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Our New m/v Hondius Makes Its Maiden Arctic Voyage

Today we celebrate the maiden Arctic voyage of our new ship, m/v Hondius. After more than two years from conception to construction, this newest member of our nautical family has finally left home.

Five Reasons Why Snowshoeing is a Perfect Polar Activity

Snowshoeing is one of the most longstanding and popular sports in the Arctic and Antarctica. Here are five reasons why.

50 Years Among the Poles: Interview with Ko de Korte

In a few short weeks, Oceanwide Expeditions consultant Ko de Korte will join 174 passengers aboard the world’s first-registered Polar Class 6 vessel, Hondius, when it makes its maiden voyage to the Arctic island of Spitsbergen.

IAATO Votes New Whale Protection Measures Into Effect

On May 3 the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) voted measures into effect that will reduce the incidence of tourist ships striking whales around the Antarctic Peninsula.

Oceanwide Expeditions Donates €620 to Charity Based on Passenger Reviews

Thanks to our passengers, we’re donating €620 to four separate charities: Plastic Oceans International, World Wide Fund for Nature, BirdLife International, and 4Ocean.

The Overlooked Treasures of Ascension Island

If you know anything about Ascension Island, which is unlikely, it probably has to do with the green turtle breeding population that exists there.

Cruising Solo: The Benefits of Single-Passenger Polar Travel

we’ll explore a few benefits of visiting the polar regions as a solo traveler, ending with a quick FAQ in case you’re considering such a voyage.

Peaks, Fjords, and Auroras: 14 East Greenland Attractions

Nothing against the west coast, but many travelers agree it is more touristic and developed (and hence, less wild and adventurous) than Greenland’s eastern shores.

Adding Antarctica to Your Seven-Continents Bucket List

It’s a common pursuit among serious travelers to visit all seven continents. And indeed, the term “bucket list,” which became popular (if not overused) since the 2007 movie, fits naturally with this goal.

Higher Ground: Interview with Polar Hiking Guide Philipp Schaudy

Imagine you’ve spent the last hour and change huffing up a rocky Arctic slope, pausing only to pull a drink from your water bottle or wipe sweat off your brow, when suddenly you realize your hiking group has stopped and you’ve reached the summit.

The Arctic Hare: Easter Bunny²

In preparation for Easter Sunday, let’s explore all the ways this so-called polar rabbit (which really isn’t a rabbit at all) might in fact make a better mascot than the traditional Easter bunny.

Five Reasons to Love St. Helena (Even If You’re a Polar Junkie)

Being one of the most remote islands on Earth confers a certain charm. Getting your name from a Roman empress (and the mother of Constantine the Great) also helps. And if you’re in search of a conversation starter, being the site of Napoleon’s final exile doesn’t hurt either.

Port Pastimes: 7 Fun Things to Do in Longyearbyen

Waiting in port to begin an Arctic cruise can be a little like waiting for water to boil or coffee to brew or Game of Thrones to come back: Time seems to defy its own laws and, as life slows to a crawl, you begin to wonder if all of this is really going to be worth it.

Top 10 Antarctic Attractions

Even if you put its exotically beautiful wildlife aside, Antarctica is undeniably mythic in both scale and scenery: The largest glaciers and icebergs are found there, drawing polar newcomers and the certifiably snow-mad alike.

The South Georgia Seven: Hikes, Fjords, Whales, & Penguins

Few places encapsulate such a staggeringly rich assortment of sub-Antarctic scenery, animals, and outing opportunities as South Georgia.

Scenes from St. Andrews Bay: 12 Pics of Penguins, Seals, and More

It’s highly likely that, if you’re ever lucky enough to visit the visually stunning sub-Antarctic island chain of South Georgia, one of your favorite sites (and sights) will be the picture-perfect shoreline of St. Andrews Bay.

Polar Gear of Yesteryear: Expedition Clothing 100 Years Ago

When you look at pictures of polar expedition clothing from a century past, the experience is not unlike seeing images of World War military gear.

Trek into the Timeless: Interview with Polar Ski Guide Phil Wickens

If you ever find yourself lost in snowy, ice-clutched, thoroughly inhospitable country like in the latest wilderness survival movie, don’t pine for the likes of Robert Redford, Anthony Hopkins, or Mads Mikkelson – nice as their company would be. Rather, pray Phil Wickens is with you.

The Ultimate Traveler’s Guide to the Arctic and Antarctica

Sunrises or sunsets, coffee or tea, Wonder Woman or Superman. The world contains a virtually limitless supply of things to compare, contrast, juxtapose, differentiate. But few things so perfectly express the polarities of our planet as its literal magnetic poles – or more generally, the Arctic (north) or Antarctica (south).

Oceanwide Expeditions covers the polar corner at ITB Berlin

Last week Oceanwide staff attended ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade show, meeting old friends and new in a weeklong spree of tour operators, travel agents, and all other manner of professionals in the wide world of commercial travel.

Ada Blackjack: Forgotten Queen of Arctic Expeditions

The incredible real-life story of the overlooked Iñupiat woman who became the only survivor of a fateful Arctic expedition.”

Antarctic Explorer’s Voyage

There’s off the beaten track, and there’s really off the beaten track. And then there’s the Antarctic Explorer’s Voyage, a far-ranging polar expedition cruise that lets you visit areas of Antarctica we rarely if ever offer – or any other cruise operator, for that matter.