Chimu Adventures has announced that Albatros Expeditions will join its parent network, Nordic Expedition Cruise and Travel, following NECT’s complete acquisition of the company.
Albatros Expeditions and Polar Latitudes will now join forces to enhance their cruise offerings to the Arctic and Antarctica and combine with Chimu’s Latin America land product, presenting Australian travellers the full travel package, door to door, across a growing fleet of ships. To celebrate the new partnership, Chimu is launching a travel agents’ incentive.
Agents booking clients on the partnership fleet will have the chance to win a 10-day famil on the Ocean Albatros, departing in the ‘25/’26 season with more details to be released soon.
This new acquisition will round out a strong global operations and sales group for NECT, in both the Polar and Latin America travel markets.
The combined fleet of Polar Latitudes and Albatros Expeditions will include the Ocean Albatros, Ocean Victory, MS Seaventure and Ocean Nova, to reinforce its presence as an immersive polar journeys across diverse market sectors, while prioritising low-emission voyages.
“We’ve spent the last few years trying to develop a reduced emission pathway in Antarctic operations for Australian travellers and this transaction is exactly the gamechanger that we’ve been looking for,” Chimu Adventure’s MD and partner in NECT group, Chad Carey, said.
“The addition of the X bow ships to the fleet, Ocean Albatros and Ocean Victory, operated by Albatros, are not only two of the most capable expedition cruising ships on the water, but their modern and efficient design will reduce our emissions per traveller significantly, compared to our previous operations on the Ocean Endeavour,” Carey added.
Albatros Expeditions have been at the forefront of sustainable cruising for a number of years operating the emission efficient Ocean Albatros and Ocean Victory. This combined with their extensive experience in polar operations and comprehensive green initiative onboard program where single used plastics are eliminated, biodegradable products are used, and sustainable food is served, puts Albatros in a top tier in terms of polar operators.
These strengths complement those of Chimu’s sister company, Polar Latitudes, a US based expedition travel company recognised for their industry leading operations. Polar Latitudes is known for its deeply immersive Antarctic experiences, strong leadership in Citizen Science, and ongoing support of NGOs committed to protecting the polar region’s fragile environment.
“Our ambition is to create the most trusted and reliable brand for all of our customers and business partners by learning from, and building on, each other’s strengths,” said incoming CEO of Albatros Expeditions Patrick Shaw.
Carey said it will continue to leverage the Chimu brand as the complete package, both locally and globally.
“Chimu offers access to all the very best ships and deals in the polar regions, as well as a place to book flights and South America travel packages, all with only one phone call,” he said. “This combination of expertise under one umbrella provides the perfect hub for travellers and agents alike to feel well taken care of, both now and in the future.”
