Reviews

Allthough I chose this trip because I wanted to see polar bears in their natural habitat , and how successfull this trip was, I was most impressed by the landscapes, the “spitsbergen”, the fjords, the enormous and countless glaciers and the packice. And all that from a very silent, comfortable ship, the M/V Plancius. I loved it.

A wonderful trip to a very, very impressing scenery. Accompanied by a very efficient, thoughtful, helpful crew and guided by very knowing, charming, informing crew, especially the expedition leader Ali Liddle, the second expedition leader Andreas, the guides Adam, Ross, Chloé, Christian. All were very charming, giving lots of information, keeping their humor and patience even in more challenging situations.

I don't know where to start. This expedition has shown so much of the beauty of the Arctic. And unfortunately also how fragile it is. There is so much life like of course the polar bear but also seals, walruses, whales, many bird species etc. The flora and fauna is fantastic. And again so fragile. Led by a fantastic team of guides we learned so much about the arctic. Everyone had his or her own area of expertise. And they shared it with great pleasure and enthusiasm. On the Plancius we were looked after fantastically by the team on board. We felt very welcome. In short, this expedition is highly recommended. (As long as it's still possible)

Exciting journey. Very good guides, very good ship crew, fantastic kitchen. See you later again.

The boat and room was comfortable but the activities and cruise was terrible. They were suppose to announce when they saw any wildlife but the only announcement was when a bear was far away. The boat did not attempt to find wildlife and the landings each day was to see a lone flower growing. I met people who took the same cruise the same days on a different boat and they saw such more wildlife. I had waited 2 years (original trip was to be July 2020) for this cruise hoping to see wildlife but there was none.

Wonderful Arctic experience with Oceanwide Expeditions on MV Plancius around Spitzbergen. So much more than we had hoped for. Highly recommended.

Abundant wildlife, including 4 polar bears, 2 blue whales, 40+ belugas, arctic foxes, reindeer, ivory gulls, king eider. Very spectacular zodiac cruises near glaciers. Beautuful hikes. Excellent staff. Great views from the Plancius.

We had an absolutely fantastic experience with the Oceanwide crew. So knowledgeable, enthusiastic and friendly! Went out of their way to give us a great trip. And succeeded!!! Thanks so much!

Excellent crew and organisation

This was undoubtedly an exceptional trip with fewer than half the expected guests due to travelling difficulties, great wild life viewings and a ship Captain, Crew, Hotel staff and Expedition staff that went above and beyond to make our visit to the Arctic one that will forever be remembered.

Once on the ship, all was very much OK

Led by knowledgeable and enthusaistic expedition leaders and staff, this expedition around the coast of Spitsbergen and Nordaustlandet was a feast of polar experiences. From active glaciation through tundra to the diminutive plants in the polar desert we got a very good taste of the polar regions of Svalbard. MV Plancius was a comfortable and quiet ship crewed by a very good team who went the extra mile to accommodate the needs and comfort of the passengers. For those who have hesitated to join these expeditions I urge them to go. It is most certainly value for money.

Fantastic trip onboard Plancius. Excellent and friendly staff. I was upgraded to a twin room w single occupancy. Food excellent with good selection at each meal. Expedition staff very knowledgeable and we had some good lectures on rocks, ice and wildlife. Captain was a great spotter of polar bears and we saw 4 on our trip. An amazing once in a lifetime experience to go to 80 degrees north and explore the remote and beautiful Arctic.

It was our first time in the Arctic. It was a wonderful expedition. The small ship Plancius makes the whole trip very familiar. The tour was led by a phenomenal expedition team, whether it was the Zodiac Cruise, hikes, subsequent recaps and educational lectures, every single guide made this a unique experience. Many thanks for that. The excursions were very well prepared, you always felt safe with the team. Also on the ship you have enjoyed only the best service, the whole team was extremely friendly and the food super delicious, has exceeded my expectations. However the operating on the ship could be more sustainable in total, especially in nower days and the focus on polar bears creates wrong expectations. Therefore one star less.

My husband was not excited about traveling to Svalbard , Norway to see Polar Bears, but because I was so anxious to get there he agreed to participate. We were both overwhelmed by the beauty and experience to be in such a unique part of the world. Not only did we see Polar Bears but also walrus, seals, Puffins and numberous other birds. The passing scenery with the green glacial colored water, the blue tinted ice, the dark volcanic mountains partially covered with snow was magnificent. But what added most to our journey was the collective knowledge and friendliness of our guides, each with their own special interests and enthusiasm. We so enjoyed riding at water level in the zodiacs and kayaks, and with each outing we learned alot about the animal life, the geology and history of the area. There is nothing like encountering a seal at the tip of your kayak paddle. The ship and its entire staff were wonderful and truly made it feel like an expedition.