Reviews

The team and the trip was magnificent. The expedition leader and guides were experts in their fields while also being good communicators. The programme for each day was carefully thought out, with excellent outings interspersed with fascinating lectures. The viewings of whales, seals, birds and penguins was spectacular. The crew were relaxed and professional while the food was entirely scrumptious. In all, a magnificent experience.

This trip was everything as advertised and more. The first morning we arrived in Antarctica we had Humpback Whales breaching next to the ship, and the 2 landings that day I had penguins coming right up to me, curious as to who I was and what I was doing there. If after that first day they would have told us we had to go back, I would not have had any complaints at all. But we had 8 more days of activities and adventures beyond that! I had pleasure overload the whole time. Will recommend to anyone.

Trip to remember. The original trip location was the Weddell Sea, because of wheater condition (ice) we where not able to enter this area. The replacement programme was good organised and for me as a first time Antartica visitor it was a wonderful trip to remember.

All excellent. Great experience. Very professional in every regard. Once in a lifetime opportunity. In true expedition style, the crew and all responsible for the safety, comfort, and success of our mission adapted to the weather conditions and modified our journey accordingly to ensure a great experience for all. Thank you!

Very impressed with the staff, the ship and even the (creative) food. Crew and expedition leaders had to think on their feet -- since the ice was building with the end of summer down south. They were making changes, rearranging, but managed to get everything in. And it all worked well. Relatively small boat. Not a lot of waiting around. Great collection of passengers too. Even sharing a quad room with three strangers proved okay. But, of course, the real star of the show, and the reason this is a must-do for the adventurous. is that vast, spectacular, unpeopled and (consequently) animal-rich Antarctic coastline.

Excellent trip. The staff and crew were wonderful - well prepared and trained, knowlegeable, organized, friendly, efficient and responsive to our needs. The ship was apparently very well maintained and well-run. Troels Jacobsen, the expedition leader was exceptional and did a fantastic job. Food service was amazing. Our only complaints are: (1.)The ship is very noisy. (2.)The bar/lounge was so crowded for the lectures that is became hot and uncomfortable. We skipped some lectures for that reason. (3.)The dining room was also very crowded. (4.)Loading the zodiacs often took a long time, so we stood around wearing a lot of bulky & hot gear in very crowded spaces. These are small complaints. We loved the trip and had a wonderful time. We would do the trip again and would recommend Oceanwide to others. Thank you.

Travelling on a cruise into the Antarctic. Now there were expectations, I am not much of a person to go on a cruise. To massive, sailing hotels, not my thing and going on an outing like sheep changing fields, it terrifies me. Now reading a bit more about this cruise, I discovered it was an expedition cruise. That meant having field trips in zodiacs, cruises in these rubber boats too. And just over a hundred passengers. But what to expect? An occasional whale, some penguins, seals and lots of ice. Well that was what I expected and hoped for. It was much more and so spectacular. How flippin’ rich are those who go on this trip, I don’t mean money-wise, but being able to all take it in, the great experience. The passion of the scientists is contagious. I am 69 and this journey is for me the ultimate experience, if I die tomorrow, it is fine, but oddly enough, I want to live more than ever before, I have become more aware of life. Just do it.

We hadn’t been on a tour like this before so we didn’t know what to expect in terms of the roles of Captain, EL, expedition staff and other crew.  We were extremely impressed by the great job performed by everyone!  Your efforts made this a really memorable trip for us! Thank you!

Here are a few specifics: Captain Mika did a great job with the ship, of course.  But in addition, we found him to be open, approachable, interested in connecting with passengers and personable in sharing his expertise and experience with us.  Troels was superb as the EL.  We valued his openness about his decisions, what factors he was thinking about, and what information he was receiving.  Particularly when we were facing storms and high winds, it was really great to have him share all of this instead of simply announcing ‘we are doing this’.  We found the expedition staff very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and informative.  We learned a lot from all of them and enjoyed our interactions with them.  The ‘hotel side staff’ also did a great job and carried out their responsibilities with efficiency, good humor and friendliness.

Since we were part of a birding tour (apparently the only such organized group among the 113 passengers), we weren’t sure how our interests in birds would be balanced with the interests of the other passengers.  Troels and his team did an excellent job with this as well.

We rented the expedition parkas from your supplier.  That turned out to be an excellent decision and we were pleased with the process of receiving and returning them as well as how well they worked for us.

Lastly, we really loved the international character of the ship’s crew.  It was so refreshing to have all the accents, backgrounds and perspectives brought together in a team that clearly respected one another and provided a great deal of value and enjoyment to us as passengers.

We don’t like cold weather so we figured this would be the only trip like this we’d ever take.  But having had this experience, we are considering whether we should go to the Arctic.  If we do, it will be with Oceanwide.

A postscript … thank you so much for that wonderful trip log! This is by far the best and most thorough trip record we’ve received from organizations we’ve traveled with.  It’s fantastic to have all the information on our day-to-day activities and the crew.  It’s difficult to keep track of these details as a participant but having them brings back all the great experiences and people!  Cudos to Oceanwide on this!

Antarctica for most is an opportunity to check off the seventh continent; to fall within the less than 1% of humans to ever walk on all 7 continents. What you don’t know until you’ve had the good fortune to go is how Antarctica changes your life. You’ve been told of the massive glaciers and the penguin-shredding leopard seals, but what you aren’t told is that you’re about to embark on a voyage with 120 strangers with no cell phone service. In exceptionally close quarters, you’ll bond over career choices and failed relationships. You’ll be inspired by the effort it took fellow passengers to make it to Antarctica. You’ll find yourself intoxicated by the charisma only found on a ship full of determined humans enroute to pursuing one of many dreams they’ll inevitably conquer. I could tell you about humpbacks and zodiacs or the satisfaction of climbing your way to the top of Canessa Point, but that would hardly do justice. Antarctica reinvigorates you. If you’re considering a trip to Antarctica, Oceanwide should be the only choice. If you end up on a ship with Michael, Pippa, Bill, and Mal, consider yourself as having won the Antarctic lottery & brace yourself for the trip of a lifetime

I had a very good time on my expedition. The staff and guides were concerned with the safety of the guests and wildlife. Speaking of the guides, they answered all questions, were well educated and had a wide range of experience. The ship was clean, well lit and comfortable. The food was varied and plentiful. I got the opportunity to participate in camping, sea kayaking and mountaineering. There were also many on shore and zodiac tours of the different landings. I saw lots of wildlife and several research centers. There was an opportunity to meet the scientists working at the Vernadsky Station, mail a postcard and buy a souvenir or two. The Drake Passage was a little rough, but worth the trip.

I had a great time during my trip. Ali was a great head and all of the other staff and expedition leaders were beyond fantastic. Esp Sara and Adam, both were SUPER passionate about the animals and everything there, and both were able to answer questions and if they couldn't would go out of their way to get an answer for you.

An expedition across the Drake Passage to Antarctica with Plancius' experienced crew was top shelf. Well done. And the other expeditioners were friendly and helpful. It was a great pleasure. A bit cold, a bit strenuous, but not too much.

Quite possibly the best trip I've ever been on. The staff made me feel like family and were incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. I absolutely would recommend Oceanwide and Antartica for anyone with a sense of adventure and desire to experience something completely out of the norm.

A wonderful 11 day trip to the Antarctic Circle onboard the Plancius. There is nothing you can say about the physical beauty of the land and sea of Antarctica and the incredible wildlife that was encountered. It must be experienced first hand. The Expedition Staff were terrific, with their knowledge and passion for the continent, their general good humor and friendliness and accommodating nature. The small size of the ship with only 100 or so guests made the trip much more intimate and you felt that if anything was required your request would be granted and you would be treated with respect and care. The underway portions with the expedition guides' briefings were informative and well received. The shore excursions and the zodiac trips when shore landings were not possible were well done. A very well thought out plan was executed nicely every day based on the changing conditions and the varied personalities of the staff and passengers. The ship itself is nicely appointed and the hotel side of the operations were top notch as well. Staterooms were clean and comfortable. Meals were excellent with many options each day. The service staff were great. A must do adventure!!!

Contratamos este Viaje con Maria del Pilar hace ya unos años. Esplendida su labor . Se convirtió la Antártida y el Barco Plancius en nuestro Viaje de Novios. Barco exquisito en sus detalles, seguro, cómodo, temperatura idónea, los Guías, de diferentes países y culturas, eran personas muy entregadas en sus áreas, el Campo base "inesperado", con un Guia Americano y una Canadiense, el montanismo con dos Guias Nordicos, el kayac con Alexis el Argentino, los Geologos ingleses, Biologas La tripulación/servicio del barco genial, tanto en el restaurante ( comida exquisita), detalles minúsculos en las zonas comunes, habitaciones, como en la atención en cualquier momento. solo una palabra define nuestro viaje. INCREIBLE