Region: Antarktis
Reiseziele: Polarkreis, Falklandinseln, Südgeorgien
Schiff: MS Hondius
Aktivitäten: Antarktischer Seebär, Adeliepinguin, Kehlstreifpinguin, Finnwal, Eselspinguin, Buckelwal, Schwertwal, Königspinguin, Felsenpinguin, Südkaper, Schwarzbrauenalbatros, Schneesturmvogel
The destination of this trip were Antartica, Falkland Island , South Georgia in January 2024, for 18 days cruising. For the most part on Hondius, we felt we were discriminated by some of the Expedition team members. This can be seen especially at lunch and dinner time. Most of the team members sit only with Caucasian guests. There were also different attitudes towards Caucasian vs second language English speakers seen throughout this trip. I tried to initiate conversations with some of the team members but gotten minimum replies. It was very different attitude when this team member interacted with Caucasian guests which was always with lots of enthusiasm. I remembered the first day we arrived on the ship, the Team Lead said ‘’ we are on the same ship and we are a big family.’’ But it didn’t feel that we were welcomed throughout the journey. Most of the time it felt been treated as secondary. I understand there was a group of people from other countries who don’t speak English well or at all. But, It doesn’t mean it’s okay to ignore or treat one who doesn’t speak English or who is not Caucasian differently. I am not taking about Language barriers but more about attitudes and Oceanwide appearance in front of its customers from its own expeditions team members. Only the last day or two, some of the team members finally started been seen doing their “homework “ it felt like, by company’s standard I guess..to sit with second language English speaking guests at lunch/dinner whom they have almost never interacted with. The positive sides were the expedition team members were very knowledgeable about Antarctica, from water, ice , birds, whales, winds, penguins, Hondius ….etc. They were able to answer every question, putting efforts to lectures and landings. They even tried to use rope to show us how long each different whale looked like. The Team from the restaurant was impressive, very nice service, excellent food. Front desk, super sweet, friendly and helpful. Housekeeping, they kept our room and bed clean and cozy, surprised towel animals every day. However it does not justify how we were been discriminated. Once again, you can’t treat your guests differently by skin color.
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Kommentar von Oceanwide Expeditions
Thank you for reaching out to us and sharing your feedback. We sincerely value all feedback as it helps us continuously improve our services.
Discrimination has no place within our company, and we are committed to fostering an inclusive environment for both our passengers and staff, regardless of their backgrounds or origins. If you felt any sense of discrimination or unequal treatment during your voyage with us, we sincerely apologize. It is never our intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable based on their nationality, background, or any other factor. We assure you that we take such matters seriously.
As you have seen on board, our team consists of individuals from diverse backgrounds, reflecting the international nature of our company and the passengers we serve. Also on your voyage, there were guides from all over the world, from the United States, Canada, Sweden, the Netherlands, China and New Zealand. We believe this diversity enriches the experiences and enhances our ability to connect with travelers from around the world.
We are pleased to hear that you appreciated the lectures and information shared during your trip and hope you enjoyed the wonderful destinations you visited with us. If there are any further concerns or feedback you would like to share, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.