Reviews

Excellent

Dit was de tweede poging om de reis die al 30 jaar op mijn bucketlist staat te ondernemen. Een aantal jaren geleden heb ik me al een keer ingeschreven op een Expeditie Rondreis naar Antarctica. De eerste was al volgeboekt en de tweede werd gecanceld door gebrek aan belangstelling. Dus toen de nieuwsbrief van de ANWB binnen kwam heb ik geen seconde geaarzeld en geboekt. Door verschillende factoren heeft deze reis een Godvermogen gekost maar het was iedere cent dubbel en dwars waard. "Explore and Learning" is niets teveel gezegd , Alle lezingen die werden gegeven waren razend interessant. Ook het feit dat vanaf de brug meldingen werden gedaan om Wildlife te spotten vond ik geweldig. Eenmaal bij het Antarctisch Schiereiland aangekomen maakten de Zodiac cruisses en de landingen het nog mooier. Ook op de terugweg , toen we werden geconfronteerd met de "Drake Shake" en een zware storm boven Buenos Aires die onze terugreis in de war schopte , was het het allemaal waard. Het grootste probleem is alleen dat , als je er eenmaal bent geweest , je weer terug wil. Toen jaren geleden mijn eerste poging werd geannuleerd heb ik me gelijk op de nieuwsbrief van Oceanwide Expeditions ingeschreven en sinds die tijd heb ik heel wat keren kwijlend achter mijn laptop gezeten. Niemand kan in de toekomst kijken maar ik heb mezelf beloofd dat het niet mijn laatste expeditie rondreis is geweest. HET WAS ONVERGETELIJK , FANTASTISCH EN VOOR HERHALING VATBAAR !!!!!

This was the best cruise we have ever done. The guides, the sites, the ship, the food, the weather.... it was all more than we had ever hoped for! The crew and guides kept us safe and gave us a fabulous trip. Thanks for all the wonderful experiences! We hope to do another trip with Oceanwide Expeditions again!

With the kayaking.... it is extremely important to have one leader at the front and one 'sweeping' at the back. This didn't happen at all. But both leaders were excellent, friendly, helpful and wonderful.

From the first briefing when we were told that plan B was already in operation due to severe weather around the Falklands and S Georgia, taking a passenger to King George Island to be medevacked off the ship, then doing the whole trip in reverse, it was brilliant. The expedition crew certainly new their stuff, their English was excellent ( with one exception) and they certainly got us to every landing and zodiac cruise possible. Even backtracking around South Georgia and a full circumnavigation just to get us to all possible landings was fantastic. Another example - out last day in the Falklands and we were visiting New Island. The plan was North Beach in the morning and South Beach in the afternoon. As we approached North Beach the wind was far too strong for a landing so we didn't stop, and headed straight to South Beach. A great landing had by all and then as we had lunch we went back to North Beach - the wind was reasonable so we could land and had a great last afternoon before sailing back to The cabin stewards were thorough in their work and very friendly. All the crew on the boat were first class, especially getting us on and off the zodiacs. Food fab!

Pipa Low excellent

I just can not say enough good things about this trip, how I am satisfied and how I love it. The places we have been, the activities, the diligent, hard-working crew and Expedition team guides. It's a once in a lifetime trip, the feeling and memory will last forever and become my history. Thanks Oceanwide for organizing a special "Beyond the Polar Circle" itinerary like this. It's an unique experience, wonderful and spectacular! Thanks every crew member and every Expedition Team member who has tried their best effort to make all the good things happen and has accompany us the whole trip, thank for the good memory they have left us.

I have been to many amazing places, quite a few in the 'trip of a lifetime' category. But this one tops all of them. This truely was a trip of a lifetime. Pippa and her team did an amazing job taking us to remote places to see extraordinary wildlife. At one point we were the southern most ship on the planet! That is hard to beat, more than 71 Deg south on the Wiklins Ice Shelf. I knew it would be a good trip, but I was not expecting it to be THIS good. It was also full of landings, zodiac trips and lectures. The food was excellent and service could not be faulted. I have already put down to do another trip on Hondius in 2026.

Thanks to Oceanwide and its fantastic crew. We were able to do numerous dives and landings due to the experience of the leadership on board.

Our trip exceeded any expectations we could have imagined. The ship and all crew onboard were superb, the food was great and we had so many zodiac cruises and landings which enabled us to spend time with the wildlife in the natural environment.

This trip exceeded all expectations in generous amounts. While not under our direct control, the choices made by the Expedition Leader Pippa and the Bridge worked out 110% well. No events were cancelled as we enjoyed calm waters and clear skies. All the expected wildlife were seen by us in ample opportunities. Food on board Hondius surpassed our needs. Talks were also informative and helpful. The team deserves a great applause and appreciation.

This was a brilliant trip. Very much an expedition and not a cruise!

The expedition leader, Sara, was outstanding. Her commitment to this part of the world, and its inhabitants, was evident in all she did. She was determined to give the guests on the trip the best possible experience and to make every possible landing, zodiac cruise and wildlife watch as productive and informative as possible. An excellent role model.

The expedition crew were terrific. A highly skilled group of people with vast knowledge and an enthusiasm to share this. The quality of the lectures was excellent and the subject matter varied. The crew were approachable and friendly, with seemingly boundless energy.

The ship is very comfortable and the accommodation excellent. The food was of a very high standard and plentiful, with a wide choice of really interesting dished, with fresh fruit, bread and pastries available every day. The waiting staff were exceptional; very efficient and friendly. The experience of the delicious food was enhanced by their approach.

The wildlife and scenery were breathtaking. We saw 7 different penguin species, 4 types of seal, humpback and orca whales and a huge variety of sea birds. The icebergs were like works of art. The islands visited were all hugely interesting in different respects, some with a variety of flora, others with ice and snow. Sailing the ocean was a fabulous experience.

Thank you to all involved for this amazing trip.

Safety, food, lectures and wine prices were outstanding.

An amazing combination of flexible and inspired planning from the expedition team gave us exceptional weather conditions and a feast of wildlife, landscape and icescape... Unforgettable

The staff members were amazing. They were friendly, knowledgeable and seemed to really care about their jobs and the people they work with. The food was ok, but that s because the spices and herbs used were not my personal preference. The people working in the food service area were very nice, cheerful and helpful. I know you heard this, but people need to be advised a little more sternly that hiking in the tussocks can be very difficult. People tend to over estimate their abilities. Great trip!