Reviews
Overall rating based on 1,281 votes
Overall rating based on 1,281 votes
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Great nature, lots of wildlife including spotting at least 9 polar bears. Wonderful Zodiaccruises in front of calving glaciers, nice hikes, fossils, and onboard the best staff and great food. Ortelius' staff created such a great atmosphere.
A lifelong dream became true. A fantastic extraordinary crew. A wonderful magical landdcape. Very interesting recaps and lots of great appreciated informations from the experts. All in all the best trip in my lifetime. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart
The animal and landscape sceneries we're great nur the chinese guests being noisy and chaotic was very disappointing, annoying and shocking to me.they didn't respect nature and I hardly could enjoy the silence of the Arctic as advertised. The food and crew was adorable.
Eine eindrückliche Reise, tolle Natur & Tierwelt. Das Expeditionsteam ist hervorragend und verfügt über ein fundiertes Wissen. Die Crew leistet grossartige Arbeit, Essen ist lecker.
Das Schiff hat einen nostalgischen Charme, der. Esssaal ist recht laut und die Gänge eng. Gut geeignet für Alleinreisende.
Tipp: Gästestruktur im Voraus checken! Mit 75% Chinesen zu reisen ist etwas gewöhnungsbedürftig.
Very instructive, beautiful and professionally accompanied
The trip was amazing from the very beginning. The Expedition Guides were incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The ship Crew did wonderful job. Everyone did an extra mile to make sure we are safe and able to see as much wildlife as possible. Very memorable time!
We spent very nice time on the Arctic Ocean. We're lucky with the weather and spotting a lot of wildlife- Guides and all the crew have been very nice with us and very well prepared
Overall, the experience was truly exceptional. The expedition guides were not only highly knowledgeable but also incredibly personable, always engaging with guests and eager to share their expertise. The entire crew demonstrated a high level of professionalism, kindness, and attentiveness—many even remembered passengers’ names and preferences, which added a thoughtful, personal touch to the journey.
The accommodations were very comfortable and well-designed. The porthole cabins were spacious, with large closets that made it easy to unpack and hang coats, as well as mirror cabinets in the bathroom for toiletries. There was also room to store suitcases under the bed. I was genuinely impressed by the functionality and size of the cabin.
The food onboard exceeded expectations. Each day brought a new and diverse selection of dishes, and the dining team provided consistently outstanding service throughout the trip.
With 101 passengers and 55 crew members, the ratio felt ideal. There was always a staff member available, and the guides remained approachable and actively engaged with guests—answering questions, offering insights, and participating in daily activities. When inclement weather prevented one of the excursions, the guides hosted insightful lectures on Arctic-related topics, maintaining the educational and enriching atmosphere of the cruise.
The excursions themselves were a highlight. The guides helped us spot wildlife and explained fascinating details about the Arctic environment—such as glacial formations, ice behavior, and animal patterns. They were patient, informative, and clearly passionate about conservation and sharing the unique beauty of the region.
One of my favorite things was the open-bridge policy, which welcomes passengers to spend time with the captain and guides—offering not only stunning views but also real-time insights into navigation and wildlife sightings.
Expedition Crew from Oceanwide has tried their very best to bring everyone on board to Snow Hill and meet the Emperor Penguins twice! That was really a memorable and touching moment.
Thanks for the great effort you have made!
Thanks to a great expedition plan, luck in the weather, and an absolutely incredible expedition team, we had the experience of a lifetime. Every day was a unique experience, and every single day was absolutely fantastic. I saw a lot of amazing places, but this expedition surpassed them all.
I can't say, just how amazing this trip was. It was truly incredible. The ship, the captain, the expedion staff, the expedition leader, the crew, the restaurant staff, the locations, the ice bergs and all the penguins, seals, birds and whales. I loved every minute of this expedition and it never disappointed. Sending a bunch of ordinary passengers down south to experience an environment so unique and rare that many years ago cost many people their lives to get here, is wild. I feel so lucky and blessed to have had this adventure, within the comfort of a warm remarkable vessel.
The highlight, was an area called red rock Ridge, a place swarming with manic Adelie penguins and a rough zodiac trip, this felt like proper adventure.
Many thanks, and I advise anyone who's thinking about going with oceanwide, to do it 😀
Since this was my second visit to Antarctica, I thought I knew what to expect. However this expedition far succeeded every expectation I had before I boarded Ortelius.
Crossing the polar circle, seeing the Southern lights, visiting the Wilkins ice shelf, spotting Emperor/Gentoo/Adélie/Chinstrap penguins, having the most amazing encounters with humpback whales next to (and under) the zodiac boat.. There are just too many highlights to only pick one.
Antarctica, the wonderful crew, the great fellow passengers. This was something extremely special which I'll never forget.
Highly recommended to anyone ready to explore the most magical place, in a way that can be considered a true polar expedition. I'll absolutely visit again, and I will surely choose Oceanwide for that next adventure.
Words will not do enough justice or explain how content and excited I am, even after the expedition ends. Everything from boarding the ship to the crew staff, the expedition team, and the activities worked perfectly, and the weather was just amazing throughout the trip.
A huge thanks to Sara, our expedition leader, and her team for ensuring everyone gets to do all activities safely. Also, the lectures were so informative and interesting that even the long sailing days felt exciting.
Highly Recommended!
Superlatives are thrown sound in society today, greatest, biggest, richest,coldest, highest, applied often to things that do not merit them This trip however deserves the use of every single one that comes to mind and many that don’t A breathtaking and likely life changing holiday location and means of journey decision this seasoned traveler will never regret Do not hesitate to visit whilst its pristine beauty and terrifying extremes remain accessible
Way more than we expected! In terms of the ship, the crew and staff, the service, the wildlife, the surroundings, the food. Everything was in one word excellent. We were really pleased to be on a real adventure, an expedition. Thanks for having us. We so much enjoyed it.
