MV Ortelius

MV Ortelius is Oceanwide's specialist. Built in 1989 for the Russian Academy of Sciences as a research vessel and later reborn as an expedition ship, she carries a rare trick for a vessel this size: onboard helicopters. That capability is what lets her reach places most ships can only point at — the Ross Sea, deep into the Weddell Sea (where she set a record for the most southerly position ever reached by a passenger vessel), and the inland emperor penguin colonies at Snow Hill Island.

At 108 guests she runs intimate, which on an expedition means faster Zodiac rotations and less standing in line for your turn on the ice. Her ice-strengthened UL1 hull (equivalent to 1A Super) handles serious pack ice, and she carries the full Oceanwide program of naturalist lectures, kayaking, camping, and diving. Fair warning that comes with the territory: she's older, refit hardware, and many cabins are porthole or window rather than balcony — you're paying for where she can take you, not for marble.

Our vantage point, honestly stated: this read leans on her specs, her deep-ice track record, and Oceanwide's expertise rather than our own boots on her decks. But for the Ross Sea and emperor penguins, there are very few ships in her league. Worth weighing against the rest of the fleet.