Blog

272 blogposts shown

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

The Most Enchanting Antarctica Cruise Islands

Whether it’s Greenland in the Arctic or Snow Hill Island in Antarctica, the bulk of our polar expeditions take place around, between, and upon islands.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.