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Can’t Get Enough: Interview with Laurence Dyke

While we regularly interview our veteran expedition guides, we all too often overlook the youngbloods in our ranks. This does not accurately underscore their importance, as these adventurous ice addicts represent the next generation of polar travel leaders. Laurence Dyke is a prime example.

Hot Ice: Breeding Practices of Five Polar Animals

Last Valentine's Day we gave you 14 wildlife pictures highlighting the ins, outs, ups, and downs of polar romance. This year we're moving on to something a little more advanced: the nitty-gritty details of polar wildlife breeding rituals

Ancient Arctic Exploration

In terms of polar exploration, the Arctic has a far more extensive history of exploration than Antarctica.

Rembrandt van Rijn: 20 Facts about Our First Vessel

It’s not unusual for parents to have a special place in their hearts for their first child, and you could say we feel something similar for s/v Rembrandt van Rijn.

Penguin Wisdom: Life Lessons from Our Favorite Flightless Bird

As members of a travel company that focuses on wildlife, we believe every species has something important to teach us - from the largest blue whale to the smallest cephalopod, the fiercest polar bear right down to the most furtive Arctic fox. But if you're in search of the best words of wisdom ever to be uttered, look no further than our favorite flightless philosopher: the penguin.

10 Wise Ways to Kill Time in Tromsø

The town is more than worth a visit on its own merit, filled with enough exciting activities inside and out to justify arriving several days before embarkation.

The Pack Ice and Polar Bears of North Spitsbergen

We’ve mentioned before that the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard is one of the best places to spot polar bears. We’ve also mentioned that the area’s largest island, Spitsbergen, is excellent not only for seeing these magnificent Arctic animals but also for experiencing one of the region’s most distinctive phenomena: pack ice.

The Man Behind the Ship: Hondius the Cartographer

We at Oceanwide Expeditions are pretty fond of exploration, explorers, maps, and mapmakers. Maybe you’ve noticed.

2019 Highlights: 40 Photos from a Prime Polar Year

If you overhear someone say, "It's been a good year," they're probably a farmer or financier or maybe even a wine producer. But we think polar tour operator should be added to that list, because 2019 was one of Oceanwide's best years for many reasons.

Seizing the Season: Spitsbergen’s Late Spring, Early Summer

Most Arctic expedition cruises fall into two camps: those that sail during the autumn and winter and focus primarily on the northern lights, and those that sail during the high season (middle to late summer) and focus on everything else.

Antarctica by Air: Two Highly Uplifting Helicopter Cruises

Taking a polar expedition cruise delivers no shortage of show-stopping highlights, but one of the most exhilarating is lifting off from the ship in a helicopter and taking flight over the incomparable Antarctic wilderness.

How St. Nick Became Santa Claus and Moved to the North Pole

In the Netherlands, where we’re based, Sinterklaas is technically a celebration of the St. Nicholas feast day on December 6, while Christmas, as its name indicates, is intended to observe Christ’s supposed birth on December 25.

Better Than Medicine: Interview with Dr. Veronique Verhoeven

Even if she’s only slipping you a few extra seasickness meds, your ship doctor can mean the difference between a comfortable expedition cruise and one where you spend most of your time clinging to the toilet and wondering why waves exist.

15 Features, Figures, and Facts About Ortelius

Here are 15 additional features, figures, and facts about our faithful expedition cruise vessel Ortelius. For example, dd you know Ortelius has an average cruising speed of 10.5 knots?

Oceanwide Five-Time World Travel Award Winner

Oceanwide Expeditions was named the 2019 World’s Leading Polar Expedition Operator at the World Travel Awards gala held on November 28 in the Sultanate of Oman.

Penguins, Petrels, and Prions: Top Antarctica Bird Tour Spots

If anyone ever tells you Antarctica is for the birds, they’re right.

Crossing, Kayaking, Camping: Three Antarctic Adventures

Crossing the Drake Passage rewards thousands of tourists every year with one of the most incredible paradises on planet Earth!

Our Third Consecutive Landing at Snow Hill Island

For the third time in as many years, Oceanwide Expeditions has achieved helicopter landings at Snow Hill Island, hiking our passengers to the rarely visited emperor penguin colony there.

Publieksdag Expedities Spitsbergen 2015/2020 - Poolshoogte nemen!

Een nieuwe grote Nederlandse wetenschappelijke expeditie naar Spitsbergen staat weer in de steigers. Na het grote succes van SEES 2015 zullen in augustus 2020 vijftig wetenschappers en vijftig ‘anderen’ afvaren naar Edgeøya, Spitsbergen.

Greenland: Land of Superlatives

On September 16th, I flew to Iceland and spent an evening in Reykjavik, then crossed the island for the town of Akureyri the next day.

A Veteran Guide: Interview with Arjen Drost

Arjen Drost has been a guide for Oceanwide Expeditions for nearly twenty years. And as any polar traveler can tell you, that’s a lot of water under the bridge.