Blog

525 blogposts shown

Falling into Place: Iris van Zalinge’s Arctic Expedition

Iris van Zalinge, a native of the Dutch province of Zeeland where our headquarters is based, took the nine-night voyage on Plancius in July. And fortunately for us, she had much to say about this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Wahlbergøya beach cleanup results in 250 kg (600 pounds) of waste collected

“There was so much rubbish collected that we couldn’t fit it all in the white bags he had brought. Instead, we put the larger bits of rope, fishing gear, and plastic directly into the Zodiac. We filled a whole Zodiac with plastic!

South Georgia Whaling Stations

South Georgia is an animal lover’s dream. In fact, it’s one of the most wildlife-rich locations we visit in all of our polar voyages, whether in the Northern Hemisphere or Southern.

Svalbard’s Texas Bar

Texas Bar is one of the historic areas we visit on certain Svalbard trips, and it always proves to be a cherished landing site among both our guides and guests.

Insider’s Expedition: Interview with Toto Vermue

As part of our reservations department, one of Toto’s responsibilities is helping book our guests on the many Antarctic and Arctic cruises we offer, so firsthand experience of these trips is highly relevant to her job.

World’s Best Expedition Cruise Line 2022

It is with great delight that we announce we have been nominated for World’s Best Expedition Cruise Line at the second annual World Cruise Awards.

Oceanwide participates in fourth annual Cleanup for Sarah

During Cleanup for Sarah, we encourage our staff and followers on social media to join us in removing litter from nature areas. These efforts are meant to continue the spirit of Sarah’s work with Clean Seas, a campaign she led to remove plastic waste from the Arctic as well as reduce the use of plastics aboard Arctic cruise vessels.

Book Recommendations for Your Polar Cruise

We’ve reached out to our followers on social media, most of whom are former (or future) passengers, to find out what polar-related books they recommend. We were quite happy with the results, which we’ve summarized below in no particular order.

Hondius begins her Arctic season, with other ships to follow

Oceanwide’s Polar Class 6 vessel Hondius set sail from her homeport Vlissingen in the Netherlands on Sunday, delivering passengers to her first Arctic voyage of the season.

IAATO Celebrates Inaugural Antarctic Ambassadorship Day

As much as we love Antarctica, we love taking our guests there even more. And one of the things we love most about that is seeing their eyes light up as Antarctica works its magic, proving yet again its uncanny power to transform first-time visitors into lifelong ambassadors.

Weddell Sea, Shackleton’s Endurance, and New Swabia

Our Antarctica 2023-24 cruise program is filled with fantastic expeditions, not least of which is a new itinerary that tours key locations of South Georgia, the Weddell Sea, and the more easterly area of New Swabia (Neuschwabenland).

Oceanwide Expeditions Continues Charity Donations Based on Passenger Reviews

Some years ago, we made an offer to our former passengers: For every review they left on our website, we would donate €5 to a charity of their choice. This resulted in donations to four excellent nature conservation organizations, and we were happy to continue the tradition this year.

Shackleton’s Long-Lost Endurance Discovered in Antarctica

A discovery expedition launched by the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust fulfilled a mission years in the making when it discovered Anglo-Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton’s lost ship Endurance last Saturday (March 5).

Kite Skiing the Greenland Ice Sheet

Laura, a French Canadian from Quebec City with a Master’s in Geophysics and Glaciology, will make the journey in April with her dad two other team members, kiting roughly 1,700 km (1,050 miles) across the Greenland ice sheet from north to south.

Antarctica Bound: Plancius and Hondius Sail South

If we were excited telling you that we’re finally going back to Antarctica, we’re thrilled to report that Plancius and Hondius are already on their way south.

We’re Going Back to Antarctica!

We plan to restart operations in Antarctica with two of our four ships, which are currently being supplied and prepared for positioning in Argentina: Plancius and Hondius will begin the 2021 Antarctic season on November 23 and 26, respectively.

Franz Josef Land Sites, Species, and Experiences

The archipelago of Franz Josef Land is to Russia what Svalbard is to Norway: Both island groups offer excellent Arctic scenery, adventurous outdoor activities, and a good chance of seeing iconic species like polar bears and walruses - alongside a wide range of marine mammals and seabirds.

The Eight Albatrosses of Antarctica and the Sub-Antarctic

Whether you’re bound for Antarctica, the sub-Antarctic, or some combination of both, this entry will give you all the important albatross info as well as where these birds can best be found.

Introducing our new Science Basecamp program

For polar travelers with a particular bent for science, we have designed an all-new Science Basecamp program that explores such fascinating topics as geology, marine biology, glaciology, and macro-photography.

Cleanup for Sarah continues

Cleanup for Sarah began in 2019 and takes place every year on June 16, Sarah’s birthday.

Vote for World’s Best Expedition Cruise Line 2021

We are delighted to announce that we have been nominated for the World’s Best Expedition Cruise Line 2021 award at the inaugural event of the World Cruise Awards

The Return to Franz Josef Land

Franz Josef Land used to be a classic part of our northern program until 2012, when we stopped visiting the area due to various difficulties involving bureaucracy and distance. But now that restrictions are beginning to lighten, we’re looking forward to returning to one of our all-time favorite destinations for Arctic wildlife and history.