Polar Tours Logo 1200px full color svg
Plancius Antarctic and Arctic Cruises

Plancius Antarctic and Arctic Cruises

A small expedition ship perfect for exploration and adventure

A polar cruise on board the Plancius

30 Reviews

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.

It has an intimate & cozy vibe with a quieter motor and only 109 passengers on-board.

Polartours
Plancius deck plan
Polartours

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.

Dates & Prices of Plancius

When would you like to travel?

Dates

Trip

Info

Status

Price

Could not find your preferred date?

Contact us

Amenities on board the Plancius

bar

Bar

theater

Lecture Theater

binoculars

Observation Deck

zodiac fleet

Zodiac Fleet

lounge

Observation Lounge

doctor's suitcase

Medical Services

library

Library

wifi

Internet/Wifi

rubber boots

Mudroom

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.

Cabin Categories on board the Plancius

Image without description
Triple Porthole Cabin

Type:

Triple

Max. occupancy:

3

More about this cabin

Twin Window Cabin Plancius
Twin Window Cabin

Type:

Twins

Max. occupancy:

2

More about this cabin

Quadruple Porthole - Plancius
Quadruple Porthole Cabin

Type:

Quadrupel

Max. occupancy:

4

More about this cabin

Twin Porthole - Plancius
Twin Porthole Cabin

Type:

Twins

Max. occupancy:

2

More about this cabin

Twin Deluxe Cabin Plancius
Twin Deluxe Cabin

Type:

Twins

Max. occupancy:

2

More about this cabin

Superior Cabin Plancius
Superior Cabin

Type:

Matrimonial

Max. occupancy:

2

More about this cabin

More info about the Plancius

Cruising speed
10.5 knots
Beam
14.5
Draft
5 m
Capacity
108
Year built
1976
Length
89 m
Class
Ice Class 1A
Crew members
47
Gross tonnage
3211 tons

Reviews of Plancius

Meghal Lotia

Plancius Antarctic and Arctic Cruises

Pour ce qui est de la croisière, ce fut une expérience extraordinaire ! Les services d'Oceanwide ont été gérés de manière très efficace malgré l'épidémie de covidés pendant la visite. Je suis végétarienne et j'ai donc été surprise de constater qu'il y avait de nombreuses options de repas pour moi et que le personnel de cuisine a fait de gros efforts. Les guides étaient très compétents et sympathiques. Nous nous asseyions souvent le soir après le dîner pour discuter de nos vies personnelles et de nos passions. J'ai eu l'impression d'être plus proche d'eux que de la relation conventionnelle entre un guide et un touriste. Je suis heureux d'avoir participé à ce voyage. Les activités que nous avons faites et les amis que je me suis faits ont été une expérience très mémorable. Je donnerais une très bonne note à Oceanwide pour tous leurs efforts ! J'aimerais beaucoup faire un autre voyage avec Oceanwide, peut-être dans l'Arctique cette fois-ci.

Melody Tang

Plancius Antarctic and Arctic Cruises

The nature and wildlife were fantastic! The crew is professional and they have prepared a lot of backup plans for our trip - which made everything smooth!

client

Marc Filip W

Plancius Antarctic and Arctic Cruises

Wir hatten drei wunderschöne Wochen - Falkand-Inseln, Südgeorgien und Antarktis. Die Tierwelt in Südgeorgien war unglaublich!!! Das Wetter hat auch mitgespielt, sodass wir viele Landgänge und Zodiac-Touren machen konnten. Die Zusammenarbeit zwischen Expeditionsteam und Bordcrew war sehr gut! Das Expeditionsteam war sehr engagiert und hatte sehr viel Wissen. Die Bordcrew hat alles getan, damit wir eine wunderschöne Zeit an Bord hatten. Herzlichen Dank nochmals an das gesamte Oceanwide-Team an Bord der Plancius!!!

Bjoern Zeidler

Plancius Antarctic and Arctic Cruises

Great communication, great trip! I can recommend Polartours and Celia in particular!

FRELAT B

Plancius Antarctic and Arctic Cruises

I highly recommend Polartours and more specifically Bruna who was extremely helpful and kind during my last minute booking process. I thank her very much for her professionalism, reactivity and passion. My trip to Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica was absolutely amazing and exceptional. THANK YOU AGAIN BRUNA !!!

Tanja B

Plancius Antarctic and Arctic Cruises

PolarTours – An Outstanding Experience! Our expedition on the Plancius to South Georgia, the Falklands, and Antarctica was truly unforgettable, and a huge part of that was thanks to Celia from PolarTours. From the very beginning, her support was exceptional—always available, providing accurate information, and going the extra mile to ensure everything was perfect. She was incredibly supportive, checking in immediately if anything was needed. The experience onboard the Plancius exceeded all expectations. The landing spots were carefully selected, allowing us to spend a lot of time on land, fully immersing ourselves in the breathtaking landscapes and incredible wildlife. The guides were not only professional but had an incredible depth of knowledge, sharing fascinating insights at every stop. The service onboard was top-notch—like staying in a floating hotel, with an amazing crew that was always friendly, happy, and ready to help. The overall atmosphere was warm and welcoming, making the expedition even more special. A huge thank you to Celia and the entire team—this was a once-in-a-lifetime journey, made perfect by outstanding service, expert guidance, and seamless organization. Highly recommended!


2025 Polartours, a Ventura TRAVEL GmbH brand

All rights reserved

Bruna Garcia

Your contact

Bruna

Bruna Garcia