Reviews

My trip

Wilderness means everything to me. It has always been my dream to see the wildlife in the REAL wild. Not zoo or sanctuary. By joining this expedition, my dream has finally come true and fulfilled beyond my expectations. With lovely crew members, expedition team and cozy living space and environment on Hondius, everything is just perfect and unforgettable!

The first trip of the year for the Ortelius to the Weddell Sea and we were treated to not only spectacular weather, but so much active wildlife and an expedition team that was second to none. While Oceanwide can't control the weather or animals, they did provide a stellar crew and team that made sure they always under promised and over delivered. This was truly an expedition that will stay with me for the rest of my life. It was low key on the frills and luxury comforts so stay away if you want a cruise with hundreds of other people. This was a trip to make friends, bounce around in zodiacs, hike across the frozen sea and truly experience the wildlife in Antarctica.

We had a wonderful experience with your Plancius crew during our recent Cheeseman Antarctica safari. The service was exceptional and the food was great! In fact, the food was better than I had on my Viking River cruise last October from Lyon, France to Avignon. Viking may have had a fancier presentation, but the chef on the Plancius presented food that tasted better and looked beautiful. The Chef’s food selection was great and I appreciated his innovative use of ingredients. I also want to compliment the dining room staff on their incredible service, attention to detail and thoughtfulness. Jerrica, Judel, Angelina, Charlotte and Prince elevated the entire experience for us and made it a joy to eat. The fact that they learned all our names so quickly was impressive. The entire dining room experience speaks highly to their management by Alex. My husband and I were very pleased with our overall experience on the Plancius. It may not be the fanciest ship, but its dedicated and experienced crew made some tough landings that elevated the trip for us. We’ll done!

Well done. Very committed, excellent improvising skill in ever changing weather conditions. Strickt on the ball and very seriously dealing with biosecurity risks. All in all a great adventure for those who want to realise how small we are and how big and beautyfull nature really is. Something to look after very carefully.

I want to leave again

Fantastic trip aboard the Hondius, made so special by the knowledgeable guides who were at our beck and call to answer all our questions, look out for our safety and with a great sense of humour.. i enjoyed the custom of them spreading around to eat at different tables and chat more informally with us. They were first rate. The hospitality staff were the best I have ever encountered. They were so helpful always with a happy smile on their face. I was astonished how quickly they knew our names and made each and everyone of us feel so special . The standard has been set so high I doubt it can be bettered.

It was my first polar trip and it was amazing. I come from France. The ship team and the expedition trip were perfect. The organization of this trip was perfect. Everyone was very approachable and professional. The boat is amazing. We were very lucky with incredible weather conditions, allowing for fascinating outings every day. The bears and the northern lights were here. I hope to have the chance to go back in polar areas with Oceanwide. Thanks again for this trip.

Landscape, wildlife, guides, board service, food, ship and everything I haven't listed - I was totally thrilled. Maybe this trip was my childhood dream and now it has become a lifelong dream come true. My greatest wish came true, I saw polar bears in their natural environment. The landscape impressed me and was beautiful. The small, the delicate flowers, and the large, the icebergs and colorful mountains. I would like to thank everyone again for the great trip: the captain for the good journey, the guides Frigga, Michelle, Melodie, Chloé, Irene, Pierre, Ross and the expedition leader Rinie with their noticeable enthusiasm for nature and its exciting and highly interesting lectures. Not to forget the ship's doctor Veronique. Not needed by me, but knowing that she is there to look after me. All I can say is that I want to come back and always wish you a safe journey and always a hand's breadth of water under your keel! Kind regards Brigitta

Un viaje maravilloso!!!!!

Fantastic trip to a remote West Greenland area with beautiful colors and exiting wild life. Impressive icebergs and glaciers. My first expeditiontrip on a fantastic (silent) ship. All the staff was like a warm family. Really delicious meals!

It was a wonderful tour. Even though the Plancius is a somewhat older ship, it is still perfect for such tours, as there is only room for a maximum of 108 passengers. This makes it very familiar and things like landing with Zodiacs are very fast and there are not so many people on land. The cabins are not as stylish as on the newer ships, but totally maintained, functionally furnished and space-wise completely sufficient, since one is there anyway almost only to sleep. The entire team on the ship, from housekeeping to the kitchen and service staff in the restaurant, to the expedition team, always made us feel that everything was being done to ensure that we had a perfect trip. Everyone succeeded in this one hundred percent as well. That we were lucky enough to see polar bears three times on their way through the pack ice was of course the absolute highlight.

The expedition to Svalbard was well beyond expectations. The crew and the staff were very professional, super competent and always available for any kind of questions. I loved the lectures and all the activities. I really appreciate the attention for sustainability onboard and during the activities. The boat was very clean and comfortable. Looking forward to boarding for the next trip!

This trip was truly amazing! The perfect chance to get your mind of your normal life and enjoy a breathtaking Arctic experience amongst many experienced and cultured Expedition Leaders, otherwordly landscapes and undescribably beautiful wildlife.

very good organised; high qualified staff, guides, crew; comfortable ship; good atmosphere on board, tasty meals