| Aurora Expeditions | |
| Industry | Cruise Line, Travel, Expeditions |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder | Greg Mortimer and Margaret Mortimer |
| Headquarters | Surry Hills, , |
Aurora Expeditions is an Australian company that runs cruises, expeditions and tours.
The company was founded in 1991 by Greg and Margaret Mortimer.[1] It focuses on small groups of travelers. The company's main focus is cruises around Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic Islands. As well as cruising, the company also does Alpine Trekking and climbing,[2] Ski and Snowboard tours, Snorkelling and Scuba Diving.
In 1992 the company performed its first expedition to Antarctica.
In 1997 the company performed its first expedition to the Arctic.
In 2019 took delivery of its first ship, the Greg Mortimer. It was christened at a ceremony in Ushuaia, Argentina.[3]
In 2022 the company's second ship, the Sylvia Earle, departed on its inaugural cruise from Ushuaia, Argentina.[4]
In April 2020, the Greg Mortimer had an outbreak of COVID-19 on board, leading to it to be denied permission to dock in many South American ports.[5] 128 passengers and crew on board eventually tested positive. The ship was eventually given permission to dock in Uruguay, from where passengers were evacuated or admitted to hospital.[6] Many crew-members ended up being evacuated too, with more than half testing positive for the virus.[7]
As of January 2020, Aurora Expeditions had two vessels in its fleet:
| Ship Name | Delivered | Builder | Length | Passenger Capacity | IMO Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greg Mortimer | 2019 | China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI), Jiangsu, China | 104 M | 132 in 79 cabins[8] | 9834648[9] | Named after the founder of Aurora Expeditions. Registered in Madeira, Portugal |
| Sylvia Earle | 2022 | China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI),[10] Jiangsu, China | 104 M | 132 in 71 cabins[11] | 9872327[12] | Named in honor of Marine Biologist Sylvia Earle |