Save big on Arctic trips

Voyage north on the adventure of a lifetime

Antarctica cruises & Arctic cruises

East and South Greenland Explorer, Incl. flight from Narsarsuaq to Copenhagen
Up to $7050 OFF

East and South Greenland Explorer, Incl. flight from Narsarsuaq to Copenhagen

13 Aug - 2 Sep, 2025

Tripcode: PLA11-25

Free ZEISS binoculars Greenland
  • EN
  • DE
  • BI

East Greenland is among the most remote and least populated areas of the Arctic, a wild place of dramatic fjords, small Inuit settlements, and ancient remains from Viking and Thule cultures. Sail and explore the coastlines of this ruggedly beautiful...

Ultimate East and South Greenland Discovery
Up to $3820 OFF

Ultimate East and South Greenland Discovery

13 Aug - 11 Sep, 2025

Tripcode: PLA11C25

  • EN
  • DE
  • BI

East Greenland is among the most remote and least populated areas of the Arctic, a wild place of dramatic fjords, small Inuit settlements, and ancient remains from Viking and Thule cultures. Sail and explore the coastlines of this ruggedly beautiful...

Around Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet

14 Aug - 23 Aug, 2025

Tripcode: HDS10-25

Last berths Svalbard
  • EN

This cruise around Spitsbergen gives you a great chance to see whales, foxes, reindeer, seals, and polar bears.

Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes

23 Aug - 5 Sep, 2025

Tripcode: HDS11-25

The Spitsbergen and Northeast Greenland cruise sails waters filled with breath-taking scenery. The expedition passes through areas that are home to seals, seabirds, whales, and polar bears, topped off with nighttime viewing of the Northern Lights.

East Greenland, Scoresby Sund - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes
Up to $3350 OFF

East Greenland, Scoresby Sund - Aurora Borealis, Including Long Hikes

30 Aug - 8 Sep, 2025

Tripcode: OTL12-25

Free ZEISS binoculars Greenland

The East Greenland – Scoresby Sund cruise crosses the Arctic Circle into the home waters of multiple species of whale. The expedition will spot huge icebergs as it journeys into the largest and deepest fjord system in the world. Along the way the Northern...

We are Oceanwide

Latest blog and customer story

News & blogs

The lure of Antarctica – why people visit, and why people should

Antarctica is special. Antarctica means something different for different people. Discover an experience beyond even your wildest dreams!

All related posts

Customer story

Around Spitsbergen, in the Realm of the Polar Bear & Ice

There are journeys and there are journeys. This trip is one that falls in the latter category. I look back on a fantastic experience, during which the awareness of human behavior on this vulnerable planet (and especially the Arctic) became very clear to me.

Share your story

Customer photos

Antarctica & Arctic cruise reviews

by Annemieke Vink
On the last day of the trip log it says: “Saying goodbye is never easy, but it often also means that you’ve had a fantastic time and that made it totally worth it.“ I am pretty sure I was the inspiration (or one of many) bawling my eyes out which made Guide Valeria sing “don’t cry for me Argentina”. Well dear staff and crew of Plancius, I am almost done planning my next trip to Antarctica (via Argentina) on Plancius in 2026 so I can’t promise I won’t cry again. This trip has been nothing but magical and I will treasure it forever. Thank you 🩵
by Wesley Friedman
Thank you Oceanwide Expeditions for a truly unbelievable and memorable experience on board the Hondius. What an amazing crew, expedition team and ship to explore the Arctic region. When I booked this adventure, my travel agent told me that an expedition on Oceanwide was the only way to visit Svalbard, and they certainly delivered on that promise. This voyage will be remembered as one of our top expedition adventures. A special thanks to the expedition team for giving every one of us on board a lifetime of memories and for making every day a new experience. The team went out of their way to give us all that experience. I will recommend Oceanwide Expeditions to anyone interested in visiting the polar regions. They are definitely the best in the business! My goal was to witness a polar bear in the wild, and while I know viewing wildlife can be hit or miss, the Oceanwide Expedition team delivered us a once in a lifetime experience, thanks to the skillful eyes and the team's determination. How anyone could spot a polar bear in a somewhat foggy ice packed landscape is beyond anyone's imagination, but once spotted, the captain did the impossible to make viewing the King of the Arctic a reality. It was truly the highlight of the trip. Thank you Oceanwide Expeditions!
by Viktoria Draws
Very instructive, beautiful and professionally accompanied
by Tom O' Connell
The trip on Plancius far exceeded my expectations. Every effort was made to get ashore or see wildlife and to maximize time off the ship / encounter with nature. The guides were of an extremely high standard and were extremely enthusiastic. Keep doing what your doing Oceanwide.
by Mary Maguire
The trip exceeded all of my expectations, from start to finish. Julian was a fantastic kayak guide with excellent support from Paulo and Alexis. I would especially like to compliment Rose and Damien who were our dining room stewards, and Victor who minded our cabin 322, we especially loved the towel animals! And the polar bears, what can I say......... a Nat Geo moment
by Wichertje (Willie) Teunissen
The 18 days off this journey were all fantastic. I've seen a lot off birds and animals in there own environment, the beautyfull, sometimes dramatical landscapes. And we where able to walk (dance) on the Pack Ice. Thanks to Captain Jan and his team to bring us there. And of course many thamks to Expeditie leader Chris and his team for all the times to bring us on land or make a zodiac cruise with us. They all are experts in guiding this trip and telling us every thing we wanted to know. I had a great time with a lot to do and to see. And verry good food, served by a ferry friendly crew.
by Roman Simak
5
by Zbigniew Kirkor
The trip was amazing from the very beginning. The Expedition Guides were incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The ship Crew did wonderful job. Everyone did an extra mile to make sure we are safe and able to see as much wildlife as possible. Very memorable time!
by Gianmaria Ornati
We spent very nice time on the Arctic Ocean. We're lucky with the weather and spotting a lot of wildlife- Guides and all the crew have been very nice with us and very well prepared

Frequently Asked Questions

An ice-strengthened ship is a ship made of steel. These ships are built to navigate the Antarctic and Arctic ice. Today, most ships that cruise to Antarctica and the Arctic are ice-strengthened vessels. Hondius, Ortelius, and Plancius are all ice-strengthened ships. Both Ortelius and Hondius have the highest ice-class notation (UL1, equivalent to 1A-Super for Ortelius, and Polar Class 6, equivalent to 1A-Super for Hondius), making them suitable for navigation in medium first-year ice, which may include old ice inclusions. Plancius has an ice-class notation of 1D.

Icebreakers are needed if there is a trade route to keep ice-free, if there are military reasons for patrolling in areas with heavy sea ice, or if you need to work in heavy ice conditions, particularly in winter. Icebreakers are expensive to build and fuel-intensive to run (sometimes powered by gas turbines or a nuclear generator). These ships, constructed for function, are uncomfortable to travel in on the open sea.

All guests are required to wear a waterproof jacket and trousers (the clothing must be fully waterproof – water resistant or repellant is not suitable sufficient) while in our Zodiacs. This is for safety reasons owing to the increased risk of exposure related illness if you get wet. In Norwegian waters this is also a legal requirement – any person not properly dressed will not be permitted to leave the vessel.

Apart from that, our advice is to take warm, windproof clothes that you can easily add or remove in layers. Multiple layers of medium-warmth clothing provide more insulation than single heavier articles. This is due to warm air getting trapped between the layers and acting as further insulation. Look for clothing made of wool, silk, and new synthetic fibers, all of which retain heat better than other materials.

Layers give you the flexibility to control your temperature. The most important layer is the outer waterproof and windproof shell. More information about this can be found in our expedition manual, which you will receive at time of booking.

Our trips can best be described as expedition-style cruises. The emphasis is on viewing wildlife, visiting interesting locations, and participating in activities. For example, we may go to places where there is a good chance of seeing penguins or polar bears, or we may visit culturally significant sites or research stations, or we might embark on a kayaking trip or shoreline snowshoeing hike.

The aim is always to give you the utmost firsthand contact with the polar world. This is why we keep our program flexible, so that we can take the best possible advantage of local ice, weather, and wildlife conditions as they occur. No two voyages are the same. There is always an element of the unexpected in our trips.

When packing for an expedition cruise, avoid weighing yourself down with too much gear. Select informal, practical attire that can be worn in layers. Please ask for our expedition manual with detailed information on clothing lists, what to pack, and what to expect on our voyages.

Yes, we provide all passengers lightweight life jackets that inflate automatically on contact with the water. It is mandatory to wear these life jackets at all times while cruising in the Zodiac boats.

All promoted Arctic and Antarctica cruise itineraries are for general guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. The expedition leader and captain make these decisions in order to provide you the safest and most exploratory experience. Landings may also change due to site availabilities and environmental regulations per IAATO or AECO.

We follow the protocol advised by IAATO. Before leaving for your voyage, please make sure anything you bring that may come into contact with the environment (clothes, equipment, etc.) is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. We ask that you do not sit, kneel, or lay down during our landings. Please also do not place anything on the ground. You will receive a document with further information after booking.

On this page you find all information you need to know about the avian influenza outbreaks, including biosecurity protocols.

Photo gallery

About Oceanwide Expeditions

Passionate

Taking you closer to the heart of the polar regions has been our driving passion at Oceanwide Expeditions for over twenty years. Our knowledgeable cruise leaders, committed staff, and thoroughly outfitted vessels are our way of expressing what we care about most: making your cruise to the Arctic and Antarctic truly unforgettable. When you sail with us, you experience a part of the world that is unlike any other. Mountainous glaciers, snow-swept shores, whales and polar bears and vast colonies of penguins make up this world, and they are all part of the surreal ecosystem you can watch unfold before you on your future Oceanwide expedition.

Adventurous

Providing you a travel experience that inspires (and is inspired by) you, that’s what taking you closer to the heart of the polar regions means to us. We get you away from the vessel and into the action as fast as possible: up to two landings per day in the morning and afternoon, with a fleet of inflatable Zodiacs ready to shuttle you past the ice floes and onto the shore. We keep our programs flexible so that you get the most out of whatever surprises nature has in mind. When you sail with us, the cruise is just the tip of the iceberg. 

Pioneering

So what exactly is beneath the tip of that iceberg? The pioneering spirit, which all travelers to the polar regions (regardless of age and background) have in common. Guiding our expeditions with passion, tapping into the desire for inspiration and beauty, and always taking you closer to the heart of the Arctic and Antarctic – at Oceanwide Expeditions, that is our promise to you.

Show all polar cruises

Loading