Sarah
United States Of America
Customer
Rating
9
Customer Rating On return from their adventure we ask customers: “On a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest, how likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend or colleague?”
Sarah's Trip:
South of the Antarctic CircleSarah's Trip Date:
14th Mar - 27th Mar 2023
Sarah's Ship:
HondiusWhat was your most memorable moment?
Wildlife sightings and zodiac cruises - can't narrow to just one!
Which of the following best describes your adventure?
Life changing
On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend or colleague?
9 out of 10
On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your trip: South of the Antarctic Circle?
9 out of 10
Were Swoop right to recommend Oceanwide Expeditions?
Yes
Tell us about Zodiac excursions
Our zodiac excursions were the highlight along with our wildlife sightings (seeing fur seals eating penguins, whales close up, iceberg cruises, etc). There were days when weather was less than ideal but our expedition crew handled it appropriately. I was glad we were fortunate for good weather to allow for as many excursions as we had.
Tell us about the expedition team
Loved our expedition team with varied experiences and expertise. Hans, Sasha, Esther, Elizabeth, Ursula, Charlotte, Pierre, Andrew were some standouts. I enjoyed Pierre's talk about the IWC a lot as it was very informative. Andrew's birder talk was also memorable.
Tell us about the Hondius
Hondius was a great ship. I was nervous about sharing a quad cabin but ended up being more spacious than the pictures showed (would recommend including images of the interior closets). Food was great. Yes, would choose this ship again.
Tell us about the Camping
I wish this was offered (was booked previously but not offered on this particular cruise)
Tell us about the Kayaking
I wish this was offered (was booked previously but not offered on this particular cruise)
Something Else?
Would have been helpful to know that kayak and camping weren't being offered due to it being a diving focused excursion trip.
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Antarctica?
Your outer shells are important to be water proof as you will get wet almost every time you leave the ship. Yes plan to take a lot of pictures, but don't forget to just experience it with your own two eyes. You need to be flexible as schedules and plans will change quite a bit. My motto about Antarctica was "Never a dull moment".
Has your experience changed your perspective in any way?
There isn't a photo or video that can adequately capture the grandeur and pure awe of this place. We need to do better to preserve our planet and act more quickly.
How prepared and excited for Antarctica did you feel?
Given the number of reschedules due to the pandemic, I don't think I will ever be as excited for another trip as I was for this trip. I was extremely happy with my packing decisions and preparedness (I had 4 years to prepare given delays).
Would you consider another trip to Antarctica with Swoop?
Yes
Would you be interested in travelling to Patagonia with Swoop?
No
Would you be interested in travelling to The Arctic with Swoop?
Yes
Do you have any recommendations for Swoop, or feedback about the team?
Carola was great and very easy to work with!
