Hondius Antarctic and Arctic Cruises

The trip of a lifetime. The ship and it's crew were wonderful and we all became one big happy family on a joyous adventure. This trip was worth the wait and all the extra testing and paperwork due to Covid-19 restrictions. The ship was the perfect size and well appointed. Excursions and lectures were well orchestrated and fun. The meals were well prepared and there was always plenty of choices for even the pickiest of diners. Getting to know the other intrepid travelers on this journey really helped to make this a truly unforgettable experience. The only question now is .. where to next? (Copied from Oceanwide Expeditions)

Great trip, the best landscape I have ever seen and kayaking was really amazing! (Copied from Oceanwide Expeditions)

Hondius is running its first season which could have been a double-edged sword having huge potential without the experience to fulfill the promise... Well, the ship and crew went beyond our expectations on several fronts. The ship is incredibly silent, no engine noise even in economy cabins, very stable running smoothly in choppy sea conditions. The plan was to circumnavigate the archipelago, but ice conditions blocked 10 % of the perimeter of Svalbard. Instead of saying that we cannot follow the original itinerary and shortening our journey, Hondius took us to the limits of the ice block from the north and also from the south basically doubling the length of the originally planned route. Members of the expedition team pushed themselves very hard to make the journey unforgettable and safe. We encountered polar bears, males, females with cubs, on the ice , on shore and swimming close to the ship. Zodiac cruises and hikes provided sightings of arctic foxes, incredible birdlife, and a colony of walruses among others. The crew on the ship is very efficient in finding and preserving wildlife, the ship is perfect for navigating through the ice to maximize chances for good photography and videos, such a silent ice breaker helped us to enjoy blue and fin whales. Being an expedition ship, the food compared favourably to big cruise ships according to my experience. With one or two exceptions, lectures were enjoyable and informative, most of us felt that we really learned something. Rafael, the expedition leader is probably the most knowledgeable person on arctic matters I had the privilege to meet thus far, and his charisma was helped effectively by other guides to keep the behaviour of multinational passengers in accord with the wildlife around us. One needs to be patient when waiting for the zodiacs fully dressed (140 people takes time to board), but overall we had a highly enjoyable and memorable trip. (Copied from Liveaboard)

We loved our week aboard the Hondius: The ship, which had been sailing for less than a month when we boarded, was clean, well appointed, and very stable/smooth sailing. The food was varied and delicious, there were always hot drinks and snacks available, and the cabins were comfortable. Our staff seemed knowledgeable and, along with the ship crew, managed to find us polar bears every day, along with other great wildlife sightings, including walruses, belugas, puffins, and reindeer. The disembarkation to the zodiacs was a little chaotic, in terms that groups weren't often called so everyone was stuffed in at once trying to get on, and there wasn't great communication/information at the start and end of the trip (which bus to take where etc.) but those seem like small hiccups that I'm sure will get smoothed out with time. I would definitely cruise with Oceanwide and this vessel again. (Copied from Oceanwide Expeditions)

Amazing experience, friendly and insightful staff and a wonderful ship. (Copied from Oceanwide Expeditions)

It was an excellent, super trip: an experience beyond words. Great comfort and excellent trips with the zodiacs. Very nice crew! (Copied from Oceanwide Expeditions)