Albatros Expeditions and Polar Latitudes will merge their operations under a single brand, with the official debut of Polar Latitudes Expeditions planned for mid-October.
Two established names in expedition cruises have joined forces to launch a new brand in the polar travel sector.
The new operator will combine the extensive expedition experience of both companies to offer a more complete and flexible product to travelers and business partners, promising a “greater variety” of itineraries, onboard experiences, cabin options, services and adventure programs.
The combined fleet will include the Ocean Albatros, Ocean Victory, MS Seaventure and Ocean Nova vessels.
“Our goal is to create the most trusted and solid brand for all our customers and business partners, learning from and building upon the strengths of each company,” said Patrick Shaw, future CEO of Polar Latitudes Expeditions.
Shaw, currently CEO of Albatros Expeditions and COO of Polar Latitudes, will lead the new company, which will have main headquarters in Vermont (USA) and Copenhagen (Denmark), as well as regional offices in Germany, China, Australia and the United Kingdom.
The leadership will also include John McKeon, founder and CEO of Polar Latitudes, who has been appointed Chairman of the Board to guide the direction and long-term growth strategy of the business.
Albatros confirmed that existing bookings will remain unchanged. Both Polar Latitudes and Albatros Expeditions will continue to operate independently during the 2025/26 Antarctic season before transitioning to a single operational structure in March 2026.
From the 2025/26 season, Albatros Expeditions will also introduce new activities and dining options at no extra cost, which will remain under the merged brand.
The Arctic season 2026 voyages will proceed as planned, already under the Polar Latitudes Expeditions brand, with a gradual introduction of the new identity through a joint onboard image before its full adoption in March 2026.
The Polar Latitudes Expeditions logo has been designed to reflect the heritage of both companies, incorporating the waves of Albatros Expeditions into the letter “P” of Polar Latitudes.
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