October 23, 2026 — Poseidon Expeditions plans to give up Sea Spirit, its expedition ship since 2014, and will operate a new United Waterways ship from September 2028.
What happened
The ship’s owner, SunStone Ships, lists the 114-guest Sea Spirit as available for sale or charter from October 2028. Poseidon has chartered the ship since 2014. It was built as Renaissance Five in Carrara, Italy, became an expedition ship in late 2010 and marked 35 years of service in 2026. It had a $2.5 million refurbishment in 2017.
Under an agreement with United Waterways, Poseidon will operate one of United’s newbuilds from September 2028. United says the ship is part of its white-label ocean platform. Its name and features are TBA; United says they will be “announced at a later date.”
What it means for airline travelers
- Sea Spirit sailings through mid-2028 are not affected by this news. Bookings for late 2028 onward will be on the new ship, details TBA.
- If you are planning a 2028–29 polar trip with Poseidon, wait for the new ship’s details and its homeports before you book long-haul flights.
- The report does not mention any travel-industry or interline rates.
Sources
- Cruise Industry News: Sea Spirit: Available for Sale or Charter Starting in 2028
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