The Douglas Mawson is now sporting Aurora Expeditions’ livery ahead of embarking on its maiden voyage for the company in early December.

Delivered by the CMHI shipyard earlier this year, the ship is currently getting ready to welcome its first guests in Australia.

As part of the work, the Douglas Mawson got a new paint job in Singapore, which included the addition of Aurora’s logo on its hull and a stylish star on its bow.

According to a social media update, other preparations were carried out during the ship’s stay in Southeast Asia, including final touches to cabins and staterooms.

The ship also took on additional expedition gear, including kayaks and boots.

“Every detail was carefully considered to ensure she’s ready for the season ahead,” Aurora said in its post.

The 186-guest ship left Singapore in early November, starting a voyage to Sydney, Australia.

As the third ship in Aurora’s fleet, the vessel is scheduled to debut in early December, kicking off an expedition to Tasmania.

The 11-night cruise sails roundtrip from Hobart starting on Dec. 1, 2025, and sails to a wide range of destinations, such as South Bruny Island, Freycinet Peninsula and Recherche Bay.

For the 2025-26 season, the 8,000-ton vessel will offer expedition cruises to East Antarctica and the Ross Sea departing from Australia.

In 2026, the ship will reposition to Europe and the Mediterranean as part of Aurora’s Vantage Explorations program.

As the final ship in SunStone’s Infinity class, the Douglas Mawson was built at China Merchants Heavy Industries in Hainan.

Designed to offer upscale cruising in remote and polar destinations, the ship is operating for Aurora under a long-term charter agreement.

In addition to the Douglas Mawson, the company also operates the Greg Mortimer and the Sylvia Earle as part of similar deals.