Reviews

Due to COVID our ship was at sea for 5 extra days, during which the staff and crew went above and beyond to make our time aboard the Plancius as comfortable, safe, informed, and FUN as possible. From trivia to movie nights, camping on deck and a pirate costume BBQ, a scavenger hunt and game tournaments, they really pulled out all the stops. Antarctica was pretty amazing too!

I wish to share our great respect and appreciation for the crew and staff of the Plancius during both the spectacular expedition cruise and the challenging second phase of our extended voyage - seeking a port at which to dock. I wish to single out the tireless work of the expedition leaders and staff, particularly Iain, Pippa, Steffi, Rustyn, Mal and Celine, with great support from Dorette, Felicity, Dave and Tom. At all times Iain and the team ensured that communication was swift and complete, that the passengers were fully informed and were getting the information, assistance and support they needed from the start of the trip through each challenging phase. I know that they did not consider their work complete until assured that every member had a plan to return home. Iain, as expedition leader, served as the perfect representative of Oceanwide in the demonstration of positive communication and support skills, transparency, and temperament. We would be remiss not to commend all of the hotel, dining, and cabin leaders and teams for their excellent work and positive attitudes as well from start to finish.

This trip was my 7th continent and 100th country and I couldn't have even imagined this experience would surpass ALL of my dreams and expectations. The ship was comfortable, the food was outstanding, the hotel staff was very accommodating. Most of all the Expedition Staff were incredibly skilled, knowledgeable, friendly and made the trip a great experience. We Kayaked and Ice Climbed - even though we had no prior experience. The shore landings were fun and the zodiac rides amazing. The Expedition Leader, Iain Rudkin was amazing, and led the staff and passengers with humor and grace. We were expertly lead through an extreme storm coming home through the Drake Passage and then Iain led us through a week delay in finding a port after the COVID-19 virus shut down all the ports in Argentina. We all were able to fly home through Uruguay. The staff kept us feed and entertained with additional lectures and games. This expedition was truly a life-changing experience and I will be forever grateful to the entire crew of the Plancius and how Oceanwide took care of us on the ship until we all were able to get home.

The trip to Antarctica was great - I really enjoyed seeing all the wildlife, the informative staff and guides, and the overall experience. One thing that really demonstrates a group of people leadership skills is when disaster strikes. Our trip was during the Covid-19 pandemic and our boat was denied docking into our port at Ushuaia. The boat staff and Oceanwide in general really stood up to the challenge. The kept us informed throughout, helped with flights, and prepared us for our journey in Montevideo to the airport and beyond. Thank you all for a great experience in Antarctica and for your leadership during the end of the trip

This was the trip of a lifetime and the Crew and Hotel Staff took every opportunity to make that happen. The excursions were the main activities, kayaks moving between the ice or watching out for a whale, patiently waiting in the Zodiak for whale to pass under you or a leopard seal to slide right past your side of the Zodiak, standing still while a Gentoo penguin pecked your leg, the crew can't make these acts of nature happen but they have the experience to know how to give you the best opportunity to be a part of these experiences. The Crew Leader of this Expedition Iain assembled an outstanding team with years of experience and knowledge that was impressive but the way they shared this knowledge is what made the difference to me. They live and breathe what they were imparting to us and therefore it was like sharing knowledge and experience rather than a teacher standing in front of a classroom. When we learned that we would not be able to dock in Ushuaia as Argentina closed their country Iain took his leadership role to new heights by sharing openly what our course of action would be. Since the trip would be longer than expected his team stepped up and went above and beyond.

Every aspect of this cruise exceeded our expectations. The staff were all most welcoming, enthusiastic, very experienced and thought of everything each of us could possibly need or want to make this the most memorable holiday. The food and facilities on board were higher than we had expected; we will never forget that BBQ dinner on deck with the sun setting over those cold antarctic waters. The lectures were always informative and pitched at the right level. They enhanced our experience of these destinations and we have returned home far more knowledgeable. Every day brought new experiences and words cannot express the wonders we saw. The crew and the company were very understanding when advising on the problems we all encountered with cancelled flights due to Covid-19.

Incredible, probably does not describe our trip and I’m not sure any word can. The ship, Captain, leaders, guides, food, wait staff, housekeeping- everyone treated us like royalty. The wildlife just mind blowing, we just feel humble being able to do such a trip. Oceanwide teams should be commended on such an amazing travel experience, every detail and more exceeded our expectations. Thanks so much - Kate and Mark - Australia

Although it's impossible to sum up our Oceanwide trip on Hondius from Ushuaia to The Falklands/Malvinas, South Georgia, South Orkneys, Elephant Island, South Shetlands and the Antarctic Peninsula below the Antarctic Circle to 68.7 deg South Latitude in a few short sentences, I can say that having now traveled extensively on all 7 continents, this journey was filled with as much wonder, wildlife, education, mind-blowing scenery, incredible people and life-changing experiences as any journey I've ever been on. The Oceanwide staff from the Captain to the hotel and galley crew were amazing, without exception. I can't recommend this trip, or Oceanwide with enough enthusiasm in writing. All I can say is, "GO!"

Fantastic and well handled when corona hit

This trip fulfilled a lifetime dream for my spouse, Pat and I. We cannot say enough good things about Oceanwide Expedition's Leaders, Adam Turner and Sara Jenner.  These two individuals are extreme leaders at the top of their craft.  We were always well-taken care of and they made it possible to reach places via zodiac, that at first, we thought impossible.  Very well-planned and executed!  The zodiac drivers, Ben Giunchi, Daniel Hohne, and Gaby Pilson were also awesome! They made us feel safe and took us to unbelievable places to get close-ups of Penguins and Leopard Seals!  Well done!  We also very much enjoyed the many lectures presented by the crew, especially the one on early Antarctic Explorers by Gunilla Lindh. Gunilla is loaded with personality and always makes us smile!  A very special thank you to Rose, Damian, and Will in the dining room for taking such good care of us during the trip.  AND, also a very special THANK YOU to Rajiv and DJ at the front desk.  Rajiv is always SMILING and there for us anytime we needed anything.  Thanks also to Akhil and John  at the bar for making our drinks and sharing travel experiences.  We highly recommend Oceanwide Expeditions!  Also, we enjoyed Massimo Bassano’s and Myriam Casper’s photo and video lectures.

It is not easy to get to Antarctica no matter how it is done! Oceanwide indeed made it worthwhile! We indeed had a journey of a lifetime, and were able to make Antarctica our 7th continent. Based on what other companies charge and provide, we feel we got great value for our money with Oceanwide. We valued the excursions, which were safely run for both the voyagers and the wildlife and the environment. We also appreciated the ship's crews performance and service-first attitude. The expedition crew was top-notch, both during the excursions, and with sharing their expertise during the daily presentations, and more oftern during the day crossing the Drake! Ali Liddle was a remarkable expedition leader who worked with the ship's crew and her team to provide us with the best possible and safe experiences. We felt the food, drink and lodging were excellent and reflected the Oceanwide priorities of value over luxury. We liked the coffee/espresso/tea machine in the lounge,too! We'd highly recommend Oceanwide to friends, family and business associates who are considering a voyage to Antarctica!,

I could say a lot about this fantastic trip ! Firstly the expedition staff were an amazing bunch of people with varied interests and knowledge covering all aspects of what you see in Antarctica. They drove us about in the Zodiacs to view wildlife, icebergs, interesting geology and tell us about it all too. Additionally there were lectures most days on a variety of topics so there was always something to be doing or learning. The Expedition Leader and Captain worked well together to avoid dodgy weather and find good locations to explore. Although the plan was fluid there was something to visit most days (some sea-only-days being inevitable on this voyage). The crew looked after us very well - a superb galley staff provided three meals a day with various choices for each - no chance of going hungry on this ship! And if you had a special request the galley will accommodate - which I thought very special. Our cabin was very comfortable and spacious with a large window to view the passing scenery - although the ship does have a lot of outside deck space all round the ship.

Thank you to everyone at Oceanwide Expeditions for a fantastic trip. Our trip seemed to get better and better every day as the unique wildlife and exceptional scenery was revealed to us. It was a very nice feeling to know that the team of experts that guided us were making the best decisions for us to ensure that we had the best possible experience every day whilst we ate and drank heartily, told stories of the wonders we had seen during the day and slept soundly in our beds at night looking forward to the next wonderful day. We cannot thank the crew and expedition team of the Hondius enough but in particular we have to pick out Adam, Sara and Martin who did a fantastic job even during the difficult final days of our trip when the Coronavirus situation started to become apparent to us all. In these difficult circumstances they did their best to keep us informed as the situation rapidly changed around us. We have to thank them and everyone behind the scenes who enabled us to get off the Hondius and safely home as soon as possible. We look forward to joining Oceanwide Expeditions again in the future to explore the polar regions.

This is a relatively easy review since EVERYTHING was excellent. The expedition team did a great job, doing the maximum to enable as to visit as many places as possible without conceding in terms of safety. They were always ready to share their knowledge and answer our questions. The lectures and presentations were well prepared and presented. The photography and videography workshops were great, Massimo and Myriam are not only great photographers, they are good teachers as well. Not less important for such a long trip is the Hotel Staff. All the crew, including the receptionists, the galley people (also those beyond the scenes that made extraordinary food), at the bar, those in charge of the cleaning, and of course at the bridge were extremely nice to us. And of course the sites themselves, incredible places and animals, everyday and every scene were worth a special trip to see them.

The title is trite for sure. But, it's true. Words alone cannot adequately describe the experience. Scenery, penguins, scenery, seals, scenery, whales, and scenery. The ship, crew, and expedition staff were all amazing. Special kudos to Mal for his patience leadership and excellent presentations; and to Iain for keeping everything running like clockwork.