Anonymous
United States Of America
Customer
Rating
5
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:
4th Feb - 15th Feb 2023
What was your most memorable moment?
We were very happy with our choice to see Antartica up close through using kayaks to cruise through the icebergs. The most memorable was first seeing the size and magnificence of these beautiful structures.
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?
5 out of 10
On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your trip: Antarctic Fly & Sail Combination?
10 out of 10
Were Swoop right to recommend Aurora Expeditions?
Yes
Tell us about Zodiac excursions
The zodiac drivers were excellent. They were clearly experienced and very helpful getting all of us into the boats. Probably the most memorable time was the realization the ship was barely in sight due to how far we had paddled! It took a while to return.
Tell us about the expedition team
The expedition team had an amazing amount of knowledge. All were extremely competent and helpful. The various briefings we had just prior to dinner were very informative. Roger, the trip leader, was exceptional. It is too difficult to choose one favorite lecture!
Tell us about the Sylvia Earle
The Sylvia Earle was a brand new ship and clearly configured with knowledge of boats which preceded her! That said, our room felt quite small and we had one way traffic around the bed, for example! However, the climate system was well done and the bathroom very efficient! We had an excellent waiter who daily prepared a place for us to dine. He was very attentive. The food has the right variety, was healthy, was prepared on time.
Tell us about the Kayaking
The kayaking was outstanding. It gave us a chance to see Antartica up close. I will always remember paddling by the large icebergs and making our way through broken, flowing ice. We were up close and personal with the wild life. I would highly recommend taking this option. (There was only one day weather prevented us from going out.). All that said, the dry suits were a challenge….clearly constructed to be water proof but an interesting daily opportunity to get into and out of!
Something Else?
This is simply an outstanding trip. It completed our visit to all seven continents and was well worth the time and investment.
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Antarctica?
You can over pack. We had two complete sets of clothing for excursions to include a base, middle and outer layer. I also packed too many quarter zip tops. You can easily wear the same clothing twice and don’t need anything special for dinner. Their laundry service is a little expensive but available. Once on the boat, they provide warm outer jackets with light puffy type inner jackets. The key is simply wearing warm and wind proof clothing to get out to the boat which is only about a 5 minute ride.
Do you have any recommendations for Swoop, or feedback about the team?
Swoop appropriately relied on Aurora’s information to prepare us for the trip. Unfortunately Carola was unavailable during a critical part of the preparation time as she was traveling. We felt a little frustrated with both the timeliness and completeness of the information.
How prepared and excited for Antarctica did you feel?
We were very excited for the trip and were probably over prepared….didn’t wear much of the clothing.
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
