Reviews

My travel on the Hondius has been excellent from the very beginning to end. Even if I suffered sea sickness during some of the days, all the experience was absolutely fantastic. All the personnel of the ship have been very kind and supportive in every situation. I really appreciated how professional, passionate about their work and friendly everyone have been. All the on board activities and the inland operations were always extremely very well organized. I'll bring with me all the memories of this special adventure for the rest of my life.

We’ve had a wonderful trip. Enjoying the wildlife, nature, lectures, excursions, the facilities on the ship, the whole crew and the food

Probably the best trip of my life (and the most expensive). Do not skip South Georgia and the Falklands if you have the means. The amount and variety of wildlife on these islands are unimaginable. The crew and the ship were incredible. I cannot recommend this trip enough.

Overall the trip was outstanding. We saw incredible wildlife and amazing landscapes along the Antarctic Peninsula. The crew did an excellent job of organizing all of the Basecamp activiities and always had alternative plans that worked. I would recommend the trip highly! The fuel charge of 25 EUR per person per day is still bothersome to me. This trip was our third attempt after two cancellations. Our initial deposit had been paid on 11 Sept, 2019, and our final payment was 08 Nov, 2021. Our money was held by Oceanwide and/or Swoop during all that time with the promise of finally delivering the trip without additional cost. The fuel surcharge broke that promise. I wouldn't be so bothered by the surcharge if all passengers had paid it. But after talking to some people on the ship, they said that either their third party travel agency didn't make them pay or Oceanwide didn't because of the contract. It doesn't seem fair. Also it was disappointing that we only had one opportunity for kayaking, mountaineering and camping. I understand it was difficult with the number of passengers, but still... However, there was ample Zodiac cruising and time on land/ice. Some of the guides were outstanding, but there were a few that were not. This is some constructive criticism for those guides. This advice comes from my long career as a teacher. Your passengers/clients often have something to add to the conversation, and it's your job to value that. I did research in the Antarctic almost 50 years ago, and there were times that I wanted to share some recollections. Usually, there was no interest in what I had to say so I stopped talking. Also at meals we would ask guides about their lives and experiences. They were forthcoming in answering our questions but didn't seem interested in us. Good conversations go both ways. Maybe it was a form of ageism? I consider myself a humble person, but I've also done some interesting things during my life. Please talk to the guides. Thank you. Gary Winter

Absolutely brilliant trip, crew food, every thing.

My husband and I had an outstanding time on this voyage. We especially enjoyed the kayaking and saw so much wildlife while also experiencing calm and serene Antarctic waters. We are happy that we did the overnight camping on the actual continent and also experienced the polar plunge, but mostly for the bragging rights. We enjoyed all of the other shore excursions as well, especially hiking around Deception Island and going to Port Lockroy. The excursion crew was top notch; they were not only professional and brilliant in their respective fields, but they were approachable and willing to share so much of their knowledge with us (all while keeping us safe). While the food was simple fare, much of it was delicious and catered to a wide variety of dietary needs. We found the hotel and housekeeping staff to be professional, friendly and competent. Overall, we had such a delightful time on our Antarctica cruise.

Eine wunderbare und großartige Reise

Above expectations

The staff was always cheerful - on the boat and off. That made all the effort of being on tipsy seas and struggling up snowy isles worthwhile. The food was excellent and conversation always interesting. I loved that half the passengers were French. The point of an Antarctic trip was to see the clarity of the air and landscape and be with the wildlife as much as possible. This expedition made sure we all got out - over and under water - as much as possible. I turned out to be clumsier than the penguins, but all the guides helped me up and down the slopes with complete courtesy, making sure I got to the designated areas. All were able to answer my questions about the wildlife too. There were plenty of activities and enough time to relax. I would only suggest more time between the wake up call and breakfast - it's not quick or easy putting on 5-6 layers of clothes! Ah, I would also suggest that you sell t-shirts with "I survived the Drake Passage." It would be good to have a souvenir of that!

I book the expedition just last minute few days before.. i was travelling in south america since few months.. bolivia and argentina.. i hear about some oeople in salar de uyuni then i decide to ask.. and i was super lucky to find a spot on plancius for this aantatmrtica peninsula expedition.. i was celebrating also my bday few days after the boarding.. and i can say it was the best week bday ever.. everything on board was maniacal perfect… only thanks for that 😊🙌🏽

Trip exceeded expectations. Very well planned and managed. Flexible and adaptable to changing weather conditions. From dropping the anchor we could all be on a beach in half an hour or less. Staff always helpful with cheerful smiles. A lot of thought had clearly gone into each days activity. The captain said it was in the top three of the trips he had done. Not sure if that was because of the weather or sightings or a mixture of both. The plan certainly had to be adjusted at times to deal with weather conditions but the expedition staff made their own luck with their hard work.

An amazing trip with fantastic Expedition guides. The captain was also fabulous. He detoured just so we could see some wildlife that not all the zodiacs got to see. Of course we kept distant. But the kindness of the gesture was incredible. Everyone was friendly and helpful and the staff really interacted with the guests! I was worried about traveling solo, but I ended up loving it and a lot of that was due to the staff and crew!

Expedition was more than I ever expected.

Excellent trip, very interesting & informative. Guides really knew their topics. All staff, & I truly mean everyone guides, cleaning staff & kitchen staff were excellent, so friendly & welcoming

Everything was perfection! Weather, animals, landscape, staff & crew The staff and crew made me feel welcomed and cared for! I felt safe passing through the Drake passage. However, the food could use a bit of an improvement