Oceanwide Expeditions Arctic 2025 season begins
Oceanwide Expeditions 2025 Arctic season is underway, with all four expedition vessels, m/v Hondius, m/v Plancius, m/v Ortelius, and s/v Rembrandt van Rijn, operating in Svalbard, Greenland, and the pack ice of the Arctic Ocean. This follows a restocking, upgrading, and maintenance period in their home port of Vlissingen, the Netherlands.
In preparation for the 2025 Arctic season, both Plancius and Ortelius received several planned upgrades to enhance the onboard guest experience, and all ships were prepared for more adventures among the icebergs and mountains of the frozen north.
Ortelius
mv_Plancius by Oceanwide Expeditions
Fresh cabins for a new season
On Plancius, all cabins on deck 3 were entirely overhauled and upgraded as part of a planned process of modernization. These upgrades bring all guest cabins on Plancius’ deck 3 in line with current Oceanwide Experience branding and create a comfortable, inviting, and relaxing environment that matches the facilities in Ortelius and Hondius. The upgrades to deck 3 cabins follow previous upgrades to Plancius’s guest cabins in 2024 and the addition of an onboard library space.
Shining extra light into the world of Ortelius
In addition to planned dry-dock maintenance, Ortelius has also been given an exciting visual upgrade in the form of a skylight in the vessel’s main lounge/bar area. This opens up the space to the sky, so whether bathed in a golden glow, flaked with fresh snow, or lit up by aurora and the glimmer of the stars, guests can enjoy the beauty of the world above from the warmth and comfort of the onboard bar.
Exciting new itineraries in Greenland
This Arctic season promises to be full of unforgettable moments and unique experiences, with dynamic itineraries venturing into the pack ice of Svalbard and circumnavigating the island of Spitsbergen. In Greenland, along with returning long-hike-focused trips into the magnificent Scoresby Sund, two other expedition cruise itineraries allow guests to explore different parts of this spectacular coastline.
hikers in valley near narsarsuaq (c) david buchmann-visit greenland
Flora (c) Erwin Vermeulen
Wildlife (c) Erwin Vermeulen
The 9-night South Greenland Explorer itinerary starts from the South Greenland airport of Narsarsuaq and ends in the Icelandic port of Keflavik. It takes guests past Kap Farel and into Prins Christian Sund, where glaciers and icebergs dominate an ancient landscape. Guests may get a chance to visit the Uunartoq hot springs and explore the many fjords that Greenland’s coastline is famous for.
Remains of the Thule culture will be uncovered as the expedition visits Mariedal, and at Umivik, the opportunity to stand where Fridtjof Nansen began his epic foot crossing of Greenland in the late 19th century may present itself. Throughout, the spectacular aurora borealis is expected to make frequent appearances. Whether by Zodiac, by foot, or from the ship’s deck, guests will have wildlife encounters that will create memories that last a lifetime.
The East and South Greenland Explorer itinerary follows part of the same route from Narsarsuaq to Umivik but in reverse. Across 20 nights, it extends the adventure, leaving Svalbard and charting the Arctic Ocean before making landfall at Myggbukta. Entering stunning locations such as Antarctic Havn and Blomsterbugt, the dramatic landscapes only increase in vastness as the ship plunges into Scoresby Sund, the most extensive fjord system on Earth.
From here, guests will sail past Nansen Fjord and d’Aunay Bugt, encountering musk oxen in the tundra and glaciated fjords. Finishing in Narsarsuaq, this cruise includes a flight back to Copenhagen.
A selection of other combination cruises are also available, allowing guest to extend their adventure even further and combining a trip to Iceland with an adventure along Greenland’s rugged, beautiful coastline and the mountains and glaciers of Svalbard. A visit to Greenland means exploring far-flung locations, and these combination trips may offer the chance to land on the remote fastness of Jan Mayen.
Plancius, Ittoqqortoormiit, Scoresby Sund (c) Katja Riedel-Oceanwide Expeditions
Greenland, Scoresby Sund (c) Alexander Kassler-Oceanwide Expeditions
the town of tasiilaq (ammassalik)_east greenland (c) mads pihl-visit greenland
greenland_scoresby sund (c) Wim van Passel
Embracing the spirit of polar pioneers
The Oceanwide Expeditions motor vessel fleet has never been more ready to take guests to the very edges of the map in the Arctic. With itineraries designed to evoke the tales of past pioneers’ exploration and survival and experienced vessel crews and expedition teams that ensure operational flexibility, there is no better way to experience the staggeringly beautiful world of the Arctic than on an expedition cruise.
Providing authentic expedition experiences is at the core of Oceanwide’s approach, which includes getting their guests closer to the heart of nature and immersing them in the wildlife, history, and natural world of the locations they visit. With vessels capable of operating at the extreme edges of our world and new itineraries taking guests to the farthest reaches of Greenland or the depths of the pack ice surrounding Svalbard, Oceanwide Expeditions is the best choice for daring travelers, adventurers, and those with a thirst for adventure flowing in their veins.
Don’t miss updates, news and reviews about Oceanwide Expeditions on Cruising Journal.
