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Ancient Arctic Exploration
In terms of polar exploration, the Arctic has a far more extensive history of exploration than Antarctica.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Seven Frightfully Fun Polar Ghost Stories
As a breeding ground for ghost stories, the polar regions are tough to beat. After all, few places on the planet have claimed the lives of so many historic explorers, entrepreneurs, and adventurers as the Arctic and Antarctica.
The Impact of Small vs. Large Cruise Ships
The generalization that larger ships impact the environment more than smaller ships seems like such a no-brainer that if someone said it to you, you’d be easily forgiven for thinking you were being tricked.
Eight Facts About the Rowdy, Resilient Musk Ox
Given how violent their lives can be, it may come as some surprise that musk oxen live as long as they do. Twenty years, after all, is a long time when you’re regularly charging, kicking, and head-butting the fellow members of your herd.
From Teacher to Travel Guide: Interview with Ali Liddle
Being a good expedition leader isn’t just about making plans, giving briefings, and enduring the occasional sleepless night spent praying for wildlife sightings.
Taking the Polar Plunge
There are some human activities that for many people simply defy understanding: We juggle chainsaws, we breathe fire, we fling ourselves out of perfectly good airplanes.
Guide Tips, Testimonials, and Highlights from North Norway
Falling just inside the Arctic Circle, North Norway is a wildlife-rich span of majestic fjords, enchanting islands, and deep-forested Nordic coastline comprising roughly 35% of the mainland and encompassing its three northernmost counties: Finnmark, Troms, and Nordland.
Seven Tips to Get the Most out of Your Expedition Cruise
An expedition cruise you consider bland, poor, even disastrous, might be one another traveler calls the trip of a lifetime. And your appraisal may have been completely different with a little more planning, preparation, or slightly better boots.
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.
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.
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.
