Oceanwide Expeditions orders new PC 6 cruise ship

Oceanwide Expeditions is boosting its fleet, placing an order for a new Polar Class 6 cruise ship.

The cruise operator said that “due to the success” of its new ship Hondius, it has ordered a sister ship to be built by the same manufacturer.

Janssonius is scheduled to be completed in October 2021. It will have capacity for 174 passengers, the same as Hondius, and will be a nearly identical size and design with Polar Class 6 ice-strengthening equivalent to a 1A super ice-class ship.

Like Hondius, Janssonius will come equipped with advanced systems and features specifically designed for “safe, swift, and flexible polar voyages throughout the Arctic, Antarctica, and the sub-Antarctic”. It will have a protected indoor Zodiac loading area that can also be used for sea-based activities such as kayaking, and there will be two separate gangways to further facilitate ship-to-shore operations. Its stern and bow thrusters will enable Janssonius to drift or remain comfortably stationary.

One of the decks will be a dedicated observation lounge complete with a separate lecture room hosting a wide range of engaging, interactive, multilingual lectures and presentations.

Six of the suites will have balconies. There will also be eight superior cabins with balconies, 19 twin deluxe cabins, 14 twin window cabins, 31 twin porthole cabins, two triple porthole cabins, and four quadruple porthole cabins.

The ship will measure 107 m long, and its beam will provide a width of 17.6 m. It will be powered by two main engines delivering 4,200 kW and enabling speeds of up to 15 knots. The propulsion system of Janssonius will include an adjustable pitch propeller, flexible power management, and a shaft generator as opposed to a diesel-driven generator. “This will give Janssonius the lowest fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions possible,” said Oceanwide Expeditions.

The ship will employ LED interior and exterior lighting, biodegradable paints and lubricants, steam heating that uses a minimum of electricity, and waste heat that will be reused for the production of fresh water.

Janssonius will be built by Croatian shipyard Brodosplit, the same company that constructed Hondius.