Customer Reviews

Getting married in Antarctica was amazing experience and clearly the most memorable experience. I think Swoop and the team on the boat did an amazing job accommodating our ceremony and was extremely please all around the experience. Outside of that, the interactions and viewing of the animals was also an amazing experience. Awesome to see baby penguins go from eggs, to small chicks, to larger chicks depending upon the part of Antarctica we were in.

Seeing whales in the zodiac

Seeing whales really close while zodiac cruising

Seeing whales feeding at sunrise

Truthfully, the sunset on the first night was otherwordly. However, the frequency and the amount of wildlife that we encountered on the trip was also fantastic.

The impressive silence (except for the sounds of breeding penguins) in the area, being so close to wildlife and respecting that for a full 100%

A close-up encounter with some humpback whales while in the zodiac.

1- 60mt high Ice Burg Falling in front of me 2- 20 whales giving a spectacular show

The expedition staff far surpassed all my expectations. My favorite moment though was just sitting with the penguin colonies and watching them interact with each other. Absolutely incredible experience!

Waking up the first morning in Antarctica and walking out on deck surrounded by an untouched wild beauty that words can't describe.

Honestly, there are almost too many to count. The top moments were probably seeing a pod of orcas off the side of the boat, seeing a caving iceberg, and climbing Spigot Peak.

Sailing through the Lemaier Channel with a huge iceberg in the middle. Several other ships had to turn around but we successfully navigated the channel and were rewarded with a breathtaking experience in flow ice and bergs

Walking through the penguin colonies in South Georgia...

The ship was the perfect size and the number of people, just right. We were impressed with how knowledgeable the guides were. Most magical moment: Antartica silence on top of the snowy hill, and the hike to the top of the hill in cierva cove, where it was windy and typical Antartica weather.

I marked maybe because we like to experience new ventures so as the saying goes "been there, done that:. The highlight was the zodiac cruises to see the icebergs and sea life. The people were a mix of 16 nationalities, all very friendly and interesting. The biggest and most appreciated surprise was the cabin upgrade. The most magical moment was seeing the full moon rise over the mountain top.

The trip was fantastic.

Everything was great

Awesome, Incredible, Amazing, Wonderful, Perfect, Great Response, I would do it all again! Tough to give only one example, camping, polar plunge, cruising on Zodiac's, landings, lectures, food, cabins, talent show Wildlife, great. Everyone was amazing passengers, great expedition team leader and members, and crew It was all a surprise. Whatever I thought I knew, what I thought I expected everything surprised me. Especially the icebergs, colors, wildlife, history Can't limit to one answer hitting the water in the polar plunge, watching the leopard seal catch penguins and being only feet from all of it, the whales, the penguins were so amazing.

The highlights were the abundant wildlife and spectacular landscape of icebergs, glaciers and snow covered mountains and ice shelves. I was surprised by the abundance of wildlife including Humpback whales and the many close encounters we had with whales, seals and penguins who were often curious about the humans visiting their world. The ship operator's team and the Russia. Crew of the Vavilov were fantastic. The Expefition leader and guides were knowledgeable, skilled, friendly, helpful and passionate about Antarctica and its environment and wildlife. It was also great to have scientists on board who were conducting research on whales and provided lectures on board the ship. We met many like minded passengers - who we will stay in contact with. I think the most magical moment was in Charlotte Bay on the Zodiacs seeing and experiencing so many Humpback whales, a few Minke whales and having a few close encounters with some curious Humpbacks.

The trip was great. The Plancius was a clean and well run ship. Accommodations and dining on the hotel staff side were well run and comfortable. The Expedition Staff were helpful, informative and showed their passion for Antarctica. Events were flexible but well planned. Landscapes were stunning, the weather was warmer than expected, hovering around freezing and the wildlife was great to see up close. The small ship size with 105 guests was nice. You may not have had the chance to speak to everyone, but that was your own or their choice. 28 different nationalities amongst the guests and crew, so a nice mix. One surprising aspect was the age of the guests. My initial thoughts due to the "bucket list" type vacation and expense of a trip to South America and Antarctica was of an early retired mid-60's well off couple with appropriate means as the standard guest. However there were many younger guests, although the youngest few (mid 20's) were there with their parents for special birthdays etc. But also many in late 30's to 40's which may have been a product of this being a diving adventure. There definitely were the 60's-ish couples but much more age diversity. It is hard to pick one most special moment, however crossing the Antarctic Circle and cruising in Crystal Bay is something to remember for a lifetime. The same goes for the close interaction with Fur Seals on land and near the shore.