Reviews

We made the cruise Around Spitsbergen in July 2018. It was a remarkable voyage. We saw a lot of the characteristic scenery and environment of the Arctic. Very special was that we saw at least 8 polar bears and as a highlight one from nearby eating a whale carcass. Further the extended glaciers were impressing. The expedition team was terrific and eager to tell about the background of all the things we saw. Our expedtion leader Ali Liddle did a great job and was in control every time that the programme had to be changed by unexpected situations. The team of our hotel manager Szuzanne served very nice meals and took care of our cabins without causing any disturbance. The crew on the bridge gave us the opportunity to look around from a very nice position. Summarized: a top experience.

Crew war sehr freundlich. Essen war sehr gut. Kabine war sehr gut. Guides waren sehr gut und haben hervorragend ihr Wissen geteilt. Viele Tiere gesehen. Wanderungen und Zodiacfahrten waren sehr schön.

When I suddenly found myself and the ship in the middle of a seemingly endless pack ice, everyone was silent. The world seemed stopped – frozen in time. As the vessel kept pushing the ice, a closer look at the pack ice revealed fresh polar bears footprints, and they were EVERYWHERE. Anticipation kept building until finally, a polar bear was spotted, standing next to what seemed to be the remains of a meal. We were in such close proximity to the bear that many guests found it unreal. Then the camera shutters started working full speed for about 30 minutes. That was definitely the highlight of the whole voyage – an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.

Auf dieser Expeditionstour waren die ersten 2 Tage ein wenig ernüchternd, weil wir wegen des schlechten Wetters u der Stürme nicht die Route fahren konnten, die ursprünglich angedacht war. Wir konnten somit zunächst auch keine Anlandungen machen u Eisbären waren nicht in Sicht. Aber dann änderte sich alles: das Wetter wurde super mit viel Sonnenschein u Anlandungen konnten stattfinden. Auch die ersten Eisbären (auch Mutter mit 2 Kleinen) konnten wir beim Fang u Fressen einer Robbe beobachten. Auch die vielen Walrosse u der Blauwal waren ein Erlebnis, abgesehen von der unsagbar schönen u überwältigenden Natur. Zudem muss unbedingt erwähnt werden, dass das gesamte Expeditionsteam um Rinie eine ausgezeichnete Arbeit geleistet hat (Vorträge, Ratschläge u viele Hinweise). Wir waren rundherum zufrieden u würden diese Tour auf jeden Fall weiterempfehlen.

I am a naturalist photographer for more than 30 years, I had many expectations on this trip due to its name, "polar bear special" but the reality is that this trip is suitable for tourists without much experience or interest in nature. I have made many more wildlife photos in the surroundings of Longyearbien than in the trip in the Ortelius. We only saw two bears by chance and in the ice pack we were only 8 hours. For those who like to eat well and at times is fine, but for those who want to enjoy the Arctic nature is not an appropriate trip.

Absolutely loved the trip. Beautiful places to explore, monumental glaciers and breathtaking beauty to be experienced.

It was very good and I really enjoyed it. Good guides, expedition leader en good decisions that made it an awesome trip. Got a good view of Spitsbergen.

The trip was an amazing experience. The ship was perfect for the trip, the crew and service personel were extremely polite and helpful and delivered an experience of a lifetime. Thank you Oceanwide !!

Nachdem wir 2 Tage sehr erfolglos und frustriert nach dem König der Arktis gesucht haben, wurden wir gleich mit mehreren Eisbären belohnt. Ein Bär fing sogar vor unseren Augen eine Robbe und verspeiste sie. Wir sahen außerdem unterwegs Robben, einen Polarfuchs, Lummen u.a. Vögel, Rentiere und viele Walrosse. Rinie, der Teamleiter gab alles, damit wir viel sehen konnten. Das Schiff fuhr uns durch Packeis und Treibeis und alles bei einer wunderschönen Kulisse mit weißen Bergen und knallblauem Meer. Das Essen war ausgesprochen gut und abwechslungsreich. Die Zidiacfahrten waren besonders spannend. Da wir 2 Tage starken Wind hatten, waren diese Tage leider langweilig vielleicht könnte man diese dann auf dem Schiff besser gestalten.

Es war eine atemberaubende Erfahrung und ein spitzen Erlebnis. Die Crew des Schiffes professionell und der Expeditionsleiter mit seinem Team waren mehr als nur engagiert, Sie haben sich so viel Mühe gegeben, damit wir dann endlich nach 2 Tagen der Suche die Eisbären gefunden haben. Für mich war es eine wahnsinnige Erfahrung in dieser einzigartigen Landschaft zu cruisen. Die Stille und die Abgeschiedenheit jeglicher Korrespondenz mit der Außenwelt hatte ich so nicht erwartet. Unser Expeditionstour hat uns die Tierwelt vor die Füße gelegt. Wir haben sogar einen Blauwal gesehen. Der Gang zu den Walrossen war umwerfend. Die Tierbeobachtungen jeden Tag haben so viel Spaß gemacht. Schade, dass diese Woche so schnell vorbei gegangen ist.

Wonderful experience, Crew, hotel staff and expedition staff excellent. Very professional and would definitely travel with Oceanwide in the future, a very big thank you to everyone concerned.

The trip was amazing - far beyond my wildest dreams. The organisation was faultless; the Crew were pleasant, helpful and efficient; the Expedition Staff were true professionals and fun to be with; and the ship was a dream to be on. All the trips were well co-ordinated and the talks / lectures were all really interesting. I was truly inspired by it all , so much so that I have persuaded my cousin from Hobart in Tasmania to come back with me in 2020 to Antarctica (I am one of the Yorkshire members on our trip!). I hope to get to the Arctic maybe next year to check out the wildlife there, and hopefully see some of the team from Ortelius there too. I will be giving some presentations of the pics and videos etc from the trip soon and will make sure I give a good push to the need to protect that fragile environment and its wildlife. It will me my mission. I will spread the good word re OE's and hope to create interest in visiting the area in a sustainable and non-damaging way. See you again and Thanks to all concerned for a memorable trip.

Our trip with Oceanwide Expeditions to the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica peninsula exceeded our expectations. The entire staff was first class and most importantly all were happy and excited to be part of this amazing adventure. As a vegetarian I especially appreciated that my dietary needs were not a hindrance to the chefs in fact others were jealous of my delicious meals. This expedition was ecotourism as its finest with their consistent focus on environmental protection and conservation of the area.

It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life! I got to see things I could only imagine in my dreams. Sailing on the ship and the zodiac landings were so much fun. The crew was very professional and got us safely to all our destinations and back to Ushuaia. The expedition staff was amazing and always available to talk to. The hotel staff did a great job and our cabin was very comfortable. The food was always fresh and delicious. I am a vegetarian and vegetarian dishes were always available. I'd especially like to thank M.J. and James who always remembered our names, were very polite and were always there for us with anything that we needed when we were dining. They made the trip even more fun for us. I'd highly recommend this cruise.