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Aurora Expeditions · The Ships
Launched in 2022 and named after the oceanographer Dr Sylvia Earle, this X-BOW ship carries a maximum of 130 expeditioners in 71 cabins and puts ocean conservation at the heart of every voyage.
About the Ship
The Sylvia Earle was the second of Aurora’s three purpose built ships, joining the fleet in 2022, three years after the Greg Mortimer. She follows the same proven design: 104 metres long, eight decks, a cruising speed of 10 to 12 knots and the Ulstein X-BOW, which cuts through the swell for a smoother crossing of the Drake Passage. See how she compares with her sisters on our fleet page.
She has 71 cabins for a maximum of 130 guests, 15 Zodiacs with four boarding doors, and a mudroom with individual lockers and rapid drying areas for dry suits and wetsuits, which kayakers and snorkellers will appreciate. Inside the bow is the Glass Atrium Lounge, with huge windows looking straight ahead. Other spaces include a lecture theatre, a Citizen Science Centre, a library, an observation lounge on deck 8, a gym, a sauna and two Jacuzzis. She can also connect to shore power in ports that offer it.
Dr Sylvia Earle is an American marine biologist, oceanographer and explorer, and one of the best known ocean scientists of our time. She was the first woman to serve as chief scientist of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and she founded Mission Blue, which is building a global network of marine protected areas known as Hope Spots.
The ship also honours six other women in conservation, each with a public deck named in her honour: Dr Carden Wallace AM, Joanna Ruxton, Sharon Kwok, Bernadette Demientieff, Dr Asha de Vos and Hanli Prinsloo. It is fitting that the Sylvia Earle hosts Aurora’s Women’s Expedition departures, and her Citizen Science programme invites you to take part in real research during the voyage.
On Board
Up on deck 8, the observation lounge has floor to ceiling windows, binoculars and wildlife guides. It is where people gather when the ship enters a new bay or someone spots a whale, and a fine place to sit with a book on a sea day.
Meals are open seating, so you can swap stories from the day with fellow travellers or quiz the expedition team. The chefs offer several choices at each meal, with hearty food after a cold landing, morning and afternoon teas, and tea, coffee and snacks at any hour.
The bars and lounges are the social heart of the ship, with big windows and friendly bartenders. On most voyages premium spirits, cocktails, beer, wine and liqueurs are included, so an evening drink while you look over the day’s photographs comes with the fare.
The wood lined sauna has a window onto the sea and is the place to thaw out after the polar plunge. There is also a gym and the Wellness Centre, plus two Jacuzzis on deck where you can soak and still keep an eye out for passing wildlife.
The Junior Suites and the Captain Suite give you more space, with a sitting area. Suite guests receive binoculars, a stocked mini bar, a bottle of champagne and have the crew gratuity included, which adds up over a long voyage.
The balcony staterooms come in three categories, A, B and C, plus a Superior grade, with solo versions of each category priced with no single supplement. Stepping straight out onto your own balcony to watch the ice drift by is hard to beat.
Where You Sleep
The Sylvia Earle has 71 staterooms and suites, from Aurora Staterooms without a balcony to the Captain Suite. Solo travellers are well served, with single versions of all three balcony categories at no single supplement.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Aurora Stateroom Triple | Room for three sharing and the lowest fare per person on board. No balcony. |
| Aurora Stateroom Superior | A stateroom without a balcony, in a higher grade than the Triple. |
| Balcony Stateroom Category C, B and A | Staterooms with a private balcony. Category C is the entry level, rising 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 highest balcony stateroom grade, above Category A. |
| Junior Suite | More space, with a sitting area. 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 top accommodation on the ship, with all the suite benefits and a mini bar that is replenished as needed. |
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 | 2022 |
| Guests | 130 |
| Cabins | 71 |
| 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 Sylvia Earle sails many of Aurora’s Peninsula, Antarctic Circle and Weddell Sea voyages, as well as the longer voyages to South Georgia. Her departures include Spirit of Antarctica (with its Whale Migration and Women’s Expedition editions), Antarctic Explorer, Antarctic Peninsula: Fly the Drake, Across the Antarctic Circle, Antarctica Active, Wild Antarctica featuring the Weddell Sea, In Shackleton’s Footsteps, the South Georgia, Falklands and Antarctic Odyssey and Antarctica Complete.
Questions
She joined the Aurora fleet in 2022, the second of three purpose built sister ships. Like the Greg Mortimer before her and the Douglas Mawson after, she has the Ulstein X-BOW, is built to Ice Class 1A and Polar Class 6, and carries a maximum of 130 guests on expedition.
Dr Sylvia Earle is an American marine biologist, oceanographer and explorer. She was the first woman to be chief scientist of NOAA, the US ocean and atmosphere agency, and she founded Mission Blue, which campaigns for a network of protected ocean areas called Hope Spots. The ship also honours six other women in conservation with named decks.
There are 71 cabins for a maximum of 130 expeditioners. They range from Aurora Staterooms without a balcony, through three balcony categories and a Superior balcony grade, to Junior Suites and a Captain Suite. Solo balcony staterooms are available in Categories A, B and C.
It is a dedicated space where the expedition team and onboard naturalists run Aurora’s Citizen Science programme. Guests are invited to take part in the projects running on board during the voyage. It is a good way to learn more about what you are seeing, and it gives sea days a purpose beyond the lectures.
Yes. The ship was designed with Aurora’s guides to support the add on activities, and her mudroom has individual lockers and rapid drying areas for dry suits and wetsuits, so your kit has the best chance of drying between outings. Which activities you can book depends on the voyage you choose.
Yes. The Women’s Expedition departures of Spirit of Antarctica and Antarctic Peninsula: Fly the Drake sail on the Sylvia Earle, a ship that celebrates women in conservation. These sailings are designed for female travellers. See the voyage pages for dates and what the editions include.
Spirit of Antarctica, Antarctic Explorer, Antarctic Peninsula: Fly the Drake, Across the Antarctic Circle, Antarctica Active, Wild Antarctica featuring the Weddell Sea, In Shackleton’s Footsteps, the South Georgia, Falklands and Antarctic Odyssey, and Antarctica Complete. Each voyage page shows which ship sails each date.