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Experience with Oceanwide Antarctica Cruises? Itinerary?


Sailkeywest
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Hi there, my hubby and I are still planning an Antarctica Cruise and I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on this itinerary and/or the ship?   Room Suggestions?  and thank you for any and all insight 🙂

 

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Looks intriguing.  Most cruises do not get into the Weddell Sea.  I see that the cruise is 13 days - how many days are actually in Antarctica.  Many cruises to Antarctica are very deceptive about how much time you actually get in Antarctica as compared to the total length of the cruise.  Also you will almost certainly not get to land on Elephant Island.  At best, you probably only get a zodiac cruise at the island.  If the weather is bad, you will just get to see the island from your ship.

 

DON

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Mid-March is VERY late season. Most of the penguin colonies will have started clearing out. They say that there are statistically more whale sightings in the late season, though.

 

I love the Weddell Sea with its massive tabular icebergs and think this trip could be interesting for the ice watching, but if you’re looking for wildlife it may not be the best choice. I suspect that since this is an end-of-season itinerary, they’re using the opportunity to explore a little and go to places they don’t visit as often. So if you prefer ice to animals and are happy to see where the trip takes you with no expectations, it could be a lot of fun! However, if you are looking for a more traditional trip with classic landing sites and nesting penguins, you could easily be disappointed.

 

For me personally, since I’ve had plenty of penguins and traditional landings, I would definitely consider it. My only reservation is that the Hondius is a bigger ship than I like, so she has to rotate landings to keep the numbers down. I definitely prefer Ortelius and Plancius for the size, but I’ve heard from friends who’ve worked on Hondius that she’s lovely!

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Thank you both for your thoughtful replies, I truly appreciate the insight and guidance! 

 

I just don't know, someone said that we would have a higher chance of getting through to Antarctica later in the seaseon, thought we would love to see the penguins.

 

Yes, it is a little larger ship than I'd hoped for,  I just thought it was an unusual itinerary, so it grabbed my attention.  I am very tempted as the Oceanwide Rep I have been communicating with accidently quoted me prices said that they accidently quoted me twin and double bed cabins but will allow me the same price due to the error for a twin deluxe or Superior cabin.  Don;t know if this is a way to get me in, but it is 2k less than I am seeing on the website.

 

That being said, I would not choose this cruise based on price.  However, we would like to do the Falklands and S Georgia at some point in the future, so we would like to make the most of our Antarctica experience in a 2 week cruise as we both still work.  That alone we would need to take likely 3 weeks off from work.

 

2 years ago we did a road trip through Chile/Argentina as we are hikers after seeing Iguazu falls from both the Brazil/Argentina sides and spent time in Buenos Aires as well.  (3 week trip)  -- Insight to know as the cruise would be our main focus.  

 

A little about us:  We do not normally cruise, we did an Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver, which was AMAZING and we loved the ice and snow as we are from hot, HUMID Florida.   When we travel, we mostly go to remote destinations with mountains and snow. 

 

We love to hike and majority of our trips are hiking trips that take 8-10 days.  (Kilimanjaro/Everest base camp)  -- Sorry,  not meaning to brag, just trying to give readers insight as to who we are and what we like in hopes of gaining any information possible about which sort of cruise to choose.

 

We like to go to bed early and rise early and make the most of the precious moments that we have been fortunate enough to experience.  We don't need "frills."

 

Thank you again for any and all insight and options, they are appreciated 🙂

 

 

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Oops, here is the actual itinerary:  (f anyone would like to see)

 

This expansive expedition takes you into the Antarctic Circle, combining the rich animal life of the Weddell Sea with the surreal shores and islands of the Antarctic Peninsula. Such key landing sites as the legendary Elephant Island and Crystal Sound make this voyage truly exceptional.

Antarctica – Elephant Island – Weddell Sea – Polar Circle: -

This adventurous polar expedition in the Antarctic Circle combines the exciting Weddell Sea with the amazing Antarctic Peninsula, including such iconic landing sites as Ernest Shackleton’s legendary Elephant Island and the many icy and wildlife-filled islands of Crystal Sound.

Day 1: End of the world, start of a journey

Your voyage begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is located on the far southern tip of South America. Starting in the afternoon, you embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego, nicknamed “The End of the World,” and sail the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.

Day 2 – 3: Path of the polar explorers

Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you enjoy some of the same experiences encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling seas, maybe even a fin whale spouting up sea spray. After passing the Antarctic Convergence – Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas – you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Not only does the marine life change, the avian life changes too. Wandering albatrosses, grey-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, light-mantled sooty albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars, Wilson’s storm petrels, blue petrels, and Antarctic petrels are a few of the birds you might see.

Day 4: From Point Wild to the Weddell Sea

We will arrive early to the famous Point Wild, Elephant Island, where Shackleton’s crew made their first landing after the loss of their ship, Endurance. This inhospitable spit of land is a favorite among our guests, and if conditions permit, we will offer activities around the point before setting off for the Weddell Sea.

Day 5: Weddell Sea Devil Island

Today you enter the wondrous Weddell Sea, a relatively unvisited area in which we hope to carry out activities in Erebus and Terror Gulf. We may also visit such places such as Beak Island and Devil Island, which boast some stunning scenery as well as the pack ice for which the Weddell Sea is famous.

Day 6: Exploring the most remote regions

As we continue to explore the area of Erebus and Terror Gulf, we look for new opportunities for activities. You may also visit Vega Island, experiencing the wilderness of Antarctica in its most remote places.

Day 7: Orléans Strait whale search

Now we sail down the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, entering the Orleans Strait. Here we hope to see humpback and orca whales as we sail toward Mikklesen Harbor for our afternoon activities.

Day 8: Port monuments and island wildlife

Passing the Lemaire Channel, you next arrive in the area of Port Charcot, where there is a cairn that was erected by the French Antarctic Expedition of 1903 – 05. In the afternoon, we head to Petermann Island to see a great variety of birdlife. You might also enjoy Zodiac cruises among icebergs that are highly popular with leopard seals and crabeater seals. Minke whales, humpbacks, and gentoo penguins can also be found here.

Day 9: Detaille Island’s historic station

Today we reach Crystal Sound, viewing the area’s beautiful ice formations and wildlife before landing at Detaille Island. This remote island was once home to a British research station that is now an historic monument.

Day 10: Amazing Argentine islands

Next you arrive at the Yalour Islands, a small archipelago composed mostly of isolated rocks and one principal island that offers us a rewarding landing. Home to Adélie penguins and some of the most southerly gentoos in the world, Yalour also has small patches of bearded and crustose lichen, including xanthoria, buellia, caloplaca, and usnea. Extensive moss beds and some Antarctic hair grass (Deschampsia antarctica) can be seen as well.

We hope to also visit the nearby Ukrainian research station, Vernadsky, where a warm welcome awaits us. Here you can take a guided tour of the facilities, which include a small gift shop, a post office that is always popular with our guests, and Wordie House, a well-preserved historic hut. This hut still contains its rations, tools, and beds, so you can compare the amenities of an early facility with a modern one like Vernadsky.

Day 11: Farewell to Antarctica

We have our farewell to Antarctica in the Melchior Islands for our final activities before heading towards the Drake Passage.

Day 12 – 13: Familiar seas, familiar friends

Your return voyage is far from lonely. While crossing the Drake, you’re again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south. But they seem a little more familiar to you now, and you to them.

Day 14: There and back again

Every adventure, no matter how great, must eventually come to an end. It’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia, but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next journey leads.

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This ship also has 170 passengers, but is on a newer ship and has an interesting itinerary as well, going further south:

 

Cruise route

 

Given the choice, would anyone have a preference of itinerary?  thank you  🙂

Edited by Sailkeywest
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8 hours ago, Sailkeywest said:

oi, only 100 at a time can go ashore?  ouch, I had nearly forgotten that (or actually forgot it)  😛

 

Any recommendations on that?

It's pretty basic: smaller ship, more money. To me, 170 would be fine, although if I could afford to go on a ship with less than a hundred, I would. All other things being equal, I'd rather spend six days in Antarctica on a ship with 170 than four on a ship with less than 100 because being in those surroundings for an extra two days–sunrises, sunsets, just taking in Antarctica–would be worth a lot to me. Another question is what the half or so that's not ashore are doing: Zodiac cruising? Kayaking? But even if it's nothing, just sitting on a ship in Antarctica and taking in the surroundings can be pretty spectacular (as long as you eventually go ashore, of course!), especially in the Weddell Sea.

 

It's important to keep in mind that itineraries can never be set in stone in Antarctica. They're pretty specific about their itinerary, but it's really a "who knows?" situation. Also keep in mind that the time needed to sail back and forth to the Circle will take away from landing time/stops along the way. If it were up to me, I'd rather make two stops a day in the northern area of the peninsula than one a day just to get to the Circle.

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21 hours ago, Sailkeywest said:

someone said that we would have a higher chance of getting through to Antarctica later in the seaseon

You’ll pretty much always “get through to Antarctica.” In early season trips, there may be some landing sites that are still iced in, but you’ll still reach the continent (and almost certainly land in a few places). We missed a few landings on my November trip because the ice hadn’t broken up yet, but we were able to make quite a few landings (including a continental landing for the purists who won’t count an island a few hundred meters off the mainland).

 

However, later in the season still isn’t a guarantee that you’ll make all of your landings. On my December trip, we still missed a landing simply because some brash ice had been blown against shore by the winds, so the zodiacs couldn’t reach shore.

 

On a late-season Weddell Sea trip, you’re actually a lot more at the whim of sea ice than most earlier itineraries. The Weddell Sea is notorious for its tricky ice conditions. One of the few ships to be actually iced in recently was doing a Weddell Sea trip. They spent a few days before they were able to get free and move on. Some of the passengers thought it was a great adventure, but obviously others were frustrated to “miss” a few days of the trip. I would think this is an even bigger risk on a late-season trip, since the sea ice may be starting to reform. We got to see this last year when we were extremely far south in early March, and the varying pancake ice was incredible! But the changing ice conditions did have a huge impact on our trip.


In general, the details of an Antarctica trip are almost completely irrelevant. The only details that matter are the ship size, the length, the time of year, and the general area. Once you’re in the area, the expedition leader will make calls about where to go based on conditions. They will always do their best to make the best trip possible given the options.

 

If you like the idea of a complete adventure where you have no idea what to expect, the Weddell Sea trip is a great choice! Just take people’s personal experiences with a grain of salt, because your trip may be very different!

 

If you’ve never been down before, the rotation during landings probably won’t bother you much. I have been on the same ~200 passenger ship (and trip by coincidence) as people who have no complaints about rotates landings. Having already been to some of the same areas on a smaller ship, I did feel more rushed. I assume that I wouldn’t have noticed it if I didn’t have anything to compare it to.

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That last itinerary is cool because it crosses the circle, but it looks to me like it has many fewer landings than the first one, and the landings are the best part.  But only if there are penguins there.  Going without penguins wouldn't be worth it to me.

 

We had 200 on our ship (Silversea) and we felt we got enough time on our landings every day

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One thing to consider if you go on one of the ~200 passenger cruises is what are they going to offer w your time when you are not on land.  A good cruise will offer extended zodiac trips to places that you can not land on.  These can be as good as the land time.  A bad cruise may just leave you on the ship w nothing to do except to watch the scenery.  You need to check on this.

 

DON

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  • 2 weeks later...

HI there, I need to make 4600 nonrefundable down payment by Monday on a Superior cabin (and am nervous about making this commitment so far in adance), so basically what I would like to know is would you do this?

 

March 14-27 11,900 per person for the Superior and $11,000per person for the Twin Deluxe.

 

 March seems as though it is late in the season?  Is it warmer or getting cooler by that time?  

 

thank you again, for any and all input, greatly appreciated for this big decision!

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16 hours ago, Sailkeywest said:

basically what I would like to know is would you do this?

 

March 14-27 11,900 per person for the Superior and $11,000per person for the Twin Deluxe.

 

 March seems as though it is late in the season?  Is it warmer or getting cooler by that time?  

Personally? Nope. $11,000 pp (assuming USD) is a very healthy budget. You can easily go mid-season on a <200pax ship for that. I’ve even seen trips that include South Georgia for that price.

 

Since it sounds like you aren’t specifically interested in this time of year or itinerary, I would hold out for another season. Sign up for all the mailing lists of the operators you’re interested in, and watch for early booking discounts when itineraries are first posted (typically Jan-Mar). Normally late bookings are also more discounted, but the upcoming trips are all flooded with additional people from the canceled 2020-21 season.

 

Late March will typically be getting cooler, but there really isn’t a huge swing in temperature throughout the season. You’ll see more below-freezing temps than in mid-summer, but for the most part the averages are still above -5°C during the day at either end of the cruise season. And honestly temperature doesn’t make a huge difference as a passenger. My last trip (much farther south on the Ross Sea side) had a landing on a day that was -25°C. I wore extra socks and the warmest layers that I typically only use on zodiac cruises, and I was fine. (I cannot say the same for the expedition staffer driving the zodiac back and forth! He was a human icicle.)

 

As for deposits and booking procedures, travel agents often have slightly different terms and prices. It could be worth asking the expedition company if they can honor the offer you’re finding elsewhere. Sometimes they will, sometimes they won’t, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

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WOW, Kaisatsu!  Thank you for all of that valuable information!  We are booking for the 2023 season, which is pretty far out, but most of the sites are saying that as of July 1, the rates will be going up.  (which is the reason I was thinking of pulling the trigger)


I have signed up for several sites mailing lists and have been watching them.  I independently plan all of our trips except for two which were hiking expeditions (mountains) for 7-8 days each.

 

I am very appreciative for your guidance as I was feeling uncomfortable on jumping on this one without feeling I had done proper research.  Normally it takes me minimum 6 months research before I start making reservations, the travel binders I make for these are normally 3 inches thick, lol.

 

P.S.  I just noticed you are from Norway!  Hubby and I did a self drive road trip through arctic Finland, Sweden, and Norway a few years ago (about 3 weeks).  We stayed at local places, normally a small house on owner's land and LOVED every moment of it!   (the ferries for the cars were fun too)  😄  Very beautiful country!

 

I think the only mistake I made on that trip was "budgeting" catching fish for dinners sometimes.  Didn't even have time to fish lol.

 

Thank you again for taking time to advise a weary traveler like me 🙂

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1 hour ago, Sailkeywest said:

P.S.  the Northern Lights when we could catch them were mesmerizing also!

 

It would be interesting although obviously impossible to get the opportunity to see the aurora australis.  I spent almost a week on a aurora borealis trip it seeing the aurora australis would balance them out.

 

DON

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@Sailkeywest Have you looked at GAdventures? Their Antarctica Classic trips for the 22/23 season are around the same price for mid-season. They're only 11 days, but the MS Expedition is smaller than Hondius, and since they sail with a slightly reduced capacity and have a separate kayak program, they can usually put everyone ashore at once. They also have a similarly-priced 13-day trip (Antarctica Classic in Depth) that runs a bit earlier than peak season. It looks like they're running that one as late as early December, which is well into main season these days. Having been down with both Oceanwide and GAdventures, I'd say that they're quite similar experiences on a typical trip like this one.

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  • 1 year later...
On 6/12/2021 at 11:19 PM, donaldsc said:

... Also you will almost certainly not get to land on Elephant Island.  At best, you probably only get a zodiac cruise at the island.  If the weather is bad, you will just get to see the island from your ship.

...

Sorry, but a newbie question regarding Elephant Island:  Why would you expect not to land on Elephant Island?  It is because it is so exposed?  It would be pretty impressive to visit where Sheckleton's crew was stranded.

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On 6/12/2021 at 2:37 PM, Sailkeywest said:

Hi there, my hubby and I are still planning an Antarctica Cruise and I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on this itinerary and/or the ship?   Room Suggestions?  and thank you for any and all insight 🙂....

Did you ever buy these tickets?  Do you have any comments if you did?

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21 minutes ago, pdmlynek said:

Sorry, but a newbie question regarding Elephant Island:  Why would you expect not to land on Elephant Island?  It is because it is so exposed?  It would be pretty impressive to visit where Sheckleton's crew was stranded.

Exposed … also, there may be quite a bit of ice, as was the case when we went there in January 2007.  We did a zodiac cruise through the brash ice, which sounded like a blender crushing ice.  No way to get ashore.

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1 hour ago, pdmlynek said:

Sorry, but a newbie question regarding Elephant Island:  Why would you expect not to land on Elephant Island?  It is because it is so exposed?  It would be pretty impressive to visit where Sheckleton's crew was stranded.

Even when the ice is clear, it tends to see quite high swells, which makes it very difficult to land the zodiacs safely. And most itineraries don’t even come close, since it’s out of the way if you’re not coming to/from South Georgia.

 

When we landed, we were with some expedition staff who had done 8 seasons and never been able to go ashore.

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On 6/13/2021 at 5:33 PM, Sailkeywest said:

Oops, here is the actual itinerary:  (f anyone would like to see)

 

This expansive expedition takes you into the Antarctic Circle, combining the rich animal life of the Weddell Sea with the surreal shores and islands of the Antarctic Peninsula. Such key landing sites as the legendary Elephant Island and Crystal Sound make this voyage truly exceptional.

Antarctica – Elephant Island – Weddell Sea – Polar Circle: -

This adventurous polar expedition in the Antarctic Circle combines the exciting Weddell Sea with the amazing Antarctic Peninsula, including such iconic landing sites as Ernest Shackleton’s legendary Elephant Island and the many icy and wildlife-filled islands of Crystal Sound.

Day 1: End of the world, start of a journey

Your voyage begins where the world drops off. Ushuaia, Argentina, reputed to be the southernmost city on the planet, is located on the far southern tip of South America. Starting in the afternoon, you embark from this small resort town on Tierra del Fuego, nicknamed “The End of the World,” and sail the mountain-fringed Beagle Channel for the remainder of the evening.

Day 2 – 3: Path of the polar explorers

Over the next two days on the Drake Passage, you enjoy some of the same experiences encountered by the great polar explorers who first charted these regions: cool salt breezes, rolling seas, maybe even a fin whale spouting up sea spray. After passing the Antarctic Convergence – Antarctica’s natural boundary, formed when north-flowing cold waters collide with warmer sub-Antarctic seas – you are in the circum-Antarctic upwelling zone. Not only does the marine life change, the avian life changes too. Wandering albatrosses, grey-headed albatrosses, black-browed albatrosses, light-mantled sooty albatrosses, cape pigeons, southern fulmars, Wilson’s storm petrels, blue petrels, and Antarctic petrels are a few of the birds you might see.

Day 4: From Point Wild to the Weddell Sea

We will arrive early to the famous Point Wild, Elephant Island, where Shackleton’s crew made their first landing after the loss of their ship, Endurance. This inhospitable spit of land is a favorite among our guests, and if conditions permit, we will offer activities around the point before setting off for the Weddell Sea.

Day 5: Weddell Sea Devil Island

Today you enter the wondrous Weddell Sea, a relatively unvisited area in which we hope to carry out activities in Erebus and Terror Gulf. We may also visit such places such as Beak Island and Devil Island, which boast some stunning scenery as well as the pack ice for which the Weddell Sea is famous.

Day 6: Exploring the most remote regions

As we continue to explore the area of Erebus and Terror Gulf, we look for new opportunities for activities. You may also visit Vega Island, experiencing the wilderness of Antarctica in its most remote places.

Day 7: Orléans Strait whale search

Now we sail down the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, entering the Orleans Strait. Here we hope to see humpback and orca whales as we sail toward Mikklesen Harbor for our afternoon activities.

Day 8: Port monuments and island wildlife

Passing the Lemaire Channel, you next arrive in the area of Port Charcot, where there is a cairn that was erected by the French Antarctic Expedition of 1903 – 05. In the afternoon, we head to Petermann Island to see a great variety of birdlife. You might also enjoy Zodiac cruises among icebergs that are highly popular with leopard seals and crabeater seals. Minke whales, humpbacks, and gentoo penguins can also be found here.

Day 9: Detaille Island’s historic station

Today we reach Crystal Sound, viewing the area’s beautiful ice formations and wildlife before landing at Detaille Island. This remote island was once home to a British research station that is now an historic monument.

Day 10: Amazing Argentine islands

Next you arrive at the Yalour Islands, a small archipelago composed mostly of isolated rocks and one principal island that offers us a rewarding landing. Home to Adélie penguins and some of the most southerly gentoos in the world, Yalour also has small patches of bearded and crustose lichen, including xanthoria, buellia, caloplaca, and usnea. Extensive moss beds and some Antarctic hair grass (Deschampsia antarctica) can be seen as well.

We hope to also visit the nearby Ukrainian research station, Vernadsky, where a warm welcome awaits us. Here you can take a guided tour of the facilities, which include a small gift shop, a post office that is always popular with our guests, and Wordie House, a well-preserved historic hut. This hut still contains its rations, tools, and beds, so you can compare the amenities of an early facility with a modern one like Vernadsky.

Day 11: Farewell to Antarctica

We have our farewell to Antarctica in the Melchior Islands for our final activities before heading towards the Drake Passage.

Day 12 – 13: Familiar seas, familiar friends

Your return voyage is far from lonely. While crossing the Drake, you’re again greeted by the vast array of seabirds remembered from the passage south. But they seem a little more familiar to you now, and you to them.

Day 14: There and back again

Every adventure, no matter how great, must eventually come to an end. It’s now time to disembark in Ushuaia, but with memories that will accompany you wherever your next journey leads.

Wow, this itinerary sounds wonderful!

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8 hours ago, kaisatsu said:

....

And most itineraries don’t even come close, since it’s out of the way if you’re not coming to/from South Georgia.

....

This itinerary surprises me in as well. The majority of ships visiting Antarctica spend some time in visiting South Shetland Islands, yet this itinerary seems to bypass them except for the out of the way Elephant Island. Surely it would have been much easier to visit some of the central South Shetlands. 

 

Given the out of way location and the extreme difficulty in landing, can you think of any reason why the cruise line would choose to visit Elephant Island?

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