Oceanwide Expeditions

expedition cruises

Antarctica cruises & Arctic cruises

Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters
Up to $2400 OFF

Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters

Searching for the Elusive Emperor Penguins

OTL22-24 A true expedition, our Weddell Sea cruise sets out to explore the range of the Emperor Penguins near Snow Hill Island. We will visit the area via helicopter and see a variety of other birds and penguins including Adélies and Gentoos.

m/v Ortelius

m/v Ortelius

Cruise date:

10 Nov - 20 Nov, 2024

Berths start from:

on request

Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters
Up to $2750 OFF

Weddell Sea – In search of the Emperor Penguin, incl. helicopters

Searching for the Elusive Emperor Penguins

OTL23-24 A true expedition, our Weddell Sea cruise sets out to explore the range of the Emperor Penguins near Snow Hill Island. We will visit the area via helicopter and see a variety of other birds and penguins including Adélies and Gentoos.

m/v Ortelius

m/v Ortelius

Cruise date:

20 Nov - 30 Nov, 2024

Berths start from:

11050 USD

Antarctica - Basecamp - free camping, kayaking, snowshoe/hiking, mountaineering, photo workshop

The best activity voyage in Antarctica

HDS23-24 The Antarctic Peninsula Basecamp cruise offers you a myriad of ways to explore and enjoy the Antarctic Region. This expedition allows you to hike, snowshoe, kayak, go mountaineering, and even camp out under the Southern Polar skies.

m/v Hondius

m/v Hondius

Cruise date:

23 Nov - 5 Dec, 2024

Berths start from:

on request

Antarctica - Discovery and learning voyage + navigational workshop
Free kayaking and diving

Antarctica - Discovery and learning voyage + navigational workshop

Classic Antarctica including Deception Island

OTL24-24 This Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands cruise delivers you into a landscape of dark rugged rock, pure white snow, and a fantastic variety of wildlife. Come say hello to whales, seals, and thousands of penguins.

m/v Ortelius

m/v Ortelius

Cruise date:

30 Nov - 10 Dec, 2024

Berths start from:

on request

Antarctica - Basecamp - free camping, kayaking, snowshoe/hiking, mountaineering, photo workshop
Up to $4250 OFF

Antarctica - Basecamp - free camping, kayaking, snowshoe/hiking, mountaineering, photo workshop

The best activity voyage in Antarctica

HDS24-24 The Antarctic Peninsula Basecamp cruise offers you a myriad of ways to explore and enjoy the Antarctic Region. This expedition allows you to hike, snowshoe, kayak, go mountaineering, and even camp out under the Southern Polar skies.

m/v Hondius

m/v Hondius

Cruise date:

5 Dec - 17 Dec, 2024

Berths start from:

on request

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The how, why, and when of visiting Greenland

We're sharing some of our insights, top tips, and must-do's for a trip to Greenland.

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Customer story

Around Spitsbergen, in the Realm of the Polar Bear & Ice

There are journeys and there are journeys. This trip is one that falls in the latter category. I look back on a fantastic experience, during which the awareness of human behavior on this vulnerable planet (and especially the Arctic) became very clear to me.

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Antarctica & Arctic cruise reviews

by Pam Hollis
Fabulous trip. Expedition is the way to enjoy the out of doors
by Susan Larsen
What an amazing trip. The sights were stunning. The hikes had variety. The pace of the trip was perfect. The food was great/varied. The staff was so helpful, educated and engaging. Highly recommend as a first timer to Greenland.
by Ronald Hijmans
This year I had been injured in an accident and hospitalized during March this year. It took a lot of time and effort to start walking again and be able to do some serious hiking. I had been on previous Oceanwide Expeditions trips and decided to book the Greenland trip to Scoresbysund in september. It turned out to be my best trip ever. To start with the ship itself and the crew. You might think this is an old and battered ship. It is not. All cabins are neat and nicely outfitted. The ship itself is sturdy and very suitable to navigate the Polar regions. Not too small, not too big. The captain and officers are very experienced. The deckhands do an excellent professional job. They are approachable and friendly. The expedition staff was amazing. Very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The hotel management and stewards trying to do their utmost to serve you as best they can. We were lucky to have very nice weather with blue skies offering fine photo and video opportunities. We saw a lot of wildlife, four polar bears, several polar fixed, whales, seals, musk oxen, arctic hares, and various birds. On various nights we had fabulous Northern Light sightings. I can still hear the crackling of the ice, the calving of ice sheets from the glacier, the tumbling of the small icebergs, the looming big icebergs while we were driving by in our zodiacs. The landscapes were amazing, red mountains, stark black mountains covered with snow and ice, immense tundra plains with scattered skeletons of musk oxen. We also visited Ittoqqortoormiit, an Inuit settlement. School was out and all the children waving at you. No harbour so the landing was with the zodiacs. But the thing that stroke me the most was the absolute serenity of the long hikes and the kayaking. Being in touch with the landscape. That was the lifestyle experience I was looking for. I will be back. Thank you Oceanwide for a memorable experience.
by cinzia da rozze
Second trip with Oceanwide (first was Antartica in Feb 2023). Spotless organization. Great staff and crew. Various offshore activities to choose according to own’s abilities. Staff and guides very professional, available at any time, worked around the clock to maximize the experience on and off-shore. Services on board (restaurants, facilities) very good. Excellent food.
by Sylvia Hanno
It was a wonderful trip on a wonderful ship with an even more wonderful crew! "Chapeau" to the whole crew! I've learned so much about Plancton and saw it's intricate beauty under the microscope (thanks Chloé! And sorry Andrew: birds from now on come 2nd...😉) Lots of landings and Zodiac cruises brought us close to the amazing nature. I can highly recommend this voyage on Hondius into Antarctica!
by laura tacchini

everything wonderfull! Please, in emergency, don't kill polar bears. Change option!

by PIERLUIGI GRASSI
Molto bella
by Friederike Sturm
Fantastische Reise mit vielfältigen Eindrücken: Moschusochsen, Eisbären, Schneehasen und Polarfuchs sowie unglaubliche Landschaften täglich aufs Neue. Eine aufmerksame Crew und kompetente Führer ließen keine Wünsche offen. Besonders spannend waren die Vorträge zu unterschiedlichen Themen. Das Essen war hervorragend. Danke für die wunderbare Reise.
by David Myers
This expedition enabled us to visit places which really (really!) are off the beaten track with a very professional set of guides. The trip ran like clockwork, which implies that a great deal of preparation had gone into the planning behind the scenes. In addition, all the members of the expedition team, as well as the crew of the Plancius were friendly and interesting to talk to. To be clear, such a voyage is to be avoided by those who want to sit in the sun by a swimming pool, but for those who are sufficiently adventurous it is a an experience not to be missed.

Frequently Asked Questions

An ice-strengthened ship is a ship made of steel. These ships are built to navigate the Antarctic and Arctic ice. Today, most ships that cruise to Antarctica and the Arctic are ice-strengthened vessels. Hondius, Ortelius, and Plancius are all ice-strengthened ships. Both Ortelius and Hondius have the highest ice-class notation (UL1, equivalent to 1A-Super for Ortelius, and Polar Class 6, equivalent to 1A-Super for Hondius), making them suitable for navigation in medium first-year ice, which may include old ice inclusions. Plancius has an ice-class notation of 1D.

Icebreakers are needed if there is a trade route to keep ice-free, if there are military reasons for patrolling in areas with heavy sea ice, or if you need to work in heavy ice conditions, particularly in winter. Icebreakers are expensive to build and fuel-intensive to run (sometimes powered by gas turbines or a nuclear generator). These ships, constructed for function, are uncomfortable to travel in on the open sea.

All guests are required to wear a waterproof jacket and trousers (the clothing must be fully waterproof – water resistant or repellant is not suitable sufficient) while in our Zodiacs. This is for safety reasons owing to the increased risk of exposure related illness if you get wet. In Norwegian waters this is also a legal requirement – any person not properly dressed will not be permitted to leave the vessel.

Apart from that, our advice is to take warm, windproof clothes that you can easily add or remove in layers. Multiple layers of medium-warmth clothing provide more insulation than single heavier articles. This is due to warm air getting trapped between the layers and acting as further insulation. Look for clothing made of wool, silk, and new synthetic fibers, all of which retain heat better than other materials.

Layers give you the flexibility to control your temperature. The most important layer is the outer waterproof and windproof shell. More information about this can be found in our expedition manual, which you will receive at time of booking.

Our trips can best be described as expedition-style cruises. The emphasis is on viewing wildlife, visiting interesting locations, and participating in activities. For example, we may go to places where there is a good chance of seeing penguins or polar bears, or we may visit culturally significant sites or research stations, or we might embark on a kayaking trip or shoreline snowshoeing hike.

The aim is always to give you the utmost firsthand contact with the polar world. This is why we keep our program flexible, so that we can take the best possible advantage of local ice, weather, and wildlife conditions as they occur. No two voyages are the same. There is always an element of the unexpected in our trips.

When packing for an expedition cruise, avoid weighing yourself down with too much gear. Select informal, practical attire that can be worn in layers. Please ask for our expedition manual with detailed information on clothing lists, what to pack, and what to expect on our voyages.

Yes, we provide all passengers lightweight life jackets that inflate automatically on contact with the water. It is mandatory to wear these life jackets at all times while cruising in the Zodiac boats.

All promoted Arctic and Antarctica cruise itineraries are for general guidance only. Programs may vary depending on local ice, weather, and wildlife conditions. The expedition leader and captain make these decisions in order to provide you the safest and most exploratory experience. Landings may also change due to site availabilities and environmental regulations per IAATO or AECO.

We follow the protocol advised by IAATO. Before leaving for your voyage, please make sure anything you bring that may come into contact with the environment (clothes, equipment, etc.) is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. We ask that you do not sit, kneel, or lay down during our landings. Please also do not place anything on the ground. You will receive a document with further information after booking.

On this page you find all information you need to know about the avian influenza outbreaks, including biosecurity protocols.

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About Oceanwide Expeditions

Passionate

Taking you closer to the heart of the polar regions has been our driving passion at Oceanwide Expeditions for over twenty years. Our knowledgeable cruise leaders, committed staff, and thoroughly outfitted vessels are our way of expressing what we care about most: making your cruise to the Arctic and Antarctic truly unforgettable. When you sail with us, you experience a part of the world that is unlike any other. Mountainous glaciers, snow-swept shores, whales and polar bears and vast colonies of penguins make up this world, and they are all part of the surreal ecosystem you can watch unfold before you on your future Oceanwide expedition.

Adventurous

Providing you a travel experience that inspires (and is inspired by) you, that’s what taking you closer to the heart of the polar regions means to us. We get you away from the vessel and into the action as fast as possible: up to two landings per day in the morning and afternoon, with a fleet of inflatable Zodiacs ready to shuttle you past the ice floes and onto the shore. We keep our programs flexible so that you get the most out of whatever surprises nature has in mind. When you sail with us, the cruise is just the tip of the iceberg. 

Pioneering

So what exactly is beneath the tip of that iceberg? The pioneering spirit, which all travelers to the polar regions (regardless of age and background) have in common. Guiding our expeditions with passion, tapping into the desire for inspiration and beauty, and always taking you closer to the heart of the Arctic and Antarctic – at Oceanwide Expeditions, that is our promise to you.

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