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Article on PanoViews.com: http://www.panoviews.com/index/home_en/comments/mv-explorer-the-little-red-ship/ One of the best known expedition cruise ships in the world, the MV Explorer has a history dating back to the early 1970’s when under the wing of Lindblad Travel she was the first custom-built expedition ship. Ownership has changed over the years but all her owners have maintained her to a very high standard. She is a small ship with a big heart that has sailed to every corner of the world, making many nautical ‘firsts’, including the first transit by cruise vessel of the infamous North West Passage, and the first visit to the Russian Far East. QTVR Panorama [FULLSCREEN] Commissioned by Lars-Eric Lindblad, the Explorer was purpose-built as an expeditionary vessel, designed to literally go where no passenger ship has gone before. She sailed out of builder’s yard in Finland on December 14, 1969, bound for some of the most exotic destinations on earth. The Explorer’s design includes a shallow draft and easy-launching zodiacs, allowing passengers access to places that other ships can only dream of. The Explorer is as comfortable plowing through the arctic ice as navigating the tropical waters of the Amazon. Affectionately called “the Little Red Ship,” by its group of dedicated followers, the M/V Explorer is a historic vessel, and has set many firsts in the adventure travel field. In 1984, the Explorer became the first passenger ship to cross the Northwest Passage - a trip it repeated in 1988. In 1989, off Anvers Island, Antarctica, the crew helped rescue people from a sinking Argentinean supply vessel that had hit a rock ledge. In 1997, she became the first passenger ship to circumnavigate James Clark Ross Island, Antarctica. In 1998, she was first to sail 80 miles above Iquitos, Peru to the point where the Maranon and Ucayali rivers meet to become the Amazon. Spacious public areas, including fore and aft observation decks, forward lounge and bar, a window-lined dining room, exercise room and a well-stocked library, complement the comfortable accommodations. The travelling style is casual, with open dining room seating and no formal dress requirements. The open-bridge policy of the ship offers a superb view for birding or wildlife sighting and a chance to interact with the crew. Ship Specifications Length: 75m (246ft) Breadth: 14.02m Draft: 4.48m GRT: 2398 tons Cruising Range: 5,300 nautical miles Engines: 3,800 HP Diesels Cruising Speed: 11 Knots Crew: 53 Passengers: 108 Auxiliary Craft: 4 motor lifeboats, capacity 96 persons; 3 life rafts, capacity 20 each Built: 1969, Nystad, Finland Registry: Monrovia, Liberia MS Lindblad Explorer - Website about the MS Explorer with a lot of pictures from various cruises.