Lyubov Orlova
The Lyubov Orlova was built in former Yugoslavia in 1976 and further
upgraded in 2002. This spacious, comfortable ice-strengthened motor
vessel carries a maximum of 110 passengers and has passive stabilizers
for smooth sailing.
What’s the ship like?
Ice-strengthened and staffed by 70 crew members, the
Lyubov Orlova is a great base for exploring Antarctica.
All 59 cabins on board have portholes and private
bathrooms. In the dining room you’ll enjoy breakfasts,
lunches and dinners, and, to keep you going after long
days exploring, cakes are served in the mid-afternoon.
Plus there’s always tea and coffee available. Also on
board is a library and newly renovated presentation
room, as well as a clinic (staffed by a doctor) and an
exercise room. The cosy bar and lounge are great places
to kick back with a drink and get to know your fellow
adventurers.
Our experienced crew
On board you’ll find the most interesting travelling
companions you are ever likely to meet. Many members
of our experienced crew have travelled to this remote
continent many times. They range from expedition
leaders to naturalists and wildlife experts, and from
Zodiac drivers to scientists and historians. Their
knowledge will ensure that we get the most out of our
adventure and their attention to safety is vital to the
success of our expedition. Their know-how gives us the
best opportunities to spot wildlife and make landings in
some of Antarctica’s most amazing places. The huge
team on board, from the captain to the doctor, the
waiters to the engineers, all work hard to ensure that
our journey is a memorable one.
Who will I travel with?
With a maximum of just 110 passengers, we ensure
you experience Antarctica without hordes of tourists.
That’s few enough people that we can all get off the
ship quickly for each landing and enough that there’s
sure to be some really interesting people to get to know
on board.
How do we get around?
Motorised rubber dinghies, or Zodiacs, are used for
ship-to-shore excursions. These versatile runabouts
enable us to cruise safely amongst the icebergs and
afford us great opportunities to leave the ship and get
up close to some absolutely amazing wildlife.
What will we see?
Antarctica is the world’s largest area of protected
wilderness. On your expedition to the frozen continent
you will get up close to playful seals sunning themselves
on the ice floes, observe gigantic albatross in flight,
encounter giant whales and visit massive penguin
rookeries. We commonly see minke whales, humpback
whales and orcas (sometimes called killer whales) and
there are plenty of crab-eater seals and the predatory
leopard seals to be seen, too. Gentoo, Adelie and
chinstrap are the most commonly encountered species
of penguins whilst skuas, fulmers and petrels often fly
alongside the ship.
What happens on board?
On an expedition like this our daily itinerary is dictated
by the weather and ice conditions, as well as the wildlife
we encounter along the way. Days typically start early on
the Lyubov Orlova. You might even be awoken by a call
of “whales on starboard”! After a hearty breakfast, we
head out on deck to spot wildlife or board the Zodiacs
to make shore landings. We return to the ship for lunch
and, if we’re lucky, we’ll make another Zodiac excursion
in the afternoon. A three-course dinner is just the thing
after a day spent exploring and you can cap off your day
with a quiet drink in the bar or simply spend some more
time, rugged up and out on the deck in the surreal halflight
of an Antarctic evening.