Lindblad's most intimate polar ship — just 102 guests, ice-class 1A/PC6, purpose-scaled for the time-saving Fly-the-Drake route to Antarctica, with dedicated solo cabins and National Geographic photography onboard.
- Guests
- 102
- Max capacity
- Cabins
- 53
- Multiple categories
- Ice class
- 1A
- Ice-strengthened hull
- Solo Cabins
- Dedicated
- Category Solo A & B
- Starting price
- $12,500
- per person
Style Pure expedition · Modern boutique
- Ice-Strengthened Hull
- All-Inclusive
- Experiential Learning Adventure
- Family-Friendly
- Onboard Science Lab
- Wildlife Encounters
National Geographic Orion is the most intimately scaled ship in Lindblad’s polar fleet — carrying just 102 guests across 53 cabins, with an ice-strengthened 1A / PC6 hull built for expedition travel. Her size is the point: fewer guests means faster Zodiac operations, more time ashore, and an easy, yacht-like camaraderie that larger ships can’t match.
Orion is the ship behind Lindblad’s Antarctica Direct: Fly the Drake Passage program — guests fly two hours between Puerto Natales and King George Island rather than spending two days each way crossing the Drake, trading sea time for more days among the icebergs, penguins, and whales of the Peninsula. Onboard, a full complement of Zodiacs, kayaks, and paddleboards, plus a diverse expedition team and a National Geographic photographer, turns every day into a field experience.
Creature comforts are well-judged rather than lavish — a restaurant and outdoor café, lounges and an observation library, a spa, sauna, fitness center, and an outdoor hot tub. Dedicated solo cabins make Orion a genuinely welcoming ship for travelers going it alone. For guests who want Antarctica without the Drake — on a ship small enough to feel like a private expedition — Orion is hard to beat.
On board + on site
What makes National Geographic Orion the ship
Fly the Drake Passage
Skip two days of open-ocean crossing
Orion is the ship behind Lindblad’s Antarctica Direct program — a two-hour flight between Puerto Natales and King George Island replaces two days each way across the Drake, trading sea time for more days among the ice.
Yacht-Scale Intimacy
Just 102 guests
At 102 guests, Orion runs Zodiac operations faster, gets more people ashore per landing, and keeps the easy, first-name camaraderie that larger expedition ships lose.
Ice-Class 1A / PC6 Hull
Ice-strengthened for polar waters
Orion’s ice-strengthened 1A / PC6 hull lets her push into the channels, coves, and brash ice of the Antarctic Peninsula with confidence — the structural backbone behind every landing and Zodiac cruise.
National Geographic Photographer Onboard
Come home with better photos
A National Geographic photographer sails with every expedition — on deck for the big moments and in the lounge afterward to help you get more out of your own camera, whatever you’re shooting with.
Dedicated Solo Cabins
Category Solo A & Solo B
Orion is built with dedicated single cabins in two categories, so solo travelers get their own room without the guesswork of a shared-cabin match or an eye-watering single supplement.
Spa, Sauna & Hot Tub
Warm up after the ice
A spa, sauna, and open-air hot tub give you somewhere to thaw out after a morning on the water — soaking in the view is very much part of the point.
Cabins + suites
Where you'll sleep.
Main Deck
Category 01
Lower Deck · Sleeps 2
Orion’s most affordable way aboard — snug lower-deck cabins for travelers who’d rather bank the savings and spend their days on deck and ashore than in the room.
Main Deck
Category 02
Main Deck · Sleeps 2
A step up from Category 1, with a bit more light and space and a prime Main Deck spot — a look at the ice from bed.
Upper Deck
Category 03
Main Deck · Sleeps 2
A little more room and a prime Main Deck position, still sensibly priced — the sweet-spot cabin for most travelers.
Bridge Deck · Suite
Category 04
Upper Deck · Sleeps 2
Up a deck for better views and quick access to the lounges and observation spaces topside. Complimentary laundry included.
Bridge Deck · Suite
Category 05
Upper Deck · Sleeps 2
Among Orion’s roomiest cabins, high on the ship with the best sightlines — and complimentary laundry as a suite perk.
Bridge Deck · Suite
Category 06
Upper Deck · Suite · Sleeps 2
The top of the ship — Orion’s largest, best-positioned cabins, with the most space, the best views, and suite amenities including complimentary laundry.
Main Deck · Single
Category 1S
Main Deck · Single occupancy
A dedicated solo cabin on the Main Deck — no sharing, no supplement games, just your own room at a single-friendly price.
Bridge Deck · Single
Category 3S
Upper Deck · Single occupancy
A dedicated single higher up the ship — same solo-friendly setup as Solo A, with an Upper Deck address and a bit more light.
Gallery
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