During the Russo-Turkish War (1828–29), Schantz served in the ship of the line Fère Champenoise which took part of the blockade of the Dardanelles.

In 1834–1836, Schantz circumnavigated the globe as the commander of the Russian Imperial Navy ship America.

In 1835 he rediscovered the Wotho Atoll,[1] originally discovered by the Spanish expedition of Ruy López de Villalobos in the 1540s.

In 1841, Schantz sailed the frigate Kamchatka from New York City to Kronstadt and commanded the ship until 1847.

Schantz published his Swedish language memoirs under the pen name En gammal sjöman (An Old Sailor) in 1870–1871.