Originally christened as the Olympia Explorer, the MV Explorer took on this new name in 2004 when it started sailing for Semester At Sea (ending in 2015) as an homage to the retired S.S. Universe Explorer.

The ship was built in 2001 by Blohm+Voss in Hamburg, Germany and was laid down using military frigate hull designs as a high-speed cruise ship. This was not a trend that caught on; the ship tended to vibrate at high speeds which turns out isn’t ideal for a pleasure cruise where closing speed is not a premium.

For Semester At Sea this was a major upgrade. The 27 knot cruising speed allowed the ship to offset time lost to weather or other delays, ensuring prompt arrival for scheduled programs at each port. It was also an upgrade in passenger capacity and featuring modernized theatre, forward viewing area, and usable pool. Additionally, since the Institute for Shipboard Education purchased this ship rather than leasing, they had financial incentive to schedule sailings in-between formal semesters. These became known as Enrichment Voyages.

My Enrichment Voyage experience in 2008 was a two week gap between semesters and the ship was far from at capacity, likely less than half. We took advantage of the various amenities and felt as if we had the ship to ourselves in the evenings. Perhaps not as nostalgic as its predecessor, the MV Explorer had its own charm and quirks to be found and loved.

Semester At Sea ran the ship until 2015 when it was replaced by the MV World Odyssey as traveling campus. This ship is still sailing today (as of 2026), under the name Blue Dream Star cruising the coasts of China.

Dimensions

• Built: 2001
• Tonnage: 24,318 GT
• Length: 590 Feet
• Beam: 84 Feet
• Draft: 24 Feet
• Power: 45,360 bhp
• Top Speed: 30 knots
• Cruising Speed: Knots
• Passenger Decks: 5
• Capacity: 836 passengers
• Wikipedia: Blue Dream Star

On Board

Do the thing

In Port

Do the thing