Reviews

The Hondius staff and crew really know how to deliver! Flawless Zodiak to land transfers with incredible views. Instant flexibility when a pod of ~40 humpback whales surrounded the Hondius while feeding and spy hopping to watch us watching them! Antartic camping (without a tent) is not for the faint of heart but was too cool (no pun intended) not to try! With our intrepid expedition leader Sara Jenner and Scottish expedition guide and artist "Super Jim" Smith, we all got the fullest of experiences possible. Excellent educational sessions on the wildlife and habitat. Please go and SEE! This is an absolute must do before 2048 when the Antarctic Treaty expires, Countries may then start to mine and decimate it. Help to preserve this global treasure.

We had an amazing experience in the Antarctic Peninsula aboard the Hondius. The Expedition Team, led by the wonderful Sara, worked to make sure that we encountered wildlife up close as much as possible. The team was comprised of friendly people with varied backgrounds and knowledge and a passion for their work. They're enthusiasm and professionalism really made the trip extra special. The ship was beautiful, spacious, clean, and the crew was very attentive. The food was wonderful and plentiful, even for vegetarians. I highly recommend Oceanwide Expediitions and we plan to take future trips to the Arctic and Alaska.

Incredibly well organized... so much to learn about and wonderful experts to share it all with accompanying slide shows. Highly recommend this trip. Just one recommendation... please add some map books to the library collection that will show ALL of the Antarctic continent AND peninsular and maybe a full map displayed somewhere in a public hallway. All of the locations where we stopped need to well marked on the map.

Thanks for everything! It was amazing...

This trip was a miracle. The pandemic was still looming and Omicron was hitting many countries. I can't believe we even made it to Argentina. When everyone tested negative on the antigen test before boarding the ship I thought ok we made it! We made it through drakes passage and it was time for another antigen test. To our surprise, there were 2 positive cases. We all were devastated. If a total of 5 people tested positive we would have to turn the ship around and see what the Argentinian government wanted to do. I thought we would only have 1 day in Antarctica and then we wouldl have to go back and possibly quarantine with the ship. Everyone had the same thought. The staff and crew were absolutely amazing. They told everyone to do their part and hand sanitize, stay separated, and wear the mask at all times. We split up into our color groups and each day we experienced the beauty of antarctica and each night we tested and hoped for another day. Each day we were surprised that everyone including staff and crew tested negative. We had our 4 days in antarctica and came back with the same 2 cases. It was all because of the expedition staff and crew, especially sara. Thanks!

Trip was great for me but could been better for other passengers who wanted to kayak and couldn't. Kayaking had 4 day option frankly more days than I wanted. At first meeting their werea equal number of waiting list passengers there who were told sorry, during gear assignment few passengers waiting to see if they could go but no. I spoke to the guide tell him they could go on days I was not and was told they got it handled. Spoke to passengers later who said they were told they could go. You have far more happy passengers if you lessen the price and gave 2 groups 2 day slots. Furthermore at the beginning no advance information given. I told kayak guide I'd be kayaking the next day not knowing camping was the night before. Got back from camping about the time kayaking group was leaving (no way) when told told guide he was bit passed at me because he had already had kayak in the water for me. Recommendation 1. place handled sanitizer station just I side diningroom not just outside 1 of 2 doors. 2. Extra hooks in cabin to dry things. 3. On crossing I standed in my cabin a lot. It would had been great if lecture in lounge was broadcast on cabin TV.

My suggestion is more brown bread, put cinnamon out, maybe coffee machines in dining room and tell people in advance that WiFi is crazy expensive, download books and everything beforehand.

Most beautiful trip I have ever done, beautiful wildlife and an enthousiastic and amazing crew + expedition team ! Thanks a lot !

My partner and I had a great time on our expedition to Antarctica on the m/v Hondius. The expedition team was amazing. Despite having to deal with some challenging circumstances due to covid, they made sure that we were safe and had a wonderful time with many incredible landings and zodiac cruises. We saw lots of wildlife and learned so much. Thank you!!

From start to end, this adventure of a lifetime surpassed my already high expectations. Expedition leaders/naturalists were top notch and helpful, with informative presentations from their varied experiences throughout. Their enthusiasm and camaraderie was genuine, heightened by their own long hiatus due to the pandemic. Adam set the tone - a terrific mix of professional and personable, and he always had backup plans for contingencies of weather. Bill's sideways energy added enormously. From servers and cabin maintenance to Sigi's dulcet wake-up calls, the hotel group was excellent. Food was varied, copious and always excellent. We marveled at fresh lettuce 10 days into the trip. The captain and his team were excellent, but unfortunately we barely got to know them due to closed bridge. Thank you.

Super trip. Excellent ship and crew. Great food. Superlative expedition guides.

Congratulations to everyone at Oceanwide for providing a superbly well run expedition on a marvellous ship. The Hondius is a world-leader in its eco credentials and superb for its operating environment. Everyone on board - the sailing crew, hotel team, expedition staff - contributed to a trip that will live in the memory. The itinerary, including the decision to head as far south as Stonington and skip the ravaged Northern Peninsula, covered all the Jewels in the Crown in this part of the World. The pre-departure and return measures taken with regard to COVID-19 were impressive and most effective. We could write reams of praise and appreciation on the expertise and judgement of E/L Adam Turner, assistant E/L Sara Jenner and the team of excellent guides that made this trip so special. The wildlife put on a special show every day - who will forget our time at The Gullet with the orcas, humpbacks, seals, penguins, seabirds, plus the ice and the Sun and the Moon?? Point Wild was also a very special experience. We have made around a dozen Polar expedition trips North and South and when we think of our next one we will always think of Oceanwide first.

This was dream trip of a lifetime. We are very please that we chose the Hondius. The hotel staff were superb , friendly and very helpful , the food was excellent and the facilities appropriate for an expedition ship. The expedition staff, lead by Adam and well supported by Sara, were superb. Their enthusiasm, the range of their knowledge and expertise and their ability to share it made the trip memorable. They should also be complemented on making the excursions and Zodiac trips memorable and enjoyable. We enjoyed it so much that we may consider a trip to the Artic sometime in the future preferably with Oceanwide Expeditions.

An outstanding trip which was everything we hoped for and more. The passionate Oceanwide Expedition leader who , with his team epitomised the spirit of expedition by ensuring, (whether permitting!) we landed safely at amazing, scenic and remote places. A personal highlight was going south to 68.14 degrees. We enjoyed wonderful land based encounters with penguins and seals and historic sites. The stunning 40 minute encounter with a humpback whale diving between our zodiacs was a moment to treasure. Capped by hot cider and a tot of rum from the 'zodiac bar' ! Excellent lectures from our highly qualified expedition staff helped us appreciate the environment we were in even more. Hondius was an excellent, comfortable vessel, with a lot of deck space for wildlife and scenery viewing, plus shell doors for speedy zodiac loading. Service and catering were high quality, we felt well looked after. We especially enjoyed 'On Deck BBQ Night', complimentary drinks, and dancing into the night surrounded by icebergs! An exceptional adventure we will treasure for the rest of our lives... Thank you

My wife and I have travelled extensively but this was the trip of a lifetime and unlike anywhere else we'd ever been, exceeding our expectations and leaving us wanting more. Our first Zodiac cruise set the tone with Leopard Seal, and Snow Petrels gliding silently around us through the ice canyons. The staff were brilliant and just as enthusiastic about the wildlife as we were, with the emphasis on conservation, safety and just marvelling at the sheer splendour of it all. It was great to see them 'lose it' when we connected with a pod of Orcas having a feeding frenzy. We are not great sailors but will definitely be joining Oceanwide for another adventure as soon as circumstances allow. Brilliant.