Aurora Expeditions vs Oceanwide Expeditions: which is better?

No score and no verdict of ours: what Aurora Expeditions and Oceanwide Expeditions each publish on their own websites, read 9 November 2026, topic by topic, each line linked to the page it came from.

Aurora Expeditions vs Oceanwide Expeditions: which is better?

Neither is better for everyone: Aurora Expeditions prices Spirit of Antarctica, 11 days, from US$15,436 per person twin share for departures from December 2026, while Oceanwide Expeditions prices Antarctica Basecamp, 23 November to 5 December 2026, from US$10,150 in a quadruple cabin; the cabins differ, so compare like for like.

What is each line?

Aurora Expeditions runs small-ship expedition voyages under its own name and was founded in 1991 by Greg and Margaret Mortimer. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions runs polar expedition voyages in the Arctic and Antarctica on its own fleet and says it began in 1993 from a university research programme in the northern Netherlands. Source

Which ships does each line sail?

Aurora Expeditions sails three ships under its own name: the Greg Mortimer (built 2019), the Sylvia Earle (2022) and the Douglas Mawson (2025). Source

Oceanwide Expeditions sails m/v Hondius, m/v Ortelius, m/v Plancius and the sailing vessel s/v Rembrandt van Rijn; it has signed a letter of intent for two eco-sail expedition vessels from 2029. Source

How many guests are on board?

Aurora Expeditions carries 130 passengers on expedition on each ship; maximum capacity is 130 on the Sylvia Earle, 148 on the Greg Mortimer and 154 on the Douglas Mawson. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions does not publish this on the pages read.

Where does each line sail?

Aurora Expeditions sells named voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula, the Antarctic Circle and the Weddell Sea, the Ross Sea, South Georgia and the Falklands, Svalbard, Norway, the Scottish isles, the Northwest Passage and southern Patagonia. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions sells named voyages to the Antarctic Peninsula, the Antarctic Circle, the Weddell Sea, the Bellingshausen Sea, South Georgia and the Falklands, Svalbard, Northeast and East Greenland, Iceland and the North Sea. Source

What ice class are the ships?

Oceanwide Expeditions says Hondius holds Polar Class 6 and Ortelius UL1 (both equivalent to 1A-Super) and Plancius ice-class notation 1D; it calls Hondius the world's first-registered Polar Class 6 vessel. Source

Aurora Expeditions does not publish this on the pages read.

Who leads the landings?

Aurora Expeditions gives an Expedition Team-to-Expeditioner ratio of 1:7 and a staff-to-expeditioner ratio of 1:1.5; its team includes naturalists, historians, marine biologists and geologists. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions puts an expedition leader in charge of naturalists, scientists and guides, with one mountain guide to every 6 to 8 skiers on ski mountaineering voyages. Source

How much time ashore?

Aurora Expeditions says IAATO and AECO limit landings to 100 people ashore at a time; it aims for two to three landings a day in Antarctica and includes daily Zodiac cruises and guided walks, weather permitting. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions includes all shore excursions and Zodiac activities, with hikes of about 2 to 3 hours and long hikes of about 6 hours. Source

What can you do off the ship?

Aurora Expeditions includes the polar plunge, Zodiac cruising and guided walks; kayaking, diving, snowshoeing and camping are optional extras, each needing a deposit of 25% of the activity cost. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions includes camping (8 to 30 campers), kayaking, snowshoeing, mountaineering and a photo workshop free on Basecamp voyages; snowshoeing and hiking carry no surcharge, diving costs extra and select Ortelius voyages use helicopters. Source

What does a voyage cost?

Aurora Expeditions prices Spirit of Antarctica, 11 days, from USD $15,436 per person twin share (brochure price $19,295), with departures in December 2026 and February, November and December 2027. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions prices Antarctica Basecamp on m/v Hondius, 12 nights round trip from Ushuaia, 23 November to 5 December 2026, from 10,150 USD per person in a Quadruple Porthole cabin. Source

What does the fare include?

Aurora Expeditions' fares include all meals, drinks with premium spirits and wine (from the 2026/2027 Antarctica season), Starlink wifi, a 3-in-1 polar jacket, use of Muck boots, daily shore excursions and Zodiac cruises, port surcharges and landing fees; optional activities cost extra and a gratuity of USD $20 per person per day is added to the onboard account. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions' fares include all meals with snacks, coffee and tea, all shore excursions and Zodiac activities, lectures, free use of rubber boots and snowshoes on Plancius, Ortelius and Hondius, port charges and taxes; airfare, insurance, wifi, bar charges and gratuities are extra. Source

What do solo travellers pay?

Aurora Expeditions offers dedicated solo cabins with no single supplement, 10 on the Greg Mortimer and the Sylvia Earle and 4 on the Douglas Mawson, plus a stateroom-sharing service; the usual solo supplement is 50%. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions charges single occupancy at 1.7 times the Twin or Superior cabin rate, or lets solo travellers share a Twin, Triple or Quadruple cabin at no extra cost in male-only or female-only berths. Source

How much is the deposit?

Aurora Expeditions asks a deposit of 25% of each ticket within 7 working days of booking; final payment is due at least 120 days before departure. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions does not publish this on the pages read.

What happens if you cancel?

Aurora Expeditions keeps the deposit if you cancel 121 days or more before departure and 100% of the ticket price from 120 days; its Voyage Assurance Program instead offers a credit equal to the deposit (121 days or more) or to 50% of the fare (90 to 120 days), valid for 24 months. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions does not publish this on the pages read.

Is your money protected?

Aurora Expeditions places all voyage deposits in a separate trust account, the Aurora Passenger Trust, under its Deposit Protection Program; deposits are released from the trust 180 days before departure. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions does not publish this on the pages read.

What insurance do you need?

Aurora Expeditions requires comprehensive travel insurance with medical and emergency evacuation cover of at least USD $250,000, with proof emailed no later than 60 days before departure. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions strongly recommends baggage, cancellation and personal insurance, which its fares do not include. Source

Can children come?

Aurora Expeditions takes bookings from age 6; under-18s must be with an adult at all times and children aged 6 to 15 pay the adult price unless a promotion applies. Source

Oceanwide Expeditions gives children under 16 sailing with parents a 40% discount in Grand Suite, Superior, Triple and Quadruple cabins on request, with some voyages excluded. Source

When is each not the fit?

The limits below are published by each line on their own websites.

• Aurora Expeditions: not the fit if you may cancel late: from 120 days before departure the cancellation fee is 100% of the full ticket price. Source
• Oceanwide Expeditions: not the fit if you count on camping or kayaking on any departure: each needs a minimum group (8 campers, 4 kayakers) and camping is capped at 30. Source

How do their reviews compare?

Their figures per platform, read 9 November 2026, each from a listing under the line's own name; a whole-company profile is marked. Figures are never added together.

• Aurora Expeditions: Google: 4.4 out of 5 from 107 reviews. Read 9 November 2026.
• Oceanwide Expeditions: Google: 4.5 out of 5 from 66 reviews. Read 9 November 2026.

The lines at a glance

One card each, as on every Uncompromised Travel expedition page: what each sells, why to choose each, what to ask for and the limits each publishes.

Richard Jasinski · Uncompromised Travel · written from Valencia · first published 9 November 2026 · updated 9 November 2026