Ross Sea
January & FebruaryIn the Wake of Scott & Shackleton, 28 days from Bluff, from US$33,075.
Best for: the far side of Antarctica.
Heritage’s fleet: two Finnish veterans and a yacht
Heritage sails three hulls into 2027: a 1991 polar ship, a 1989 ship from the same Finnish yard, and an 18-guest yacht built in Picton. Both big ships were refitted for the ice long before Heritage took them on.
3Ships in the fleet, November 2026
1A SuperIce class on Heritage Adventurer
14Zodiacs on each of the two ships
18Guests on Heritage Explorer
By Joey Boleslawski, founder & travel advisorFacts checked November 1, 2026
The short answer
For the Ross Sea, there’s one choice: Heritage Adventurer. It carries 140 guests on a 1A Super hull and runs the 28-day voyage from Bluff. It’s the same ship that sailed for decades as Hanseatic.
Heritage Discoverer is the newer arrival, not the newer ship. Built in 1989, it adds 70 cabins, 12 suites and the Antarctic Peninsula from Ushuaia, starting with a preview voyage in November 2026.
Heritage Explorer is a different trip altogether: 18 guests in New Zealand’s fiords and sounds. Choose by region first, because on this line the region usually picks the ship for you.
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The sortable fleet
Three ships, measured the same way
Tap a sort button. The meters redraw against the largest ship in each row.
Specs come from Heritage’s ship pages and announcements. Discoverer’s tonnage is from Cruise Industry News, since Heritage hasn’t published one; lengths are converted from Heritage’s meters.
Heritage doesn’t publish a cabin count for Adventurer, so we haven’t guessed one from elsewhere. Sort by Built and note the order — the newest hull in the fleet is the 30-meter yacht.
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Two Rauma ships, reunited
Where these hulls have already been
Dates from Heritage, Seatrade Cruise News and Cruise Industry News. Each card notes who said it.
1989Rauma
Delfin Clipper
The ship now called Heritage Discoverer is launched in June 1989 at Rauma-Repola, Finland, per Cruise Industry News.
1991Rauma
Society Adventurer
Heritage Adventurer is built at the same yard for Society Expeditions, designed for 184 guests and polar work.
1993–2018Hanseatic
A quarter-century in the ice
Seatrade counts 677 Hapag-Lloyd voyages from 1996, 128 to Antarctica and 11 Northwest Passage transits, and calls it the first non-Russian ship through the Northeast Passage.
2008–2023Silversea
Prince Albert II, then Silver Explorer
Silversea buys the other Rauma ship in 2008 and sails it for 15 years before it becomes Exploris One in late 2023.
May 2021Heritage
Heritage Adventurer
Heritage announces the ex-Hanseatic, cut to 140 guests, with its first season planned for May 2022.
2026Heritage
Heritage Discoverer
Exploris One sells at auction early in 2026 for a reported 4.5 million euros. After a Bremerhaven drydock, it’s set for a November 2026 preview voyage from Ushuaia.
The build year needs one footnote. Heritage and Seatrade’s acquisition story date Adventurer to 1991, while a 2018 Seatrade piece gives 1993, the year it became Hanseatic. We use 1991 — the ship’s own line, not the rename.
Heritage says Adventurer holds records for the most northern and southern navigations. Seatrade’s version is narrower: within 480 km of the North Pole, farther north than any other non-icebreaker passenger ship.
Ownership is reported, not published by Heritage. Cruise Industry News (July 2026) reports that Polar Latitudes co-purchased the ship alongside Heritage Expeditions; Heritage’s own announcements say only that it joins Heritage’s fleet. We describe Heritage as operating it.
Polar Latitudes sells some Discoverer departures on its own terms — a 120-day balance and a USD 1,250 fee from 181 days out, not Heritage’s. Confirm which company sells your date before you compare fares.
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The two expedition ships
Adventurer or Discoverer: a region, not a preference
The flagship
Heritage Adventurer
124 m, 8,378 gross tons, 140 guests. Ice class 1A Super. Runs the Ross Sea, the Subantarctic Islands, the Kimberley, Japan and Melanesia — nearly the whole Heritage map.
vs
The newcomer
Heritage Discoverer
About 108 m, 130 guests, 70 ocean-view cabins including 12 suites, most with balconies. Ice class 1A. Sails from Ushuaia and Europe, not New Zealand.
The two big ships don’t overlap on Heritage’s calendar to January 2028. Adventurer works the Pacific side of the world, while Discoverer works the Atlantic and the Antarctic Peninsula.
So the ship question is really a route question — if you want the Ross Sea, you’re on Adventurer, whatever cabin you had in mind.
Discoverer has the suites. Heritage lists 12 of them at 37 to 67 m², most with balconies — Adventurer’s top cabin categories are the Worsley and Heritage suites.
Decide on the region first, then compare the suites on that ship, not across both — the two never sail the same water.
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Three ships, three kits
What each one brings to a landing
- Size
- 140 guests (designed for 184), 124 m, 8,378 GT
- Hull
- 1A Super; Lloyd’s 1AS and GL E4; 8,600 nautical mile range
- Kit
- 14 Zodiacs; sea kayaking as a paid add-on on many voyages
- Speed
- 12 knots cruising, 15 maximum
- In the fare
- House beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner; landings and lectures
✓The only Heritage ship on the Ross Sea calendar. Gratuities and kayaking are extra on the voyage pages we read.
- Size
- 130 guests, about 108 m, seven decks
- Hull
- 1A ice class
- Kit
- 14 Zodiacs; expedition team of 15
- Cabins
- 70 ocean-view, including 12 suites of 37–67 m², most with balconies
- Aboard
- Two outdoor hot tubs, observation lounge, outdoor grill, medical center, open bridge
⚠Some polar departures are chartered to Polar Latitudes Expeditions and sold on its terms. Check who sells your date before you book.
- Size
- 18 guests, 10 cabins, 30 m, 76.1 GT
- Built
- 2004, Carey’s Boatyard, Picton; formerly Kalibobo Spirit
- Kit
- Two tenders, kayaks and fishing gear; hydraulic aft ramp
- Crew
- Six expedition staff and crew, New Zealand captain
- Rule
- Balance due 60 days out, not 90
⚠Cabins range from the Royal master suite to a single-berth cabin with a porthole. Ask which one is left on your date.
Every row comes from Heritage’s ship pages, its Discoverer announcements and its terms. Kit is promised per voyage, not per ship, so read the voyage page for kayaks and helicopters.
Ask us to confirm the expedition team for your departure before you pay the deposit.
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Eight categories, one sheet
The cabin ladder on the flagship
Heritage’s own categories, with the beds it lists for each.
| Category on Heritage Adventurer | Kimberley Explorer, July 2027 | Berths | When we looked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Deck Triple | US$7,750 | Two singles plus a Pullman | Available |
| Superior Triple | US$8,300 | Two singles plus a Pullman | Available |
| Deck 4 Superior | US$9,800 | King or two singles | Waitlisted |
| Deck 5 Superior | US$10,250 | King or two singles | Waitlisted |
| Main Deck Single | US$12,700 | One guest | Available |
| Superior Single | US$13,300 | One guest | Waitlisted |
| Worsley Suite | US$13,300 | Suite | Available |
| Heritage Suite | US$16,800 | Suite | Available |
This is one voyage’s rate sheet, per person in US dollars, from Heritage’s Kimberley page on November 1, 2026. The categories repeat across Adventurer’s voyages; the prices don’t.
The top suite costs a little over twice the triple — roughly the spread to expect across this ship’s rate sheets.
Watch the triples, because they’re the cabins behind Heritage’s headline “from” fares, and they sleep three on two singles and a Pullman — a price point, not a couple’s cabin.
Heritage hasn’t published cabin sizes for Adventurer. Ask us for the deck plan before you choose between Deck 4 and Deck 5.
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Filter by ship and region
Who sails where
Try “Polar” with “Adventurer”. One card answers, and it’s the voyage this line is known for.
Ship
Region
Subantarctic Islands
November & DecemberGalapagos of the Southern Ocean, Birding Down Under and Forgotten Islands, 8 to 17 days.
Best for: albatross and sea lions.
New Zealand coast
NovemberThe 13-day New Zealand Coastal Odyssey, Auckland to Bluff, from US$6,285.
Best for: a first look at the whole country.
Japan & Asia
April to early JulyFive 2027 voyages, from Springtime Splendour (10 days) to the Asian Island Odyssey (19 days).
Best for: islands and culture in spring.
The Kimberley
July 2027Two 11-day departures between Darwin and Broome, from US$7,750.
Best for: waterfalls and rock art.
Indonesia & Melanesia
October 2027Indonesian Explorer to Port Moresby, then Secrets of Melanesia to Port Vila.
Best for: reefs and village welcomes.
Antarctic Peninsula
November to JanuaryPeninsula trips of 12 days and the 22-day South Georgia voyage, from Ushuaia.
Best for: the classic Antarctic route.
Svalbard, Greenland & Iceland
July 2027A 15-day Arctic voyage from Paris and Longyearbyen to Reykjavík, from US$14,650.
Best for: the high Arctic in summer.
Atlantic Europe & Iceland
May & June 2027Lisbon to Portsmouth, the British Isles and the Faroes on 12-to-13-day voyages, then an 11-day Iceland circuit.
Best for: coastlines without the Drake.
Fiordland & the sounds
Most monthsDusky Sound, Stewart Island, Marlborough and Queen Charlotte Sounds, 5 to 10 days.
Best for: 18 guests and no crowds.
No voyage matches that pair. Widen one filter.
Regions and fares follow Heritage’s calendar, November 2026 to January 2028, in US dollars. For the places themselves, read our Antarctica landing sites, Kimberley and polar bear guides.
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The ship before the flagship
Spirit of Enderby and the Russian years
The 50-guest Russian research ship that built Heritage’s reputation, from Heritage’s own brochures and blog.
1984The year Professor Khromov was christened, as a Russian polar and oceanographic research vessel. Heritage sailed it as Spirit of Enderby.
Up to 50 guestsHeritage’s 2020–21 brochure: a fully ice-strengthened ship with a Russian captain and crew and Australasian chefs.
Before Adventurer, this was Heritage’s ship. Its brochures and trade reports put it in the Russian Far East each northern summer — Kamchatka and Chukotka.
Heritage’s Russian Far East page says it began chartering its ship from the region in 1993. The 2020–21 brochure still listed Russian voyages.
That chapter is closed on today’s pages: Heritage’s About page lists Adventurer, Discoverer and Explorer only (an old Spirit of Enderby ship page remains on its site), and its calendar to January 2028 has no Russian departures.
If an older review praises Spirit of Enderby, read it as history, then book on the ship that’s actually sailing your date.
08
Our picks
Which Heritage ship, for which trip
Our judgement, built on Heritage’s published specs. Narrow to a ship, then compare departures.
Ross Sea or Subantarctic
Heritage Adventurer
The only Heritage ship on those routes, with a 1A Super hull and 14 Zodiacs.
A balcony suite
Heritage Discoverer
Twelve suites of 37 to 67 m², most with balconies, on the Peninsula and in the Arctic.
New Zealand, small
Heritage Explorer
Eighteen guests, two tenders and kayaks, for Fiordland and Stewart Island.
Birding first
Adventurer, in December
Birding Down Under runs 17 days to the Subantarctic Islands.
Look elsewhere if
You want a hull built this decade
Price Aurora’s fleet (built 2019 to 2025) or Swan Hellenic’s (2021 to 2023).
Look elsewhere if
You need the Galápagos or Alaska
Heritage’s calendar lists neither. Start with Lindblad’s ships and our Galápagos and Alaska guides.
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Fleet questions
Straight answers on the ships
How many ships does Heritage Expeditions have?
Three, as of November 2026. Heritage Adventurer is the 140-guest flagship, Heritage Discoverer is a 130-guest ship that joins with a November 2026 preview voyage and sails Heritage's own program from May 2027; its 2026-27 Antarctic season in between is sold by Polar Latitudes Expeditions. Heritage Explorer is an 18-guest expedition yacht in New Zealand. Heritage's About page lists all three.
What was Heritage Adventurer before?
It was built at Rauma, Finland, as Society Adventurer for Society Expeditions and sailed for about 25 years as Hanseatic, mostly for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. One Ocean Expeditions chartered it as Resolute from 2018. Heritage announced it in May 2021 as Heritage Adventurer and planned its first Heritage season for May 2022. Heritage dates the build to 1991.
Which Heritage ship goes to the Ross Sea?
Heritage Adventurer. It runs the 28-day In the Wake of Scott & Shackleton voyage from Bluff in January and February, from US$33,075 for January 2027. Heritage lists its ice class as 1A Super. Heritage Discoverer sails the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia from Ushuaia instead.
What is Heritage Discoverer?
The former Silver Explorer. It was launched in 1989 at Rauma-Repola in Finland as Delfin Clipper, sailed for Silversea from 2008 to 2023, then became Exploris One. After a reported 4.5 million euro auction early in 2026, Heritage renamed it. Heritage lists 130 guests, 70 cabins including 12 suites, 14 Zodiacs and a 1A ice class, and Polar Latitudes Expeditions sells some of its polar departures on its own terms.
What happened to Spirit of Enderby?
It's no longer in Heritage's fleet. Spirit of Enderby was the Russian research vessel Professor Khromov, christened in 1984, with a Russian crew and up to 50 guests. It carried Heritage's Russian Far East voyages into the early 2020s. Heritage's About page now lists only Adventurer, Discoverer and Explorer, and its calendar to January 2028 has no Russian departures, though an old Spirit of Enderby ship page is still on Heritage's site.
How big is Heritage Explorer?
Small. It's a 30-meter New Zealand-flagged yacht built in 2004 at Carey's Boatyard in Picton, with 10 cabins for up to 18 guests and six expedition staff and crew. It carries two tenders and kayaks, and sails Fiordland, Stewart Island and the Marlborough Sounds.
Plan with Seabound Journeys
Not sure which hull? We’ll match the ship to the route.
Send us the region, the month and how many are traveling. We’ll confirm which ship and which operator runs your date, and which cabins are still open.
- Whether your date is sold by Heritage or Polar Latitudes
- Cabin availability beyond the triples
- Deck plans Heritage doesn’t post
No fee, no obligation. You pay the cruise line’s own fare. A real advisor replies, usually within one business day.
Ask about Heritage’s ships
Answers come straight from this guide.
How many ships does Heritage Expeditions have?What was Heritage Adventurer before?Which Heritage ship goes to the Ross Sea?What is Heritage Discoverer?
Answers come from our guides and are general information. Confirm details with us before you book.
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Sources and verification
Where every spec came from
Heritage Adventurer ship pageLength, beam, tonnage, ice class, speed, range, Zodiacs and records.
Checked November 1, 2026Heritage Explorer ship pageYard, year, size, cabins, crew and kit.
Checked November 1, 2026Heritage Discoverer announcementsSpecs, suites, team and Polar Latitudes charters (February 2026); the maiden-season voyages (July 2026).
Checked November 1, 2026Heritage About page and calendarThe current three-ship fleet; departures to January 2028.
Checked November 1, 2026Heritage Kimberley Explorer pageThe eight-category rate table on Adventurer.
Checked November 1, 2026Heritage 2020–21 brochure and Spirit of Enderby postProfessor Khromov’s history, capacity and crew.
Checked November 1, 2026Seatrade Cruise NewsSociety Adventurer to Hanseatic to Resolute; the Hapag-Lloyd record; the Kalibobo Spirit purchase.
Checked November 1, 2026Polar Latitudes terms and conditionsDeposit, 120-day balance, the USD 1,250 fee and cover rules for the Discoverer dates it sells.
Checked November 1, 2026Cruise Industry News, July 2026The reported co-purchase of Discoverer with Polar Latitudes.
Checked November 1, 2026Cruise Industry NewsThe May 2021 announcement, Exploris One’s 1989 origins, the 2026 auction and drydock.
Checked November 1, 2026Ship figures are Heritage’s own, except Discoverer’s 6,130 tons and build history, which come from Cruise Industry News. Sources differ on small points: Heritage lists Discoverer at 130 guests and 70 cabins, while trade reports give 132 guests and 72 staterooms; Seatrade dates Adventurer’s build to both 1991 and 1993. Feet are our conversion, and the picks are our judgement.
Keep planning
Where to go next
The lineHeritage Expedition CruisesSeasons, fares, inclusions and the payment rules.Start hereExpedition Cruises, DecodedShip sizes, ice classes and regions across every line.DestinationAntarctica CruisesRoss Sea or Peninsula, and when to go.DestinationGreenland CruisesWhere Discoverer heads in summer 2027.DestinationArctic CruisesSvalbard, Greenland and Iceland compared.Compare fleetsAurora’s ShipsX-BOW ships for the same southern waters.Compare fleetsSwan Hellenic’s ShipsAnother small fleet of ice-class ships.CoverExpedition Cruise InsuranceHeritage requires it. Check the minimum.
One advisor, the whole expedition
The voyage, the gateway night, and the cover that matters out there.
Expedition trips have more moving parts than a Caribbean week: a charter flight, a night in a gateway city, gear lists and an evacuation clause the line sets for you. We book them together and check that the dates and the fine print agree.
01The voyageMatched to the region, the season and the ship size that fit you, at the line’s own fare.Get a free quote →
02The region and the seasonAntarctica, the Arctic, Galápagos, the Kimberley: when to go, and what each season trades away.Expedition cruises, decoded →
03The coverMany expedition lines set their own minimum for evacuation cover. We check your plan against it before you sail.Expedition insurance →