Oceanwide Expeditions
PremiumSee how Oceanwide Expeditions describes itself vs how we list it
What to say on a call
Best for
- 1Fare includes all meals, coffee and tea, Zodiac landings and lectures, port charges and taxes, rubber boots and snowshoes, 1.5 GB of Wi-Fi per day on the motor vessels, and every activity on Basecamp voyages; drinks, gratuities (10-15 EUR/USD suggested per day) and air are extra.
- 2Four owned ships: the Polar Class 6 Hondius (2019, 170 guests), the ice-strengthened Ortelius and Plancius (108 guests each; Ortelius carries helicopters on select voyages) and the 33-guest schooner Rembrandt van Rijn; two 146-guest eco-sail ships are planned for 2029-2030.
- 3Voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula, Weddell Sea, Falklands and South Georgia, Spitsbergen and Jan Mayen, Northeast and East Greenland, Iceland, and the Atlantic Odyssey (Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena, Ascension, Cape Verde).
- 4Polar pioneer founded in 1993 that ran the first commercial Spitsbergen voyages and invented the Basecamp concept; IAATO and AECO member.
Payments & cancellations
Final payment
Per cruise line60 days before departure
The balance must reach Oceanwide 60 days before the departure date. Bookings made within 60 days of departure pay in full immediately. Travel documents are sent after full payment. If payment is not made after a written reminder, Oceanwide may cancel the contract and charge cancellation costs.
Applies to: All bookings (General Travel Terms and Conditions Oceanwide Expeditions B.V., issued 06 December 2022)
The Payment FAQ words it as 'within two months prior to departure' for full payment at booking. The travel agent Partner Portal shows 'outstanding deposits and balance payments'.
Deposit
Per cruise line20% of the total price at booking
20% of the total price when the travel contract is made, unless the travel confirmation says otherwise. Bookings made within 60 days of departure pay the full price at once. Other payment terms (groups, charters) apply only if Oceanwide confirms them in writing. Payment by bank transfer or credit card (a credit-card fee is passed on); website bookings can also use debit cards, American Express and Sofort.
Applies to: All bookings, private and through travel organisations/agents (General Travel Terms and Conditions Oceanwide Expeditions B.V., issued 06 December 2022)
The FAQ says the deposit 'is always non-refundable in the event of passenger cancellation'. Late payers owe 1% interest per month plus 15% collection costs (minimum 50 EURO), and Oceanwide may cancel on the day of default and charge cancellation costs (Terms 3.3). Private consumer bookings are covered by the Dutch SGR travel guarantee fund. Prices/fees are published in EUR; confirm USD amounts at booking.
Cancellation penalties
Per cruise lineSee details below
Cancellation must be in writing, at any time before the trip. Fees, as a share of the total price: up to and including 90 days before departure, 20%; 89 to 60 days, 50%; 59 days to the day of departure, 100%. Flight and hotel bookings cancel at 100% of their cost (or the supplier's terms if non-refundable). Changing a booked trip counts as a cancellation; minor changes cost at least 50 EURO each. Group, block and whole-ship charters can have other terms if confirmed in writing.
Applies to: All bookings (General Travel Terms and Conditions Oceanwide Expeditions B.V., issued 06 December 2022)
The FAQ says the deposit is always non-refundable and rebooking another departure may cost extra. Guests may cancel free if Oceanwide raises the price by more than 5% (Terms 4.2). Oceanwide may cancel up to 30 days before departure if the minimum number of participants is not reached, with a refund if the guest refuses an alternative (Terms 5.2). Cancellation insurance is strongly recommended. Prices/fees are published in EUR; confirm USD amounts at booking.
Onboard extras & packages
Prices are approximate, per person per day unless noted. Always confirm the current price with the cruise line.
- Gratuities (standard rooms)
- Not included: discretionary; Oceanwide suggests 10-15 EUR/USD per guest per day, given in cash at the end of the voyagePer cruise line
- Gratuities (suites)
- Not included (same guideline; no suite exception published)Per cruise line
- Drink package
- Not included: bar drinks are charged to the cabin (prices in euros); no drink package publishedPer cruise line
- Premium drink package
- Not offered (no drink packages; all bar drinks are paid on board)Per cruise line
- Soda package
- Not included (beverage charges are extra); tap water is free and safe to drink, with water stations on each deck of the motor vesselsPer cruise line
- Non-alcoholic package
- Coffee and tea included; no specialty-coffee or non-alcoholic package publishedPer cruise line
- Wi-Fi (basic)
- Included on Hondius, Plancius and Ortelius: 1.5 GB of data per guest per day (resets every 24 hours), subject to satellite coverage. Not included on Rembrandt van Rijn (paid Wi-Fi in public areas).Per cruise line
Sources differ
Oceanwide's pages differ on Wi-Fi. The Internet FAQ and voyage inclusions say Wi-Fi is complimentary on Hondius, Plancius and Ortelius (1.5 GB per day); the cabin feature lists on the same voyage pages say 'Telephone and WiFi (supplemented)', and the Dates & Rates 'NOT INCLUDED' list still has 'telecommunication charges'. Wi-Fi on Rembrandt van Rijn costs extra. We show the Internet FAQ and the voyage inclusions.Internet FAQ HDS27-27 voyage page (inclusions and cabin lists) Dates & Rates (fare notes) - Wi-Fi (premium)
- Extra data vouchers sold on board: 5 GB for €20, 10 GB for €40 (euro prices as published)Per cruise line
- Specialty dining package
- Not offered (all meals included; one restaurant, no extra-charge dining published)Per cruise line
- Specialty dining (avg per meal)
- Not applicable (no extra-charge dining published)Per cruise line
- Fitness classes
- Not offered (no gym or fitness room on board)Per cruise line
- Spa / thermal pass
- Not yet verified
- Air program
- Not offered: all airfare is excluded, including charter flights (e.g. the Constable Pynt-Keflavik charter on Fly & Sail voyages). Oceanwide advises which group flights get the included Longyearbyen transfers.Per cruise line
- Other fees & perks
- Included: all meals, Zodiac shore excursions and lectures, service taxes and port charges, AECO fees and governmental taxes, rubber (muck) boots and snowshoes on the motor vessels, South Georgia ETA costs, 1.5 GB Wi-Fi per day, and all activities on Basecamp voyages (camping, kayaking, snowshoeing/hiking, mountaineering, photo workshop). Extra: airfare, government arrival and departure taxes, insurance, laundry, bar and telecom charges, gratuities, meals ashore, transfers outside the listed ones, activity supplements on non-Basecamp voyages (kayaking, diving, ski mountaineering), and a credit-card fee on payments.Per cruise line
Accessibility & special needs
- How to tell the cruise line
- Each guest fills in a Personal Information Form (health) before travel; Oceanwide may offer an alternative program or exclude a guest who is not in generally sound health. Diving and helicopter trips need a signed waiver and a doctor-signed health certificate. Per cruise line
- Wheelchairs & scooters
- Not suitable for wheelchair users. Guests must be able to walk several hours a day and climb a steep gangway into Zodiacs; landings can be slippery and rocky. No elevator or accessible cabin is mentioned. Per cruise line
- Medical equipment & pregnancy
- A doctor sails on the motor vessels (Hondius, Ortelius, Plancius) but not on the sailing vessel Rembrandt van Rijn. Medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation costs are the guest's, and travel insurance with medical and repatriation/evacuation cover is mandatory. Per cruise line
Not on the line's site (or not confirmed yet): blind / low vision, deaf / hard of hearing, service animals, guests of size. Ask the cruise line's accessibility team.
Never promise an accommodation. Send the request to the line and let them confirm. How to handle these calls → Premium
Upgrade & suite ladder
entryPorthole and window cabins (Quadruple, Triple and Twin Porthole, Twin Window; Rembrandt van Rijn: Twin Private Inside/Porthole, Triple Private Porthole)
Per cruise linePrivate shower and toilet in every cabin; Plancius' standard cabins are about 12.5 m². Berths in Quadruple, Triple and Twin cabins can be sold per berth to same-gender guests ('sharing basis') at no supplement.
midTwin Deluxe and Superior cabins (all three motor vessels)
Per cruise lineLarger cabins: Superior about 21 m² with a queen-size bed on Plancius; on Hondius, Superior 20-21 m² and Twin Deluxe 19-21 m².
topGrand Suites with private balcony (6) and Junior Suites (8), Hondius only
Per cruise lineGrand Suite: about 26.7-27 m², double bed, sofa, private balcony, refrigerator, coffee and tea maker, bathrobe. Junior Suites 19-20 m². Same meals, activities and inclusions as other cabins; gratuities still extra.
Loyalty program
Not yet verified
None: Oceanwide Expeditions is an independent Dutch company with no sister brands.
Military & veterans
We couldn't confirm a military rate on this line's official site. Don't promise one. If a guest asks, check with the line.
How military rates work → PremiumAirport transfers
Included only where listed: in Ushuaia, a luggage transfer to the ship on embarkation day and a scheduled group transfer from the ship to the airport after disembarkation; on Spitsbergen voyages, airport-hotel-ship transfers for guests on Oceanwide's group flights to and from Longyearbyen; on Rembrandt van Rijn Fly & Sail voyages, airport-ship transfers at Constable Pynt on the group charter. Not included: other transfers, including to the ship in Ushuaia and St. Helena and from the ship in St. Helena and Praia. Iceland voyages offer paid bus transfers (e.g. Akureyri-Reykjavík, 165 USD).
Which ports: Main ports: Ushuaia and Puerto Madryn (Antarctica, Falklands, South Georgia), Longyearbyen (Spitsbergen), Akureyri and Seyðisfjörður (Iceland), Constable Pynt (East Greenland, by charter flight), Vlissingen and Aberdeen (spring North Sea/Arctic Ocean positioning voyages), St. Helena and Praia, Cape Verde (Atlantic Odyssey).
What's offered changes by port and sailing. Check before you quote a price.
Good to know
Insurance is mandatory, with set evacuation minimums
Per cruise lineTravel insurance with medical, accident and repatriation/evacuation cover is mandatory (Terms 10.4). The FAQ sets minimum evacuation and repatriation cover per person: EUR/USD 50,000 for the Arctic, 100,000 for Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands, 300,000 for the Ross Sea. Oceanwide asks for the policy details after booking; cancellation insurance is strongly recommended.
Minimum age 3 (8+ advised); 40% child discount; no kids' program
Per cruise lineChildren must be at least 3, but Oceanwide advises against bringing children under 8. There is no upper age limit. Children 3-15 can get 40% off on select voyages and cabin types when sharing with two full-paying guests. There are no children's programs on board.
Pregnancy: first three months only, with a doctor's letter
Per cruise linePregnant guests are accepted only within the first three months (90 days) of pregnancy, with a doctor's letter saying the pregnancy is low risk, supported by an ultrasound.
Solo travellers: share at no supplement, or pay 1.7x
Per cruise lineSolo guests can book one berth in a Twin, Triple or Quadruple cabin and are paired with a guest of the same gender at no extra cost. A guaranteed private cabin costs 1.7 times the berth (Twin or Superior rate); if a guest ends up alone by chance, no supplement is charged.
Consecutive-voyage discount: 20% Arctic, 10% Antarctica
Per cruise lineBooking consecutive voyages earns a discount: 20% on consecutive Arctic voyages and 10% on consecutive Antarctica voyages (Dates & Rates notes). Voyages run only with a minimum of 70 guests on Plancius and Ortelius, 90 on Hondius and 24 on Rembrandt van Rijn.
Basecamp voyages include every activity
Per cruise lineOn Basecamp departures, camping, kayaking, snowshoeing/hiking, mountaineering and photo workshops are free and need no pre-booking. On other voyages kayaking, diving and ski mountaineering are paid supplements booked ahead; divers need at least an Advanced Open Water certificate and their own cold-water kit. Helicopters fly on select Ortelius voyages only.
Onboard currency is the euro; no doctor on the schooner
Per cruise lineOnboard prices are in euros; the bill is settled the day before disembarking by Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club/Discover, Union Pay or cash (EUR or USD). The motor vessels each carry a doctor; the sailing ship Rembrandt van Rijn has no doctor and no laundry service. Wheelchair users cannot be accommodated: guests must manage a steep gangway into Zodiacs.
Fleet
- Ships
- 4 ships: m/v Hondius (2019; 170 guests), m/v Ortelius (built 1989, Oceanwide since 2011; 108 guests), m/v Plancius (built 1976, rebuilt as a passenger ship 2009; 108 guests) and the three-mast schooner s/v Rembrandt van Rijn (33 guests)Per cruise line
- Newest ship
- m/v Hondius (2019), the world's first-registered Polar Class 6 passenger vessel. Two 146-guest eco-sail ships are planned for 2029 and 2030 (Letter of Intent only).Per cruise line
- Ship classes
- Hondius (2019): purpose-built Polar Class 6 expedition ship, 170 guests, 13 guides; six Grand Suites with balconies and eight Junior Suites, Ortelius (built 1989 as a Russian research ship) and Plancius (built 1976 as a Dutch Navy research ship, rebuilt 2009): ice-strengthened expedition ships, 108 guests each; Ortelius carries helicopters on select voyages, Rembrandt van Rijn: three-mast schooner (1947 herring lugger, rebuilt 1994), 33 guests, Svalbard and Greenland summer voyages
Coming soon
All new ships- Eco-sail expedition vessel 1 (name not announced)2029 Not yet on salePer cruise line
- Eco-sail expedition vessel 2 (name not announced)2030 Not yet on salePer cruise line
Where they sail
Last full review: 8 Oct 2026·Last updated: 8 Oct 2026
A full review is when we re-check every fact on this page.
"Last updated" is the most recent check or change to any single fact.
Something wrong or missing?
"Per cruise line" = confirmed on the line's own site.
"Unofficial tip" = from an experienced travel professional; helpful, but not confirmed by the cruise line.