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Oceanwide Expeditions cleanup removes 1,000 kg of plastic from Svalbard

Thirteen Oceanwide guides and 50 passengers removed roughly 1,000 kg (2,200 pounds) of plastic from the beaches of Svalbard last week, about half the weight of an average car.

Top 10 Tips for Packing Your Polar Photography Equipment

One of the most common questions I get asked before a cruise is, “What photography equipment should I bring?” It’s a broad question, and answers vary based on the individual. There are, however, a few key pointers that apply to almost everyone.

Five Sites, Attractions, and Activities of Puerto Madryn

Puerto Madryn is the bustling Argentinian setting that serves as the embarkation point for our 20-night Antarctic extravaganzas. Book-ended by the equally fetching disembarkation town of Ushuaia (for which we’ve already written a thorough traveler’s guide), it provides a welcome wealth of activities and avenues to explore before setting out for the polar regions.

Birds of the South: 33 Antarctic Birds and Seabirds

Even if you don’t throw penguins into the mix, these wildlife-rich Antarctic regions offer some of the best hotspots for birdwatching on the planet, supporting a kaleidoscope of endemic birds and a vibrantly diverse cast of non-native species.

Hondius Around Spitsbergen

We are Ximena and Michelle, tour operators from the Dutch company Norge Reiser. It was our first time in the Arctic, and we were very excited to join this trip. We sell the trips from Oceanwide in our agency and now we would finally experience it by ourselves.

A Day on m/v Plancius

Stepping aboard Oceanwide’s longest-running expedition vessel, it’s easy to forget she’s been making voyages to the polar regions since “Afternoon Delight” by Starland Vocal Band was on the Billboard Hot 100.

An Incredible Adventure on a Tall Ship

Ever since discovering Svalbard on the map a little over a year ago, I had felt a desperate need to explore this Arctic archipelago for myself. It seemed like a distant and almost unattainable dream, however, with expedition cruise prices being what they are, and I had no idea an opportunity would present itself so soon.

The Best Arctic and Antarctic Trips for Families

Polar expedition cruises are commonly taken by couples and a growing number of solo travelers, but that doesn’t mean the buck stops there. And if you have bucks enough for the whole family, there’s a variety of polar trips that’ll get your loved ones equally ice-happy.

Oceanwide Expeditions’ “Wild, Wild South” video an Adventure in Motion finalist

Oceanwide’s short video, “Wild, Wild South: Falklands, South Georgia, Antarctica,” has been selected as a finalist in the sixth annual Adventure in Motion competition, hosted by Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) in partnership with AFAR.

The Classic Polar Cruise: Antarctic Peninsula Facts, Pics, and More

You can specialize your Antarctic voyage with trips to the Falklands, South Georgia, and the Weddell Sea. But when it comes to getting the broadest survey of Antarctica’s prime experiences, there’s no better place than the Antarctic Peninsula.

Highlights from the First Arctic Voyage of Hondius

Our new ship Hondius completed its first Arctic expedition cruise on June 14, 2019. This being a new ship, the maiden voyage was not without its hiccups. But despite these, passenger response to the expedition was overwhelmingly positive.

Svalbard’s 12 Most Iconic Animals

Each of our Arctic areas of operation offers its own unique and equally unforgettable feature: Greenland is great for mountainous shorelines and record-setting fjords, Northern Norway is the place to go for the aurora borealis and historic masted schooners, and Svalbard (particularly Spitsbergen) is where you’re most likely to encounter the more common and coveted Arctic animals.

Oceanwide guides dedicate beach cleanup to Sarah Auffret

Last week guides and passengers of an Oceanwide Expeditions voyage to the Arctic cleaned plastic off a Svalbard beach in memory of Sarah Auffret, an environmental agent for the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) who died in Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 on March 10.

Islands of the Blessed: Four Things to Do Around Cape Verde

Islands of the Blessed: Things to Do Around Cape Verde

Size Matters: Choosing the Right Expedition Cruise Vessel

Not all expedition operators offer the same experience, and a key differentiator is ship size.

The Arctic’s Most Phenomenal Fjords

Fjords are typically associated with Norway, but they are far from exclusive to that territory and are in fact a relatively common feature of the Arctic

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.

Basecamp Plancius: A True Antarctic Adventure

It was New Year’s Eve, and I was dressed in a full-body penguin suit, making my way to the buffet. We were three days into our cruise aboard the Plancius, and everyone on the ship was celebrating our first day in Antarctica, as well as New Year’s Eve, with a barbecue on the back of the ship.