Seeing a glacier calving to create an iceberg. Seeing Leopard seals on icebergs.

Life changing

Yes

Yes I felt safe. Even when the wind became very strong. Most memorable when we cruised to find 5 leopard seals, a Weddell seal and a crabeater seal sitting on icebergs.

Very knowledgeable and friendly. Great group of experts in their respective fields. I learnt a lot. They were always ready to answer questions. I ran enjoyed Hana's lecture ls because she was so passion. And who doesn't love seals and whales. But my favourite lecture of hers was the undersea creatures because it was something very different. Marcelo was always funny. And I enjoyed Scotty's jokes and he had a captivating way of presenting. Alex did an excellent job of holding it all together The captain was excellent - very professional and he even took us to an uncharted bay. It felt like a real adventure and I felt incredibly safe with him as captain, even during the Drake shake on the way back. Jo, who was in charge of the cleaning in my cabin, always greeted me by name and with a smile. She was amazing. And the wait staff in the restaurant did an excellent job, even when the whole boat was rocking. The chef was AMAZING. We are so well! However the doctor was unprofessional. And the doctor's available times were very short - only an hour and half. A guest fell in the shower during an extremely tough Drake crossing and smashed her head very hard on the mirror. When she went to him, dazed, he dismissed her saying "Oh you'll be ok". She was very dizzy and could very well have been concussed. At the time he was drinking alcohol and flirting with a guest. He didn't seem to care about his role on the boat. It concerned me that if there were to be a serious medical incident he wouldn't have been able to respond if he had been drinking. Another guest also had an incident where his fingers became trapped in the zodiac and were wrenched. He went to the doctor in the available times and he was asleep! Even though he's "on duty" for only 1.5 hours, he is sleeping during this time. I didn't feel safe in this case.

Food was excellent. Cabin was very comfortable. Lots of space outside. Lots of viewing areas. Lots of places to sit. Nice Library. Loved the afternoon tea. Really enjoyed going into the bridge. Unfortunately the ship didn't seem environmentally friendly, especially as it was going to Antarctica. There was black smoke and soot coming out of the chimney. The engine certainly needs an overhaul. Also during a shaky Drake passage, plates and glasses were smashing all over the place. Surely this happens regularly - the Drake passage is renowned for this. So there should be a solution. Ridges on the edges of tables. Special holders for the plates. Magnets. Slip proof covers. The chairs are bolted down for this reason. Flying chairs are dangerous. Flying plates and glasses are also incredibly dangerous for everyone. Especially the poor staff who have to carry them.

Pack light. You don't need as many clothes as you think.

Yes definitely. I'm still thinking about it now. I really want to return to Antarctica. I want to tell everyone about it. It's made me think about how we treat the earth and I want to make more sustainable choices in future.

Very

Yes

No

Yes