Reviews

Fantastic and well handled when corona hit

This trip fulfilled a lifetime dream for my spouse, Pat and I. We cannot say enough good things about Oceanwide Expedition's Leaders, Adam Turner and Sara Jenner.  These two individuals are extreme leaders at the top of their craft.  We were always well-taken care of and they made it possible to reach places via zodiac, that at first, we thought impossible.  Very well-planned and executed!  The zodiac drivers, Ben Giunchi, Daniel Hohne, and Gaby Pilson were also awesome! They made us feel safe and took us to unbelievable places to get close-ups of Penguins and Leopard Seals!  Well done!  We also very much enjoyed the many lectures presented by the crew, especially the one on early Antarctic Explorers by Gunilla Lindh. Gunilla is loaded with personality and always makes us smile!  A very special thank you to Rose, Damian, and Will in the dining room for taking such good care of us during the trip.  AND, also a very special THANK YOU to Rajiv and DJ at the front desk.  Rajiv is always SMILING and there for us anytime we needed anything.  Thanks also to Akhil and John  at the bar for making our drinks and sharing travel experiences.  We highly recommend Oceanwide Expeditions!  Also, we enjoyed Massimo Bassano’s and Myriam Casper’s photo and video lectures.

I could say a lot about this fantastic trip ! Firstly the expedition staff were an amazing bunch of people with varied interests and knowledge covering all aspects of what you see in Antarctica. They drove us about in the Zodiacs to view wildlife, icebergs, interesting geology and tell us about it all too. Additionally there were lectures most days on a variety of topics so there was always something to be doing or learning. The Expedition Leader and Captain worked well together to avoid dodgy weather and find good locations to explore. Although the plan was fluid there was something to visit most days (some sea-only-days being inevitable on this voyage). The crew looked after us very well - a superb galley staff provided three meals a day with various choices for each - no chance of going hungry on this ship! And if you had a special request the galley will accommodate - which I thought very special. Our cabin was very comfortable and spacious with a large window to view the passing scenery - although the ship does have a lot of outside deck space all round the ship.

Thank you to everyone at Oceanwide Expeditions for a fantastic trip. Our trip seemed to get better and better every day as the unique wildlife and exceptional scenery was revealed to us. It was a very nice feeling to know that the team of experts that guided us were making the best decisions for us to ensure that we had the best possible experience every day whilst we ate and drank heartily, told stories of the wonders we had seen during the day and slept soundly in our beds at night looking forward to the next wonderful day. We cannot thank the crew and expedition team of the Hondius enough but in particular we have to pick out Adam, Sara and Martin who did a fantastic job even during the difficult final days of our trip when the Coronavirus situation started to become apparent to us all. In these difficult circumstances they did their best to keep us informed as the situation rapidly changed around us. We have to thank them and everyone behind the scenes who enabled us to get off the Hondius and safely home as soon as possible. We look forward to joining Oceanwide Expeditions again in the future to explore the polar regions.

This is a relatively easy review since EVERYTHING was excellent. The expedition team did a great job, doing the maximum to enable as to visit as many places as possible without conceding in terms of safety. They were always ready to share their knowledge and answer our questions. The lectures and presentations were well prepared and presented. The photography and videography workshops were great, Massimo and Myriam are not only great photographers, they are good teachers as well. Not less important for such a long trip is the Hotel Staff. All the crew, including the receptionists, the galley people (also those beyond the scenes that made extraordinary food), at the bar, those in charge of the cleaning, and of course at the bridge were extremely nice to us. And of course the sites themselves, incredible places and animals, everyday and every scene were worth a special trip to see them.

The commitment of the crew, the quality of the Hondius in all aspects, the variety of lectures on board and the Antarctic scenery was all beyond expectations. It has opened up my awareness of this very special continent which belongs to nobody. Keep it that way and conserve it well!

the expedition and the team was very good but we regret that we did not get any special attention as we were ,what J call ,high -yeld passengers(grand suite cabin)! We didnot get any priority for boarding and at the dining room;we had to queue up for everything,therefore we wonder why we paid so much!

The enthusiastic crew, the comfortable ship and of course the beautiful surroundings made this trip for us a fantastic experience. The quality of the food, the luxury cabin, the interesting lectures and of course the excursions with the zodiac, it was all perfect. We are very grateful that we have been part of this trip. we heartily recommend this trip! Eric en Sylvia de Maertelaere

My expectation were exceeded by a large margin. It was the best holiday of my life and worth every penny! The trip across the Drake Passage was quite smooth and we arrived in Antartica on a glorious sunny day. It was spectacular. The staff was professional and very friendly. There was never a boring moment and we were on the go all the time. The wildlife was amasing to see ; penguins, seals, whales and birds and the scenery breathtakingly beautiful. Being able to go on to the bridge of this very modern vessel was a real thrill. The food was excellent - my compliments to the maitre de and kitchen staff. I cannot think of anything to complain about. Super ... thank you!

I just arrived back home yesterday from Ushuaia and can't stop thinking about the amazing trip to Antarctica. Everything has been great, of course the place, but also very happy with the crew and all the people in the vessel. Thanks a lot to all of you for making this the travel of my life!

It was the most awesome experience ever! Oceanwide exceeded our expectations and more! We came into the cruise thinking it would be a boring 4 days at the Drake Passage but they have kept us alive and interested in their workshops. The guides were all polar experts and we learned so much about wildlife, nature and our beautiful planet. It was such an educational honeymoon for us! We were so cared for from food and safety and also the fact that they were wanting us out of the ship and doing activities as much as they can. We will be booking another Polar Adventure with you guys soon! Keep up the fantastic work!

Excellent Expedition Team (Especially Adam) Excellent hospitality (especially food) Excellent sailing Excellent sightings Excellent itinerary Excellent vessel Excellent journey

Fantastic viatge en tots els sentits tan per ruta, barco, estaf, serveis etc. La amabilitat de tots ens faran recordar aquest com un viatge-expedicio inoblidable. Si calgués possar una observació aquesta seria el idioma si bé en Ben, Koen, Sara, Pierre i d'altres varem suplí el desconeixement

We dreamed of this trip for 26 years before finally pulling the plug and spending the money. For us it would be a once in a lifetime experience. And it turned out to be everything we'd dreamed of, and more. The ship was billed as "well accommodated, but not luxurious". Well, sorry, but heated towel racks are my idea of luxury. Everything from the accommodations to the expertise and professionalism of the crew to the emphasis on minimizing our impact on the environment just fit beautifully with what we'd dreamed of all those years. The food was outstanding … well, except for the dining room coffee, which was surprisingly awful. But the coffee machine in the passenger lounge served well enough, and we took to just going upstairs for our after-meal cup. So that worked out well anyway. We LOVED the crew … professional, accommodating, and informative. The seminars and presentations were well done, and added a great deal to the overall experience. We're so glad we chose Oceanwide for our dream trip. So now, of course, we have to figure out how to choose them again for a trip to the other pole … :)

The entire trip was an unforgettable and life changing experience. The expedition staff were very knowledgeable and informative about the landings, wildlife and environment. The guides always made sure that we were safe and made the most of every moment. If you get the chance to go on this trip, don't hesitate, it's worth every penny!