m/v Plancius

Our most longstanding vessel, Plancius is a classic choice for some of our most popular polar voyages.


History of Plancius

​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 pssenger 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.

Specifications

Passengers: 108 passengers in 50 cabins
Staff & crew: Crew 40 | Guides 8 | Doctor 1
Length: 89 meters (293 feet)
Breadth: 14,5 meters (47 feet)
Draft: 5 meters (16 feet)
Ice class: 1D (Plancius has a Lloyds class notation 100A1 Passenger ship, Ice Class 1D at a draught of 5 meters)
Displacement: 3211 tonnes
Propulsion: 3x Diesel-Electric
Speed: 10.5 knots average cruising speed

Deck plans and downloads

m/v Plancius cabins


Perfect for any expedition

M/v “Plancius” accommodates 108 passengers with private toilet and shower in 4 quadruple 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).

Plancius: a vessel with comfort and character

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 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 programme, 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 horse-power 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 40 (20 nautical crew and 20 hotel crew), 8 expedition staff (1 expedition leader, 1 assistant expedition leader and 6 guides/lecturers), and 1 doctor.

 

Age and Nationality

Passengers on a typical voyage range from their 30s to their 80s - with a majority usually from 45 - 65. Our expeditions attract independent-minded travellers from around the world. They are characterised by a strong interest in exploring remote regions. The camaraderie and spirit that develops aboard is an important part of the expedition experience. Many departures have several nationalities on board.

Dress code

In keeping with our expeditions atmosphere, dress on board is informal. Bring casual and comfortable clothing for all activities. Keep in mind that much of the spectacular scenery can be appreciated from deck, which can be slippery. Bring sturdy shoes with no-slip soles and make sure the parka is never far away in case of the call "Whales!" comes over the loudspeaker and you have to dash outside. Wear layers since it is comfortably warm aboard the ship - and often cold on deck.

Currency & payment

Refreshments from the bar and souvenirs will be charged to your cabin. The day before departure you can settle your bill with the Hotel Manager and pay by credit card (Visa or MasterCard) or cash (Euro or Dollar). We do not accept cheques of any kind. The prices and standard currency on board our vessels is the Euro. Other currencies may be accepted at the discretion of the hotel manager at prevailing rates.

Electric current

The electrical supply aboard the ship is 220v, 60Hz. Electrical outlets are standard European with two thick round pins. You may need a 220v/110v converter.

Gratuities

The customary gratuity to the ship's service personnel is made as a blanket contribution at the end of the voyage which is divided among the crew. Tipping is a very personal matter and the amount you wish to give is at your discretion. As a generally accepted guideline, we suggest US$8 to US$10 per person per day. It is better for the crew, if you can give them cash US Dollar.

Non-smoking policy

On board our vessels we have a non-smoking policy. It is prohibited to smoke inside the ship. You can smoke in the designated smoking areas. Please respect the wishes of non-smokers.

Your physical condition

You must be in good general health and you should be able to walk several hours per day. The expedition is ship-based and physically not very demanding. Although we spend as much time as possible ashore, you are welcome to remain aboard the ship if you like. To join most excursions, you must be able to get up and down the steep gangway from the ship to the water level to board the Zodiacs. Staff will assist you in and out of the boats. This will become progressively easier with practice. Ashore it can be slippery and rocky. You are travelling in remote areas without access to sophisticated medical facilities, so you must not join this expedition if you have a life-threatening condition, or need daily medical treatment.

 

Our cruises

Arctic Ocean - Aberdeen, Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding

Sail the East Greenland ice edge north of Spitsbergen in search for whales, and other Arctic wildlife

PLA01a24 Search for whales, and other Arctic wildlife of the land, sea, and air on an adventurous voyage from our home port of Vlissingen to our favorite Arcti

m/v Plancius

Cruise date:

26 May - 6 Jun, 2024

Price:

on request

Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding

Sail the East Greenland ice edge north of Spitsbergen in search for whales, and other Arctic wildlife

PLA01b24 Search for whales, and other Arctic wildlife of the land, sea, and air on an adventurous voyage from the Scottish port of Aberdeen to our favorite Arc

m/v Plancius

Cruise date:

28 May - 6 Jun, 2024

Price:

on request

$1000 discount | code ARCTIC2024

North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife

The best opportunity to get active while spotting exotic Arctic wildlife!

PLA02-24 This expedition focuses on the versatility of north Spitsbergen’s visually stunning landscapes, vast spans of sea ice, and many opportunities to spot

m/v Plancius

Cruise date:

6 Jun - 13 Jun, 2024

Price:

4000 USD

$1000 discount | code ARCTIC2024

North Spitsbergen Explorer - Versatile landscapes, sea ice & wildlife

The best opportunity to get active while spotting exotic Arctic wildlife!

PLA03-24 This expedition focuses on the versatility of north Spitsbergen’s visually stunning landscapes, vast spans of sea ice, and many opportunities to spot

m/v Plancius

Cruise date:

13 Jun - 20 Jun, 2024

Price:

4000 USD

$5480 OFF

15 Days Extended North & East Spitsbergen - Summer Solstice

PLA03d24 We’ve linked two of our most exploratory Spitsbergen trips, one of which cruises the island’s northern shores for pack ice and polar bears, and the ot

m/v Plancius

Cruise date:

13 Jun - 27 Jun, 2024

Price:

4800 USD

Reviews

Overall rating based on 444 votes

An amazing trip!
by Darlene Zabowski

This was the best cruise we have ever done. The guides, the sites, the ship, the food, the weather.... it was all more than we had ever hoped for! The crew and guides kept us safe and gave us a fabulous trip

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I felt like I was in a Nat Geo documentary
by Barclay Lezon

Plancius - [ ] No tv except for web camera on the ships deck - [ ] WIFI needs improvement; it doesn't work in cabins - [ ] I paid $260 € for Internet access. It is a little frustrating that I paid $

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Antarctica - Polar circle, whale watching
by Luděk Jakob

Thank you to Oceanwide and especially to the ENTIRE crew of the Plancius for the perfect care during the Antarctic cruise we took part in. From the first welcome on the ship to the kind care of the staff, daily

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Antarctica - Polar circle, whale watching
by Petra Jakobová

Thank you to Oceanwide and especially to the ENTIRE crew of the Plancius for the perfect care during the Antarctic cruise we took part in. From the first welcome on the ship to the kind care of the staff, daily

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Wonderful Experience
by Samantha Arumadura

It has been a wonderful experience on Plancius for Around Svalbard Expedition & also on Ortelius for Antarctica Deep South Polar Circle Expedition with Oceanwide. The expeditions are arranged very professionall

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Review
by robyn quaintance

With the kayaking.... it is extremely important to have one leader at the front and one 'sweeping' at the back. This didn't happen at all. But both leaders were excellent, friendly, helpful and wonderful.

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