Helen
Australia
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?”
Helen's Trip:
Antarctica & South Georgia ExpressHelen's Trip Date:
19th Jan - 6th Feb 2020
Helen's Ship:
Akademik IoffeWhat was your most memorable moment?
Too many to mention really - orcas playing in the ship's wake, penguins, cruise through the Weddell sea icebergs, polar plunge from the continental shore ....
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
Tell us about the wildlife
Simply amazing. I can't put it into words.
Tell us about Zodiac excursions
So much fun, even if the seas were a little rough but the guides were very experienced and we felt safe at all times. If it was too rough, we either didn't go or we just cruised along the shore instead of landing.
Tell us about the expedition team
Ali was a superb expedition leader and ran a tight ship (so to speak). All guides were very friendly, knowledgeable and gave great presentations as well. We felt very safe at all times and they provided good instructions at each landing.
Tell us about the Plancius
Overall, this is a great ship. The cabins and beds were comfortable and the food was better than expected. I love that is only allows around 100 people.
Something Else?
My only comment was that there were some young children on the ship. While some were well behaved and quiet, the younger ones tended to be more noisy (and talked during presentations and movies) and with the thin walls of the cabins, this was disruptive at certain times. I don't believe it is the type of cruise that children should be on. Having said that, some of the adults didn't consider how thin the walls were either. Perhaps there could be an announcement at the commencement of the cruise to remind people to be mindful of noise when in the cabins. One more thing - 3 hours on the continent and 2 days in the area is a joke really (sorry, I can't be nice about this). The highlight/point of the cruise (for me) was to go to Antarctica. My original cruise on the Ioffe had 5-6 days on and around the continent. I had little choice but the choose the Plancius, after the Ioffe cruise was cancelled, due to the timing of the remainder of my holiday. They spend 4 days in South Georgia so they should be able to fit in another couple of days at the continent as well since I would expect that is the highlight/purpose of most people's journey. While we were very fortunate to cruise in the Weddell sea, we didn't even get around the penninsula to the western side or close to the Lemaire channel.
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Antarctica?
If people want to really experience the area, book on a small boat (100 people). I don't understand why the companies are building bigger boats. It might generate more money for them but it provides a poorer experience for the customer with less time at the landing sights.
