Coral Expeditions has announced deployment for the new Coral Geographer, with her maiden season set to start January 2021.

The new Coral Geographer will embark on an expedition series exploring the “Small Islands of the Indian Ocean”. The ship will set sail on her inaugural voyage, Island Traditions to the Edge of Africa, over 25-nights from Singapore to Seychelles taking in the islands of Sumatra, Sri Lanka and remote atolls of the Maldives before ending in Seychelles, according to a press release. 

A special overnight expedition will take guests to the famed Yala National Park to enjoy a dusk safari among elephants and leopards in their natural habitat before a special cultural feast and wilderness resort stay.

Guests will also spend four days exploring remote atolls of the Maldives, including uninhabited Maalhaveli, famed for its marine diversity, snorkelling and diving. The voyage will finish with three immersive days in the Seychelles. 

The ship’s second sailing will be over 15 nights from the Seychelles to Mauritius, featuring an extensive exploration of the remote coastline of northern Madagascar.

In true expedition style, the 120-guest vessel’s third voyage will see us complete an crossing of the Indian Ocean from Mauritius to Fremantle, Australia.

This voyage is under development with key bodies and associations and is intended to be a 25 to 30-night voyage focussed on retracing historical routes and potential to visit small islands along either the southern or northern passages, the company said, in a press release.

“We’ve witnessed significant demand for our unique style of expedition cruising, and the business has confidence to order a fifth ship only weeks after launching Coral Adventurer,” said Mark Fifield, Group General Manager of Coral Expeditions.

The 120-passenger Coral Geographer will feature the same state-of-the-art specifications as the Coral Adventurer. However, in response to market demand, the new ship will have an increased proportion of bridge deck suites – up from two to six large suites – all featuring horizon bathtubs.

“We are confident in the ongoing strength of the expedition sector along with the vessel’s size, her design and her capabilities. She represents the perfect balance between being large enough for ocean voyaging yet having a small and intimate ship feel to maximise our guest experience,” Fifield said.