Spectacular Ross Sea (including helicopters)
Member Savings
Sign in to see which companies give additional
savings to Travelstride Members (it’s free)
Overview
Highlights
- Visit the sub-Antarctic New Zealand Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site of Campbell Island
- Explore Cape Adare
- Discover Flora and fauna in the Ross Sea
- Visit Cape Evans
- Sailing along the Ross Ice Shelf
What's this trip about?
Compare to similar trips
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Trip includes
- Voyage aboard the indicated vessel as indicated in the itinerary
- All meals throughout the voyage aboard the ship including snacks, coffee and tea.
- All shore excursions and activities throughout the voyage by Zodiac.
- Program of lectures by noted naturalists and leadership by experienced expedition staff.
- Free use of rubber boots and snowshoes.
- Ship-to-shore helicopter transfers (with no specific amount of helicopter time guaranteed)
- Pre-scheduled group transfer from the vessel to the airport in Ushuaia (directly after disembarkation).
- All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the programme.
- Comprehensive pre-departure material.
View Similar Trips
Itinerary
Our passengers embark on Ortelius
Highlights
Bluff & Invercargill
Highlights
Bird Watching
We plan to visit the sub-Antarctic New Zealand Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site of Campbell Island, with a luxuriant and blooming vegetation. The fauna on Campbell Island is fantastic with a large and easily accessible colony of Southern Royal Albatrosses on t...
Sailing south to the entrance of the Ross Sea we may opt to set a course sailing by Scott Island depending on the weather forecast.
Highlights
Scott Island
Cape Adare is the place where people for the very first time wintered on the Antarctic Continent. The hut where the Norwegian Borchgrevink stayed in 1899 is surrounded by a large colony of Adélie Penguins, which are now in autumn moult.
Highlights
Cape Adare
Adelie Penguin
Borchgrevink's Huts
Sailing southward along the west coast of the Ross Sea, we may attempt a landing at the specially protected area of Cape Hallet with a large Adélie Penguin rookery. Further south we find Terra Nova Bay where we aim to stop at the Drygalski Ice Tongue and the Italian M...
In the Ross Sea we intend to visit Ross Island, guarded by Mount Erebus, Mount Terror and Mount Byrd with all the famous spots which played such an important role in the dramatic British expeditions of the last century such as Cape Royds with the cabin of Ernest Shack...
Along the Ross Ice Shelf we sail to the east.
Highlights
Ross Ice Shelf
We still sail along the Ross Ice Shelf, a floating mass of land-ice, with a front 30 meters high. In the Bay of Whales at the eastern side of the shelf, close to Roosevelt Island (named by the American aviator Richard E. Byrd in 1934 for President Franklin D. Roosevel...
These days we sail through the Amundsen Sea along and through the outer fringes of the pack-ice, while we take advantage of the west-going Antarctic coastal current. The sailing along and through the ice is very lively, with sightings of single straggling Emperor Peng...
Peter I Island or in Norwegian Peter I Øy is an uninhabited volcanic island (19 kilometres long) in the Bellingshausen Sea. It was discovered by Fabian von Bellingshausen in 1821 and was named after the Russian Tsar Peter I. It is claimed by Norway and considered a te...
En-route to the Antarctic Peninsula
In the Antarctic Peninsula we plan to visit Detaille Island. Detaille Island was discovered by the French expedition of Charcot (1903-05) and named for a shareholder in the Magellan Whaling Company. From 1956 till 1959, The British Antarctic Survey had their “Station ...
En-route to Ushuaia
Highlights
Bird Watching
Drake Passage
In the morning, we disembark in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world located at the Beagle Channel
Highlights
Ushuaia
Want a tailor-made trip instead?
Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:
- You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
- Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Oceanwide Expeditions.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
Oceanwide Expeditions Reviews & Ratings
Other Oceanwide Expeditions Reviews
Terrible Customer Service for Cancellations
I booked an Antarctic Peninsula trip two years ago through Oceanwide Expeditions that I have been looking forward to for a long time. My goal is to scuba dive on eve...
Seeing Antarctica the Right Way
We dreamed of this trip for 26 years before finally pulling the plug and spending the money. For us it would be a once in a lifetime experience. And it turned out to...
Trip of a lifetime
If I could I would have awarded this 10 stars. I booked this expedition to achieve my lifetime ambition which I had held since I was 12, of visiting Antarctia. At th...
Travelers also viewed
Tour Operator
Oceanwide Expeditions offers since 1996 unique, small-group polar expedition cruises to the Arctic and Antarctica. We own, manage and operate the vessels: m/v Plancius (116 pax), m/v Ortelius (116 pax), s/v Rembrandt van Rijn (33 pax) and s/v Noorderlicht (20 pax). The Dutch ”Plancius Foundation“ (1981-1996) was the predecessor of Oceanwide Expeditions, the first cruise operator ever to organize since 1983 on a yearly basis expedition cruise voyages to and around Spitsbergen.
"Experience true emotions in the polar regions, with Oceanwide Expeditions”
Keeping days at sea short and implementing fast gangway operations allow us to give our guests maximum time ashore to explore. We offer two landings per day, morning and afternoon (weather permitting). Sailing schedules and land programs are flexible, and will always be adapted to local sea ice and weather conditions and wildlife opportunities. Our fleet of inflatable zodiacs are ready in no time for taxi shuttles to shore , and cruises among ice-floes and the local wildlife. While cruising and actively exploring the polar regions, we are sure that you will become increasingly fascinated by these unique wildernesses, places of drama, wildlife, history and true emotion. Welcome aboard!
“Join us for a quality discovery cruise in the Arctic and Antarctica”
Discover the pristine and mysterious polar planet with us! We are pioneers of ship-based exploratory tourism in the Arctic and Antarctica and awarded as ‘World’s Leading Polar Expedition Operator’. We are organising unique expedition cruise programs to the polar regions for guests who want to actively enjoy the spectacular scenery, explore nature and wildlife of some of the world’s most stunning and pristine shorelines, above and below the oceans, at sea and on land.
“Oceanwide Expeditions brings your polar experience to a higher level”
The regions we visit during our wildlife expeditions contain hardly any infrastructure and are almost only reachable by boat. Oceanwide Expeditions operates, so to speak, on the borderline of land and water, where daily guided excursions guarantee intensive and individual nature and wildlife experience in small groups. Our carefully prepared and unique voyages are primarily defined by an exploratory and environmentally friendly travel program, which is flexible and guarantees much time for adventure packed activities, combined with educational lectures on board. For special activities we provide industry leading equipment: tents, sleeping bags, snowshoes, kayaks, diving compressors, scuba tanks and weights, rubber boots with grip sole, polar jackets, sledges (pulkas), mountaineering hard wear.
“What makes us different”
Oceanwide Expeditions own and operate a modern fleet of small ice-strengthened expedition vessels which comply with highest international safety standards and allow our professional crew to navigate safely through pack-ice and remote narrow waterways. The size, capacity and capability of our small ships have proven to be a successful formula for exploring the remote regions for many years. Our expedition vessels offer a comfortable, friendly, intimate and informal atmosphere. Oceanwide Expeditions is known for exceptional standard of service offered to all passengers on board the ships. Our ships provide cosy and comfortable accommodation and on-board life. Our chefs prepare excellent international and well balanced international cuisine. Our friendly international crew, expedition and hotel staff, most of whom have been with the company for many years, will be anxious to share their enthusiasm and knowledge with their guests. Qualified and experienced expedition guides share their knowledge in lectures on board during sea days and during field excursions; our guides come from all over the world and speak several languages.
About Travelstride
Find your perfect trip
Save time
Save money
Travel confidently
Logistics
What's excluded
- Any airfare, whether on scheduled or charter flights
- Pre- and post- land arrangements.
- Passport and visa expenses.
- Government arrival and departure taxes.
- Meals ashore.
- Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is mandatory).
- Excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar, beverage charges and telecommunication charges.
- The customary gratuity at the end of the voyages for stewards and other service personnel aboard (guidelines will be provided).
History of Ortelius “Ortelius” was built in Gdynia, Poland in 1989, was named “Marina Svetaeva”, and served as a special purpose vessel for the Russian Academy of Science. The vessel is re-flagged and renamed “Ortelius”. “Ortelius” is classed by Lloyd’s Register in London and flies the Cyprus flag. As Plancius, Ortelius was a Dutch / Flemish cartographer. Abraham Ortelius (1527 – 1598) published the first modern world atlas, theTheatrum Orbis Terrarum or Theatre of the World in 1570. At that time, the atlas was the most expensive book ever printed. Perfect for any expedition The vessel has the highest ice-class notation (UL1 equivalent to 1A) and is therefore very suitable to navigate in solid one-year sea ice and loose multi-year pack ice. “Ortelius” is a great expedition vessel for 116 passengers with lots of open-deck spaces. The vessel is manned by 22 highly experienced international nautical crew, 19 international hotel crew, 8 expedition staff (1 expedition leader, 1 assistant expedition leader and 6 guides/lecturers), and 1 doctor. Ortelius: a vessel with comfort and character ”Ortelius” offers a comfortable hotel standard, with a u-shaped, a bar and a lecture room. Our voyages are primarily developed to offer our passengers a quality exploratory wildlife program, trying to spend as much time ashore as possible. As the number of passengers is limited to approximately 116 on the “Ortelius”, flexibility assures maximum wildlife opportunities. “Ortelius” carries 10 zodiacs. The zodiac engines are 60hp Yamaha.
Passengers:116 in 53 cabins Staff & crew:50 Length:90.95 meters Breadth:17.20 meters Draft:5.4 meters Ice class:UL1 (Equivalent to 1A) Displacement:4090 tonnes Propulsion:6 ZL 40/48 SULZER Speed:14.5 knots maximum
In the case of cancellation by the contracting party, OE is entitled to charge the following cancellation fees to the contracting party:
- up to and including 90 days prior to departure: 20 % of the total price;
- from 89 days up to and including 60 days prior to departure: 50 % of the total price;
- from 59 days up to and including the day of departure: 100 % of the total price .
Other (deviating) cancellation policies / fees (for example in the case of group charters, block charters or whole boat charters) may be applicable; these are valid only if confirmed by OE in writing (in e.g. the original offer made, travel confirmation, (block) charter agreements or in communication sent later) and these cancellation policies shall prevail over those of the cancellation policy
In the case of flight and hotel reservations, a 100 % cancellation fee will apply for those involved costs unless this is a non-refundable ticket / hotel accommodation; in that case the terms and conditions of the related airline company / hotel will apply.
If the contracting party after booking wishes to introduce changes into the booked trip, this is considered a cancellation and the cancellation costs. In case of minor changes, OE is entitled to charge reservation costs of at least 50 EURO per alteration.
OE STRONGLY RECOMMENDS the contracting party in the case of a (travel) organisation: the client(s) of the (travel) organiser to take out a cancellation insurance to cover the costs of any cancellation of the trip
PLEASE NOTE: A typical itinerary to the Ross Sea is illustrated below. This itinerary is for guidance only! Programs may vary depending on local ice and weather conditions, the availability of landing sites and opportunities to see wildlife. The final itinerary will be determined by the Expedition Leader on board. Flexibility is paramount for expedition cruises.
During this voyage we will transfer our passengers ashore by zodiac. But, we will also operate our two helicopters in certain sites where Zodiacs cannot be used. Potential candidates - not guaranteed - for helicopter transfers are Cape Evans (hut of Scott), Cape Royds (hut of Shackleton), Ross Ice Shelf at Bay of Whales, Peter I Island, and the Dry Valleys. In theory, we plan on five helicopter based landings, but a specific amount of helicopter time cannot be predicted. The use of helicopters is a great advantage and can support us in our goal to reach certain landing sites, that otherwise are almost inaccessible. However, this is a true expedition and we operate our itinerary in the world’s most remote area, ruled by the forces of nature, weather and ice conditions. Conditions may change rapidly; having its impact on the helicopter operation and passengers should understand and accept this. Safety is our greatest concern and no compromises can be made. No guarantees can be given and no claims will be accepted. The vessel is equipped with two helicopters, but in the case that one helicopter is unable to fly due to for example a technical failure, the helicopter operation will cease or even be cancelled, due to the fact that one helicopter always needs to be supported by a second operational helicopter. No guarantees can be given and in no event will claims be accepted.
Special note: Crossing the Date Line
This trip has a total duration of 31 nights / 32 days. However, looking at the starting and ending dates of the voyages, it “seems” that this trip has a duration of 32 nights. This is explained by the fact that we cross the “date line” at 180 degrees longitude. Travelling on this trip and crossing the International Date Line, results in a day being added. In any case, the duration of the voyage is still 31 nights / 32 days.
Become a member
- Save up to $700 per person
- Access members-only specials
- Personalize trip recommendations