Antarctic Peninsula

Ortelius

116 guests

Year Built: 1989

Renovated: 2014

47 crew members

Length: 300 feet

Beam: 58 feet

Draft: 19 feet

Ice Class: UL1 (equivalent to 1A)

Cruising Speed: 14.3 knots max

The motor vessel (M/V) Ortelius is an ice-strengthened small ship designed for polar expedition cruises in the Arctic and Antarctica. At only 116 passengers and 53 cabins, she assures a flexible polar experience with maximum wildlife opportunities.

A $1 million cabin reconfiguration in 2014 completed the vessel’s refurbishment program, bringing Ortelius to an upscale hotel standard similar to its sister vessel Plancius.

Ortelius was built in Gdynia, Poland in 1989 and served as a special purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science under her original name: Marina Svetaeva. The vessel was renamed Ortelius after the Dutch/Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius (1527-1598) who published the first modern world atlas in 1570. Small ship cruises aboard the Ortelius offer passengers a quality exploratory wildlife program, designed to spend as much time ashore as possible.

Common Areas Aboard Ortelius

The 116-passenger M/V Ortelius offers a comfortable "hotel standard" on-board experience with ample public areas including two dining areas that accommodate all passengers at the same time, a bar/observation lounge with six large windows, lecture room and several observation areas on multiple decks. This small expedition ship has a spacious bridge, which is accessible to polar travelers. The Ortelius has a highly experienced international nautical crew of 20, 19 international hotel staff, 7 expedition staff in Antarctica (1 expedition leader and 6 guides/lecturers), 8 expedition staff in the Artic (1 expedition leader and 7 guides/lecturers) and 1 doctor.

She also has the highest possible ice-class notation (UL1 equivalent to 1A) and is therefore very suitable to navigate in solid one-year sea ice and loose multiyear pack ice.  

Activities Aboard Ortelius

Ortelius' flexibility assures maximum wildlife opportunities. She carries 11 zodiacs of which 9 are in use and 2 on reserve. The zodiac engines are 60hp Yamaha. Numerous activities are available aboard Ortelius depending on the voyage: kayaking, mountaineering, skiing, SCUBA diving, hiking, camping and more.

Cabins Aboard Ortelius

The Ortelius has 6 cabin categories located on three decks. Cabins range from simple affordable quadruple, triple or double rooms to more spacious superior cabins with large view windows. All cabins are spacious outside cabins with a sink, private shower and toilet (except for the Twin Non-Private), hairdryers, desk and chair, ample storage space and a minimum of two portholes or windows per cabin. Ortelius cabin configurations are as follows:

Quad Porthole

Ortelius has 4 quadruple cabins #341-344 located on deck 3. Quadruple cabins have 2 porthole windows, 2 upper and 2 lower berths, private shower and toilet, desk and chair, hair dryer and ample storage space. 

Triple Porthole

2 triple cabins on Deck 3 #337-338 have 2 portholes, 1 upper and 2 lower berths, private shower and toilet, desk and chair, hair dryer and ample storage space. 

Twin Porthole

Ortelius has 27 twin porthole cabins: #334 and #339-340 located on Deck 3 and #428-439 and #445-456 on Deck 4. Each has two porthole windows, private toilet and shower, two single lower berths, desk and chair, hair dryer and ample storage space. Cabins located on Deck 4 are quieter than those on deck 3 because they are farther away from the noise of engines and generators. Deck 4 has access to the forward observation deck.   

Twin Window

Ortelius has 12 twin window cabins #511-517, 522-527 located on Deck 5, approximately 183 square feet each. Each cabin has view windows, two single lower berths, private toilet and shower, desk and chair, small sofa, hair dryer and ample storage space. Deck 5 is the quietest cabin deck and has the best access to upper observation decks and the ship’s bridge.   

Twin Deluxe

Ortelius has 2 newly renovated twin deluxe cabins #510 and #528 located on Deck 5. These cabins are corner cabins and are slightly more spacious than the normal twin window/porthole cabins. Each cabin has three view windows, two single lower berths, private toilet and shower, desk and chair, small sofa, hair dryer and ample storage space. Deck 5 is the quietest cabin deck and has the best access to upper observation decks and the ship’s bridge. 

Superior

Ortelius has 6 superior cabins #509, 518-521 and 529 on Deck 5. Each superior cabin has a double bed, single (sofa) bed, private toilet and shower, desk and chair, flatscreen TV, refrigerator, hair dryer and ample storage space. Deck 5 is the quietest cabin deck and has the best access to upper observation decks and the ship’s bridge.