
December, 2021, Copenhagen – In striving for pioneering goals, the Scandinavian boutique expedition cruise operator Albatros Expeditions, christened the Ocean Victory in South Georgia on its maiden voyage on 1 December 2021, with the occasion setting simultaneous records in navigation history. The ship was chasing the world’s single full solar eclipse of 2021, which could only be seen from Antarctica and took place in the early hours of 4 December 2021.
The ship was christened by Elise Grøndahl, Albatros Expeditions’ head of operations and product, in an environmentally friendly way, replacing the traditional bottle of champagne with a block of ice. According to Elise Grondahl; “I’m proud to be part of the team starting up the season on this magnificent new vessel. Before its first sailing it was already awarded with a gold Travel Weekly Magellan Award in the category ‘Cruise – Overall-Eco-Friendly Green Cruise Ship’”. Albatros Expeditions president Hans Lagerweij stated: “We choose for this event to happen in South Georgia, because of our great love for this unique place. We enthusiastically support The South Georgia Heritage Trust and are helping with the establishment of the sculpture “Commensalis – the Spirit Tables of South Georgia” at the old Grytviken Whaling Station. It tells the powerful story of an eco-system in recovery”. Laura Sinclair Willis, Chief Executive of the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands added “We are delighted that Albatros Expeditions chose South Georgia for such a momentous occasion”.
Albatros Expeditions also launched its new 2023/2024 Antarctica season, with a new record number of visits to South Georgia in the company’s history. Albatros Expeditions chairman and owner Søren Rasmussen commented: “At Albatros we are always looking for the most unique and inspiring destinations around the world. The growth in interest we have seen in the immense nature of South Georgia is reflected in our new product range. We are proud to explore more of these magnificent islands in the future with the Ocean Victory and the Ocean Albatros, both with the lowest environmental impact in the industry”.
About Ocean Victory – Ocean Victory is 104 metres long, 18 metres wide, and features 93 large staterooms and suites. The vessel is part of a brand-new generation of low-energy vessels and is of the highest Ice Class 1A, Polar Code 6. It has been built with Safe Return to Port, Dynamic Positioning and Zero Speed Stabilisers. The vessel showcases the X-Bow® by Ulstein Design & Solutions. The interior design has Nordic touches as well as environmentally friendly amenities in all staterooms. The Ocean Victory won a Gold Travel Weekly Magellan Award in the category ‘Cruise – Overall-Eco-Friendly Green Cruise Ship’, and a Silver Travel Weekly Magellan Award in the category ‘Cruise Elements – Premium Ship-Pool Design’.
For more information, please visit www.albatros-expeditions.com
About Albatros Travel Group – From its humble beginnings of providing African safaris to adventurous Danes since 1985, Albatros Travel has established offices and operations on three continents. Its core business remains outbound travel from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Poland, however, inbound operations and specialised offerings such as Arctic cruises since 1996, safari experiences, and internationally renowned marathon events such as the Great Wall Marathon and the Polar Circle Marathon, have all securely placed Albatros Travel on the global scene. Albatros is also the leader in Greenland travel, offering the largest selection of cruises, land programmes, adventure opportunities and own hotels and lodging options. Albatros Expeditions has been awarded with a gold “CTW Chinese Tourist Welcome Award” in the category Innovation, “Best Family-Run Outbound Travel Company” by LuxLife Magazine and with the International Travel Award “Best Travel Company in Europe 2021” and also “Best Adventure Tour Operator in Europe 2021.
