November Reviews

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.

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!

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!

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

The trip met all of our expectations. The weather was beautiful, and we saw everything we came to see, including an Emperor penguin! The trip was bi-lingual, with about 80% of the people German speakers from Switzerland. As such, we weren't able to engage the other people as much as we would have wanted.

See above

Highlights were the icebergs! That is what drove me to Antarctica and we were not disappointed. Of course the penguins were icing no the cake. Kayaking was superb! We don't remember signing up (did Swoop comp us?) and we loved every moment of it!

Which magical moment to describe? I was so elated once we embarked on our epic journey to South Georgia and feel ever so lucky to hit the big 3 colonies - St Andrews, Gold Harbour and Salisbury Plain, as well as King Haakon Bay and Drygalski Fjord. Yes my anxiety levels peaked at the start of our expedition with a flight cancellation and an aborted landing in the Falklands but yes, I am now proud to be part of a statistic shared - only 0.04% of the population has ever visited South Georgia. After dealing with the initial feeling of being overwhelmed when greeted by 150,000 pairs of kings plus their furry offspring, I discovered so much more to penguins - I love how they use their becks not just to feed but also to push themselves up or to climb hills. Their cuteness, curiosity and cheekiness is so mesmerising, and their inflappable nature - I could watch them for hours. Whilst I joined the expedition as an independent traveller, I disembarked from the Vavilov with some new found friends, some moving stories, magical moments and many cherished memories. If it wasn't for the photographic evidence, I think it was a distant dream!