Susan & Jay Matt
United States Of America
Customer
Rating
8
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?”
Susan & Jay Matt's Trip Date:
14th Dec - 4th Jan 2018
Overall, how was your trip?
The extraordinary landscapes and phenomenal wildlife were highlights of the trip. I fell in love with penguins, and can't get enough of them. Most of the people were educated and interesting; however, there were some Asian travelers who were challenging due to their rudeness. I only hope Antarctica is still there for my grandchildren to see with their own eyes!
In one sentence, what did you think of Antarctica? Did it live up to your expectations?
The trip was the most amazing experience of our lives!
Would you visit again?
Yes
How was the service that Swoop provided?
Swoop provided excellent service; however, it was disappointing that, despite our early booking, we were unable to obtain upgrades to our return flights. The agent recommended not upgrading to a superior cabin; however, we were glad we did. I believe we would have been fine without rented equipment, but we thought from the documentation that we would need the jacket and waterproof pants. As it turns out, we would have been fine with our own snow gear.
How likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend?
8 out of 10
You chose a/an experience. How was that experience?
We learned that the ship will undergo refurbishing in 2019. This is obviously needed. It is outdated, and the dining facilities were extremely crowded. Backs of chairs hit neighboring chairs, making it difficult to get in and out of the seat. It would have been nice to have more options for meals.
If Swoop arranged some of your travel before/after your voyage. How did we do?
When we arrived in Buenos Aires, we were booked on a 4-hour car tour of the city to go from one airport to the other. This actually was not a good idea. We were too tired from the lengthy flights to enjoy any of it. In fact, I slept through much of the guide's talk about the city. Otherwise, the flights worked out well, all travel documents were in order, and logistics were fine.
How were your experiences on the zodiac excursions and shore landings?
Expedition staff were excellent! It's difficult to determine what the best moments were, but I would say our time in South Georgia and on the Antarctic Continent were the best. The icebergs were unbelievable and we were stunned by the glaciers. Penguins caught my heart and I loved the many species of penguins and other birds.
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Antarctica?
1. Work closely with the travel agent so you understand all phases of the booking process and what is and is not available. 2. Consider your own cold weather gear rather than planning to rent equipment. Likely, any snow gear would do. 3. Make sure you have an excellent camera with telephoto lens. 4. Ensure that you understand who will provide transfers from airport to hotel to ship, and from ship to airport, etc. 5. Don't pack too many clothes! 6. Make sure you have all toiletries needed. Nothing is available on the ship or at shore landings.
Anything else? Tell us anything you’d like to share that we forgot to ask! It’s ok to leave this empty too :-)
We were confused about the transfer of bags from the hotel to the ship in Ushuaia. The hotel was too far to walk with our bags to the transfer depot, especially given the steep streets, so we had to take a taxi to drop off the bags before walking to the terminal. This should have been handled by Swoop.
