Anonymous
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?”
Anonymous' Trip Date:
27th Dec - 18th Jan 2024
What was your most memorable moment?
My most memorable moment was finishing the hike from Godthul to Sandebrugten and being greeted by a curious baby fur seal who cutely charged at me.
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: Immense Discovery: Falklands, South Georgia & the Peninsula?
10 out of 10
Were Swoop right to recommend Aurora Expeditions?
Yes
Tell us about Zodiac excursions
The Zodiac excursions were good. The best ones were the ones we did with just the snorkel team where we were about 4 passengers per zodaic. When we went on the zodaics with the general passengers they sometimes felt overcrowded, especially when people brought so much camera equipment. In our most memorable zodiac cruise, we were at St. Andrew's bay observing the penguin colony in the rain when a leopard seal swam right up to our zodiac!
Tell us about the expedition team
We could not have aske for a better expedition team. Our expedition team leader was the legend Greg Mortimer himself, and I wonder if it was because of him that we had some extraordinary experiences other boats didn't get to do, for example: We landed on Point Wild, we were on the Antarctic Circle during New Years, and we did the long hike from Godthul. I also liked that we had members on the expedition team that used to work at the Antarctic research stations (Jocelyn and Eddy.) Their lecture on working in Antarctica was my favorite. Mark did a really great job with the recap / briefing daily lectures.
Tell us about the Greg Mortimer
The Greg Mortimer was great. Only complaint was that when we boarded the boat our room was not clean - We found someone else's hair, a half drunk glass of wine, and other trash. The staff quickly cleaned it up. The dining room staff were the highlight - They learned everyone's name quickly and always had a smile. They also bent over backwards to fulfill special requests.
Tell us about the Snorkelling
We would highly recommend snorkelling. For one, for each landing we got to snorkel and do the landing so we didn't miss anything. Two, our group was smaller so our zodiacs were less crowded. We also saw great stuff underwater - We played with a krill, saw an iceberg break off under water, and saw penguins swimming. The guides (Birgitta, Thomas, and Richard) could not have been better! They were very nice and helped us with our gear each time. It would have been nice to know in advance there is no snorkeling in South Georgia or the Falklands. Given the Avian Flu though, we likely wouldn't have wanted to snorkel in South Georgia anyway due to the dead elephant seals in the water.
Something Else?
Best trip of my life - Still thinking about it!
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Antarctica?
1. Be sure to spend time observing without your camera. A lot of people on our trip missed magical moments because they were focused on getting their camera out. 2. Be prepared for tough physical conditions and icy step landings.
Has your experience changed your perspective in any way?
It was heartwarming to see a place that is truly unaffected by people. It renews my dedication to conservation. I also pushed my physical limits during the trip and came out with more confidence in myself.
Do you have any recommendations for Swoop, or feedback about the team?
1. Better communication / description on how snorkelling and the wifi works
How prepared and excited for Antarctica did you feel?
I felt well prepared and very excited!
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
