Many of the small specialist cruise companies, especially in exploration and unusual destinations, do not have offices all over the world. For many very interesting ships we have SWOOP. Swoop act as agents for some ships belonging to other explorer companies like Oceanwide, Nobel Caledonian and Antarctica 21.
Swoop exploration ships with global positions to track your ship anywhere on the globe. A selection of tips, tours, and facts.
111m long | 17 m wide | 7 decks | 84 outside cabins | Polar Class 1A Super | 149 guests | 100 Crew | 13.5knots | Built 1990
Insurance is always contractually required on a cruise. World ENTRY REQUIREMENTS change.
Growing fast is the Exploration Cruise industry. How fast? Viking joins the race to the poles
Operated under charter by Aurora Expeditions Australia she is represented by Swoop in the UK.
104m long | 18m wide | 10 decks | Class INFINITY ULSTEIN CX103 (ice-strengthened expedition ship) | 160 guests | 74 Crew | knots | Year 2019
Sister ships; Ocean Victory, Ocean Explorer, Ocean Odyssey, Ocean Discoverer, Sylvia Earle
Insurance is always contractually required on a cruise. World ENTRY REQUIREMENTS change.
Ulstein Group is a family-owned company comprising several marine enterprises within ship design & solutions, shipbuilding,
Growing fast is the Exploration Cruise industry. How fast? Viking joins the race to the poles
101m long | 16m wide | 5 decks | Class | 132 guests | 87 Crew | 70 Canins | 13 knots
Built in 1975, and refurbished in 2017. 70 cabins, all outward-facing include en-suite bathroom facilities. All cabins have twin beds except for the triple, and there are three suites below the bridge. , as well as a TV and DVD player. Represented in the UK by Swoop.
Insurance is always contractually required on a cruise. World ENTRY REQUIREMENTS change.
Growing fast is the Exploration Cruise industry. How fast? Viking joins the race to the poles
126m long | 25m wide | decks 3 to 8 are passenger access decks | Class | guests | Crew | knots
Insurance is always contractually required on a cruise. World ENTRY REQUIREMENTS change.
This is an ice-strengthened expedition ship Class ship launched in 2019. It is one of the few Polar ships where
Growing fast is the Exploration Cruise industry. How fast? Viking joins the race to the poles
Owned by TUI and operated by Quark Expeditions, the ship is represented by Swoop in the UK.
128m long | m wide | decks | Class 1A+, PC6 | 199 guests | 140 Crew | 16 knots | 4 lifeboats
Insurance is always contractually required on a cruise. World ENTRY REQUIREMENTS change.
Growing fast is the Exploration Cruise industry. How fast? Viking joins the race to the poles
Owned by Sunstone ships the Sylvia Earle successfully completed her sea trials in November 2021, and launched in 2022. Operated under charter by Aurora Expeditions Australia she is represented by Swoop in the UK.
104m long | 18m wide | decks | Polar Class 1A / PC6 | 0 guests | Crew | knots
Insurance is always contractually required on a cruise. World ENTRY REQUIREMENTS change.
Ulstein Group is a family-owned company comprising several marine enterprises within ship design & solutions, shipbuilding,
Growing fast is the Exploration Cruise industry. How fast? Viking joins the race to the poles
90m long | 30m wide | 7 decks | Ice Class 1C | 120 guests | 72 Crew | 14.5 knots
Insurance is always contractually required on a cruise. World ENTRY REQUIREMENTS change.
Growing fast is the Exploration Cruise industry. How fast? Viking joins the race to the poles
91m long | 16m wide | 7 decks | Ice Class 1C | 114 guests | 72 Crew | 14.5 knots | launcehed 1991 | refurb 2017
A similar vessel to the Hebridean Sky, Island Sky and Caledonian Sky. Owned by SunStone Ships, it is operated by Poseidon Expedition and represented in the UK by Swoop.
The MV Sea Spirit follows the sun northbound in the summer and southbound in the winter.
All eyes are looking for a pod of whales, a family of polar bears or a glaciated mountain vista. The small ship is highly manoeuvrable and capable of navigating the narrow fjords of East Greenland and entering the small bays of Spitsbergen.
Insurance is always contractually required on a cruise. World ENTRY REQUIREMENTS change.
This is an Ice Class one ship renovated in 2017. At Doris Visits we now list well over 300 ships,
The open-bridge policy means guests can talk to the Captain and officers, watch wildlife and
Growing fast is the Exploration Cruise industry. How fast? Viking joins the race to the poles
125m long | 15m wide | decks | Class 1D | 210 guests | 106 Crew | Library | WiFi | 15 knots
Built 1974 Refurb History 1986/2012/2019
A large, stable ship. At 15 knots it is fast for a polar ship. Facilities include a wellness programme alongside all of the usual Antarctic activities.
Insurance is always contractually required on a cruise. World ENTRY REQUIREMENTS change.
Growing fast is the Exploration Cruise industry. How fast? Viking joins the race to the poles
AMBASSADOR CRUISE GROUP – UK based cruise line with two ships
AURORA & ARCADIA P&O GROUP – the adult ships
MARELLA CRUISES GROUP – Explorer style ships
MARELLA CRUISES GROUP – Discovery (Disco 2) style ships
CUNARD CRUISE GROUP – big fav of ours – inclusive – lively – dressy
P&O AZURA GROUP – Grand Class family ships – P&O VENTURA GROUP (no fly)
P&O BRITANNIA GROUP – the mid size family ship
P&O IONA & ARVIA GROUP – the big new family ships
SAGA CRUISE GROUP – smaller over 50 UK style all inclusive ships
VIKING CRUISES GROUP – smaller – adult only – US/UK/International ships – great routes
AZAMARA & OCEANIA VIRGIN ADULT SHIPS – Adult only ships
EVERY CRUISE PORT -click here EVERY CRUISE SHIP – click here
Dakar, Senegal has a very busy port which is always full of ships. Invaded many times it has changed hands over and over until it regained independence in August, 1960.
This garden of wine and golf has features that include Robbin Island and Table Mountain but we start with the penguins.
Freddie Mercury was born in Zanzibar. It is a strictly religious country so is not as proud of him as you might expect.
Tema Accra is a popular port receiving over 1500 vessels a year. It is popular with cruise ships.
Doris Visits is just a little hobby, and a way of helping people research ports and ships. It is our way of giving back as we are on the ships between 6 and 12 times a year as Guest Lecturers. The site is also supported by other guest lecturers.
Why Doris? It was a character Jean played in a TV show and we started the port guides as a little spin-off. It took over. I mean, rode into town and said this is it.
Who is Jean? Jean is a West End and Broadway actress who now has her own one woman show called Royal Mistresses, which she performs at guilds and on ships. Hence, she cruises – a bit. She now presents TV and is known by many cruisers for her Doris Visits port guides.
Who is Stuart? Featured in a clip in the 2024 Oscars – in the tribute to movie stuntmen – he was the Queen Alien in Aliens. Now, he points the iPhone at Jean when they go and explore ashore. He finished in movies as a director, and now writes cruise thrillers.
The grandchildren who sometimes travel and from their son Luke Aikman. He was the young Colin Firth in Fever Pitch and appeared in Freight. He is now a producer and business entrepreneur. Their daughter helped with the plot of the first four novels and is now writing with comedian Joe Wilkinson. Laura Aikman is known for being the girlfriend in the Christmas Gavin and Stacey, and Dyan Cannon in Archie. Some grew up with her Saturday show, Mysti.
EVERY CRUISE PORT -click here EVERY CRUISE SHIP – click here
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