Former Vantage Cruise Ship Ocean Explorer on the Move
Vantage Travel’s Ocean Explorer is on the move again. After several weeks of being docked in Northern France, the expedition vessel is on its way to Stavanger, in Norway.
According to AIS data, the 140-guest ship left Caen on Thursday and is scheduled to arrive at its destination on July 15.
Along with its sister ship Ocean Odyssey, the vessel had been docked at the French port since late May – when Vantage Deluxe World Travel ceased operations.
At the time, it sailed to Caen with no guests onboard, starting what was believed to be an extended lay-up period.
According to French media, the ships were initially scheduled to remain docked at the port for three months.
Later, on June 29, Vantage Deluxe Travel filed for a Chapter 11 in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts, pending a sale of its brand and assets to a new owner.
Built-in 2021 and 2022, the Ocean Explorer and the Ocean Odyssey are owned by SunStone Ships and were sailing for Vantage Travel on a long-term charter.
The vessels are part of SunStone’s Infinity Class, including four additional purpose-designed expedition ships.
Built by the CMHI Shipyard in Haimen, China, the 8,000-ton vessels offer an upscale cruising experience, including a swimming pool, two full-service restaurants, a spa, a two-story lounge and more.
Before Vantage’s bankruptcy, the Ocean Explorer was scheduled to offer a series of cruises to the Arctic and Northern Europe during the 2023 summer.
The program also included voyages to the Great Lakes and New England, in addition to itineraries to Canada’s St. Lawrence Sea Way and Atlantic Coast.
The ship was then scheduled to reposition to Antarctica for the winter, offering a series of expeditions departing from Ushuaia, in Argentina.
The ship was also set to sail to additional destinations in South America, the Amazon and the Caribbean during the 2023-2024 season.
