Plancius began life in 1976 as a Royal Dutch Navy oceanographic research vessel before a full 2009 rebuild turned her into a SOLAS-compliant expedition ship. Ice-classed and diesel-electrically powered for a quiet, steady 10-12 knots, she carries up to 108 guests in 50 cabins ranging from portholed twins to superior staterooms, with a lecture room/restaurant on deck 3 and a panoramic observation lounge and bar on deck 5. A fleet of ten Mark V zodiacs supports fast shore landings and excursions, including polar diving, across her Arctic and Antarctic expedition routes.