
Plancius Antarctic and Arctic Cruises
A perfect expedition cruise ship for exploration and adventure
A polar cruise on board the Plancius
11 Reviews
M/v “Plancius” was built in 1976 as an oceanographic research vessel for the Royal Dutch Navy and was named “Hr. Ms. Tydeman”. The ship sailed for the Dutch Navy until June 2004 and was eventually purchased by Oceanwide Expeditions. The vessel was completely rebuilt as a passenger vessel in 2009 and complies with the latest SOLAS regulations (Safety Of Life At Sea). M/v “Plancius” is classed by Lloyd’s Register and flies the Dutch flag.
M/v “Plancius” accommodates 108 passengers with private toilet and shower in 4 quadruple porthole cabins, 2 triple porthole cabins, 9 twin porthole cabins, 25 twin cabins with window and 2 twin deluxe cabins, all (ca. 12,5 square meters) and 10 twin superior cabins (ca. 21 square meters). All cabins offer lower berths (one queen-size bed in the superior cabins and two single beds in the twin cabins), except for the 4 quadruple cabins (for 4 persons in 2x upper and lower beds), and 2 triple cabins (1 bunk bed plus 1 lower bed).
Please be aware that a small number of cabins may have a partially obstructed view due to the design requirements of the ship. The best view is always on the outer deck or the bridge. The vessel offers a restaurant/lecture room on Deck 3 and a spacious observation lounge (with bar) on deck 5 with large windows, offering a full panorama view. M/v “Plancius” has large open deck spaces (with full walk-around possibilities on deck 4), giving excellent opportunities to enjoy the scenery and wildlife. She is furthermore equipped with 10 Mark V zodiacs, including 40 HP 4-stroke outboard engines and 2 gangways on the starboard side, guaranteeing a swift zodiac operation. M/v “Plancius” is comfortable and nicely decorated but is not a luxury vessel. Our voyages in the Arctic and Antarctic regions are primarily defined by an exploratory educational travel program, spending as much time ashore as possible. Plancius fully meets our demands to achieve this. The vessel is equipped with a diesel-electric propulsion system which reduces the noise and vibration of the vessel considerably. The 3 diesel engines generate 1.230 horsepower each, giving the vessel a speed of 10 - 12 knots. The vessel is ice-strengthened and was specially built for oceanographic voyages. M/v “Plancius” is manned by an international crew of 37 (18 nautical crew and 19 hotel crew), 8 expedition staff (1 expedition leader, 1 assistant expedition leader, and 6 guides/lecturers), and 1 doctor.
What we love about the Plancius
The "Basecamp" expeditions onboard the Plancius offer a number of free optional activities included in the cruise package.
Children from the age of 3 years old are welcomed on board.
Pictures and Deck Plans of the Plancius



Dates & Prices of Plancius
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Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you, and you can confirm with a payment later. Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, include taxes, and can be subject to fluctuation and change. The routes are fixed, but can be changed due to weather or breeding behavior of the animals. Could not find your preferred date?
Cabin Categories on board the Plancius






All expedition cruises on board the Plancius
Amenities on board the Plancius
Bar
Lecture Theater
Observation Deck
Zodiac Fleet
Observation Lounge
Medical Services
Library
Helicopter Landings
Plancius 's take on sustainable traveling
Foremost among our sustainability goals are actively reducing the impact and emission of our vessels, investing in new technology, and continuously improving our existing resources. We have also installed a new low-emission engine in our veteran vessel, Ortelius. This engine complies with all the latest environmental legislation. Another of our important commitments to sustainability is our use of low-sulfur marine gas oil (LSMGO), which has a sulfur content of less than 0.1 percent.\n\nWe limit onboard waste production by recycling as often as we can as well as banning single-use plastics. This ship does not use straws, plastic cups, or any individually wrapped butter, yogurt, and jam. This vessel has a water treatment system and desalination system that uses reverse osmosis, allowing us to eliminate the use of plastic water bottles on board. Rather, guests receive a reusable water bottle they can refill on the vessel. Bathrooms are equipped with biodegradable shampoo and soap in recycled packing, further limiting our use of plastics.
More info about the Plancius
Category
Classic
Type
Small Ship (<121 Guests)
Class
Ice Class 1A
Length
89 m
Crew members
47
Gross tonnage
3211 tons
Cruising speed
10.5 knots
Beam
Draft
5 m
Capacity
108
Year built
1976
Reviews of Plancius
Meghal Lotia
5/5
To talk about the cruise, it was an amazing experience! The services by Oceanwide were managed very efficiently despite the covid outbreak during the tour. I am a vegetarian so I was surprised that they had plenty of meal options for me and the kitchen staff made great efforts. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and friendly. We would often sit down in the evening after our dinner and chat about our personal lives and passions. It felt more like being friends with them than the conventional tourist-guide relation. I am glad that I made it to this trip. It has been a very memorable experience with the activities that we did and friends I made. I would rate Oceanwide very highly for all their efforts! I would love to go on another trip with Oceanwide, maybe to the Arctic this time.
Isabel Good
5/5
I have wanted to go to Antarctica for some time, especially after going to Churchill, Canada. It is truly amazing to see such color variation in a mostly monochromatic environment.! The food on board was excellent. All of the staff were friendly and helpful. Penguins were just too cute! Probably the highlight was the Orcas that followed our ship and put on quite a display for us. Lectures were entertaining and surprisingly, it wasn't as cold as I had feared. I brought way too much stuff ! A very nice touch to have a log sent out from the ship and crew. (Copied from Oceanwide Expeditions)
Susie Storey
5/5
A truly unique and memorable Artic experience on M/V Plancius with a group from Heatherlea and BBC Wildlife. We enjoyed the company and expertise of Nick Baker from BBC Wildlife and were accompanied by the knowledgable guides from Heatherlee. The excellent crew who took great care of us both in the cabin and the restaurant, superb food and nothing was too much trouble!. The Expedition team worked tirelessly 24/7 to find us those all important sightings of polar bear, walrus, seals, reindeer and whales!.bird life was in abundance and some exceptional sightings included ivory gull, great skuas, snow bunting and ptarmigan together with the numerous auks and the inevitable fulmars around the ship. The trips ashore in the zodiaks were well planned and executed, giving us outstanding views of the landscape together with polar bear and arctic fox footprints seen frequently. Every evening we gathered to review the days events and hear interesting talks from our experienced guides. Also I met some very interesting and highly amusing friends so sincere thanks to everyone at Oceanwide, Heatherlea and BBC Wildlife for making this Artic trip such a memorable, once in a lifetime experience. (Copied from Oceanwide Expeditions)
Holly Snell
5/5
We had dreamt about our Antarctica trip for so long and when we finally embarked on our expedition Oceanwide exceeded all our expectations. From the moment we stepped onto the ship we felt a warm, welcoming and friendly vibe from every crew and staff member that lasted throughout the entire trip. We chose the Plancius as we wanted to be part of a smaller group with around 100 passengers, the ship itself is well looked after, sparkling clean and all the equipment we were given to use was high quality and well maintained. The food was delicious, a good variety was available and we loved the home baked bread and afternoon cakes that were a treat to come back too after an expedition in the cold! The on shore landings and zodiac tours we did were interesting and varied, and though the weather was mixed, the expedition crew were efficient in changing plans and coming up with an activity for us to do at the last minute, which was very impressive. Daily talks were given helping us to understand more about Antarctica and the chance to try kayaking and camping was a highlight which made the trip feel like a real adventure, giving a unique view of Antarctica which we will remember forever!
Les Howarth
5/5
My trip to Antarctica on board m/v Plancius by far exceeded my expectations. We were fortunate enough to have exceptional weather,.allowing us to make the most of the continuous activities. With 2 shore excursions and 2 Zodiac tours, amongst the icebergs, whales, penguins and seals each day, coupled with daily kayaking and a night camping, you would think there’d be no time for anything else. However there was. In the evenings and during the transit across the Drake Passage and back, there were presentations in the lounge, on history of Antarctica, the local wildlife, weather etc etc. These were conducted by scientists and other members of the staff with degrees in specific areas. The meals were of a high standard. The ship was quite comfortable. All staff were professional, courteous and very helpful. The kayaking guide was a real character and made each kayaking trip one to remember. This trip will will be embedded in my mind forever. (Copied from Oceanwide Expeditions)
Jim Rosenthal
5/5
A really fabulous adventure to Antarctica, South Georgia Island, and the Falkland Islands aboard the Plancius. The boat is a perfect size for our 100 passenger voyage. The staff is very personable and helpful. Each day they give presentations about climate, geography, wildlife, a daily recap and plans for the next day. We had ample onshore excursion and zodiac tours of various islands and inlets in the Antarctic peninsula. After several days here, we moved on to South Georgia Island. This seems to be the Galapagos of the South Atlantic, with wildlife that is extremely approachable. The rugged mountainous terrain is breathtaking, and we all visited Grytviken to see the old whale processing station, the museum, and visit Shackleton's burial site. Our final stop on thje voyage was the Falkland Islands to visit the Magellanic penguins and the town of Stanley. All along the entire voyage there was so much to experience! (Copied from Oceanwide Expeditions)