Oceanwide's 170-guest Polar Class 6 ship, an informal and well-run way to look for polar bears on the Svalbard sea ice.
Hondius is the ship for people who care more about the ice edge than the thread count. Oceanwide's approach is to keep sea time short and get guests ashore or into the Zodiacs as often as the weather allows, and in Svalbard in summer that means long days in the midnight sun looking for polar bears, walrus and seabird cliffs. The ship has two separate gangways and a sheltered indoor Zodiac boarding area, which is also where kayakers set off.
It was the first ship registered to Polar Class 6, and it was built for expedition cruising from the start rather than converted. Inside it is mid-century modern in style but cosy and informal: casual clothes, an observation lounge that fills up whenever someone spots a bear, and a separate lecture room for the expedition team's talks.
Choose it with open eyes. There is a range of cabins, from four-berth porthole cabins to six Grand Suites with balconies, so check exactly what you are booking, and a few windows are partly blocked by the ship's design. Travellers who want a spa, several restaurants and suites throughout should look elsewhere. For a first Arctic voyage focused on wildlife, at a sensible price, it is hard to fault.
Porthole cabins of about 15 to 16 square metres with upper and lower berths, suited to families or friends travelling together.
Cabins of about 13.3 to 16 square metres with two single beds, portholes, a shower room, desk and flat-screen TV.
About 12 to 14 square metres with two single beds and a window. Some views are partly obstructed by the ship's design.
Larger cabins of about 19 to 21 square metres with two windows, a sofa, fridge and tea and coffee maker. Superiors have a double bed.
Eight suites of about 19 to 20 square metres with a double window, for more space on longer voyages.
Six suites of about 26.7 square metres, the only cabins on board with a private balcony.
A large lounge given over to watching the ice and wildlife, and used for workshops, exhibitions and gatherings.
A separate lecture room on the same deck as the observation lounge, where the expedition team gives its talks and briefings.
A sheltered area for boarding the Zodiacs, used alongside two separate gangways, and the launch point for kayaking.
Oceanwide points guests to the outer decks and the bridge for the best views of the ice and the wildlife.
All meals on board are included, along with snacks, coffee and tea. The atmosphere at meals is as informal as the rest of the ship, and dress on board is casual throughout the voyage.
Hondius is an expedition ship rather than a spa ship. Oceanwide asks that guests are in good health and able to walk for several hours a day, because the time goes on shore walks, Zodiac cruises and kayaking.
Oceanwide describes its quadruple porthole cabins as suitable for families travelling with children. Passengers are typically in their 30s to 80s, so ask us about age rules for your voyage and for kayaking.
| Guests | 170 in 80 cabins |
|---|---|
| Ice class | Polar Class 6 (equivalent to 1A-Super) |
| Length | 107.6 metres |
| Staff and crew | Crew 57, guides 13, doctor 1 |
| Embarkation | Longyearbyen, Svalbard |
| Wi-Fi | Complimentary, with 1.5 GB of data per guest per day |
| Activities | Zodiac cruises, shore walks and optional kayaking |
Spitsbergen and the Svalbard pack ice, sailing from Longyearbyen, Svalbard
A few of the things we plan for guests in Svalbard.
A seven to ten night voyage from Longyearbyen is the way to see the archipelago properly. Ships work the west and north coasts, landing by inflatable boat at walrus haul-outs, trappers' huts and bird cliffs. Choose a small ship: fewer people means more landings.
Kennels just outside Longyearbyen take you by sled into Adventdalen, the wide valley east of town. After a short briefing you drive your own team behind a guide. Half a day is plenty, and in late winter the light is long and blue.
In the Sunny Winter season, guided snowmobile trips cross frozen valleys to the glacier fronts of Tempelfjorden, and on long days towards the east coast. A standard car licence lets you drive. It is cold and loud, and covers ground no other trip can.
A night in Oslo and one in Longyearbyen, then nine nights on an expedition ship circling Spitsbergen in the midnight sun, looking for polar bears along the pack ice, walrus on the beaches and seabird cliffs in Hinlopen Strait.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will check availability, suggest the right room and send a price.
