If you're curious, the ship was heavily inspired by the NS Savannah and the RV Mirai, respectively.
The Ship
The NRV Frontier is a state-of-the-art nuclear powered research vessel - one of only five active civilian nuclear-powered ships in existence - and was purpose-built as a joint project between Janus-Hayes and the US Department of Energy to test new modular nuclear reactors.
It now provides a base of operations for extended research expeditions anywhere in the world. At nearly one hundred and eighty meters long, it dwarfs most expedition research vessels and is a sought-after and prestigious posting for academics and researchers the world over.
As is the case with any nuclear-powered vessel, Participants are issued with small dosimeter tags to carry with them throughout their stay on the NRV Frontier. They are also party to a short, mandatory briefing at the beginning of the stay which goes over basic radiation safety procedures, including where to shelter in the event of an emergency.
The ship is clearly divided into sections with coloured arrows on the floor; a few of the sections are completely off-limits to the Participants. They are sensitive operational sections of the ship, as well as the Engineering deck, crew cabins, and cargo bays. They are demarcated as such, and locked to entry. Nevertheless, there are a variety of locations that the Participants are able to explore during their stay.
The Mess Hall is one of the primary meeting places on the Frontier, and is considerably more lavish than one might expect for a research vessel. The Frontier also has three dedicated kitchen staff who regularly prepare meals for the passengers and crew, who can choose from a variety of options each evening. Dietary accommodations are taken into account, and there is also a small self-serve counter where passengers can prepare coffee, tea, or other small snacks.
The outside of the Frontier is largely exposed to the elements, and is mostly inaccessible. However, there is a small observation deck where passengers can step outside to catch a breath of fresh air and take in views of the open sea. During much of the voyage, the weather conditions of the Bering Sea can make this a somewhat unpleasant place to be.
The Passenger Cabins are comfortable, and far less austere than cabins on most oceangoing vessels. Each cabin has a bunk, bathroom, a desk, and a small couch for guests. The cabins also contain emergency supplies in the event that there is an accident on the ship, radiological or otherwise.
Spaced throughout the ship are a number of small lounges, which are often little more than small alcoves with a single table and some comfortable seating. Nevertheless, they’re ideal places to relax or carry out more private conversations.
While most of them are not currently operational, much of the space on the ship is devoted to modular, well-equipped labs that are designed to adapt to the varying needs that the Frontier might be devoted to on a given voyage. At present, they remain in a setup assembled for marine biologists.
The trip takes four days, during which time the Participants are given meals and encouraged to mingle and get to know one another. The ship is extensively bugged with listening devices, and every conversation between Participants is recorded. There is no internet service beyond what is available on the ship itself, and all incoming and outbound traffic is actively monitored.
On the final evening of the trip, Participants and crew will be informed of a potential issue with the reactor’s cooling system, and will be confined to their cabins and advised to take a medication that will protect them from minor radiation exposure - this renders the participants (safely) unconscious. Should anyone not follow this direction, they will be apprehended by mercenaries and forcibly subdued.
After successfully delivering the participants to the island, the NRV Frontier remains posted a few kilometers off of the coast of Severniy Norin as a support station for the experiment; it remains faintly visible on the horizon.