Richard & Anne Abrahall
United Kingdom
Customer
Rating
10
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?”
Richard & Anne Abrahall's Trip Date:
2nd Dec - 23rd Dec 2018
Richard & Anne Abrahall's Ship:
Lyrial, Boreal, Soleal and AustralOverall, how was your trip?
The multitude of wildlife on S Georgia, the icescapes on and around the Antarctic peninsula . The knowledge and infectious enthusiasm of the expedition leaders . The gourmet dining and wining and the luxury of the cruise ship.
In one sentence, what did you think of Antarctica? Did it live up to your expectations?
Amazing pristine environment. Better than expected.
Would you visit again?
No
How was the service that Swoop provided?
Swoop were brilliant throughout from making the initial booking to steering us through the pre-trip preparations. Even checking that we had arrived at our hotel in Buenos Aires. It was clear though that the ship's operator was not a cruise company Swoop were particularly familiar with. More later.
How likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend?
10 out of 10
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Antarctica?
We were blessed with excellent weather so we're over prepared for the cold we had anticipated. The ship's operator provided parkas which we could keep and not just loaned, so we travelled with warm clothing that we could have left behind. All drinks on board including wines at lunch and dinner were complementary unless you wanted exotic cocktails or premium spirits. We had budgeted to pay for on board drinks. For first time Customers of the ship's operator, an on-board credit of 200 Euros per passenger was given which meant we could afford laundry, videos and photos taken by the onboard photographers and still had a bit left for shopping in the very expensive boutique. Initially we were invited to pay a great deal to have access to wi-if which we declined. It was announced a few days from the end that the ship's operator were changing that policy for all their ships and we could take advantage for the the rest of the trip. Wi-if wasn't great but we were a long way from civilisation. The range of expertise from the 15 expedition staff was vast and we had a lot of excellent talks in the large purpose-built theatre. The was an onboard dance group, two pianists,a guitarist and two singers to add to the enjoyment of the trip. Exercise sessions and dance lessons were available to those who wanted them. The captain and the Expedition Leader were very experienced and proved successfully flexible about landing opportunities. This meant we had a great experience helped by the good weather. The hotel staff we a cheerful bunch, mostly Asian from Indonesia and the Philippines. The cooking and presentation of the food was typical of the French.
