Region: Arctic

Destinations: Svalbard

Ship: m/v Hondius

Highlights: Kittiwake, Ivory Gull, Birding

Wij hebben een cruise gedaan afgelopen juli naar Spitsbergen. Er was ons verteld dat er een grote groep Chinezen op het schip zouden zijn en of we daar problemen mee hadden. Nee dat hadden wij niet. Er was ons helaas niet verteld dat er ook kinderen aan boord zouden zijn in de leeftijd van ongeveer 7 - 14 jaar. Dit was niet leuk. Deze kinderen renden rond en schreeuwden naar elkaar in hun spel. Dit is allemaal heel begrijpelijk als je als kind vastzit op een expeditie schip. We konden niet genieten van de lounge met een kopje koffie en dan van het uitzicht genieten. De ouders werd gevraagd om beter op hun kinderen te letten, maar ook dit gebeurde niet. Het was zelfs zo dat op een gegeven moment een kind over de reling ging hangen. Gelukkig was de crew er snel bij. We zaten veel op de boot vanwege slechte weersomstandigheden waardoor we niet altijd met de zodiac weg konden. Hier kan de maatschappij uiteraard niets aan doen. Maar dan moet je het wel van de rust en het genieten in de lounge hebben. Gelukkig hebben we wel ijsberen gezien.

Oceanwide Expeditions

Comment from Oceanwide Expeditions

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review and to offer feedback. Your opinion is important in helping us to continually improve our services and offering.

We are sorry to hear that your experience on board did not entirely match your expectations. We strive to inform guests ahead of time of the presence of large booked groups on board to ensure comfort and enjoyment for all guests. Often, we provide translation services and other specific services that can impact the onboard atmosphere for other guests, so we always share this information ahead of time.

As standard, we do not inform guests of the presence of children on our trips, and in this case, attempts were made to ensure their presence did not disrupt other guests' experience. This included making parents aware ahead of time of the importance of child safety on board and the need to keep children under control during the trip. However, we understand that the presence of a large number of children on board may have a negative impact on other guests. This is not the atmosphere or experience we aim to provide on any of our expedition cruises.

We take this feedback onboard and will discuss internally our best approach to move forward with these issues in mind. The guest experience is at the forefront of everything we do, so we once again apologize that your trip was impacted in this way.

We thank you for your valuable feedback and hope to welcome you aboard one of our vessels again in the future.

Been on one of our voyages?

Leave your own review

Related cruises

Vlissingen to Aberdeen

29 May - 31 May, 2025

Tripcode: HDS01-25

Can be booked in combination only Svalbard

Search for whales, seals, and seabirds on a scenic voyage from our home port of Vlissingen to culturally rich Aberdeen, the "Granite City" of northeast Scotland. White-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises, minke whales, orcas, and various species of seabird...

19 Days Extensive Arctic Ocean - North Spitsbergen Explorer
Up to $3316 OFF

19 Days Extensive Arctic Ocean - North Spitsbergen Explorer

29 May - 16 Jun, 2025

Tripcode: HDS01c25

Sailing between our home port of Vlissingen and our most cherished Arctic archipelago, Svalbard, this expedition adventure visits the Scottish port of Aberdeen, the islands of Fair Isle and Jan Mayen, and the amazing Spitsbergen ice edge, giving you...

Arctic Ocean - Aberdeen, Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding

29 May - 9 Jun, 2025

Tripcode: HDS01a25

Search for whales, and other Arctic wildlife of the land, sea, and air on an adventurous voyage from our home port of Vlissingen to our favorite Arctic island group.

Arctic Ocean - Fair Isle, Jan Mayen, Ice edge, Spitsbergen, Birding

31 May - 9 Jun, 2025

Tripcode: HDS01b25

Venture into the Arctic Ocean on your way to Fair Isle and Jan Mayen, the first known for its knitwear and the second for its stark volcanic scenery. Wildlife sightings may include grey seals, various seabirds, and whales such as minke, fin, orca, and...

17 Days Extensive Arctic Ocean - North Spitsbergen Explorer
Up to $3220 OFF

17 Days Extensive Arctic Ocean - North Spitsbergen Explorer

31 May - 16 Jun, 2025

Tripcode: HDS01d25

Sailing between the Scottish port of Aberdeen and our most cherished Arctic archipelago, Svalbard, this expedition adventure visits the islands of Fair Isle and Jan Mayen, and the amazing Spitsbergen ice edge, giving you the chance to search for whales,...

Loading