After
announcing in December that it had signed a contract to build two new ships for
2017 and 2018, Lindblad Expedition Holdings said the first of those
two vessels will be named the National Geographic Quest and will sail in
Alaska, Canada, the Pacific Northwest and Central America.
The
100-passenger National Geographic Quest is being built near Seattle by
Nichols Brothers Boat Builders and will sail its inaugural voyage, the 12-night “Treasures of the Inside Passage: Alaska & British
Columbia,” on June 26,
2017.
After
that, the Quest will sail Lindblad’s week-long “Exploring Alaska’s Coastal
Wilderness” itinerary, as well as additional “Treasures of the Inside Passage” cruises.
Following
the Alaska season, the ship will remain in the Pacific Northwest for a series
of cruises between Seattle and Vancouver, with stops in the San Juan Islands,
Victoria, Alert Bay, as well as in British Columbia’s channels and fjords.
Beginning
in December 2016, the Quest will reposition to Costa Rica
and Panama before kicking off a series of new voyages in Belize and Guatemala
starting in mid-February.
The
new vessel will have 50 cabins, 22 of which will have balconies, and eight
that can be configured into four adjoining cabins for families. All Category 5
cabins will be able to accommodate a third passenger.
The
public spaces are being designed to provide maximum viewing opportunities with
easy, quick access to the decks for sightings. There will be an outdoor walkway
around the entire sun deck, which will feature an al fresco bar and grill,
in addition to the main restaurant and a bar and lounge area that will host
presentations.
There will be a fitness center and a wellness spa, as well. For
guests’ use, there will be a fleet of 24 sea kayaks, paddle boards, and landing
craft onboard. Guests will have access to a remotely operated vehicle
(ROV), hydrophone (for listening to underwater sounds), underwater video
camera, crow’s nest remote-controlled camera, video microscope and snorkeling
gear.
Lindblad
has said that the this ship was contracted at $48 million and the second at
$46.8 million. The ships will be U.S.-flagged. Nichols Brothers also built
two of Lindblad’s current vessels, the National Geographic Sea
Lion and National Geographic Sea Bird.