Oceanwide's 170-guest flagship and the world's first-registered Polar Class 6 vessel — purpose-built for expedition cruising, with two gangways and a sheltered indoor Zodiac boarding bay for faster, drier shore landings.
- Guests
- 170 guests
- 80 cabins
- Ice class
- Polar Class 6
- World's first PC6
- Length
- 107.6 meters
- 353 feet
- Construction
- Built 2019
- Purpose-built, Croatia
- Starting price
- $7,000
- per person
Style Pure expedition · Basic comfort
- Wildlife Encounters
- Ice-Strengthened Hull
- Family-Friendly
MV Hondius is the ship that put Oceanwide on the modern map. Launched in 2019 from Croatia’s Brodosplit yard, she was the world’s first vessel registered to Lloyd’s Polar Class 6 — not a research ship refitted into a cruiser, but a hull designed from a blank sheet for one job: getting 170 guests into the ice and back out efficiently. Two separate gangways and a sheltered, indoor Zodiac boarding bay mean landings launch faster and drier than on almost anything her size.
She carries the full Oceanwide expedition kit — a fleet of fast Zodiacs, sea kayaks, a covered aft marina platform, an observation lounge, and a lecture room for the naturalist-led program that fills the hours between landings. Accommodations run a wide range for an expedition ship, from portholes and windows up to junior suites and balcony-equipped grand suites. She’s also among the greenest ships in the polar regions, with LED lighting, biodegradable lubricants, and waste-heat recovery for freshwater.
A quick honesty note, as always: our read is built on her specs, her class-leading credentials, and Oceanwide’s three decades of polar experience rather than our own time aboard. But if you want the newest, most capable hull in a value-focused fleet, Hondius is the one to beat. Line her up against the rest of the Antarctica fleet before you choose.
On board + on site
What makes MV Hondius the ship
Restaurant + Dining
Hearty expedition dining, informal
A comfortable dining room serving hearty, expedition-style meals in Oceanwide’s signature cozy, informal style. Substance over white-tablecloth show — exactly the point on a ship like this.
Observation Lounge + Bar
Panoramic lounge with full bar
The social heart of every Oceanwide ship — a spacious observation lounge with a bar and big windows for full-panorama views. Where the day’s sightings get rehashed over a drink between landings.
Expedition Zodiac Fleet
Fast Zodiacs, swift shore ops
A fleet of fast Zodiacs (10 per ship) with two gangways for swift, efficient shore operations — the workhorses that turn ship time into boots-on-the-ground time. The whole point of an Oceanwide voyage.
Indoor Zodiac Boarding Bay + Marina Platform
Sheltered, faster, drier landings
Hondius’s purpose-built edge — a sheltered indoor Zodiac boarding bay and covered aft marina platform, plus two gangways, so groups split and launch faster and drier than on older ships. More daylight turned into shore time.
Lecture Room
Naturalist briefings + workshops
A dedicated lecture room for the naturalist program — glaciology, polar history, wildlife behavior, and photography workshops between landings. The classroom for your expedition.
Onboard Activities Program
Kayaking, camping, diving + more
Oceanwide’s deep bench of hands-on add-ons — sea kayaking, Antarctic camping, snowshoeing, ski mountaineering, and polar diving — led by an expert expedition team. Choose your own adventure on the ice.
Cabins + suites
Where you'll sleep.
Grand Suite
27 m² (291 sq ft) / Balcony / Sleeps 2
The only cabins on Hondius with a private balcony — 27 m² of the ship’s most generous space, with a separate sitting area and the best views afloat. Six suites total, so they go fast.
Junior Suite
19–20 m² (205–215 sq ft) / Window / Sleeps 2
A roomy window cabin with upgraded furnishings, a small sofa, and a more residential layout — a proper private retreat after a day on the ice. The step just below suite-with-balcony.
Twin Deluxe
19–21 m² (205–226 sq ft) / Window / Sleeps 2
Larger rectangular windows in place of portholes, brightening the room and widening the view, with two fixed separate beds. A favorite for friends traveling together or couples who like their own beds.
Superior
20–21 m² (215–226 sq ft) / Window / Sleeps 2
More floor space, a sitting area, and larger windows than the standard twins, with a slightly bigger bathroom. A comfortable balance of expedition practicality and hotel-style comfort for longer voyages.
Twin Porthole
12–16 m² (129–172 sq ft) / Porthole / Sleeps 2
The most common category on Hondius — a solid mid-range twin with classic expedition portholes and two lower berths. Same private bathroom and efficient layout as the pricier cabins, just with that old-school polar charm.
Twin Window
12–14 m² (129–151 sq ft) / Window / Sleeps 2
An efficient twin with a proper window for natural light and wildlife-spotting from your bunk. Everything you need, nothing you don’t — you’ll be on deck anyway.
Quadruple Porthole
~14–16 m² (150–172 sq ft) / Porthole / Sleeps 4
The most economical way aboard — four berths (two upper, two lower) with portholes and a private bathroom. Built for families with children or travelers who want the ice, not the square footage.
Triple Porthole
~14–16 m² (150–172 sq ft) / Porthole / Sleeps 3
A porthole cabin configured for three, with one upper berth and two lower. A smart pick for families with a kid or small groups who’d rather bank the savings for shore excursions.
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