Antarctic Basecamp
by Gary Winter
Departure in January 2023
Region: Antarctica
Destinations: Antarctic Peninsula
Ship: m/v Hondius
Highlights: Snowshoeing, Mountaineering, Antarctic Camping, Kayaking, Basecamp, Antarctic Fur Seal, Adelie Penguin, Chinstrap Penguin, Crabeater Seal, Gentoo Penguin, Humpback Whale, Killer Whale, Leopard Seal, Weddell Seal, Blue-eyed shag, Hiking
Overall the trip was outstanding. We saw incredible wildlife and amazing landscapes along the Antarctic Peninsula. The crew did an excellent job of organizing all of the Basecamp activiities and always had alternative plans that worked. I would recommend the trip highly! The fuel charge of 25 EUR per person per day is still bothersome to me. This trip was our third attempt after two cancellations. Our initial deposit had been paid on 11 Sept, 2019, and our final payment was 08 Nov, 2021. Our money was held by Oceanwide and/or Swoop during all that time with the promise of finally delivering the trip without additional cost. The fuel surcharge broke that promise. I wouldn't be so bothered by the surcharge if all passengers had paid it. But after talking to some people on the ship, they said that either their third party travel agency didn't make them pay or Oceanwide didn't because of the contract. It doesn't seem fair. Also it was disappointing that we only had one opportunity for kayaking, mountaineering and camping. I understand it was difficult with the number of passengers, but still... However, there was ample Zodiac cruising and time on land/ice. Some of the guides were outstanding, but there were a few that were not. This is some constructive criticism for those guides. This advice comes from my long career as a teacher. Your passengers/clients often have something to add to the conversation, and it's your job to value that. I did research in the Antarctic almost 50 years ago, and there were times that I wanted to share some recollections. Usually, there was no interest in what I had to say so I stopped talking. Also at meals we would ask guides about their lives and experiences. They were forthcoming in answering our questions but didn't seem interested in us. Good conversations go both ways. Maybe it was a form of ageism? I consider myself a humble person, but I've also done some interesting things during my life. Please talk to the guides. Thank you. Gary Winter
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Comment from Oceanwide Expeditions
Thank you for taking the time to write us such a thorough and detailed review.
To first address your comments about the fuel surcharge, we want to assure you that all passengers paid this additional cost during your trip. It is possible that some passengers booked their voyage through booking agencies that did not pass the surcharge on to them, but they were nonetheless applied to all passenger berths reserved for your voyage.
As to your feedback regarding the activities you were able to partake in, our Basecamp Manual provided to all guests for this voyage states that only one excursion is offered for kayaking, mountaineering, and camping activities. Limiting activities in this way is how we’re able to offer guests so many different types of activity during Basecamp cruises.
We are disappointed, however, to hear of your comments relating to our guides. Rest assured we will discuss this with the expedition leader and staffing manager as soon as possible. We pride ourselves on fully engaging with our guests, and we take it seriously when we fall short of this expectation.
We hope these incidents did not too negatively impact your enjoyment of Antarctica, but we are grateful for any feedback that will make our performance better. Thank you again for contacting us.