Oceanwide Expeditions

We just had to share these photos we received from Hondius! 😍 📸 by Victoria Bridgwood

Happy New Year! 🎉 With 2024 at a close, we look back at a fantastic year, with some unforgettable polar memories! From picture-perfect long hikes in the tundra of Greenland and two amazing Show Hill emperor penguin landings to fantastic sea ice experiences and wildlife-full adventures across the sub-Antarctic and waters of Svalbard! For now, we toast our passionate crews and staff and those who make our trips truly special - all of you! Did you make your polar dreams come true this year? Join us in 2025, where we will dare to go further, dream bigger, and experience even more!

Our vessels Ortelius and Plancius passed each other on the Drake Passage. All guests came out on deck to wave and both vessels sounded their horns. 📸 by Katlyn Taylor

Without our dedicated and passionate teams, we wouldn't be able to explore with our guests and pioneer the best expedition cruise experience at the edges of the world! 🎆 From our vessel crews and hospitality team to our expedition team and office departments, we're all key to creating the best Oceanwide Expeditions experience possible and unforgettable, life-changing experiences for our guests. We thank everyone in the Oceanwide Expeditions family for their tireless work, passion for the polar regions, and dedication to creating the ultimate expedition cruise experience in 2024! Cheers to you all, and a toast to the future!

🎄 Our expedition team together with our crew and the hotel team send warm wishes from the heart of the polar regions. May your holiday season be filled with joy, adventure, and dreams of exploring the extraordinary! Here’s to another year of unforgettable journeys with the Oceanwide family. 🚢

Few have heard of the top-secret, WW2-era British mission to Antarctica, which established permanent polar bases, including the iconic Port Lockroy base. While initially a military operation, the focus was firmly on scientific research, with a legacy of having founded the British Antarctic Survey and laid the groundwork for the signing of the historic Antarctic Treaty, which continues to protect this fragile, spectacular corner of our world. This is the story of Operation Tabarin - a turning point in Antarctic history: https://ow.ly/b7gt50Up0uv 📸 by Juan Berenstein

On a recent visit to Two Hummock Island, part of the Palmer Archipelago in Antarctica, our guests participated in a navigational workshop. At Palaver Point, on the island's western side, we took guests through the process of depth sounding - crucial in our approach to identifying safe anchorages and locations where we can launch Zodiacs safely close to shore. In this case, we confirmed depths between 60 and 80 meters and, most crucially, a shallower ridge rising to 20 to 30 meters that, in other conditions, may have grounded icebergs or presented other challenges in reaching far into the bay. Research like this allows our crews and teams to go further and explore new, exciting locations! 📸 by Sara Jenner

Spending as much time on shore is one of our priorities when exploring the wilderness of the Arctic and Antarctica, and one of the best ways to do so is on a long hike. Our long hikes are different, taking you far from the ship, and immersing you in a polar world for entire days at a time. You'll not just get a surface level experience, but truly feel the raw power of nature, and understand these special environments on a far deeper level. Check out our latest video detailing our long hike activity in Scoresby Sund:

Our second Weddell Sea expedition of the season brought us face-to-face with the iconic emperor penguin colony at Snow Hill Island! 🐧 Thanks to the incredible expertise and dedication of Captain Per Andersson and our exceptional crew, guests witnessed the colony up close, with curious penguins even visiting the ship at night. This unforgettable experience in the heart of the Antarctic showcases the daring spirit of our voyages – pushing boundaries, embracing challenges, and delivering adventures beyond imagination. 🗺️ Ready to explore the Weddell Sea with us? Join us next season 👉 https://ow.ly/4iob50UfEJj 📸 by Sara Jenner

Did you know that polar diving is an activity offered on many of our expedition cruise trips to the Arctic and Antarctica?   Our sales account manager, Toto Vermue, and dive team leader, Henrik Enckell, are both in Las Vegas at Dema Show 2024, the largest trade-only event in the world for companies in the scuba diving, ocean water sports, and adventure/dive industries.   You can find us at booth 4050. Come and say hello, get ready to discover a world of underwater potential for divers and learn more about our approach to creating innovative, unforgettable polar activities at the edges of the world.