Crossing the Antarctic Circle!! this was unexpected, and awesome!

Life changing

We saw all that we hoped to see, and MORE! We saw 3 different types of Penguin, (Delhi, Jentoo, and Shinstrap), 3 types of whale, (Humpback, Minkie, and Orca), albatross, a Rossi seal, Fur seals, other seals I cannot remember names of, birds, .... it was all amazing! Words cannot describe how we feel about seeing this wildlife close up and personal.

We enjoyed the zodiacs. We felt safe at all times, even when the weather turned a bit. Our most memorable Zodiac cruise was day 2 with Ben, when we saw Humpbacks swimming around us and breaching. I videoed it and it was my best video of the trip.

The Expedition team were awesome! The staff member which stood out the most was Sara Jenner. She was very enthusiastic, very appreciative of the wildlife and of ensuring we all had a good time. All of the staff were exceptional; however, SARA's upbeat and positive attitude about the ship’s operator, the wildlife, her ability to still be amazed by the beauty of Antarctica, was very catchy. She is a valuable asset to her employers and to the industry as a whole. She has an overall Great attitude and understanding of her place, her role, her job. That said, ALL of the Expedition team members were amazing. We appreciated dining with most of them, and enjoyed conversations with both Myriums....Marcel, Massimo, Sara, and Pippa. Bill, what can we say about Bill, the Scottishman? Grand. A treat to meet him, to meet all. Thank you

The Hondius exceeded our expectations. We have been on large cruise ships and thought a converted research vessel was going to be "roughing" it. It was not. The food on this ship was better than ALL of the cruise ships we have travelled. This is the truth. The variety, especially the Veggie options, was superb! The cabin was bigger than we thought. There were 3 in our party and we were not cramped. The Heated Towel Racks!! OMG, I am installing one in my house. LOL

Unfortunately Camping did not occur as it was cancelled due to weather. Not sure if we are entitled to a refund; however, we would like to receive one if possible. This was disappointing for a moment, as it DID NOT detour from our amazing experience.

We enjoyed kayaking; however, we did not realize we had to make a choice each day whether to kayak, or make landing. This was the only downside. We kayaked on the very first day, below the polar circle, and it was Amazing! Paddleing though ice, dodging icebergs, floating by seals atop icebergs. yes, would recommend

We needed more time in Buenas Aires. We enjoyed the historic buildings and museums and the cemetery.

We loved Ushuaia more than Buenas Aires. This little town is bustling with activity, yet very quaint. We could go back to Ushuaia. Love Tierra Del Fuego Nat. park. Hiking to Chile was a treat.

Yes, use SWOOP. also, get a great zooming camera, and a phone that can take good video....video the whales and penguins...you get a lot out of videoing wildlife you cannot otherwise attain with photo alone.

Yes, in that Antarctica is more beautiful and spectacular in person. The world is HUGE....we knew it was, but seeing the life at the bottom or end of the world is eye opening. We are very eco friendly, and believe climate change is real. so in that respect, our view is same, protect the environment, protect the wildlife, now, I feel, we must protect the Krill.

SWOOP was awesome and delivered beyond our expectations.