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Aurora Expeditions · The Ships
Built in 2019, the Greg Mortimer was the first passenger ship ever to feature the Ulstein X-BOW. She carries a maximum of 130 expeditioners in 76 cabins, most of them with a balcony.
About the Ship
The Greg Mortimer joined Aurora Expeditions in 2019, the first of three purpose built sister ships and the first passenger vessel anywhere to use the Ulstein X-BOW. Aurora drew on decades of expedition experience in her design, and her namesake was closely involved. Her success paved the way for the Sylvia Earle and the Douglas Mawson, and you can compare all three on our fleet page.
She is 104 metres long, with eight decks and a cruising speed of 10 to 12 knots. There are 76 cabins for a maximum of 130 guests, and around 85% of them have a private balcony. She is built to Ice Class 1A and Polar Class 6, carries 15 Zodiacs that you board through four dedicated doors, and has hydraulic viewing platforms that fold out from the side of the ship for an unobstructed look at passing seabirds and whales.
Life on board centres on the observation lounge on deck 7, the library, the lecture theatre and the dining room, with a gym, sauna and two Jacuzzis on the top deck for the hours between landings. Below, the mudroom is where every excursion begins, with a locker to dry your gear and store your boots.
The ship is named after Greg Mortimer OAM, the Australian mountaineer who founded Aurora Expeditions with Margaret Werner in 1991. In 1984 he and Tim Macartney-Snape became the first Australians to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Aurora began by taking small groups of adventurous travellers to remote places, and the idea of a small, capable ship that puts people in close touch with wild places runs right through the company he started.
On Board
The main restaurant has open seating, so you can sit with whoever you like, with buffet style meals and à la carte dinners. There is also the Tuscan Grill, a smaller restaurant that needs a reservation. Tea, coffee and snacks are available around the clock.
The library has floor to ceiling windows and shelves of polar history, wildlife guides and novels, plus board games for sea days. Upstairs, the observation lounge on deck 7 keeps binoculars and field guides to hand for watching the scenery and wildlife slide past.
Two Jacuzzis on the top outside deck give you a warm soak with a view of glaciers and ice. The sauna is the obvious place to head after the polar plunge, when you have just jumped into the Southern Ocean and need to feel your toes again.
The gym is free to use and the bikes face the windows, so even a workout comes with a view. Sea days on the Drake Passage are a good time to use it, between lectures and wildlife watching from the deck.
Every stateroom and suite has a view of the ocean, and around 85% have their own balcony. They are designed as a comfortable base camp, somewhere warm to retreat to after a cold morning in a Zodiac, with daily cabin service throughout the voyage.
Watch
A tour of the Greg Mortimer from Aurora, showing her X-BOW, public rooms and staterooms.
Video: Introducing the Greg Mortimer, from Aurora Expeditions on YouTube.
Where You Sleep
The Greg Mortimer has 76 staterooms and suites, all with an ocean view, and the large majority have a private balcony. Grades rise from the Aurora Staterooms through three balcony categories to the suites. Solo balcony staterooms are available in each balcony category with no single supplement.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Aurora Stateroom Triple | Room for three sharing, and the lowest fare per person on the ship. A good choice for families or friends travelling together. No balcony. |
| Aurora Stateroom Twin | An ocean view stateroom for two, without a balcony. The most affordable way for a couple to travel on the Greg Mortimer. |
| Balcony Stateroom Category C, B and A | The heart of the ship, each with a private balcony. Category C is the entry level and the grades rise through B to A. |
| Balcony Stateroom Category C, B and A Single | Dedicated solo staterooms with a balcony, priced with no single supplement. They are among the up to 10 solo cabins Aurora holds on every sailing, so they go early. |
| Balcony Stateroom Superior | The top balcony stateroom grade, sitting above Category A in the fare table. |
| Junior Suite | A suite with more room to spread out. Suite guests also receive a pair of binoculars, a stocked mini bar, a bottle of champagne and the crew gratuity included in the fare. |
| Captain Suite | The finest accommodation on board, with the full suite benefits. The mini bar in the Captain Suite is replenished as needed during the voyage. |
Not every grade is offered on every departure. The fare tables on each voyage page show what is available on each date.
Ship Facts
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Entered service | 2019 |
| Guests | 130 |
| Cabins | 76 |
| Length | 104 m |
| Decks | 8 |
| Speed | 10 to 12 knots |
| Ice class | Ice Class 1A, Polar Class 6 |
| Bow | Ulstein X-BOW |
| Expedition craft | Zodiacs, with sea kayaks and other equipment for the add-on activities |
Where She Sails
The Greg Mortimer sails a mix of Aurora’s classic and grand Antarctic voyages. She is the only Aurora ship on the Ross Sea Odyssey from Hobart and Epic Antarctica from Dunedin, and she also sails Spirit of Antarctica, Across the Antarctic Circle, Antarctica Active, Antarctica Complete, the South Georgia, Falklands and Antarctic Odyssey, and the South Georgia and Antarctica: Through the Lens photography voyage.
Questions
A maximum of 130 expeditioners, in 76 cabins. That is small by cruise standards and means everyone can get ashore quickly, as only 100 people may land at an Antarctic site at one time. With so few guests, the expedition team can split you into small groups for Zodiac cruises and landings.
She was built in 2019 and was the first of Aurora’s three purpose built expedition ships. She was also the first passenger ship in the world to be built with the Ulstein X-BOW, an inverted bow that pierces waves rather than riding over them. The Sylvia Earle followed in 2022 and the Douglas Mawson in 2025.
Greg Mortimer OAM, the Australian mountaineer who founded Aurora Expeditions in 1991 with Margaret Werner. In 1984 he and Tim Macartney-Snape became the first Australians to climb Mount Everest. Aurora says he helped shape the design of the ship that carries his name.
Not all, but most. Around 85% of the staterooms have their own balcony, and every stateroom and suite has a view of the ocean. The Aurora Stateroom Twin and Triple are the grades without a balcony, and they are also the most affordable way to sail.
No, but there are two Jacuzzis on the top outside deck with views over the ice, a sauna and a gym, all free to use. If an outdoor pool matters to you, the Douglas Mawson is the Aurora ship that has one. Most people find the polar plunge gives them all the cold water they need.
She sails Spirit of Antarctica, Across the Antarctic Circle, Antarctica Active, Antarctica Complete, the South Georgia, Falklands and Antarctic Odyssey, South Georgia and Antarctica: Through the Lens, the Ross Sea Odyssey and Epic Antarctica. The last two, from Hobart and Dunedin, are sailed only by the Greg Mortimer.
Yes. The ship has solo balcony staterooms in Categories A, B and C with no single supplement. These are part of the up to 10 dedicated solo cabins Aurora offers on every sailing, and they tend to sell first. Any other stateroom can be booked for sole use with a 50% supplement.