Anonymous
United States Of America
Customer
Rating
6
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?”
Anonymous' Trip:
Antarctic Christmas AdventureAnonymous' Trip Date:
24th Dec - 5th Jan 2024
Anonymous' Ship:
OrteliusWhat was your most memorable moment?
There were so many, it's hard to pick one. Getting upclose with a leopard seal, seeing the beautiful twin arch iceberg, stepping onto the Antartica continent the first time, so many memorable moments.
Which of the following best describes your adventure?
Great holiday
On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend or colleague?
6 out of 10
On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your trip: Antarctic Basecamp Adventure?
10 out of 10
Were Swoop right to recommend Oceanwide Expeditions?
Yes
Tell us about Zodiac excursions
They were great. The most memorable zodiac cruise was when we saw whale after whale and got quite close to whales with Andi.
Tell us about the expedition team
The whole expedition team were fun and friendly. Andi has such a great passion for whales and Chloe so much passion for krill and planton. My favorite lecture was actually probably the one by Peter, one of the passangers. Of the expeition team, Chloe's talk about plankton was really wonderful and I learned a lot that I didn't know.
Tell us about the Ortelius
The cabin was quite comfortable and more spacious than I expected. The storage space was efficent. The bed was comfortable. I love the shade over our window which made it easy to sleep. The TV with all the options to watch shows including nature documentaries was great for the days at sea.
Something Else?
I would have liked more information on what was required regarding mountaineering boots, that they had to be completely rigid. Examples would have been helpful. There were also lists for what to bring for camping and mountaineering an that would have been great to have ahead of time.
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Antarctica?
Bring $5, $10, $20 bills for tips at restaurants in Argentina for before/after trip. If you're only spending a few days before and afterward, you can use your credit card for most purchases but not for tips at the majority of resturants and some taxies do not take credit cards. I would have liked to know the time for boarding the ship (4 pm) and deboarding (9 am) farther in advance so I could make plans. The boarding doesn't take long (not like for big cruise ships) so you can plan to do activities between dropping off baggage in the morning and 4 pm boading. Also knowing that luggage could only be held until 2 pm. I would have booked an earlier flight from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires after getting off the ship instead of having to pick up our luggage and lug it around Ushuaia. A dry bag backpack would have been useful.
Do you have any recommendations for Swoop, or feedback about the team?
Overall the staff was good and responses and answers came back in a reasonable amount of time. I think discussion of what to pack would have been a better discussion to do further in advance. I got more information from reading blog articles on the internet than from Swoop. The webinar was good but it was too soon from time of our trip to easily shop for things that may be needed. I think it should have been done early Nov instead of late Nov.
How prepared and excited for Antarctica did you feel?
Very excited, somewhat prepared but could have been more prepared.
Would you consider another trip to Antarctica with Swoop?
No
Would you be interested in travelling to Patagonia with Swoop?
No
Would you be interested in travelling to The Arctic with Swoop?
No
