Reviews

It was a great tour, we saw a lot of wildlife, the staff was very knowledgeable, the food was delicious, the activities were good, although the mountaineering part lacked on fairness, how people were put into individual groups according to their skill level.

We were guests on the Hondius for our 250km Ultramarathon in Antarctica. From the first moment we were on the ship we really felt like guests. Nothing was too much to ask of the staff. Due to our different rhythm as regular guests, the employees really had a lot of extra irregular work to do. And that was done with pleasure. As a result of our races, the kitchen also had a lot of extra work, but even then a Vegan meal was also happily made for my racing partner. Contrary to what I heard from other organizations/ships, we went ashore every day or we went on a zodiac tour. The staff on the zodiacs were great hostesses and told a lot about Antarctica with a lot of knowledge. The ship was big and certainly stable enough to get through the drake passage, but cozy enough to get to know everyone on board. Really recommended. We saw a lot of wildlife, Wales, leopard seals Elephant seals, Penguin's, and a big group of Orca's who were hunting right next to the ship for nearly a hour. The employees at the Hondius have really taken service to a higher level. Next time definitely with OceanWide and the Hondius.

Amazing expedition, and amazing expedition team that made the trip extra special. We’ve had unforgettable knowledge, experience from the team, pipa made her best to ensure that we get the most of our experience. We took part in kayaking activities which made exploration extra special and I think anyone planning to visit Antarctica should not miss the chance to signup for kayaking. Because both Alexis and nick made our daily activity sessions extra special. There was soo much of valuable information that was shared by the expedition staff that we get to carry with us to make a difference. Martin, rose, Paulo were supportive and amazing In addition to the amazing experience and planning, I suggest that there are some movie nights on board when sailing back to the end of the cruise expedition

Can't say enough about this trip. The destination was better than I could have imagine. But the crew and staff were world-class experts, adventurers - and were also fantastic human beings on top of it all. Sara's energy and efforts to make the trip as amazing as possible were unparalleled. Adam (expedition), Adam (kayaking), Bill (scottsman), Felicity (marine biologist), Shona (doctor), Barni (icelandic viking), Robin and Andy (mountaineers) - and others were fascinating to meet, hear their stories, learn from their experience. The crew were incredibly warm and friendly and helpful as well.

The best trip of my life

the trip was marvelous in one word.

Great adventure.

Awesome trip!!!!

I didn't know what to expect when I signed up to travel to Antarctica! But what I got was a trip of a lifetime and girlfriends who love to travel and who I can call great friends! My Kangaroo Krew! I had the best ship, crew, weather and time and will miss my time in Antarctica but will cherish every second that I had there. Thank you, Oceanwide Expeditions!

Where to start! Our guides and expedition leaders far exceeded what I expected, they were all absolutely brilliant in their own regard. They work diligently to ensure we have the most exciting and safest experience. Sincerely, could not have asked for a better team. The staff team from dining to engineers were all excellent as well. Anyone would be lucky to have any of these wonderful people on their ship.

Every day on the Antarctica peninsula with Oceanwide was a dream. Everything was organized well. Our expedition leader Sara was positive and chipper and handled everything with patience and a smile. The trip was superlative after superlative. The activités fun, thé lectures interesting,, the rooms a good size and clean, the food delicious but the real star is Antarctica and it is spectacular. It’s so pristine and to see and hear the wildlife so close is amazing. Everyone on the trip is smiling and happy because they feel very lucky to enjoy such a unique experience. A special thank you to Sara, Eddie, Adam and Bill.

My trip was absolutely amazing thanks to the tireless work and unbridled enthusiasm of everyone on board. Every day felt intentional and designed to maximize fulfillment, adventure, and joy. I greatly appreciate the care that was given to crafting such an extraordinary journey and the effort made by the expedition staff and Ortelius crew to execute a complex logistical dance every day so flawlessly. I will never forget my brief visit to this magical, sacred place and I have tremendous gratitude for the staff and crew, without whom this experience would never have been possible. I have nothing but superlatives to say for everyone involved, but I wanted to call out two people in particular.

First, the expedition leader, Sara. She demonstrated peerless leadership in shuttling us from activity to activity, giving us the opportunity to see wildlife, and making us feel trust and comfort that we would have an amazing experience every day; boundless energy, for always having enthusiasm, no matter what time of day or night, that was absolutely infectious and really helped enhance the trip even when I was feeling tired or down; and operational genius, for coordinating among multiple cruise ships, multiple landing sites, passengers wanting to do all sorts of activities, weather (good for us luckily but still unpredictable!), and myriad other factors to deliver amazing shore excursions, activities, and experiences for us every day. Truly words are not enough to express my gratitude and admiration for the amazing job she did, and I would be hesitant to do any sort of similar tour again without Sara at the helm.

And lastly Shona Main, the ship doctor, who I think was not technically part of the expedition staff but participated just as fully and enthusiastically as any staff member. Beyond her medical duties which she performed superbly (I didn’t get seasick despite usually getting quite motion sick!) I witnessed her assisting passengers multiple times to ensure we had a great and safe experience (one example that stands out is helping out an older passenger who had mobility issues get ready for the polar plunge, and do it safely - what an amazing experience that wouldn’t have been possible for that person without assistance!). Each day she greeted us cheerfully at the gangplank as we departed for the Zodiacs, ensuring life vests were equipped, cards had been swiped, and that we could descend safely. I saw her on every shore excursion engaging with guests and sharing her knowledge and experience. And lastly, something special and unique for me - I had a lot of complex feelings on this trip - it was overwhelming in many ways, and at times I felt it kind of difficult to take it all in. Shona exhibited a lot of empathy, listening to me talk about some of the feelings during one of the meals, and suggesting I share with other passengers who might have been feeling the same way. I did share with my roommate which definitely helped me process some of the feelings from this trip. I wanted to call out this trait which I felt uniquely from Shona. For such a powerful and moving trip it can be difficult to process in the moment, and having someone on the staff who is empathetic and can relate to your feelings and help you process them was really helpful. I was very grateful that she was there and I think she would be an excellent expedition staff member for future voyages.

I couldn’t have asked for a better Expedition team or set of activities. We had variety every day, delicious food and interesting lectures. The team, especially the leader and the doctor, were particularly kind and accommodating.

The trip was very well organized, professional and friendly staff, and perfect attention to the passengers. Also we didn't feel treated as simple tourist, we had the feeling that the organization also enjoyed the expedition with us. That's important to make a difference and to improve the experience, because normally, the profile who chooses this kind of trips is not a person who is interested in feeling like a sheep. Also the food quality was very good. Honestly, there are no complaints.

It was everything I was hoping for.