November Reviews

Difficult to chose. Boarding the cruise, opening the curtains the first morning and see how we were navigating on ice, the quietness, meeting the expedition team, the polar plunge, camping, dinners with cruisse mates, the morning salutations from the crew, the lectures, every time we listened to a call for a landing... EVERYTHING!

Going ashore and seeing all of the amazing wildlife in their natural habitat and the raw beauty of the Antarctic

A very difficult question. Being completely engulfed by amazing wildlife in such a close proximity. It was a sensory overload in every sense of the word.

Everyday involved an impact fill experience of majestic power and the serene strength of the Antarctic. At the peak of a snowshoeing event I came to realize all of what surrounded me did not seem real. Words can not describe what I saw and felt on this journey.

More varied than we expected in terms of landscapes and wildlife. We were pleased to have so much time ashore - more than expected. Crew and staff were great but an awkwardness in the composition of the passengers meant less companionship than we had experienced on previous similar holidays.

All moments in Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica were memorable! A favourite however was our last day which was a combo hiking/kayaking/zodiac excursion on a glorious sunny day through icebergs and penguin colonies at Cuverville Island. Antarctica doesn’t get better than this!

An impossible question. Way too many to choose from! But one stand-out moment, being a cetacean-lover, was the ship being surrounded by three species of whales/dolphins at the same time.....fin whales, humpback whales and orca. Awesome!

I really struggled with this one because there were so many special places we visited and views that I captured with my camera, but the sight of huge icebergs was something so completely different than anything else I've ever encountered that it ranks at the top of the list.

Overall, this trip was a dream come true. The highlights for me were the whaling station at Grytviken and Shackleton's grave, and being able to hike the ridges above our landing sites. In regard to the wildlife, the vast quantity of wildlife, and how close you are to it, leaves you speechless. I was surprised at how easy it was to meet people on the ship. The entire experience was well planned out. As for 'magical moments', arriving in Grytviken and toasting Shackleton's grave (before the other passengers had arrived to the cemetery) was probably the most memorable.

Overall, the trip was fantastic. We had so many new and amazing experiences that it is hard to pick a highlight. But some of my favorites include the first landing. After spending two and half days rocking and rolling across the Drake, stepping on terra firma in a completely alien environment, surrounded by thousands of Gintoo and Chinstrap penguins and Weddell seals, was pretty overwhelming (in a good way). Other favorites were paddleboarding, camping, and just taking it all in. The views from Cuverville and Danco Islands, the endless visibility, and the ice. We met a lot of great people on the trip, many of which I think we will stay in touch with. Everything on the trip was a surprise, but the biggest one was learning that Trump was elected while we were down there. With very limited connectivity, they published the results in reception in the morning and it caused quite the scene. People crying, strategizing on how to stay on Antarctica for 4 years, etc. At least we all had something to talk about during the meals!

Helicoptering to a landing on sea ice, and then walking 20 minutes on the ice to see the grandeur of a huge Emperor Penguin colony. It was a beautiful blue sky day in the vastness of ice, surrounded by iceberg's frozen in the sea ice. The curious penguins, proudly showing off their chicks, made it difficult to maintain distance. When one would approach there seemed always another behind. I fantastic experience. And then we got to do it again the next day!

When we saw how Chinstrap penguins are able to survive and thrive in Orne Harbor area, we were stunned. Of course, the entire trip was splendid! Everyday experience becomes more and more speechless. At the end, we didn't say anything but purely enjoyed the beauty of such pristine nature.

Walking amid the largest penguin colony in the world.

Absolutely no glitches and lots of pleasant surprises including aircraft carrier sized icebergs, Zodiac trips through ice fields, climbing the volcano on Deception Island, and up-close-and-personal with penguins, seals, and humpback whales. The fellow-travelers were very pleasant, mostly highly accomplished, and very interesting--a far cry from what one encounters on cruise ships and escorted tours. As for the grandchildren, I'll show some pictures and when they get a little older make sure they get to Antarctica. The continent is ineffable: words fail.

This is so hard to answer because there were so many memorable moments. I think our most memorable moments was during our first kayak trip. We landed our kayaks on a rocky beach to go see a penguin rookery. After getting out of the kayaks, we turned around to see dozens of Gentoo penguins walking by and going about their penguins business a handful of meters away. Nothing prepares you for how many penguins you'll see, how unfazed they are by you, and how adorable they are.

Everything on the trip was great, even the weather (which I know is out of anyone's control, but still an added bonus). The best part of the trip for me were the excursions and the optional activities. Being on land, so close to the wildlife is a great experience. I also did kayaking, which I would recommend to anyone. Being on the water, among the icebergs and brash ice gives a whole new perspective to the gorgeous landscape. One of the best moments while on the kayak was when we were surrounded by hundreds of gentoo penguins, which were in the water, swimming around us and jumping in and out of the water. Amazing experience. In addition to the kayaking, camping on the continent was an amazing experience as well the polar plunge. stories that I will be telling for a long time to come. The people I met on board the ship were also a pleasant surprise. I expected a much older crowd and that I would be one of the youngest ones on board the ship. It turned out that there was a group of about 40 of us youngsters (late 20s / early 30s). I had a great time on board the ship and made some new friends. The staff was also very friendly. They were very helpful with anything that was needed. Many of them would also often socialize with the guests, both during the day and later at night after all activities had finished. It made it a much more personable experience.

There were so many memorable moments. Seeing a pod of Killer Whales, setting foot on the 7th continent, the Elephant Seal pups looking up with those adorable eyes, the King Penguin chicks running and flapping around trying to shake off their down coats. What a trip!

Nearly everyday’s outing was a memorable moment…though more accurate a memorable outing! — Seeing flying albatross for the first time brought tears to my eyes as I’ve wanted to see them since 2002! —Kayaking and hearing the thousands of years old brash ice bubbles brought laughter…a musical song.

Initially seeing the breathtaking landscape. Saw Gentoo and Chinstrap penguins (though only on the first morning) Wish we encountered additional species of penguins as the rest of the trip were only Gentoo, not that I'm complaining, just wish I could see others as well. Did not see a great variety of wildlife, whales mostly from a distance and a few seals though I almost stepped on one camouflaged in the rocky shoreline...oops! Most magical moments was being with Kelly and sharing such exquisite beauty!

Highlight was every morning another day; landscapes and weather were varied. Expedition staff were superb and inspirational. Boat crew were also superb - sorry for lots of superlatives but I could not fault the boat, its crew or the expedition staff on anything - they were all fantastic