Reviews

Now a few weeks back home and I still look back on this fantastic trip with a big smile on my face. The entire crew from below the waterline to above....thank you for the wonderful experience. With passion and love for the area, you have sought a balance between tourism and respect for the vulnerability of nature. Thank you.

We had an exceptional Basecamp expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula with the Oceanwide team of experienced guides. The whole trip, from the activities, to the lectures, to the food and fellow travelers was a highlight. Continuously changing weather meant the daily plans and schedules had to be fluid and flexible, which the team did with grace and ease under the expert leadership of Sara and Captain Per. Expedition leaders were knowledgeable experts in their fields and were always happy to share and impart their knowledge. The food was outstanding, and the staff were just incredible - nothing was too much trouble and everything was done with a smile. I would unreservedly recommend this trip - it was a great balance between being on the boat, Zodiac cruising looking for wildlife, activities on land and sea, and loads of fun and laughs. Truly the experience of a lifetime.

Impresif

A birding excursion organized by the crew would be nice. You can akways ask things but some extra help detecting and direct knowing which bird is great to have. What dies OE do with sustainability? Think about the food. And offering more healthy food (less sugar, less salt) would be good. Let people bring their own water bottle and only give a bottle if they don’t have.

Absolutely fantastic voyage on the Ortelius led by Sara and Captain Per! Sara did a wonderful job finding sites with lots of varied wildlife over the course of the trip, throughout predictably unpredictable weather (even the days too stormy for landings offered great views and were well worth the adventure). Her expedition staff – Jens, Koen, Bill with his hilarious cartoons, and many others – were not only helpful and informative, but also a joy to spend time with and learn from. Finally, I was blown away by the ship's crew; everybody was super kind, and the dining staff even went out of their way to remember personal preferences (plus the food itself was delicious). Since returning, I keep dreaming about this trip and thinking about when/how I can go back...!

This was the most incredible trip of my life - Antarctica and the surrounding waters cannot be summed up in words. I had just the best time, and I cannot sing more praises about the crew and staff of Ortelius. If you want to get off the boat, see animals, and appreciate the natural beauty of the area, this is the company for you. If you want a luxurious cruise (not to say the food and service wasn't great!), with a gym, or a pool, look elsewhere. I would come back in a heartbeat.

Highly recommend! I liked this company’s emphasis on “expedition.” We went out on the Zodiac inflatable boats often (usually twice a day every day, whenever possible, which was frequently). We saw many amazing creatures in their natural environment, including lots of whales and seven different types of penguins, while maintaining a safe and respectful distance. Every landing was very different from the others and amazingly beautiful. The ship was very comfortable, and the crew was fantastic. The other passengers were an international group of people who were very open and interesting to talk to. There were lots of informative optional lectures every day on all aspects of the different kinds of wildlife we saw (whales, penguins, many types of birds, seals), environment, weather, geology, ocean currents, history of Antarctic exploration, as well as on the critical issues of ocean ecology and sustainability. Seeing penguins swimming in the water beside our ship and jumping up onto icebergs was awesome! So were all the sites we visited on South Georgia Island, including Grytvikan and Shackleton’s final resting spot. The Captain, expedition leader, and crew succeeded in doing everything they could to make this a truly memorable trip. p.s. Our room was very comfortable, and the meals were delicious, too :)

This Antarctic expedition exceeded all expectations. The crew and all the staff were exceptional from Captain Per and Sara Jenner the expedition leader to the wait staff, engineers and everyone else. It's like one big happy family and everyone is there to make your trip the best it can be. I cannot praise or thank them enough for making Christmas 2024 the best ever! We saw more wildlife than I'd hoped for and much of it so close. The scenery was spectacular and every zodiac trip and beach landing simply amazing. We learned so much in the lectures and I haven't laughed so much in a long time as I did on auction night and at the Captain's dinner. And if that's not enough, Volodymyr and his team provided us with delicious and varied food for the whole trip. If you're thinking about going on an Antarctic trip, stop prevaricating and just book this one. It's fabulous!

I believe the Oceanwide team did everything possible to give us the best possible expedition. When plan A could happen pan b c or d were on a par or better. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this trip to anyone.

In November 30th, I took my two children on the Oceanwide cruise to explore the pure land of Antarctica. From the moment I boarded the ship, I felt the enthusiasm of all the crew members, especially for a family combination like us - a father with two children, one 7 years old and the other 11 years old. For children, Antarctica is more difficult to reach and faces more difficulties. Fortunately, on the ship, the crews were well taken care of and were not ignored because of their young age. Expedition leader Sara and all the expedition members put their safety first when landing on the island and cruising to ensure their safe tour in Antarctica. In the wheelhouse, the crew told them some knowledge about the ship. Although the children's Englishwas not very good, the children felt cared for. There are also two Chinese translators, Yukan and Shan, who are the most important roles of the staff. Their translated notices, safety instructions of the expedition members, daily summaries and itinerary plans for the next day enable many Chinese people, including children, who do not know English, to fully understand the information on the cruise ship. During the process of landing on the island, I lingered around taking photos. Two Chinese translators took the initiative to take care of my children, reminding them not to go to dangerous places such as the beach. They showed them penguins and taught them about seals, whales, and penguins. They became good friends with the children, allowing them to experience the warmth of the Antarctic family while enjoying the beautiful scenery. The children are reluctant to part with them. During the island landing, I was busy taking photos. Two Chinese translators helped me take care of the children, reminding them not to go to dangerous places such as the beach, and told them about seals and penguins. They became good friends with the children, allowing them to feel the warmth of the Antarctic family while enjoying the beautiful scenery. In short, it was a very pleasant trip. I will recommend OEACNWIDE to my friends, and I will definitely board this ship again to explore the unknown wonders of the Arctic.

Wir waren vom 30.November - 10.Dezember 2024 mit der MS Ortelius auf der Tour "Antarktis - Entdeckungs- und Lernreise + Navigationsworkshop" unterwegs, und erlebten das Wohl größte Abenteuer das man erleben kann. Es erwartete uns eine tolle Crew an Bord, das Schiff begeisterte uns immer wieder als Homebase unserer Expeditions-Schiffsreise, das Essen an Bord war großartig und die Antarktis einfach unbeschreiblich. Wir hatten auch viel Glück mit traumhaften Wetter und konnten zahlreiche Aktivitäten unternehmen. Ich finde die Tour "Antarktis - Entdeckungs- und Lernreise" ist die perfekte Antarktisreise, weil man besonders viel von der antarktischen Halbinsel sieht und viel Zeit für Unternehmungen und Landgänge hat. Die Fahrt durch die Gerlache Strait und den Lemaire Channel war ein Traum, die zahlreichen Landgänge, Wanderungen und Bergtouren bei Cuverville & Danco Island sowie bei Necko + Paradise Harbour begeisterten. Highlight war auch der Eisberg-Friedhof mit Eisbergen so groß das es uns die Sprache verschlag. Dazu sahen wir unzählige Pinguinkolonien und Wale. Wir fühlten uns jeden Tag wie die ersten Entdecker in der Antarktis, sahen unberührte Landschaften und waren manchmal so sprachlos und den Tränen nahe. EIne Reise - sorry, falscher Begriff - es ist keine Reise, es ist eine wahre Expedition - ein Abenteuer - das ein Leben lang in Erinnerung bleibt. Das besondere an den Reisen von Oceanwide Expedition ist auch die überschaubare Größe der Schiffe, wir waren auf der Ortelius rund 100 Leute, somit sind Landgänge unbeschränkt möglich, wir hatten somit viel Zeit an Land und bei den Zodiacfahrten. Ich kann die Reisen uneingeschränkt empfehlen, ein Erlebnis! Großes Lob und Dank an das gesamte Oceanwide-Team, ihr seid SPITZE, es war für uns das größte Abenteuer das man erleben kann.

This was the best experience in my life! Thank you so much for everything!

This was our second trip with Oceanwide and it made me wish that they went to even more destinations in the world. From the incredible knowledge and backgrounds of the expedition staff to the warm, welcoming hospitality of the hotel and navigational staff, any trip with Oceanwide is one to remember!

Not fond of ocean wave movement but by the third day I was doing much better. The sights were beyond spectacular…and being among Emperor penguins was magical. The weather was perfect, the staff and crew were exceptional, the food amazing and the total experience was beyond my expectations! Was thinking a “once and done” but now contemplating my next trip down again! Can’t recommend Oceanwide and the Ortelius enough! Thanks for the trip of a lifetime!!!!

Amazing trip overall, Drake lake on the way out, spectacular scenery, exciting sailing surrounded by ice, the first ship into the Weddell Sea thanks to Capt Per and the visit to the emperor penguin colony on a hot, sunny day--even the penguins were too hot and were lying on the ice( we weren't allowed! ) followed by visits to other penguin colonies just as fascinating. Expedition crew worked to hard to give us the best experience. All the lecturers were interesting and accomplished. Drake passage also kind on return. fabulous!