Joe
United States Of America
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?”
Joe's Trip Date:
17th Nov - 3rd Dec 2022
What was your most memorable moment?
Walking amid the largest penguin colony in the world.
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?
10 out of 10
On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your trip: Fly-Sail Antarctica & South Georgia?
10 out of 10
Tell us about the Magellan Explorer
The cleanest , most pristine ship I’ve ever been in…stabilizers really helped it in the rougher seas…we were very surprised at the spaciousness of the room…all the finishes in the ship were so well designed and top quality.
Tell us about the expedition team
Everyone, from David, the lead ..who had an ever changing set of challenges due to weather and seas…we felt entirely safe with him and knew he was sincerely trying to give us the best experience he could…Karen , the photographer was so kind and helpful, Pedro , the program director was amazing! Willy , Ewleyn ( Tasmanian) and Sophie, Ken, Annaice , Russalune ( the Russian) , Kirsten, Jeff, Bill…all were outstanding, informative, warm, really really great…sorry I’m butchering the spelling on some of the names…Receptionist Rose was SO sweet and printed out a poem I wrote to give Pablo , which he read one night to the group ( it was about a glacier)…on and on the staff was the best . I would definitely pick the entire group to be stick on an island with.
Tell us about the wildlife
We’ve been to Alaska several times, as well as Africa and some of the great deserts, but this is a different kind of awe inspiring experience…really impossible to grasp…even with prior research . Favorite encounters we’re watching the penguins from a respectful distance…..amazing .
Tell us about Zodiac excursions
Great part of the trip….all were great in different ways…just hard to single out one..
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Antarctica?
Bring second pair of waterproof gloves, make sure your outerwear is water proof…we found goggles to be really helpful…if you wear glass, make sure they are the kind that fit over glasses…he and armors and boot warmers were a nice thing to have! We just had iPhones, and wish we had brought a “ selfie stick” to mount them on , as we were always taking gloves on and off for picture taking. If I repeated the trip, I probably would have brought my simple camera with a telephoto lens …many great pictures were a ways off. But most people are happy to share photos, and there will be an accessible website to grab pictures from a couple weeks after the trip, put together by the staff photographer, Karen. It’s important to “ be in the moment” and not worry about taking pictures. We also made a point to get off on our own on shore excursions a few times to experience the silence and majesty of the Antarctic…most of our videos had folks talking in the background…especially the Italians !:)
Has your experience changed your perspective in any way?
We’re getting our 8 year old grandson a plankton net and microscope ( Jeff the biologist advised both) for Christmas so that , hopefully, he will develop a deeper curiosity about the ocean and natural world. I’m planning on learning more about climate warming, in order to dig beneath the politics of the issue. In general , it was a revelation for me to realize how important this pristine place is a place of research …frankly, I’m concerned now about increased , especially large ship cruises to Antartica and the pollution they bring.
Do you have any recommendations for Swoop, or feedback about the team?
Keep doing what you’re doing
Was there anything else Swoop could have done for you to help you prepare for your trip?
Yes, pay for it .🤔🤣
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?
Yes
