Ryan
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?”
Ryan's Trip Date:
19th Jan - 31st Jan 2025
What was your most memorable moment?
Being surrounded by humpbacks bubble-net feeding in a protected bay on the first night on the peninsula.
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: Antarctic Fly & Sail Combination?
10 out of 10
Were Swoop right to recommend Aurora Expeditions?
Yes
Tell us about Zodiac excursions
Yes, our only issue was we missed one because they weren't clear when the final boat was going out. But after we complained they were better about communication for the rest of the trip. The boat guides didn't have great expertise always, so a bit more communication about what people want to try and find would be helpful.
Tell us about the expedition team
Fantastic, especially Jamie, Elena, Andrea, and Mark. Really loved the team!
Tell us about the Sylvia Earle
Cabin and common spaces were great. The food was okay, our biggest complaint was they didn't have nearly enough snacks. Especially the first few days, many passengers were starving between meals. Would be nice if they had an area where passengers could get food at all times, similar to what exists on NatGeo ships. More vegetarian options would also be greatly appreciated, we got pretty tired of steak and lamb. Also for Rockhopper we were always sat alone when we booked for 2 but didn't want that, would rather have the option to sit with others when we were booking.
Something Else?
Would love more discussion of conservation throughout the voyage, both in lectures and in the zodiacs, etc. Also would be nice to allow passengers to opt-in to having contact information shared after the voyage. I was able to connect with a few passengers before we left, but there were others I would love to keep in touch with. Also the wakeup calls were often too early (1h before breakfast) and I would have appreciated another 30 minutes of sleep. I also think they should change their drinks policy and have drinks included either at all times or at least during the daily recap. NatGeo includes that in the price and it's a better experience. I ended up hesitating to get a drink at the beginning, which made the daily briefing experience less fun and communal. If they are included, it becomes less of an issue. Also would love less time at "historical" sights, more time with animals. And perhaps more discussion with the passengers about potential trips -- for example, could we do more of the peninsula or even try for the Weddell instead of going to the South Shetlands at the end?
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Antarctica?
Maximize time on the continent. Weather is a crap shoot so improve your chances by spending more time there. You won't get sick of it!
Has your experience changed your perspective in any way?
Of course, I want to preserve these areas even more and want to take action to stop the unnecessary krill fishing.
Do you have any recommendations for Swoop, or feedback about the team?
The only feedback I can think of is a warning that Aurora also partners with Tripolar so a huge portion of the ship will be a Chinese tour group. Ours was generally okay, but there were some cultural differences around respect for space (especially with photography) that were frustrating to navigate. It also wasn't clear to us how the kayaking/snorkling stuff went with Aurora (that if you signed up, which we didn't, it meant you did that activity every landing). Not an issue for us on this trip, but something to be very clear with the clients about.
How prepared and excited for Antarctica did you feel?
Very, perhaps too prepared (we didn't need all of our coldest weather clothes).
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
