I could have called this post about this vessel out there on a hazy midday “people movers 15″, because this is a cruise ship, unique in many ways: size, shape, and place of origin. I could also have called it “newest hull in the sixth boro 11″ because it is, although there are three other candidates that arrived here for the first time this past weekend. I could have called it “exotics 28″ since I assumed this was another wind farm-related bathymetric vessel or some other research vessel like OceanXplorer, which came here not quite a year ago. A lot of wind farm vessels vessels in the sixth boro have either ocean or explorer in their name.
See the notations on the hull? According to this summary here, it’s a Norwegian design, ordered by a Florida company, built by a Chinese shipyard, flagged Bahamian, and operated by a company owned by a Bostonian. Got all that?
She came into the sixth boro yesterday, traveled up to Hyde Park anchorage, and in the wee hours arrived at the Manhattan passenger terminal from the north.
She’s the second of her class, which will be comprised of seven vessels, one of which will be named for Sylvia Earle. She departed Haimen CN in late July, stopped in Manilla first to crew up, and then in Malta to get hotel crew and supplies, and then the UK to begin a cruise. I’ve no idea which all stops she made, since according to this notice, the 2021 cruising season was Covid-cancelled.
She did transit the Cape Cod Canal, where she was examined stem, stern, masthead to waterline by a drone.
That Ulstein bow was seen on a vessel in the Hudson four years ago exactly here, and in Cape Town nine years ago here.
More on Ocean Explorer here.
With dimensions of 343′ x 60′, she carries twice as many passengers as Grande Caribe or Grand Mariner, the Blount “small ships,” 162 guests with 77 cabins of which 15 are solo cabins. Her 162 passengers represent less than 4% of the number of passengers on Symphony of the Seas. Ocean Explorer has been referred to as a polar expedition cruise vessel, like Fram, because of the construction of its hull.
All photos and any errors, WVD.
As of posting, she’s at the north side of Pier 88. Did anyone get pics of her in Provincetown?
tugster: a waterblog 
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October 4, 2021 at 11:24 am
Les Sonnenmark
I’ll bet the nationalities of Ocean Explorer’s crew might double your country list.
October 4, 2021 at 12:19 pm
tugster
You’re right, Les, although i have no way of knowing how extensive that list might be. A few years ago on Mackinac Island I spoke with the cruise director of a small ship registered in Nassau about this. The cruise director was Turkish, and he reported that six countries were represented among the crew.
October 4, 2021 at 1:30 pm
tugster
Here’s a timely article: https://www.professionalmariner.com/americans-pay-for-cruise-industrys-flags-of-convenience/
October 4, 2021 at 3:58 pm
Les Sonnenmark
Thanks–that’s an excellent summary of where our maritime industry has stood for decades, and it’s not getting better; there is increasing political and commercial pressure to weaken or kill the Passenger Vessel Act and other protections.
Regarding the international crews: Four decades ago my wife was personnel manager for one of the major cruise lines. She dealt with Norwegian officers, Korean stewards, Jamaican waitstaff, American entertainers, and miscellaneous engine and deck crew members. Typically, they were segregated by country (or at least language) into the various departments so they could work together. But there was always the concern that in an emergency–something like the fairly recent Costa Concordia disaster–the crew would have difficulty communicating as needed across department and language lines. It’s still a risk.