Poseidon Expeditions

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Poseidon Expeditions is a tour operator company that provides expedition cruises to the North Pole and the Russian High Arctic aboard icebreakers and ice-strengthened ships. The company started in 1999.^[1]

• Poseidon Expeditions is a United Kingdom company established in 1999. In 2001, it operated the first North Pole cruise aboard the 100-passenger nuclear-powered Yamal icebreaker.
• In 2003, it operated two cruises to Franz Josef Land and Svalbard aboard the 100-passenger, conventionally propelled icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn.
• In 2004, it operated the inaugural "Transpolar Bridge" expedition cruise through the Northeast Passage, including Franz Josef Land, North Pole, Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago, Taymyr Peninsula, Lena River Delta, New Siberian Islands and Wrangel Island aboard the Yamal.
• In 2005, it operated the inaugural "Pearls of the Russian Arctic" expedition cruise including Novaya Zemlya, Oranskie Islands, Vise Island, Severnaya Zemlya and the ruins of Khabarovo Gulag aboard the Kapitan Dranitsyn.
• In 2007, it introduced a new destination to the travel market: the Russian Far East (Kamchatka, Kuril Islands, Wrangel Island)^[2] aboard 115-passenger conventionally propelled Marina Tsvetaeva (now MV Ortelius).
• In 2008, it chartered the 128-passenger nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Years of Victory during its first season in the tourism service. This icebreaker is capable of breaking through ice up to 2.5 meters (9.2 feet) thick.
• On July 30, 2013, it reached the North Pole for the 100th time via icebreaker navigation.^[3]
• In 2014, it began operating Antarctic expedition cruises aboard a small conventionally powered ship Sea Explorer^[4] with one voyage including the Falkland Islands & South Georgia.
• In 2015, it began operating polar cruises to the Arctic and Antarctic aboard all-suite expedition ship, MV Sea Spirit.^[5] and introduced a new^{[dubious – discuss]} destination to the travel market: cruises to the British Isles.
• In 2016, it marketed its first West Greenland cruises.
• In 2021, it was named the world’s best operator of expedition cruises to the polar regions at the 28th annual World Travel Awards.
• In 2022, it won an International Travel Award as the best polar expedition cruise operator.
• In 2022, as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Poseidon Expeditions has put a hold on any cruises that travel in Russian territory.

For 23 years of polar cruising, Poseidon Expeditions has charted a number of vessels such as the Yamal , the icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn, and passenger ships Marina Tsvetaeva and the Sea Explorer. Currently Poseidon Expeditions operates its Arctic and Antarctic cruises aboard a small expedition ship, the Sea Spirit, which can navigate into protected channels and bays that are out of bounds to larger cruise vessels. The Sea Spirit offers accommodation up to 114 passengers. The vessel has an ice-strengthened hull, a fleet of Zodiac Nautic, and a set of retractable fin stabilizers for smoother sailing.^[6]

Since 2008, Poseidon Expeditions has operated North Pole cruises aboard the 124-passenger nuclear-powered Russian icebreaker 50 Years of Victory.^[7]

50 Years of Victory is equipped with helicopters and rubber inflatable boats, enabling travelers to explore wild Arctic areas.

Poseidon Expeditions offers expedition cruises to Antarctica, the North Pole and the Arctic destinations of Svalbard, Greenland, Franz Josef Land and Iceland. It is the only operator in the industry offering direct sailing from Longyearbyen to Franz Josef Land within 1.5 days.

Poseidon Expeditions is a member of IAATO and AECO.

The company advocates the small ship concept which allows cruise passengers to have more time ashore and a larger selection of landing sites. The company offers helicopter tours, photography workshops, camping, kayaking, educational lectures and briefings.