The Canadian expedition cruise operator, One Ocean Expeditions (OOE) has officially welcomed RCGS Resolute to its fleet.
To celebrate her arrival the company hosted a grand recommission event at the Port of Sydney, Nova Scotia on October 16th, 2018.
And we flew to Canada to join in the fun
Notable guests at the event included
- The Honourable Nellie T. Kusugak, Commissioner of Nunavut
- Rear Admiral Nick Lambert
- The Honourable Alexandra Shackleton,
- Navy Captain Guillaume Lefrance (CD)
- The Honourable Rodger Cuzner (MP)
- Michael MacDonald (MP)
- Cecil Clarke Mayor of Cape Breton
- John Geiger, CEO of Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS)
Special appearances also included performances by Stadacona Band of the Royal Canadian Navy and the 29 Sydney Kiwanis Royal Canadian Air Cadet squadron with Commanding Officer Major Dodie Hanna (CD).
The ship was blessed by Reverend Canon Donald J Lawton (CD) at the ceremony, and the VIP celebration concluded with an exclusive performance by popular local band and one of the nation’s favourites, the Barra MacNeils, to mark this momentous occasion.
Says John Geiger, “This day represents a great moment in the history of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. RCGS Resolute is a platform not only for expeditionary travel but for science and education.”
With the fleet expansion comes an increased number of sailings to Canada’s East Coast and Antarctica as well as the introduction of new non-polar destinations in Spring 2019.
“Introducing RCGS Resolute to our fleet in her home port of Sydney, Nova Scotia is an important moment for One Ocean Expeditions, The Royal Canadian Geographical Society and our partners,” says Andrew Prossin, Managing Director of One Ocean Expeditions and Cape Breton native. “A ship recommissioning is a unique ceremony that places a vessel in active service. It is a joyous occasion that we are honoured to host on Canada’s East Coast and my home.
“As One Ocean Expeditions’ exclusive marine partner in education, environmental science, and exploration, it’s an honour to name one of our vessels with a RCGS pre-fix for the first time,” adds Catherine Lawton, OOE’s General Manager. “In partnering with Royal Canadian Geographical Society, our guests have the exclusive opportunity to learn from and interact with RCGS Fellows including world-renowned scientists, educators, researchers, naturalists, marine biologists, artists, historians and photographers on board. We look forward to welcoming RCGS Resolute to our fleet along with our friends, partners and supporters.”
Designed for exploration and for comfort, RCGS Resolute is modern, well-appointed, safe and ice strengthened. The ship offers an array of premiere amenities aligning with OOE’s unique small ship programming, educational opportunities and numerous activities tailored to guests’ individual interests.
This new addition joins OOE’s Akademik Ioffe and Akademik Sergey Vavilov, both carrying less than 100 passengers. While RCGS Resolute hosts 146 passengers, she has the capacity to host and operate an increased number of programs simultaneously, ensuring the same small group comfort and intimacy found on all OOE vessels.
RCGS Resolute’s inaugural voyage will depart from Ushuaia, Argentina on November 16th, 2018, on the “Antarctica – Off the Beaten Track’” voyage. From November to March she will explore Antarctica and South Georgia before heading north to the Chilean Fjords in April 2019. From there she heads to Costa Rica and Panama, through the Panama Canal and onwards to the North Atlantic, commencing voyages through Scotland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. She will also host OOE’s inaugural Scotland & Ireland Golf Expedition before starting her first season in the Canadian High Arctic.
Proudly Canadian and committed to environmental and social responsibility, One Ocean Expeditions offers passengers personalised marine experiences in some of the most unspoiled and ecologically sensitive places on Earth.
The company maintains on going affiliations with an array of scientific and educational institutions and is proud to serve as the exclusive marine travel partner of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society.