Reviews

Antarctica is a truly breathtaking and otherworldly destination. The stark white landscapes, towering glaciers, and diverse array of wildlife make for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The journey to the southernmost continent is also an adventure in itself, with rough seas and unpredictable weather adding to the sense of remoteness and isolation. The trip to Antarctica starts from Ushuaia, Argentina, where we boarded a ship that took us across the Drake Passage, which is known for its rough waters. Despite the rocky crossing, the journey was worth it as soon as we arrived to the Antarctic Peninsula. Once on the continent, we were able to go on daily excursions to explore the various islands and inlets. We saw colonies of penguins, seals lounging on ice floes, and whales breaching the surface of the water. The highlight of the trip was probably the landscapes, made of massive ice formations, mountains and floating icebergs. The accommodation and food on the ship were also excellent, with comfortable cabins and delicious meals prepared by the ship's chefs. The staff was also very friendly and knowledgeable, making for a great experience overall.

Stunning place obviously. Outstanding expedition team, from the expedition guides to the housekeeping staff. Nothing was too much trouble. Well organised, friendly, passionate, knowledgeable, hard working. Everyone. The food was amazing - three meals a day with lots of choice but with the kitchen philosophy being minimum waste (just my sort of people). Can't praise OceanWide highly enough. Thank you all for making this the trip of a lifetime.

Amazing trip, great food, fascinating guides and lectures. Amazing weather i'm told. Was astounded by the iceburgs they looked so un real like being in another planet.

Our expedition cruise to Antarctica was just amazing, Organization, staff, ship, excursions - everything was just the way it is supposed to be. Impressed.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. The Expedition Leaders were well-informed and eager to pass along their knowledge. Lectures were very interesting and good. Announcements were clear and timely. Trips off the ship were great except for the kayaking which was extremely short and as a result, uninteresting. The cabins were clean and up-to-date. Equipment was in good shape. Food was good, but not great. Overall, an great trip.

I cannot begin to describe the experience we had on our epic journey to the bottom of the world. After a three year wait to travel, everything about the experience went beyond our wildest dreams. The ship was clean, safe and well-organized. The staff, from the captain to the staff rarely seen, were exceptional. From the cheery wake-up announcements each morning to the call to meals, nothing was left to chance. Meals were consistently delicious, with varied options designed to meet all tastes. The expedition staff were second to none. From zodiac cruising to mountaineering, there was something for everyone and the leaders were eager to share not only their knowledge but also their passions. Whether it was plankton or geopolitics, someone was always willing to provide us with a wealth of information making this trip the most interesting, floating school I’ve ever attended. You will not be disappointed should you travel with Oceanwide Expeditions.

We have seen a lot of wildlife. Seven kinds of Penguins of which almost all kolonies had chicks, Fur seals with pups, wales, several kinds of sea birds, Commerson's dolphins, too much to mention. The service on board was very good, as well as the atmosphere.. Very professional and friendly staff. We have enjoyed this trip as the most beautyfull travelexperience we have ever had.

A fantastic, fun and exciting trip. Spectacular landscapes, wildlife in its natural environment and nature in its purest form. With an excellent team that took care of us and made us feel at home. Thank you for a wonderful experience and for making a dream come true!!

Antarctica exceeded our expectations- everything about it was magical. We’d met people over the last few months who’ve been there 3-4 times, and we thought, “it’s Antarctica- once is enough”. But now we get it- an incredible place that needs to be protected. From the wildlife to the incredible scenery to the comfort and spirit of camaraderie on the ship and excursions to the incredible crew and expedition staff, I can’t think of anything that could have been improved. We will definitely return….after a trip to Svalbard with Oceanwide Expeditions. You have us hooked on cold weather!

Incredible journey through Antarctic lands. Incredible landings in all the areas visited, with special mention for South Georgia Island. Memories that will be in my mind forever. Thanks to all the expedition team and the crew.

Overall, the trip was extremely enjoyable. I was happy with all the landings, but would have liked much more time spent in Antarctica which only had one mainland landing. I appreciated being able to walk amongst the wildlife and also the fact that Ocenawide takes its biosecurity seriously (although some passengers still knelt close to penguins). Its good that nature conservation is important to the crew and messages regarding it can be found throughout the ship. The food was mostly excellent and the facilities on the ship were good. I will probably visit Antarctica again and wont have any issues choosing Oceanwide. Thanks

The Oceanwide team did a stellar job in every way. The schedule was always flexible to take the best advantage of landing spots and weather conditions. Hospitality was on point and meals were fantastic. Attention to environmental and personal safety was appreciated. The opportunity to kayak, camp, and scale mountains in Antarctica was very special indeed. I would strongly recommend this trip and this team.

Awe-inspiring, astounding, magic, massive, magnificent… There are not enough words to describe the wonder of Antarctica and I truly believe there's no better way to see and experience this with an Oceanwide basecamp trip! It’s impossible not to be touched by the exceptional beauty of Antarctica while cruising amidst vast waters filled with beautiful azure icebergs shaped by waves and wind in the most amazing works of art, with the steep peaks of the black snow-filled mountains shimmering through the thick layers of fog… But what makes the basecamp so special is the many opportunities to get off the ship, if the weather permits twice a day, to go out and directly experience the wild beauty at ‘the outermost edge of human exploration’: an always different but unforgettable experience. Cruising on zodiacs surrounded by breaching 17 meter/14ton whales, kayaking through ice-choked waves amongst huge shiny blue-and-white icebergs, hiking with 360° pristine, whiter-than-white panoramas, mountaineering on snow covered islands where no (wo)men have set foot before (only penguins😊) and even camping on…or rather in the ice, we crawled in our snow-proof sleeping bags (no tents!) enjoying the sounds of a baby seal and the ear deafening calving of glaciers (dozens of meters of ice and snow gliding in the sea) and the amazing scenery all around.

My absolute favourite were the many penguin encounters. I spent hours (each day) watching those funny animals… waddling, sliding and gliding through the snow, collecting stones for their nest (and stealing them from other nests as soon as the owners turned their back!), starting very determined, and all of a sudden stopping, looking right and left… I could hear their little voices rattling in my head ‘OK, let’s go, oh no this is not going as it should, help, falling again, o no, no worries, there we go again” and “mmm, where was I going’…

Experiencing this beauty first hand -and the very interesting lectures by the scientists on board- strengthened my belief that we have do more and act faster to protect our environment and the climate.

The wide scientific and outdoor experience of the whole expedition team made the trip, the lectures and especially every single outing extra valuable and memorable. All the members were so passionate and enthusiastic to share their knowledge and help us to discover the endless wonders Antarctica has to offer in the most responsible and durable way possible.
Not only the expedition team, but all members of the staff -from the stewards to the ‘sailors’, the engineers to the people on the bridge, the cleaning and laundry staff to the people preparing and serving the delicious meals- made this trip extra special: always friendly to each passenger and colleague, doing their jobs with a smile and offering the best possible service. A special thank you to our steward Ambroze who kept our room clean and spontaneously helped wherever possible, best service I’ve ever experienced!

As you can see I can only write in superlatives about my Oceanwide Antarctica experience. Just one comment on how the trip could be even made better for me: as many other passengers I was sick in bed the first day crossing the Drake passage and therefore missed the explanation about the basecamp activities. Although it was announced through the speakers that you could rest easy because those who couldn’t attend this info session would get all the info afterwards, this was not really the case, although I tried to get more info the days after… For camping for instance I had to ask several time to my colleagues what to do while they were all busy getting in their ‘hole’ before it started raining… Finally I realised the outer waterproof cover was missing in my bag…so I would have been very cold and wet if I wouldn’t have checked this with my ‘neighbour’ (The crew had a spare so everything ended well). Maybe the info session could be organized on day 2 instead of day 1 when most people are able to attend?

Another small point: on average it was hotter on the shop then needed (mostly in our quad room and in the lounge), not very comfortable for the passengers and probably a waste of energy?
But overall the ship was very comfortable! I specifically chose one of the smaller ships not focusing on luxury but rather the expedition and experience and it fulfilled all my expectations: the quad room although small was very well organized so we could all easily stuff and access our bags and clothes, the beds were comfy, the curtains gave the necessary privacy and darkness to sleep, the porthole in our room and the lounge with rooms all around showed the most wonderful scenery all day (and night) long. Although my favourite part of the ship was the deck to watch wonderful unforgettable magic Antarctica slide by…

An unforgettable experience for everyone who likes active off the beaten track experiences in the most wonderful landscape on earth!

This was the most unique experience. Pippa, and the crew and staff were all wonderful. What an amazing adventure!

5-star crew and experience. Room for improvement: Signing up of activities could be done electronically and/or in advance. Instead there was a long wait and I've noticed some cruise participants being very sea sick while waiting.