Classic Antarctica
Nov to MarRound the Antarctic Peninsula from Ushuaia. From $8,846 on November 28, 2026 (25% off as published) and $14,195 in 2027–28.
Best for: a first trip south.
Poseidon’s fleet: one ship, and the one after it
Sea Spirit carries every Poseidon voyage on sale. It’s a 1991 Italian-built yacht, refitted for the ice. Its owner lists it for sale or charter from October 2028.
1Ship in the fleet, Nov 2026
1991Sea Spirit built, in Carrara
678Square feet in the Owner’s Suite
2028New ship due from China Merchants
By Joey Boleslawski, founder & travel advisorFacts checked November 1, 2026
The short answer
There’s no ship choice to make at Poseidon — only a cabin choice. Sea Spirit sails every departure on sale, through March 2028, with 114 guests at most and about 100 on most sailings.
It’s an older ship, refreshed in 2017, not a new one. Every category is called a suite, the smallest is 20 square meters, and three have private balconies or a deck. What it doesn’t publish is an ice class or a Zodiac count.
The open question is the replacement. It’s due in September 2028, and nothing about its size was public on November 1, 2026.
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Three hulls, one in service
Sea Spirit, the next ship and the last icebreaker
Tap a sort button. The bars redraw against the largest figure.
Only Sea Spirit takes bookings today. We show the other two because they bracket it: the icebreaker Poseidon can no longer sell, and the ship it will sail next.
“Not stated” means nobody has published the figure — an empty field, not a zero. Tonnage is Cruise Industry News’ 4,200 tons; Poseidon’s page gives none. Sort by year to see the gap a 2028 ship closes.
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Eight categories, four kinds of room
Every suite, by the square meter
- Owner’s Suite
- 63 m² (678 sq ft), a private deck; a sofa bed takes a third guest
- Premium Suite
- 30 m² (323 sq ft), private balcony
- Deluxe Suite
- 24 m² (258 sq ft), private balcony
- Guests
- Two, or three in the Owner’s Suite
✓The only outdoor space on the ship that’s yours. Worth it for long South Georgia voyages, when you’ll watch the coast from the cabin.
- Classic Suite
- 21 m² (226 sq ft), picture window
- Superior Suite
- 20 m² (215 sq ft), picture window
- Guests
- Two
- Counts
- Not published by Poseidon
⚠The middle of the ship’s range. A window, not a balcony — and only about a square meter between them.
- Size
- 23 m² (248 sq ft)
- View
- Portholes, not a picture window
- Guests
- Two
- Why pick it
- More floor space than the Classic, lower on the ship
⚠You trade the view for the space — portholes, not a window. Ask us where on the deck it sits.
- Single Suite
- 21 m² (226 sq ft), picture window, one guest
- Triple Suite
- 21 m² (226 sq ft), picture window, three guests
- Solo price
- Not published; ask us
- Counts
- Not published by Poseidon
✓A dedicated solo suite, not a double sold at a premium. Poseidon doesn’t say how many there are, so ask early.
Sizes come from Poseidon’s ship page. Cruise Industry News counts 60 guest cabins in all, but neither source breaks that down by category.
Ask us for the deck plan before you choose — on a 60-cabin ship, a single category can sell out early.
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What’s aboard for the landings
The expedition kit, item by item
From Poseidon’s ship page and Cruise Industry News’ October 2026 profile. “Not published” means neither source gives it.
| Kit | On Sea Spirit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Zodiacs | Yes; count not published | Poseidon ship page |
| Sea kayaks | Yes, optional; $655 on Arctic voyages | Cruise Industry News; Arctic voyage pages |
| Camping ashore | Optional on some Antarctic departures; price not shown | Antarctic Peninsula page |
| Mudroom | Yes | Cruise Industry News |
| Stabilizers | Rolls-Royce zero-speed, for roll at anchor and underway | Poseidon ship page |
| Ice rating | Ice-strengthened hull; no class named | Poseidon ship page |
| Medical | Infirmary and medical center | Poseidon ship page; CIN |
| Lecture space | 110-seat presentation lounge | Cruise Industry News |
| Helicopters, submarines | None listed | Poseidon ship page |
The headline isn’t a gadget. Poseidon says Sea Spirit runs no landing rotations: everyone goes ashore at once, for about 2.5 hours a site, with up to three activities a day.
That’s the payoff of about 100 guests. On a bigger ship, ask how the landings are rotated before you compare fares.
The list also has gaps. No helicopters, no submarine and no named ice class — a summer-season ship, not a deep-ice one.
Want helicopters? Look at Quark’s fleet first.
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Filter by region and length
Where Sea Spirit takes you
Try “14 days or more” with “Antarctica”. That’s where Sea Spirit’s size pays off most.
Length
Region
Christmas & New Year
Dec 18 and Dec 28Holiday departures from $10,616 and $11,156 in 2026–27. New Year 2027–28 was sold out on November 1, 2026.
Best for: the holidays on the ice.
Antarctic Circle
Late Jan to FebCrosses 66° South. From $15,295 on January 26, 2027 and $18,395 on February 5, 2028.
Best for: going further down the Peninsula.
Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica
Nov, Jan, MarThe long one, from $17,195 (March 2027, 23 days) to $26,195 (January 2028).
Best for: king penguins and time.
Falklands & South Georgia photo voyage
Oct 23, 2027Led by professional photographers, with a full week in South Georgia and landings timed for the light. From $19,395.
Best for: serious photographers.
British Isles, Faroes & Iceland
May 20, 2027New for 2027: the northbound repositioning, from the British Isles through the Faroes to Iceland.
Best for: islands, not ice.
Iceland Circumnavigation
June 1, 2027Waterfalls, black beaches and geothermal country, on a route Poseidon calls rarely offered.
Best for: Iceland by sea.
West Spitsbergen & the Ice Cap
June to Aug 2027An 8-day cruise inside a 10-day program from Longyearbyen. No fare on the page.
Best for: polar bears in Svalbard.
No voyage matches that pair. Widen one filter.
Fares are Poseidon’s lowest “from” prices as published on November 1, 2026, before flights. For the places themselves, read our Antarctica landing sites and polar bear guides. Greenland dates for 2027 weren’t readable on Poseidon’s pages, so ask us.
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Thirty-five years in one hull
How Sea Spirit got here
Each card carries the date it happened. Sources: Cruise Industry News, March 2022 and October 2026.
1991Built
Renaissance Five
Built at Nuovi Cantieri Apuania in Carrara, Italy, as one of Renaissance Cruises’ small ships.
1991–2014Operators
Four earlier operators
Cruise Industry News lists Sun Cruises, Star Cruises, Cruise West and Quark Expeditions among its past operators.
Late 2010Refit
Converted for expeditions
The yacht is converted into an expedition ship, per Cruise Industry News.
Mid-2010sCharter
Poseidon takes it on
Chartered year-round from SunStone Ships. Cruise Industry News has dated the start to both 2014 and 2015.
2017Refurb
$2.5 million refresh
A ship-wide refurbishment of the public areas and staterooms.
Oct 2028Listed
For sale or charter
SunStone lists the ship as available for sale or charter from October 2028. A new United Waterways ship is due for Poseidon in September 2028.
Age matters less than upkeep on a ship this size, and the 2017 refresh is the last major one we found on record. Ask us about any work since, before you pay for a top suite.
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The 2028 newbuild
The next ship, as far as anyone has said
Known
Builder, program, date
China Merchants Heavy Industry builds it for United Waterways and Ocean Advice, whose white-label program covers four expedition and four coastal ships. Delivery is September 2028; Poseidon expects it in service in late 2028.
vs
Not yet public
Name, guests, ice class
None of the three reports we read, nor Poseidon’s own letter, gives a name, a guest count, a length or a polar class. Poseidon said in September 2026 that more details will follow, without a date. One press-release site cites 186 passengers and attributes it to Seatrade; the Seatrade article we read doesn’t say so, and Poseidon hasn’t confirmed it.
United Waterways CEO Sascha Gill said Poseidon was “the ideal partner for the first vessel,” citing its long polar record.
A white-label ship is built and managed by one company and branded by another. On that model, Poseidon would run the expedition on a ship United Waterways provides; the commercial terms weren’t published.
Until the specs are out, a 2028–29 booking is a booking on a ship you can’t picture.
We’d book the 2027–28 season on Sea Spirit now, and wait for the deck plan before anything later.
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Our picks
Which suite, for which voyage
Our judgement, built on Poseidon’s published sizes. Narrow to two categories, then compare the dates.
South Georgia, 21 days
Premium or Deluxe Suite
A private balcony earns its price on a three-week voyage. The Premium is 30 m², the Deluxe 24.
Classic Antarctica, best value
Superior or Classic Suite
A picture window at 20 to 21 m². You’ll be on deck or ashore most of the day anyway.
Traveling alone
Single Suite
A full 21 m² room with a window, built for one. Ask us for the price; it isn’t published.
A family of three
Triple or Owner’s Suite
The Triple sleeps three in 21 m²; the Owner’s adds a sofa bed and a private deck. Mind the minimum age of 12 for polar voyages.
Look elsewhere if
You want an icebreaker
Sea Spirit isn’t one. Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot is the PC2 ship that sells the North Pole.
Look elsewhere if
You want a new build with a named polar class
Compare Aurora’s Polar Code 6 ships and Oceanwide’s Hondius.
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Fleet questions
Straight answers on Sea Spirit
How many ships does Poseidon Expeditions operate?
One. Sea Spirit is the only ship on Poseidon's site and carries all of its 2026-27 and 2027-28 voyages. Poseidon used Russian icebreakers, most recently 50 Years of Victory, for its North Pole trips until they were suspended in 2022. A United Waterways newbuild is due to join in September 2028.
How old is Sea Spirit?
It was built in 1991 at Nuovi Cantieri Apuania in Carrara, Italy, as Renaissance Five, one of Renaissance Cruises' small ships, according to Cruise Industry News. It was converted for expeditions in late 2010 and refurbished in 2017, a $2.5 million project covering public areas and staterooms.
What cabins does Sea Spirit have?
Eight suite categories, from 20 to 63 square meters. Poseidon lists Superior, Classic, Single and Triple Suites with picture windows; a Main Deck Suite with portholes; Deluxe and Premium Suites with private balconies; and an Owner's Suite of 63 square meters (678 square feet) with a private deck. Poseidon doesn't publish how many of each there are.
What is Poseidon's new ship?
An expedition ship built by China Merchants for United Waterways' white-label program, due for delivery in September 2028. Poseidon expects it in service in late 2028. Cruise Industry News, Seatrade Cruise News and Poseidon's own letter give no name, guest count, size or ice class as of November 1, 2026. One press-release site attributes a 186-passenger figure to Seatrade; the Seatrade article we read doesn't give it and Poseidon hasn't confirmed it.
Is 50 Years of Victory still carrying passengers?
Not for Poseidon or Quark. Poseidon's North Pole page says it is currently unable to market or operate the North Pole icebreaker cruises that travel in Russian territory, and Quark's page lists no departures. The Russian nuclear icebreaker, owned by Atomflot, carried 128 passengers on those voyages.
Does Sea Spirit have an ice class?
Poseidon doesn't name one. Its ship page describes an ice-strengthened hull, plus Rolls-Royce zero-speed stabilizers that reduce roll at anchor. That suits the polar summer routes Poseidon sells. It isn't an icebreaker, so the far pack ice belongs to other ships.
Plan with Seabound Journeys
Choosing a suite on Sea Spirit? We’ll check what’s left.
Tell us the voyage and who’s coming. We’ll ask Poseidon which categories are open, what the solo or triple price is, and send you the deck plan.
- Open suite categories on your departure
- Single Suite and triple pricing
- The latest on the 2028 ship
No fee, no obligation. You pay the cruise line’s own fare. A real advisor replies, usually within one business day.
Ask about Sea Spirit
Answers come straight from this guide.
How many ships does Poseidon Expeditions operate?How old is Sea Spirit?What cabins does Sea Spirit have?What is Poseidon's new ship?
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
Poseidon: Sea Spirit ship pageGuests, crew, length, beam, speed, stabilizers, flag and the eight suite categories.
Checked November 1, 2026Cruise Industry News, October 22, 2026Build history, tonnage, cabins, crew, past operators; for sale or charter from October 2028.
Checked November 1, 2026Cruise Industry News, July 28, 2026The United Waterways expedition ship for Poseidon, from China Merchants in September 2028.
Checked November 1, 2026Seatrade Cruise News, August 10, 2026China Merchants Heavy Industry as builder; the eight-ship program.
Checked November 1, 2026Poseidon: A new chapterCEO Angelica Vorea on the late-2028 ship.
Checked November 1, 2026Poseidon 2027–28 season releaseNo landing rotations, about 100 guests, new voyages.
Checked November 1, 2026Poseidon Antarctica and Arctic voyage pagesDates, lengths, fares and the kayaking price.
Checked November 1, 2026Poseidon North Pole page; TravelPulse, 2014The suspension; 50 Years of Victory’s owner and capacity.
Checked November 1, 2026Cruise Industry News, March 17, 2022Sea Spirit’s Madeira flag and SunStone charter.
Checked November 1, 2026Ship figures are Poseidon’s own, or Cruise Industry News’ where Poseidon gives none (build year, tonnage, cabin count, refit cost). The two sources differ on crew: Poseidon lists 72, Cruise Industry News up to 85. The suite picks are our judgement. Specs for the 2028 ship weren’t published on the date shown.
Keep planning
Where to go next
The linePoseidon ExpeditionsSeasons, fares, inclusions and the North Pole story.Start hereExpedition Cruises, DecodedShip sizes, regions and seasons across every line.DestinationAntarctica Landing SitesWhere Zodiacs actually go ashore.DestinationArctic CruisesSvalbard, Greenland and Iceland by month.DestinationGreenland CruisesThe east coast fjords Sea Spirit has sailed.Compare fleetsQuark’s ShipsSea Spirit’s former operator, with helicopters.Compare fleetsSwan Hellenic’s ShipsThree small ships for the same polar regions.CoverExpedition Cruise InsuranceMeeting Poseidon’s $200,000 evacuation rule.
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 →