selar cruise ship wraps retractable sails in solar panels to harness energy from wind and sun

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Meet captain arctic, selar’s cruise ship with retractable sails

Selar’s cruise ship named Captain Arctic has retractable sails covered with solar panels so the vessel can harness and use the energy coming from the wind and sun. These two sources help power up the cruise ship, and when the sails aren’t able to tap into those during the journey, the two propeller shafts can also produce energy and act as hydro turbines. Looking at the exterior, Selar’s Captain Arctic boasts five ‘35-meter-high sails that can be retracted like a Swiss Army Knife when needed’, says the cruise brand.

They’re made of alumininum to stand against the harsh weather conditions and anchor 2,000 m² of solar panels. Because of these energy sources, Captain Arctic hopes to sail with reduced, if not zero, carbon emissions. The cruise ship also comes with autonomous water production for the guests on board, meaning that the vessel generates its own fresh water from the sea using reverse osmosis. For when it travels to extremely cold regions, Selar’s vessel uses recycled wooden waste pellets for its boiler to warm up the interiors of the ship.

all images courtesy of Selar

organic food digester and a treatment tank onboard

Selar’s cruise ship is 70 meters long, with only 36 passengers and 24 crew members onboard. It travels at a fairly low speed and aims to emit 90 percent less emission than most of the boats in the region. Parts of the reasons why are the specialized systems onboard that the brand has installed, including the organic food digester and a treatment tank that transforms black, gray water into technical, potable water.

Already with the vessel’s name, passengers can have an idea where Selar’s ship cruises: the Arctic areas, namely Norway, Svalbard, and Greenland. As they cruise around these regions, the interiors of the Selar cruise ship can keep them toasty, from the natural light streaming through the blinds in their bedroom windows to the solar-powered shower in the bathroom with an Arctic view.

Captain Arctic has retractable sails covered with solar panels

It’s an expedition, not a trip

Onboard amenities feel like the passengers access establishments on land, too. There are gym and sauna facilities ready for use anytime of the day, and other activities include ice navigation with the captain, yoga sessions, fishing with the chef, polar plunge, Norwegian bath, whale watching, and, if the time is right, witnessing the Aurora Borealis.

The dining space resembles diner style from the previous eras, with the back-to-back benches, stripe designs, and a clean color palette. Guests can dine in freshly caught Arctic salmon sushi or local algae and gravlax and take a sip of the Arctic cocktails or beers brewed at 80° North. The expedition, not trip as the brand describes it, lasts between seven and 13 days, depending on the trip, and bookings are now open for the travel dates starting November 2026.

the vessel can harness and use the energy coming from the wind, sun and even water using the propeller shafts