Oceanwide Expeditions

Oceanwide Expeditions has its foundations in scientific research and the Dutch Plancius Foundation.

The origin of the Plancius Foundation began at the Arctic Centre at the University of Groningen, which launched a research program investigating 17th-century Dutch whaling around Spitsbergen, the largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. With Arctic archaeology professor Louwrens Hacquebord leading the initiative, the ship Pollox was purchased in 1979 and renamed Plancius (not to be confused with the current m/v Plancius operated by Oceanwide Expeditions), to accommodate research around the former Dutch settlement of Smeerenburg.^[1]

In 1983, the Plancius Foundation was the first operator to organize yearly polar expedition cruises to the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard combining tourism with scientific research.

Since 1993, Oceanwide Expeditions has operated in both Antarctica and the Arctic, offering expedition cruises to the Earth's most remote regions. In addition to both polar regions, Oceanwide Expedition also offers expedition cruise itineraries visiting several sub-Antarctic islands, including South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Other destinations include Gough Island, Tristan da Cunha, Inaccessible Island, Nightingale Island, and Saint Helena. From 2024, the company started offering a remote Weddell Sea itinerary, exploring additional regions of the Weddell Sea including the Luitpold Coast and Queen Maud Land.

In December 2024, graffiti was discovered on a historic building in Whalers Bay, part of the former British Base B.^[2] On behalf of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, Oceanwide Expeditions successfully organised a cleanup and restoration operation in January 2025.^[3] This was supported by the British Antarctic Survey, the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

In February 2025, m/v Ortelius set a new record for the most southerly position ever achieved by a passenger vessel in the Weddell Sea.^[4] In 2026, the company repeated this, setting a new farthest south position in the Weddell Sea.^[5]

• Five-time winner of World's Leading Polar Expedition Operator Award^[6]
• Geo Saison's Best Activity Provider Award at the 2013 ITB Berlin Goldene Palme Awards
• Outside Magazine's first Active Travel Award winner in 2012
• Two-time winner of Puffin Award by AECO^[7]
• Best Expedition Cruise Operator for the Polar Regions (Expedition Cruise Network Awards 2024)^[8]
• Best Expedition Cruise Operator for Sustainability (Expedition Cruise Network Awards 2024)^[8]
• Best Medium Expedition Cruise Operator (Expedition Cruise Network Awards 2024)^[8]
• Favorite Expedition Cruise Operator for the Polar Regions (Expedition Cruise Network Awards 2025)^[9]
• Favorite Expedition Cruise Operator for Sustainability (Expedition Cruise Network Awards 2025)^[9]
• Favorite Expedition Cruise Operator Overall (Expedition Cruise Network Awards 2025)^[9]

Oceanwide Expeditions works closely with organizations that support the preservation of natural habitats and sustainable environmental conditions. In the Arctic, these entities include the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO)^[10] and Clean Up Svalbard. In Antarctica, Oceanwide Expeditions works with International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO)^[11] and BirdLife International.

Oceanwide Expeditions currently operates four vessels of various nautical classes: sailing vessel s/v Rembrandt van Rijn, former Royal Dutch Navy oceanographic research vessel MV Plancius,^[12] former Russian Academy of Science vessel MV Ortelius,^[13] and Polar Class 6 vessel m/v Hondius. All vessels are equipped with Zodiac Milpro RIBs for ship-to-shore landings, while Ortelius is also outfitted with a helipad for helicopter transport in the Weddell sea.

On board, an expedition guide team, composed of experts in a range of disciplines including biology, glaciology, history, and photography are led by an expedition leader. Additional activity-focused guides are also present, including specialised hiking, kayaking, diving and mountaineering guides.

Oceanwide Expeditions operates an Arctic and Antarctic program across two distinct seasons. The Arctic program runs from May–October. The Antarctic program typically runs from November - March. In addition, isolated islands in the South and North Atlantic may be visited during select itineraries. All three of the company's motor vessels operate in both the Arctic and Antarctica. Rembrandt van Rijn is classed only to operate in Icelandic and Greenlandic waters, as well as those of the Svalbard archipelago.

• Professor Molchanov
• MV Antarctic Dream