China Merchants Heavy Industry has delivered an expedition cruise vessel to SunStone Ships, the first of its next-genn INFINITY-class vessel and perhaps more significantly China's firm entrance into the cruise ship building sector.
The arrangement to bring this ship from drawing board to delivery slip is the culmination of marrying European cruise design and quality with Chinese ship-building efficiency. The vessel will be chartered out to Aurora Expeditions.
https://www.marinelink.com/news/cruise-ship-construction-china-rising-438788
The vessel has departed China Merchants Heavy Industry, Haimen, and is on its way to Singapore for a one day stop for further supplies, then a two day stop in Cape Town to get the remaining hotel crew and supplies onboard, and from there to Ushuaia where cruising will begin in late October as planned.
INFINITY Class Vessels are 104 x 18 m with a 5.1 m draft. They feature a passenger capacity between 130-200 and a crew capacity between 85 and 115. The Vessels are Ice Class 1A, Polar Code 6 and are being built with Safe Return to Port, Dynamic Positioning and Zero Speed Stabilizers.
The vessels feature the X-Bow by Ulstein Design & Solutions. They are small enough to give an exclusive atmosphere and yet large enough to yield all expected services and facilities such as a swimming pool, bar and restaurants, lounges, boutique, gym and spa.
Current INFINITY Class new-builds under way after the delivery of GREG MORTIMER are; the OCEAN VICTORY with delivery October 2020, the OCEAN EXPLORER with delivery January 2021, the Infinity-class vessel no. 7 (TBN) with delivery September 2021, the OCEAN ODYSSEY with delivery March 2022, the OCEAN DISCOVERER with delivery September 2022 and the OCEAN ALBATROS with delivery October 2022. All vessels ordered have long-term charter agreements in place.
In addition to the seven vessels already ordered, SunStone has options to build another three Infinity-class vessels.