National Geographic Quest

National Geographic Quest and her sister ship, National Geographic Venture, were commissioned as Lindblad's first purpose-built new vessels. They were designed for expedition cruising along the Pacific coasts of North and Central America, including Alaska, British Columbia, and the Pacific Northwest during the northern summer, and Panama, Costa Rica, Baja California, and other Central American destinations during the winter. The vessels were designed with a shallow draft and high maneuverability to allow access to inner coastal waterways while providing accommodations suitable for extended voyages. The contract for the two ships was reported at approximately $94.8 million, with the cost of National Geographic Quest estimated at $48 million. Construction was carried out at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders at their Freeland shipyard. The vessel was launched in early June 2017 using an inflatable-bag rolling system. == Specifications and features ==

s on the stern of the National Geographic Quest National Geographic Quest measures approximately in overall length with a beam of and a draft of . Because the vessel was built in the United States, flies the U.S. flag, and is owned by a U.S. company, it is compliant with the Jones Act when crewed by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. This allows the ship to operate voyages entirely within the United States without requiring a foreign port call. == References ==