Oceanwide Expeditions has welcomed its 2019-built Hondius home to Vlissingen, returning its staff safely back to port after weeks of sailing, the company said.

The Plancius and Ortelius are predicted to arrive this Thursday, carrying the bulk of the company’s crew and guides still in the field.

“To say the folks aboard these vessels have had an interesting return trip would be a serious understatement,” the company said, in a statement.

The Hondius was able to disembark all guest passengers in Ushuaia before COVID-19 closures began systematically barring ports along the South American coastline. This meant that Plancius and Ortelius, which were a few days behind Hondius, had to hopscotch from port to port until Montevideo allowed the company entrance.

No passengers who disembarked in Montevideo reported any symptoms of COVID-19.