Will this new ship design make seasickness a thing of the past?
Here's some good news for anyone who's ever experienced the grips of seasickness on a cruise (I'm looking at you Bermuda and transatlantic itineraries!): Norwegian shipbuilder Ulstein says its new X-BOW design can make a big difference when sailing in rough waters.
That's because the design of the X-BOW promises to "[split] the wave energy and [reduce] the slamming impact."
Related: What to do if your cruise hits rough seas
While any cruiser wishes for smooth sailing, this is especially true for travelers on an expedition cruise. Ulstein hopes its new design could be a game changer for voyages that transit through rough channels, such as the infamous Drake Passage between South America's Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica.
According to CNN, Aurora Expeditions is the first cruise line to embrace the X-BOW. Its ship, the Greg Mortimer, embarks on its first voyage on Thursday, Oct. 31 from Ushuaia, Argentina. The ship will transit the Drake Passage, and we'll be eagerly waiting to hear if passengers agree the notoriously turbulent ride is indeed more stable.
Related: Tips for visiting Antarctica before it's too late
What's different about the X-BOW ship design? The hull curves backward, leaving more volume at the front of the ship. This means the bow can more easily "slice" through waves, making the ride smoother. Ulstein also claims the design is more energy efficient. Since less fuel is expended to move through the water, the design actually minimizes emissions.
Ulstein's X-BOW technology isn't new. In fact, it launched the design in 2005 but, until now, it's only been used by ships with industrial purposes. For example, one such ship sails the Arctic's Barents Sea year-round. So, we'll be following Aurora's new Greg Mortimer to find out just how different it is to sail on an X-BOW vessel.
If shipbuilder Ulstein has its way, you'll be seeing more of its ships at a cruise terminal near you in the future.
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| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
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The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
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- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month