Passengers were readied for evacuation, but an inspection of the ship revealed no major damage and she was able to continue to Mariehamn under her own power, arriving some 30 minutes behind schedule.

[12] The Expedition then re-entered service on 4 January 2009, re-launching GAP's polar cruise program which had been halted due to the sinking of their previous ship, Explorer.

A major overhaul was done on both main engines and at the same time there were repairs to a corroded deck, renovation of crew cabin areas and also the removal of some asbestos.

Since then she has been alternating between the two polar regions each year during their respective summer seasons and offering additional cruises during the transitional journeys from one pole to the other.

[17] One reason given for this was the buildup of rubbish in the bottom of the channel which had severely restricted the depth of water in an area that the ship had regularly travelled through.

In November 2014, several trips had to be cancelled when her port engine failed unexpectedly whilst the ship was berthed in Ushuaia, Argentina.

The first starts in Edinburgh, Scotland, and visits Orkney, travels the Norwegian coast and then finishes at Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen.

The ship carries a maximum of 134 passengers and travels the polar regions with a number of on-board guides and scientific experts/lecturers in relevant fields.

Numerous trips ashore are arranged to see the landscapes, geology, flora and fauna, by using 12-man Zodiac inflatable boats.

In the Arctic, the guides are armed and trained in the use of flare guns and rifles, due to the possibility of polar bear encounters and are in constant radio contact with the ship and each other.

On board, there are viewing platforms, a bar and restaurant, five different standards of cabin (all en-suite) and a lounge big enough to accommodate all passengers in which lectures and presentations can be given.