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4.85
Overall rating based on 1,291 votes
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Trip of a lifetime to Antarctica and already planning for another one in the future! Destination? Antarctic Penninsula, Ross Sea, Greenland... Had an amazing time on board of Ortelius thanks to a fantastic crew, great food, wonderfull good organisation allround and amazing co-travellers.
I was stunned by the large quantity of Emperor Penguins with their chickens on Snow Hill Island. Helicopters brought us there. Both helicopters and Zodiacs brought us to many different places where we discovered lots of wildlife. But of course, we could also watch them from the ship when we were followed by whales, seals, penguïns or birds.
I am so happy I chose to travel with Oceanwide for my first trip to Antarctica! The Basecamp trip was ideal because I wanted to experience Antarctica, and by experience I mean seeing everything up close, not from the boat. The ship was small enough that everyone could go on every landing, and the Basecamp model of operating meant that we got to try out a lot of different things, and see the continent in different ways. It's all included in your trip, you just have to get out there and do it. We saw huge penguin colonies, seals, icebergs (even saw a big one flip!!!), got to walk on glaciers, kayak in gorgeous bays. We spent a night camping (highly recommend, even if you're not into camping.) The entire expedition team was overflowing with enthusiasm for the White Continent and were so excited to share their knowledge and experiences with us... and to take us out and show us things, answer questions, and explore!
The people on the trip were a big range of ages, and there were lots of people in their 20's, 30's, and 40's. Many solo travelers as well. I came as a solo traveler and was paired with a great roommate!
Everything is wonderful. The team is perfect and they are all passionate. Seeing emperor penguins and landing in a helicopter on an iceberg are unforgettable experiences. Everything is very well organized. The whole team is friendly, the food good. The landscapes are breathtaking. Don't hesitate, book the expedition to see the emperor penguins.
It was my long time wish to come to Antarctica, and I tried to temper my expectations. But all expectations were exceeded by far! Which was in no small part due to the excellent crew on board. From expedition to hotel to navigation crew, all were the nicest people with great expertise that made this a truly unforgettable journey! I’m already planning my next trip with Oceanwide Expeditions
There is simply nothing bad to say about this expedition...
- the quality of the expedition crew was first rate in terms of qualifications, organization, friendliness and knowledge/skills in their field. safety and education always came first but never at the expense of having fun.
- the ships crew was first rate, from the captain to the hotel staff to the catering staff. Got us there & back safely and in comfort, not to mention with full stomachs!
- we were kept as busy as we wanted to be, ie, when not doing zodiac tours, camping, snowshoeing, mountaineering, kayaking, etc, we were giving scientific and historical lectures.
In short, this voyage not only met my expectations but exceeded them, memories I'll never forget.
Good travel and good seawatching with a EXTRA STAFF for a seawatcher like me !
I have been very happy to dsicover a lot of new species for me : SNOW PETREL ; ANTARCTIC PETREL, Many Pingouins and ALBATROSS, PRIONS and SKUAS !
Great Thanks to Oceanwide !!
Amazing excursion, a dream came tru!
Best Tour & Staff out of seven Oceanwide Tours! Besides this the other six were excellent too! But being Face to Face with empor chicks for 3 h and landing on an iceberg in Weddell Sea is absolutely outstanding!!!! Further we‘ve had brlliant encounters with Orca & Humpback Next to the ship! All possible Penguins, seals and Albatros to be seen on this Trip. Jumping and Porpoising Penguins. An unforgettable Tour you will have once in your life
The first trip of the year for the Ortelius to the Weddell Sea and we were treated to not only spectacular weather, but so much active wildlife and an expedition team that was second to none. While Oceanwide can't control the weather or animals, they did provide a stellar crew and team that made sure they always under promised and over delivered. This was truly an expedition that will stay with me for the rest of my life. It was low key on the frills and luxury comforts so stay away if you want a cruise with hundreds of other people. This was a trip to make friends, bounce around in zodiacs, hike across the frozen sea and truly experience the wildlife in Antarctica.
This was my best trip ever.
I loved every second. The ship, the crew, the expedition team, fellow travellers. To visit the expedition huts was a dream come true. The wildlife was incredible and the scenery awe inspiring. I'll be back!!
Great trip. The Captain was super. The staff and crew were great. I loved the expedition trip and not just hanging out.
Trip of a lifetime. Crew was outstanding, knowledgeable, professional, genuine and passionate about their work. Absolutely amazing. Meals were first class. Would highly recommend this expedition. Thank you.
This Ross Sea trip was breathtaking beautiful! And we learned a lot during the lectures on board.
Walking on the snow after a zodiac-ride, seeing the historic huts or wildlife, is great. Flying with helicopters over icebergs, fjords and glaciers...wonderful and feeling like 007! We saw many penguins, seals and pods of orca's.
Thank you crew, staff and employees of Ortelius, our ship'family' was unique!
