Oceanwide Expeditions Blog | Antarctic & Arctic Cruise Blogs.

You can visit Antarctica, and here's how!

Antarctica is a land of adventure and exploration, only formally discovered in 1820.

The legend of the Kraken and the discovery of the colossal squid of Antarctica

The colossal squid is a prime representation of what may yet be awaiting discovery in the remote frigid depths of the Antarctic.

Why spending Christmas in Antarctica is a no-brainer

Imagine waking up on Christmas morning, glancing out of your porthole, and seeing penguins frolicking on shore or a whale breaching.

A guide to some of our best Antarctica tours

Some focus more on wildlife, others on the remote, dramatic landscapes of the South and exciting not-to-be-missed Antarctic activities.

An Antarctic voyage unlike any other: the unbelievable exploits of the James Caird

In April 1916, aided by south-westerly winds, a small, 22.5-foot wooden boat, the James Caird, set out from the desolate shores of Elephant Island manned by six men.

Short hikes, medium hikes, and long hikes - what's the difference?

Our range of hiking activities is not just carefully planned, but also inclusive of different levels of physical fitness and hiking experience.

Oceanwide Expeditions donates €955 to nature charities

This year we will donate €995 to the following conservation charities based on guest reviews: World Wildlife Fund, BirdLife International, 4Ocean, and the Falklands Conservation.

12 Things to Do in Antarctica

There are numerous things to do in Antarctica that might help sharpen your focus, ensuring you get an experience tailored to your personal tastes.

The Seasons of Antarctica: When to Visit and Why

What are Antarctica's travel seasons, and when is the best time to visit? The answer is simpler than you might think.

First Snow Hill Island landing of the season

We’re excited to announce we’ve made the first Snow Hill Island landing of the 2023-24 Antarctic season, visiting one of Earth’s largest emperor penguin colonies.

Expedition at its Greatest: Interview with Sara Jenner

We talked to Sara Jenner about how she got into this work, what she loves about polar travel, and why having a home base isn’t on her agenda right now.

Whales, South Georgia, and Bill Smith

Bill frequently raises money for SGHT through his drawings, which are focused on South Georgia and polar expedition travel.

Oceanwide Expeditions donates €1060 to nature charities

This year we will donate €1,060 to the following conservation charities based on guest reviews: World Wildlife Fund, BirdLife International, 4Ocean, and the Falklands Conservation.

Antarctic Endurance: Ultramarathon in Earth’s Largest Desert

Sixty ultramarathoners will join us in Antarctica during the 2024-25 season.

Antarctic Inspired: Interview with Ruben Hein

While we love when our guests are inspired by our trips, we rarely hear of them making a nature documentary, musical album, and biodiversity website as a result. But such was the case with Dutch musician Ruben Hein.

Charting Flanders Bay

Until then, this spot in the northwestern Antarctic Peninsula had only been charted three times since 1898, when it was roughly mapped by the Belgian Antarctic Expedition. This activity, which involved our expedition leader, second mate, and other members of our onboard staff, was accomplished using the OLEX depth mapping system.

Oceanwide charts Antarctic island

Guests, guides, and crew all helped chart a route around the largest of the Guyou Islands in Flandres Bay, returning to the ship late that evening. The team effort involved our expedition leader, field operations manager, second mate, and other members of our onboard staff.

Ortelius Staff Spot Type D Orca

Taking our guests to beautiful polar areas to see exotic polar animals is what we’re all about. Whether we’re spotting polar bears or penguins, humpback whales or leopard seals or whole harems of walruses, it’s the wildlife that really fuels our passion for the polar regions.