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Polar Perfectionism: Interview with Captain Levakov

Turning our attention to the control room, we steal a few informative (and highly entertaining) moments with one of our most seasoned polar captains, Evgeny Levakov. A veteran of the colder side of nautical life, Captain Levakov has been piloting ships since 2002, leading everything from week-long Arctic cruises to expansive 33-day Antarctica voyages. And among the many things he’s learned in all those berg-bejeweled years is that polar captaining isn’t a gig for gamblers.

Humpback Whales: the Stars of the Western Antarctic Peninsula

The marine ecosystem of the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) extends from the Bellingshausen Sea to the northern tip of the peninsula. The WAP includes the Antarctic Sea Ice Zone, a very productive system that supports large stocks of marine mammals, birds, and Antarctic krill. One of the stars of this region, which you can see on your whale-spotting Antarctica cruise, is the humpback.

A New Flag for a Veteran Vessel, Ortelius

Vlissingen, located in the south western part of the Netherlands, has been Oceanwide Expeditions “Homeport” since the company was established more than 20 years ago. When our vessel Plancius was being built, there was no hesitation which name should be mentioned as homeport for the vessel and thus since it’s delivery in 2009 Plancius is flying the Dutch flag and has Vlissingen on its stern as being its homeport.

How Arctic Wildlife Differs from Antarctic

While there are definite similarities between the north and south poles, at the same time, the two regions are vastly different. Though both are cold and dry, each pole is unique in its terrain and climate. While the Antarctic is harsh and inhospitable, home to only two native vascular species of plants, the Arctic tundra can support a wider range of fauna with its warmer temperatures and a greater diversity of plant life. Here are just some of the different animals that you can expect to see in the Arctic as opposed to the Antarctic.

Antarctica: the Trip of a Lifetime

Antarctica - The Trip of a Lifetime

Steel, Sweat, and Fire: the Forging of Hondius at Brodosplit Shipyard

In a mid-sized city on the rocky Croatian coast, not quite midway between the northern border of Montenegro and the southern shoreline of Slovenia, a sprawling shipyard claims a swath of Adriatic so wide you could back an aircraft carrier into it and barely need to check your side-view. Even from a distance, you can tell something big is underway.

Amazing Greenland

If you ever get the chance to take a trip to Greenland, you will be amazed by its coastlines, fjords, ice-covered peaks, and great expanse of snow-covered land. You will also notice that Greenland is a rugged area with a rich diversity of life, making it a dream location for scientists as well.

The Oceanwide Edge: Hondius at ITB Berlin

Every industry has its iconic, center-of-the-universe events. Film has its Sundance and Cannes, music its Summerfest, Glastonbury, and Austin City Limits. As for the travel industry, which for years has been one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors, there exists one indisputable star around whom all smaller travel fairs orbit: ITB Berlin.

Polar Marine Visitors: the Whales of Antarctica and the Arctic

Whales are the world’s largest mammals, found in the Arctic and Antarctica. This article covers some of the major species you may see on voyages to these remarkable areas.

Arctic Foxes: Constant Gardeners of the Arctic

The Arctic fox is a circumpolar species found across the Arctic, extending from Greenland, Iceland, and Svalbard across Eurasia to North America. The species also extends its range northwards over the sea ice, having been spotted close to the North Pole.

The Ancient Fossil Forests of Antarctica

Over a hundred years ago, Robert Falcon Scott’s expedition to Antarctica discovered fossils of plants on the Beardmore Glacier, less than 500 km (310 miles) from the South Pole. Edward Wilson, who was the expedition’s chief scientist, recorded the findings in his diary, stating that “most of the bigger leaves were like beech leaves in shape and venation.”

Polar Pour Master: Interview with Rolando Garcia

Nobody goes to the polar regions just for the drinks, but it’s tempting when your expedition cruise ship has a bartender like Rolando Garcia.

Retracing the Steps of Antarctica’s Early Explorers

For a long time in human history, there was a belief that a large continent must lie at the southern end of the Earth to provide balance to the known lands in the Northern Hemisphere. By the 15th century, many European maps had even placed a sizable landmass called Terra Australis in the far south, though the real continent was to remain undiscovered for quite some time.

The Research Stations of Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic

Numerous research stations operate throughout the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic, engaged in all manner of scientific inquiry. This article will cover the stations under the management of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), which conducts year-round terrestrial and atmospheric research in some of the most compelling polar locations on Earth.

The Birth of Hondius: a Story in Pictures

As of the summer of 2019, our new polar vessel, m/v Hondius, will be cruising the crystalline waters of the polar regions, delivering dozens of wildlife-loving and adventure-seeking passengers to the most iconic locations in the Arctic and Antarctica. Until then, however, this advanced new vessel-to-be is little more than an assortment of steel plates and inscrutable machinery scattered around a cavernous Croatian shipyard.

Secrets of the Snowy Owl: Habitat, Adaptations, and Other Facts

The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus), also known as the great white owl or Arctic owl, is one of the most distinctive bird species on the planet. While you won’t find them in all areas of the Arctic – they don’t exist in Svalbard due to the lack of lemmings – they are seen in the polar regions of Eurasia and North America and are a potential visitor during Greenland cruises. The binomial species name,“scandiacus,” is derived from Scandinavia, as this is where the bird was first discovered. The snowy owl is the official bird of Quebec, and they are a must-see for countless bird watchers and naturalists.

Narwhals: 10 Facts About an Elusive Arctic Unicorn

The narwhal is an Arctic-based whale that spends most of its life in the waters off Greenland, Svalbard, Russia, and Canada. Some estimates put 90 percent of its total global population in Baffin Bay, between Western Greenland and Canada. Narwhals are in fact only one of three whale species that spend their entire lives in the Arctic, the others being bowhead and beluga whales.

A Travel Pro’s Take on the Arctic Cruise Experience: Interview with Mariola Burejko

We’ve heard what it’s like to cruise the polar regions from the perspective of the passengers, the guides, the captains. But what about the folks we don’t so often hear about, the intermediary professionals responsible for finding, recommending, and booking us Arctic or Antarctic trips in the first place? Surely the mavens of the travel industry, who love seeing new corners of the world so much they’ve chosen as a career what for most people is merely a beloved hobby, have much to say about what sets polar expedition cruises apart from the standard travel fare. To find out, we sat down with Mariola Burejko, business development director for LiveAboard.com, and asked a few questions about her recent Arctic cruise around the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard.

The Plancius Adventure

Our days sailing towards the Falkland Islands were full of activities and wildlife sightings, including a romping group of Peale’s dolphins off the bow. Commerson’s dolphins were also on hand to welcome us to our first landing at Carcass Island, where we were treated to an easy start on a flat beach. Cobb’s wrens, endemic to the island, peeped at us around the tufts of shoreline tussock grass.

The Ways and Wildlife of the Weddell Sea

The Weddell Sea is located off the coast of Antarctica, at the very south of the Atlantic. Its geographical location is 75 degrees south and 47 degrees west, and it covers the Argentine, Chilean, and British territories of Antarctica. The harsh weather conditions and abundant pack ice have made the Weddell Sea difficult for people to access, but modern icebreaker ships have started to open up this area to explorers.

Visiting the Nearly Unknown: New Zealand’s Campbell Island

Campbell Island is located south of Bluff, New Zealand. It's best known for its flora and fauna. Read on to discover which wildlife you can find here.