SunStone Lines Up Multi-year Charters for Two Expedition Cruise Ships

SunStone Maritime Group announced it has secured multi-year charters for two of its expedition cruise ships.

The deals are for SunStone's Infinity Class vessels Ocean Explorer and the Ocean Odyssey, both built by China Merchants Heavy Industry (Jiangsu) and delivered in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

Under its new charter agreement, Ocean Explorer will return to polar cruising in October 2024 for SunStone's long-term client Quark Expeditions. The vessel, which ran aground in a remote part of Greenland last year, is currently operating on short-term charter to another operator.

The Ocean Odyssey will reactivate out of warm layup for operations "outside the cruise market", SunStone said. A company did not immediately respond to MarineLink's request for additional information.

Expedition cruising has been rising in popularity amid growing demand for travelers to explore isolated, less visited and hard to reach areas such as the Alaska, the Galapagos Islands, the Arctic and Antarctica.

SunStone's Infinity Class vessels are certified Ice Class 1A and Polar Class 6 and feature zero-speed stabilization, virtual anchoring and Safe Return to Port. Each ship has capacity of up to 95 passenger cabins, most with balconies. Amenities include restaurants, lecture space, lounges, a 180-degree indoor observation deck, outdoor viewing areas, a gym, sauna, spa, and a custom-designed platform catering to kayakers and divers. Zodiac excursions are supported through four sea-level loading platforms and a mud room.