Bewertungen

Apart from the weather or locations, the expedition staff made the whole trip awesome. Their efforts made sure we had the best trip.

While not on my bucket list, it SHOULD be on everyone’s! The scenery, wildlife, zodiac and landing experiences, safety protocol, teaching lessons onboard by knowledgeable staff, accommodations and meals - ALL beyond my expectations.

Happy! It was awesome!

Best trip ever ! 🐋 🐧

Dream expedition ! Seen all the wild life !

Couldn’t ask for better crew and staff. Food was excellent quality. Equipment all functioned.

This trip far exceeded my every expectation. We picked this company for the access to adventure activities (we got to do them all, with a combination of good luck with weather and the tireless work of the expedition leader Sara and her entire staff to maximize everyone's experiences with the locations/weather available to us on a day by day basis) and cost, and was so pleasantly surprised to find that the entire ship was operated with a priority placed on safety, wildlife, education, conservation, and fun! Guides for every activity (especially Zet - kayaking, Chris/Owain - mountaineering) were clear in instructions for safety, monitored guest compliance closely, and gave real-time feedback. I really enjoyed the celebratory BBQ and dance out on the helipad at the end of the trip - truly a magical night. Every staff member was sure to prioritize safety of guests and fellow staff, as well as animals during landings and zodiac cruises (which I had not realized, prior to going on the trip, occur whenever you are not scheduled to do an excursion -- meaning almost all day every day you are out in the water or on land in Antarctica!). A lot of my pre-trip reading on Antarctica in general mentioned limitations on time spent on land to accommodate all guests, but on a smaller ship like this, guests could always maximize time off-ship, sometimes with hours on land and timed in such a way that it was the right time to return to the ship for food/water/bathroom anyways. In between activities and while at sea, there were a plethora of targeted talks and structured question-answering, which was highly educational and informative (a sampling of the lectures include life on the sea floor, history of women in Antarctica, talks on the specific wildlife we saw, discussion of tracking whales through happywhale.com, the background of specific sites we went to, krill fishing, and the effects of plastics/microplastics on Antarctica among many more!). The whole staff is so impressive and everyone was clearly an expert in their field and loved being out there. I only missed one lecture (accidentally), that's how good they were! Captain Per also had a 24/7 open bridge policy which was fascinating and added an additional layer of education to my experience... his skillful navigation and calm hand made the entire ship a delight for all passengers (it was also a great place to watch for wildlife, which seemed to be never-ending). By the end of the trip, I did feel like I had a new appreciation for Antarctica and our planet, as well as a new eye for the damage that we do both as tourists and as consumers in the wider world. Some suggestions for the company to really ensure that the learning and messaging from this perfect trip are in line with the company's practices and all guests' day to day... 1) Minimize or get rid of daily plastic garbage bags in all the rooms - likely not worth it or necessary, and would reduce so much waste. 2) Consider meatless Mondays, minimizing availability of salmon - it would reduce our footprint considerably and possibly cost, while opening the door for more conversation on how acting in moderation can allow us to still consume while making a big conservation impact on the beautiful world we are living in and admiring during this trip. It is clear that conservation is a big part of Oceanwide's mission, and it would be great if the daily life on ship felt a little more in line with that.

Now a few weeks back home and I still look back on this fantastic trip with a big smile on my face. The entire crew from below the waterline to above....thank you for the wonderful experience. With passion and love for the area, you have sought a balance between tourism and respect for the vulnerability of nature. Thank you.

We had an exceptional Basecamp expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula with the Oceanwide team of experienced guides. The whole trip, from the activities, to the lectures, to the food and fellow travelers was a highlight. Continuously changing weather meant the daily plans and schedules had to be fluid and flexible, which the team did with grace and ease under the expert leadership of Sara and Captain Per. Expedition leaders were knowledgeable experts in their fields and were always happy to share and impart their knowledge. The food was outstanding, and the staff were just incredible - nothing was too much trouble and everything was done with a smile. I would unreservedly recommend this trip - it was a great balance between being on the boat, Zodiac cruising looking for wildlife, activities on land and sea, and loads of fun and laughs. Truly the experience of a lifetime.

Impresif

A birding excursion organized by the crew would be nice. You can akways ask things but some extra help detecting and direct knowing which bird is great to have. What dies OE do with sustainability? Think about the food. And offering more healthy food (less sugar, less salt) would be good. Let people bring their own water bottle and only give a bottle if they don’t have.

Absolutely fantastic voyage on the Ortelius led by Sara and Captain Per! Sara did a wonderful job finding sites with lots of varied wildlife over the course of the trip, throughout predictably unpredictable weather (even the days too stormy for landings offered great views and were well worth the adventure). Her expedition staff – Jens, Koen, Bill with his hilarious cartoons, and many others – were not only helpful and informative, but also a joy to spend time with and learn from. Finally, I was blown away by the ship's crew; everybody was super kind, and the dining staff even went out of their way to remember personal preferences (plus the food itself was delicious). Since returning, I keep dreaming about this trip and thinking about when/how I can go back...!

This was the most incredible trip of my life - Antarctica and the surrounding waters cannot be summed up in words. I had just the best time, and I cannot sing more praises about the crew and staff of Ortelius. If you want to get off the boat, see animals, and appreciate the natural beauty of the area, this is the company for you. If you want a luxurious cruise (not to say the food and service wasn't great!), with a gym, or a pool, look elsewhere. I would come back in a heartbeat.

Highly recommend! I liked this company’s emphasis on “expedition.” We went out on the Zodiac inflatable boats often (usually twice a day every day, whenever possible, which was frequently). We saw many amazing creatures in their natural environment, including lots of whales and seven different types of penguins, while maintaining a safe and respectful distance. Every landing was very different from the others and amazingly beautiful. The ship was very comfortable, and the crew was fantastic. The other passengers were an international group of people who were very open and interesting to talk to. There were lots of informative optional lectures every day on all aspects of the different kinds of wildlife we saw (whales, penguins, many types of birds, seals), environment, weather, geology, ocean currents, history of Antarctic exploration, as well as on the critical issues of ocean ecology and sustainability. Seeing penguins swimming in the water beside our ship and jumping up onto icebergs was awesome! So were all the sites we visited on South Georgia Island, including Grytvikan and Shackleton’s final resting spot. The Captain, expedition leader, and crew succeeded in doing everything they could to make this a truly memorable trip. p.s. Our room was very comfortable, and the meals were delicious, too :)

This Antarctic expedition exceeded all expectations. The crew and all the staff were exceptional from Captain Per and Sara Jenner the expedition leader to the wait staff, engineers and everyone else. It's like one big happy family and everyone is there to make your trip the best it can be. I cannot praise or thank them enough for making Christmas 2024 the best ever! We saw more wildlife than I'd hoped for and much of it so close. The scenery was spectacular and every zodiac trip and beach landing simply amazing. We learned so much in the lectures and I haven't laughed so much in a long time as I did on auction night and at the Captain's dinner. And if that's not enough, Volodymyr and his team provided us with delicious and varied food for the whole trip. If you're thinking about going on an Antarctic trip, stop prevaricating and just book this one. It's fabulous!