Blog
10 Illuminating Facts about the Northern Lights
According to Roman mythology, Aurora was the goddess of the dawn. The word “borealis,” however, is Greek for “wind.” The combined phrase “au
Oceanwide Finalist in Adventure in Motion Film Contest
The new corporate commercial for Oceanwide Expeditions, “Walk into the Waking Dream,” has just been nominated as a finalist in the Adventure
Penguins, Albatrosses, Petrels: The Winged Wildlife of South Georgia
South Georgia’s location south of the Antarctic Convergence gives the island more of an Antarctic climate than other terrain of the same lat
Inside the Svalbard Global Seed Vault
Literature, cinema, even video games have given us no small supply of global disaster scenarios. These often come in the form of annihilatin
PLA13-17, logbuch, Spitzbergen Umrundung
Nach dieser Stärkung ging es endlich das erste Mal ins Zodiac und an Land: Ny Ålesund war das Ziel. Vor über 100 Jahren wurde diese Siedlung
Behind the Scenes with Plancius Hotel Manager Sebastian Duma
A pleasant June evening, mild and warm – for the Arctic. Outside the panoramic windows of the m/v Plancius observation lounge, peaks and gla
A Bug’s Life in Svalbard
When you think about Svalbard wildlife, you might imagine reindeer, Arctic foxes, polar bears – the primary animal attractions that draw pas
OTL12-17, trip log, Around Spitsbergen
This morning the weather was moody and atmospheric, a true testament to arctic summer with low lying fog and mist. We were woken early with
Polar Cruises: The Ultimate Icebreakers
Travel is one of life’s great eye openers. It brings you into contact with new people and perspectives, challenges old assumptions you haven
PLA11-17, logbuch, Spitzbergen Umrundung
Nach einem ausgiebigen Frühstück erklärten uns Katja und Phillip die richtigen Verhaltensweisen bei Landungen im Eisbärgebiet, zusammen mit
5 Life Lessons You'll Learn in Antarctica
Whether you’re climbing mountains, buying lunch in a foreign city, or taking an Antarctic cruise, you’re not only learning more about the wo
A Thankful Tradition: Interview with Captain Nazarov
It takes a village to run a polar cruise. The guides show us the terrain, the serving staff keeps us fed, and the passengers make sure the b
10 Traits of Post-Ice-Age Greenland
During the last ice age, most plants and animals vanished from Greenland as a thick sheath of ice coated the landscape. Once this ice starte
15 Fantastic Photos of Antarctica
It's often said that it is impossible to take a bad photo in Antarctica. We'll say it again.
Remembrance of Expeditions Past
Today I sit in the sun, thinking back on the years I spent with my Oceanwide family since my retirement in 1997. My first trips were on a li
PLA08-17, trip log, North Spitsbergen, Polar Bear Special
Our first stop of the trip was in Yoldiabukta where we saw the beautiful Wahlenberg glacier coming down from the mountains all the way to th
The Enchanting Islands of Svalbard
Here we showcase the many wonders that keep people coming back to the islands of Svalbard year after year.
An igneous paradise: Franklin Island
Franklin Island is located in the Ross Sea. It's not just a pile of volcanic rubble, but actually remnants of a shield volcano. Read on and
PLA07-17, trip log, North Spitsbergen, Polar Bear Special
For those of us who had never been on a cruise before, any fears of moving water and moved stomachs were totally unfounded – the Arctic sea
OTL07-17, trip log, Spitsbergen: Polar Bear Special
Our overnight journey was so smooth that it seemed as if our ship was alongside the dock! Follow-ing a leisurely breakfast we attended two m
Ortelius on My Mind
Imagine having an alarm clock that didn’t wake you with the usual BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! but instead purred gently into your ear, “Good morning.