NG Endurance
Antarctica · Svalbard · GreenlandVoyage to Antarctica from Ushuaia via Buenos Aires; Svalbard: In Search of Iconic Arctic Wildlife.
Best for: the polar classics on a PC5 hull.
Lindblad’s fleet: sixteen guests to 154, ship by ship
Ten National Geographic ships and one charter, from a Galápagos catamaran to two PC5 polar-class ships. Size decides the landings, the ship decides the gratuities — so choose the hull before the itinerary.
10National Geographic ships into 2027
PC5Ice class on Endurance and Resolution
16Guests on Delfina, the smallest
154Guests on Greg Mortimer, from 2027
By Joey Boleslawski, founder & travel advisorFacts checked November 1, 2026
The short answer
For a first polar trip, Endurance or Resolution is the safe pick. They’re the only two Lindblad ships with a named polar class, PC5, and each carries a National Geographic photographer with crew tips in the fare.
In the Galápagos the deciding number is group size, not the ship’s age. Endeavour II takes 96 guests on the 10-day voyage; Islander II and, from 2027, Gemini take 48 on the shorter Escape. Delfina takes 16 — and sails without an undersea specialist or a medical professional.
Alaska is changing. Quest and Venture stay, Sea Bird and Sea Lion are gone, and the larger Greg Mortimer arrives in 2027.
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The sortable fleet
Every ship, on the same rulers
Eleven ships with expedition cruises in 2027. Tap a sort button; the meters redraw against the largest ship.
Figures are from each ship’s Lindblad page. “Crew per 10 guests” is our arithmetic on Lindblad’s staff-and-crew counts — a rough read on service, not a published ratio.
Lindblad doesn’t publish tonnage, Zodiac counts or cabin sizes on these pages — so we haven’t either, rather than borrow numbers from elsewhere. Sort by crew first if attention matters more to you than space.
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Five families, five kits
What each hull brings to the landing
- Size
- 138 guests, 76 cabins, 116 staff and crew
- Hull
- PC5, Category A; Endurance’s page describes a patented X-BOW
- Team
- Naturalists, undersea specialist, certified photo instructor and a National Geographic photographer
- Kit
- Expedition base with gear lockers; Zodiacs and kayaks where the voyage uses them; a parka on select polar voyages
- In the fare
- Bar tab, basic Wi-Fi, crew gratuities
✓The two ships we’d put a first-time polar traveler on. Solo cabins on Endurance’s 2027 Svalbard sheet sit only in Categories 1 and 2.
- Size
- Explorer 148 guests; Orion 102
- Hull
- Ice-reinforced (Explorer) and “high ice-class” (Orion); no class named
- Team
- The same polar line-up, with a National Geographic photographer on both
- Kit
- Explorer: mudroom and Wellness Deck. Orion: spa, fitness center, hot tub
- In the fare
- Bar tab, basic Wi-Fi, crew gratuities
⚠Explorer carries the most guests in the National Geographic fleet; Orion is the most intimate of the four — at 102 guests, a small-ship polar trip, not a mid-size one. Neither has a published ice class, so ask what that means for your route.
- Size
- 100 guests, 50 cabins, 52 staff and crew
- Hull
- Coastal ships; no ice class
- Team
- Naturalists, undersea specialist, certified photo instructor
- Kit
- Twin boarding platforms load two Zodiacs at once; mudroom; paddleboards on Venture
- In the fare
- Bar tab and basic Wi-Fi. Crew gratuities are not included
⚠Built for Alaska, Baja and the Pacific Northwest. Budget for tips: Lindblad leaves the amount to you and publishes none.
- Ships
- Endeavour II 96 · Islander II 48 · Gemini 48 · Delfina 16
- Team
- Naturalists and photo instructor on all; Delfina has no undersea specialist or medical professional
- Kit
- Glass-bottom boats on Endeavour II and Islander II; kayaks and paddleboards; snorkel gear with wetsuits
- Not here
- No National Geographic photographer and no Photo Gear Locker in the Galápagos
- In the fare
- Bar tab, basic Wi-Fi, park fees. Crew gratuities are not included
⚠Pick by group size. Then check the year: Escape moves from Islander II to Gemini in 2027.
- Size
- 154 guests, 77 cabins, 95 staff and crew
- Hull
- Inverted Ulstein X-BOW; launched 2019; no ice class on Lindblad’s page
- Kit
- Four Zodiac launch platforms
- In the fare
- Bar tab, Wi-Fi, crew gratuities included
- Status
- Charter firm for 2027–28 with a 2029 option, per Aurora
✓The biggest ship Lindblad will run in Alaska, and the only ship on its regular Alaska season with tips in the fare.
Gear and staffing come from Lindblad’s ship pages and its What’s Included list. Lindblad says exploration tools vary by voyage, so the kit is a per-departure promise, not a per-ship one.
Ask us to confirm the kayaks and the team for your date before you pay the deposit.
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Filter by region and size
Who sails where
Try “Polar” with “96–102 guests”. One ship answers, and it isn’t the one most people expect.
Ship size
Region
NG Resolution
Antarctica · Northwest Passage · PacificVoyage to Antarctica via Santiago through 2027–28; the 24-day Northwest Passage; Baffin Island.
Best for: the long, rare routes.
NG Explorer
Antarctica · Iceland · GreenlandArctic Edges and the Canadian Maritimes in summer; Antarctica in the austral season.
Best for: Iceland and Greenland combinations.
NG Orion
South Pacific · AntarcticaAntarctica in season, then the South Pacific, the Mediterranean and Patagonia.
Best for: the smallest polar group Lindblad sails.
NG Quest
Alaska · Baja · Pacific NorthwestAlaska’s Inside Passage May to September; Baja’s whale lagoons January to March.
Best for: whales, fjords and kayaks.
NG Venture
Alaska · Baja · Central AmericaThe same seasonal swing as Quest, plus the California coast.
Best for: the same trips, a year newer.
Greg Mortimer
Alaska from 2027Lindblad’s new Alaska capacity, replacing Sea Bird and Sea Lion.
Best for: Alaska with tips in the fare.
NG Endeavour II
Galápagos, year roundExploring Galápagos, 10 days from Quito, from $6,370.
Best for: families and first-timers.
NG Islander II
Galápagos, 2026Galápagos Escape, 7–8 days, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Best for: a shorter trip in 2026.
NG Gemini
Galápagos, from 2027Takes over Galápagos Escape in 2027, with the fleet’s largest Galápagos suites.
Best for: space, on a 48-guest ship.
NG Delfina
Galápagos, year roundA catamaran with eight double staterooms.
Best for: a private-feeling group — minus the specialists.
No ship matches that pair. Widen one filter.
Regions follow each ship’s Lindblad page and the Antarctica and Arctic destination pages. For the places themselves, read our Antarctica landing sites, Galápagos visitor sites and polar bear guides.
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Four things the brochure won’t flag
Booking traps, ship by ship
Tap a card for the detail. Each one comes from Lindblad’s own pages.
None of these is a reason to skip a ship. Each one changes the total, the group or the support aboard — so it belongs in the decision, not in the small print after it.
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Ten years of fleet moves
How this fleet got its shape
Expedition fleets turn over fast. Lindblad’s makes four moves between January 2025 and 2027, not one a decade — here’s each, with the date it takes effect.
2017–2018New
Quest, then Venture
Lindblad’s two 100-guest coastal ships enter service from the same Whidbey Island yard, built for Alaska and Baja.
2021New
The PC5 pair
Endurance and Resolution, listed in Lindblad’s fleet guide from 2021, are the company’s first new polar builds.
Jan 2025Bought
Gemini and Delfina
Lindblad completes a $17 million purchase of Celebrity’s two Galápagos ships, adding 45% to its island capacity, per Seatrade Cruise News.
Oct 2026Retired
Sea Bird and Sea Lion
The early-1980s sisters close out a farewell season on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Lindblad points guests to Quest, Venture and Greg Mortimer.
2027Charter
Greg Mortimer
An Alaska charter begins, firm for 2027 and 2028 with an option for 2029 per Aurora, on the ship Lindblad describes as the first with the inverted Ulstein X-BOW.
NextTalks
More ships, unnamed
In May 2026 CEO Natalya Leahy said Lindblad is looking to expand its expedition fleet. No new ocean ship had been announced on Lindblad’s 2027–28 page as of November 1, 2026.
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Beyond the National Geographic hulls
The partner ships, briefly
Rivers, sail and the Nile. Guest and cabin counts from Lindblad’s ships page.
| Ship | Guests / cabins | Where | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Cloud II | 88 / 44 | Mediterranean, Caribbean | A sailing ship; 10GB of Wi-Fi per person included |
| Lord of the Glens | 46 / 24 | Scottish Highlands | Sized for the locks and canals |
| Aqua Blu | 28 / 14 | Asia | An explorer yacht for undersea and shore trips |
| Delfin II / Delfin III | 28 / 14 · 42 / 21 | Peruvian Amazon | Minimum age 7; Delfin III is all-suite |
| The Jahan | 48 / 24 | Mekong | Built 2011; minimum age 5 |
| Oberoi Philae / Sun Goddess | 44 / 22 · 60 / 30 | The Nile | Beer and wine with meals only; full laundry included |
| Connect / Evolve | 120 / 60 each | European rivers | Beer and wine included, spirits extra; Connect built 2025 |
These sell under the Lindblad name but run on their own rules, not the ocean fleet’s. Spirits, laundry and Wi-Fi all shift, and the minimum ages run from 1 to 7 years.
Read the inclusions for the exact ship before comparing it with an ocean voyage.
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Our picks
Which Lindblad ship, for which trip
Our judgement, built on Lindblad’s published specs. Use it to narrow to two ships, not one — then compare dates.
First polar trip
Endurance or Resolution
A named PC5 class, a National Geographic photographer and tips in the fare. Start with the 12-day Voyage to Antarctica.
Photography first
Any of the polar four
They’re the only ships with a National Geographic photographer on Lindblad’s list. Orion is the smallest group of the four.
Galápagos with children
Endeavour II
Lindblad calls it welcoming to kids of all ages, and it carries a glass-bottom boat. The minimum age here is 6 months.
Galápagos, more space
Gemini, from 2027
Forty-eight guests and, by Lindblad’s account, the largest suites in its Galápagos fleet.
Look elsewhere if
You need helicopters or a full icebreaker
No Lindblad ship lists either. Compare Quark and Ponant for the far ice.
Look elsewhere if
You want the Kimberley or the Ross Sea
Neither appears on Lindblad’s ships page. Start with our Kimberley guide, then Heritage Expeditions.
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Fleet questions
Straight answers on the ships
How many ships does Lindblad have?
Lindblad's ships page lists 22 vessels and says the fleet is 24, but most are partner ships on rivers, under sail or in Egypt and Asia. The ocean expedition core is ten National Geographic ships: Endurance, Resolution, Explorer, Orion, Quest, Venture, Endeavour II, Islander II, Gemini and Delfina. Greg Mortimer joins on charter for Alaska from 2027.
Which Lindblad ships are ice-class?
National Geographic Endurance and Resolution carry Polar Code PC5, Category A, per Lindblad's ship pages. Explorer is described as an ice-class vessel with an ice-reinforced hull, and Orion as having a high ice-class rating, but Lindblad doesn't name a class for either. All four sail Antarctica.
What happened to Sea Bird and Sea Lion?
They're retiring. The two 62-guest sisters, built in the early 1980s, ran their farewell season in 2026, finishing on the Columbia and Snake Rivers through late October, according to Cruise Industry News. Lindblad's Sea Bird page says the ship is sailing its final season in 2026 and points guests to Quest, Venture and Greg Mortimer.
Which Galápagos ship should I choose?
Choose by group size and the voyage you want. Endeavour II (96 guests) runs the 10-day Exploring Galápagos. Islander II (48 guests) runs the 7-to-8-day Galápagos Escape in 2026, and Gemini (48 guests, which Lindblad says has the largest suites in its Galápagos fleet) takes it over in 2027. Delfina is a 16-guest catamaran with no undersea specialist or medical professional aboard.
Is Greg Mortimer a Lindblad ship?
It's a charter. Cruise Industry News reported in December 2025 that Lindblad will operate Greg Mortimer in Alaska from 2027, for up to three summers; Aurora Expeditions, which operates the ship, says 2027 and 2028 are firm and 2029 is an option. Each operator publishes its own guest count: Lindblad lists 154 guests, 77 cabins and 95 staff and crew, and Aurora lists 148 guests (130 on its expeditions). Lindblad's page says it launched in 2019 and calls it the first passenger ship with the inverted Ulstein X-BOW. Crew gratuities are included on it.
Do all Lindblad ships carry a National Geographic photographer?
No. Lindblad's What's Included page lists a National Geographic photographer aboard Endurance, Explorer, Orion and Resolution only. Every ship carries a certified photo instructor, and the OM System Photo Gear Locker is available across the fleet except in the Galápagos.
Plan with Seabound Journeys
Two ships on the shortlist? We’ll check your date on both.
Send us the region, the month and how many are traveling. We’ll confirm which ship runs your departure, what’s in that ship’s fare, and which cabins are still open.
- Which ship is actually on your date
- Whether tips, gear and specialists are aboard
- Solo and Share and Save cabins left
No fee, no obligation. You pay the cruise line’s own fare. A real advisor replies, usually within one business day.
Ask about Lindblad’s ships
Answers come straight from this guide.
How many ships does Lindblad have?Which Lindblad ships are ice-class?What happened to Sea Bird and Sea Lion?Which Galápagos ship should I choose?
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
Lindblad ships pageGuests, cabins, decks and regions for 22 ships.
Checked November 1, 2026Lindblad ship pagesLength, beam, crew and kit for Endurance, Resolution, Explorer, Orion, Quest, Venture, Endeavour II, Islander II, Gemini, Delfina, Sea Bird and Greg Mortimer.
Checked November 1, 2026Lindblad fleet guide, August 2025In-fleet years; undersea specialist and medical professional on every ship but Delfina.
Checked November 1, 2026Lindblad: What’s IncludedPhotographers, gratuities, alcohol, Wi-Fi and laundry by ship.
Checked November 1, 2026Lindblad reservation termsAge minimums by voyage and ship; updated September 30, 2026.
Checked November 1, 2026Cruise Industry News, December 2025Sea Bird and Sea Lion’s retirement; the Greg Mortimer charter.
Checked November 1, 2026Seatrade Cruise News, January 2025The $17 million purchase of Celebrity Xpedition and Xploration.
Checked November 1, 2026Cruise Industry News, May 2026Fleet expansion talks on the Q1 2026 earnings call.
Checked November 1, 2026Lindblad group price sheet, Svalbard 2027Solo occupancy limited to Categories 1 and 2 on Endurance.
Checked November 1, 2026Ship figures are Lindblad’s own. Each operator publishes its own guest count for Greg Mortimer: Lindblad lists 154, Aurora 148 (130 on its expeditions; Cruise Industry News has given 160 and 180); we use Lindblad’s 154. “Crew per 10 guests”, the ship families and the picks are our arithmetic and judgement. Years marked “in the fleet” are Lindblad’s fleet-guide dates, not build dates.
Keep planning
Where to go next
The lineLindblad Expedition CruisesSeasons, inclusions, true cost and the payment clock.Start hereExpedition Cruises, DecodedShip sizes, regions and seasons across every line.DestinationAntarctica CruisesWhen to go and how the Drake works.DestinationArctic CruisesSvalbard, Greenland and the Canadian Arctic.DestinationGalápagos CruisesEvery ship size, from catamaran to 100 guests.DestinationGreenland CruisesThe east coast, the ice cap and the fjords.Compare fleetsQuark’s ShipsThe other polar specialist’s fleet, side by side.CoverExpedition Cruise InsuranceThe evacuation number to check before you sail.
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 →