Coral Geographer Review

4.5 / 5.0
11 reviews
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Editor Rating
4.5
Very Good
Overall
Fiona Harper
Contributor

Launched in March 2021, Coral Geographer is one of Coral Expeditions' three purpose-built expedition ships, and is powered by state-of-the-art diesel electrical propulsion and stabilizer systems to enhance passenger comfort.

Public areas include a carpeted dining room with tables seating two to eight people, the Bridge Deck Lounge where lectures and recaps are held, movies are shown and entertainment like quiz or games nights are conducted. The Bridge Deck has an indoor/outdoor bar with alfresco seating, plus there's another dining area and bar on deck seven which is utilized for BBQ's and other special occasions.

Coral Geographer's Deck Plan is Spread Across Five Floors

Passengers have access to five decks with cabins spread over four levels, from deck three to deck six. A central elevator and stairwell connects all five decks midships with the central lobby areas on deck used as art galleries to showcase predominantly Australian indigenous art.

Much of Coral Deck (Deck 3) is taken up with crew areas except for a dozen Coral Deck cabins, (rooms with portholes), plus a medical facility where there's a doctor on 24hr call. The Promenade Deck (Deck 4) is the hub of the ship with the dining room and alfresco deck, Pursers desk and gift shop and Promenade Deck Staterooms.

The Explorer Deck is taken up entirely with Balcony Staterooms along with a well-equipped gym. On the Bridge Deck there's the Lounge and alfresco bar, along with six Balcony Suites between the lift lobby and Bridge. The topmost Vista Deck has the Xplorer Bar, a large open undercover space with seating and a bar.

Passengers with limited mobility will find Coral Geographer offers things like a central lift, wide corridors and of course the step-on boarding of Explorer tenders for ease of movement. The company has a policy that all guests should be able to meet the physical and mental requirements of maritime health and safety without assistance in the event of an emergency. 

Cabins on Coral Geographer are Referred to as Staterooms

With 60 cabins for 120 guests, there are four Stateroom category types across four decks on Coral Geographer. Coral Deck, Promenade Deck and Explorer Deck staterooms are similarly sized and fitted out. The main difference is the addition of a glass sliding door onto a balcony on Explorer Deck, windows on Promenade Deck and portholes on Coral Deck.

Balcony Suites on the Bridge Deck are the most expensive and double in size. They come with a sitting area, balcony and spacious marble bathroom with spa tub and picture window. 

Food on Coral Geographer is Influenced by Local Cuisine of Destinations Visited

A team of six chefs and galley assistants dish up a daily menu of tasty food choices. All meals are taken in the Dining Room on Deck 4, where guests choose their own seating. Breakfast is buffet style with a good selection of hot and cold food and an option to have eggs cooked to order. Food at lunch and dinner includes three courses with at least two choices for entree and main course. On our South Australian voyage, a region known for producing some of Australia's finest seafood (think Coffin Bay oysters, tuna and abalone), fish was invariably one of the choices. BBQ night is a feature of each voyage and is a buffet style alfresco dinner served at sunset which has a festive, convivial vibe.

What's Included on Coral Geographer (and What's Not)

What's Included on Coral Geographer

  • All restaurant and dining

  • Canapes during daily recap

  • House Beer, wine standard spirits and soft drinks with meals. Premium drinks are avail for purchase

  • Wi-Fi

  • Expedition lectures

  • Landings and shore excursions

  • Kayaks (offered on selected voyages)

  • Refillable water bottle to take home

  • Tips and gratuities

  • Photos captured by Expedition team (available to download post-cruise)

  • Post-cruise transfers

Not Included on Coral Geographer

  • Premium drinks during meal sittings

  • Alcoholic drinks outside of lunch and dinner service

  • Shop purchases

  • Laundry service

  • Scuba diving (offered on selected voyages)

  • Premium fast wi-fi

  • Pre and post-cruise hotel

  • Pre-cruise transfers

Pros

Coral Geographer's Explorer tenders provide seamless access for guests of all abilities to participate in shore excursions; more Bridge Deck suites

Cons

Limited flexibility with shore excursion transfers on ship's Explorer tenders as it’s a one-in-all-in set up

Bottom Line

Both a negative & positive tender process; overall a well thought out purpose-built expedition ship with a relaxed and friendly vibe

About

Passengers: 120
Crew: 48
Passenger to Crew: 2.5:1
Launched: 2021

Fellow Passengers

Who Is On Board Coral Geographer?

On our Wild Islands of South Australia voyage guests were predominantly from Australia, with a smattering of Americans, New Zealanders, Canadian, German and British, mostly retired or semi-retired, including a good number of solo women travelers. Coral Expeditions say that the average age of guests across their three ships is 65 years. Most travelers on our voyage aligned with this age group, except for one multi-gen family travelling with a teenager.

Travelers tend to be well-traveled and lean towards an interest in nature, culture and history, with guest lecturers onboard providing significant insight in these genres. Coral Expeditions attracts a loyal following of repeat travelers with those guests proudly displaying their loyalty on their name tags marked with Silver, Gold or Platinum status.

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Coral Geographer Cruiser Reviews

Coral Expeditions: A Voyage of Contrasts

While I may not choose to embark on another voyage with Coral, I do recognize the genuine intentions of the team and their commitment to enhancing the guest experience.Read More
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JJ Cruiser

few6-10 Cruises

Age 55s

Outstanding expedition cruise with great crew on comfortable vessel

This cruise is my second with Coral Expeditions and their newest ship, the Coral Geographer was excellent with lots of out door shady space.Read More
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Cherub21

many10+ Cruises

Age 70s

Fantastic Experience

Our ship, Coral Geographer, carried about 100 passengers in very comfortable cabins with en-suite bathrooms. All passengers were 40+, the majority were older and retired.Read More
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HDS

many10+ Cruises

Age 70s

SPECTACULAR WAY TO SEE THE KIMBERLEY COAST

We were on the Coral Geographer (built 2021) from Darwin to Broome on 25 May to 4 June 2022, suite 515. The ship is new and luxurious.Read More
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Andrew B

couple2-5 Cruises

Age 70s

Coral Expeditions Fleet
Coral Discoverer

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