St. Helena

Built in 1989 as one of the world’s last Royal Mail Ships, the 344-ft (105 m), 6,767 gross tons RMS St Helena spent nearly three decades ferrying cargo and 150 passengers between Cape Town and the remote island of St Helena before her 2018 retirement. A USD 10.8 million refit in 2022 transformed her into a 98-guest, ice-strengthened expedition vessel tailor-made for Antarctica: every cabin now has an ocean view, twin hot tubs crown the deck, a working science lab invites citizen scientists, and 12 Zodiacs stand ready for shore landings. With a 14-knot cruising speed and rugged cranes inherited from her cargo days, she combines proven blue-water endurance with modern comforts—perfect for Terra Nova’s activity-packed, all-inclusive voyages.