Poor value Much better cruise company options available
by Mus Goode
Departure in November 2024
by Mus Goode
Departure in November 2024
Region: Antarctica
Destinations: Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia
Ship: m/v Ortelius
Highlights: Gentoo Penguin, Rockhopper Penguin, Wandering Albatross
Everything about this ship and the company as about saving money. From rotating limited staff to substandard food. The ship operates for the benefit of the company and certainly not the passengers. Everything is outdated from their equipment to their operating procedures. No polar plunge but a poorly organised polar wade. Limited indoor recreational space for pax. Poor scenic visibility from lounges. Limited drying space after shore excursions and sloppy attention to security details. Boarding zodiacs from a long loosely secured set of stairs made embarking and disembarking zodiacs unnecessarily dangerous. Cabin staff and waitstaff excellent but unsupported. Costumer contact staff inconsistent in their oft times resentful responses.
Been on one of our voyages?
Leave your own review22 Oct - 11 Nov, 2025
•Tripcode: OTL21-25
A cruise to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia & the Antarctic Peninsula. Visit some of the most beautiful arrays of wildlife on Earth. This journey will introduce you to at least 6 species of penguin and a whole lot of Antarctic fur seals!
from: 14250 USD
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•Tripcode: OTL22-25
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.
from: 12900 USD
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•Tripcode: PLA22-25
Few places compare to South Georgia in terms of exotic wildlife and jaw-dropping scenery. On this exploratory voyage you can enjoy wandering albatross colonies while also seeing some of the biggest breeding spots for king penguins and elephant seals...
from: 10900 USD
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•Tripcode: HDS22-25
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.
from: 7750 USD
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•Tripcode: OTL23-25
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.
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Comment from Oceanwide Expeditions
Thank you for your review. While we are always happy to hear feedback that helps us improve our product, we must regrettably correct you with regard to the condition of our vessel, equipment, and voyage protocols.
Every year we invest considerable resources into keeping our vessels and equipment up to date, and we pride ourselves on our high standard of food supply and preparation. Our guests typically praise these facets of our product.
Zodiac embarkations are done with ladders that have been specially installed for this purpose. Like all resources used by our guests, they are subject to strict inspections and maintenance. We adhere to and often exceed IMO standards.
As for onboard views, guests can enjoy scenery both outside and inside the vessel and can even visit the bridge and bridge deck almost continuously. In other words, there are many places to get exceptional views during sea days.
In summary, it seems as though your dissatisfaction stems from the fact that you did not thoroughly research our product before embarking.
In a nutshell, here it is: We offer expedition voyages, not luxury cruises. Our trips are for people whose priority is wildlife and the environment. Guests who understand this and are keen to experience the polar regions almost universally praise our trips, for which we are very proud.
That said, we appreciate your thoughts and will keep them in mind as we continue to refine our expedition product.