Marking a significant achievement in the world of expedition cruising, SunStone Maritime Group recently celebrated the start of construction for their seventh and final Infinity-class vessel, based on the ULSTEIN CX103 design. 

The CMHI Haimen yard, China, delivered SunStone's sixth expedition cruise vessel in the Infinity class, the Ocean Albatros, on Thursday, 20 April 2023. The vessel will operate on year-round charter for Albatros Expeditions.

The CX103 designed, polar expedition cruise vessel Ocean Albatros is preparing for her first journey, and these days there is hectic activity to finalise the interior. Work is proceeding on the reception, the carpet is being installed in the lecture area and the mud room is taking shape.

SunStone Ships goes for another cruise vessel in its INFINITY class. All the vessels in this class are designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS. These vessels were the first to introduce the patented X-BOW design in the cruise industry, a solution that has been warmly welcomed by cruise passengers and crews alike.

The terrible weather conditions, which included more than 20m/s storm and heavy fog, tried to put obstacles in the way for the first part of the sea trials of the Ocean Albatros. However, SunStone Ships’ latest expedition cruise vessel made a great performance and completed on 19 January, in time for Chinese New Year.

The CX103 designs, Ocean Odyssey and Sylvia Earle, have been delivered from the CMHI shipyard in Haimen, China to SunStone. The final documents were signed on 21 October 2022, completing the delivery. This series of vessels is the first expedition cruise vessels to implement the X-BOW feature for increased comfort.

‘Ocean Albatros’, ship number six in the SunStone Ships’ INFINITY series, had her launching ceremony on 16 September 2022 at the CMHI Haimen yard. Ulstein Design & Solutions is providing the design and equipment package for this project.

Albatros Expeditions recently announced that their brand new expedition cruise vessel, Ocean Albatros, "is almost in the water and will soon be undergoing sea trials." She is scheduled to arrive for their Arctic 2023 season, and the ship operator is more than excited to be receiving her.

A keel-laying ceremony has been held for the ‘Ocean Albatros’, SunStone Ships’ new expedition cruise vessel, at the CMHI shipyard, China, on 20 January 2022. The ship is number six in the INFINITY class of X-BOW expedition ships, all designed by Ulstein.

The ‘Ocean Victory’, one in a series of X-BOW expedition cruise vessels of the CX103 design by Ulstein, has been officially named in South Georgia in the Atlantic Ocean.

The ULSTEIN CX103 design, SunStone Ships’ ‘Sylvia Earle’ newbuild, has successfully completed sea trials in end October 2021. Ulstein has delivered the ship design and a comprehensive equipment package and has also been represented with a site team at the CMHI yard during the shipbuilding period.

The expedition cruise vessel ‘Ocean Odyssey’, an ULSTEIN CX103 design, was successfully launched at the CMHI Haimen yard on 23 October 2021. The vessel is one in a series of cruise vessels contracted by the U.S. based SunStone Ships.

The ‘Ocean Victory’, an Ulstein designed expedition cruise vessel featuring the iconic X-BOW®, has been successfully delivered from the CMHI Haimen yard, China, on 12 October 2021.

The ‘Ocean Explorer’, an Ulstein designed expedition cruise vessel featuring the iconic X-BOW®, has been successfully delivered from the CMHI Haimen yard, China, on 13th July 2021.

SunStone’s next newbuild expedition cruise vessels, the ‘Ocean Explorer’ and the ‘Ocean Victory’, are nearing completion from the CMHI yard.