Antarctica Cruise

Our expedition leader is one of the outstanding polar adventurers in the world with many accomplishments and honors. He chose our landings well. The rest of the guides were just the best we could hope for in their level of expertise as well as their personalities which made the trip great fun. The chef planned food that was well-prepared and creative. The hotel manager made sure the ship was well supplied and knew how to care for the food. We were astounded that salads were as fresh and crisp on the 18th day as they were on the first. The waiters and waitresses, crew and housekeepers seemed always to smile and enjoy their work. The staff that cleaned the rooms did a great job. And we were secure in our belief that all were completely trustworthy and we never had to think about the security of our cameras, laptops, etc.

The guides onboard the Clipper Adventurer were personable and knowledgeable. The interaction of groups of penguins, seals, and other birds was mesmerizing. There was so much going on I didn't know what to photograph first!

We were inspired to go to Antarctica by seeing a show on South Georgia by Art Wolfe the photographer, but nothing can prepare you for the awesome scope, sounds and smells of the wildlife on the beaches. The trip exceeded our expectations for wildlife and scenery. We had very good weather and I would have liked to kayak in some of the protected bays, but it wasn't offered on this departure. We enjoyed getting to know the ship's guides and crew and swapped stories of our previous adventures. Martin, the expedition leader, went out of his way to maximize the number of landings and our time on-shore. He did a superb job. The dining room staff was as good as you would find in any nice restaurant.

We really enjoyed working with ExpeditionTrips and would book with you again in the future. In fact, I wish I were back in South Georgia right now! I also appreciated having you schedule the additional hotel time in Ushuaia and booking our flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia for us. Thank you again!

Our Polish marine biologist helped me down a steep tussock grass hill when I decided it was too severe for me. The waiters all knew my dietary restrictions and the kitchen provided substitutes willingly and quickly. Everyone catered to all age levels, interests, languages and abilities. I was tremendously impressed.

A real unexpected plus was the opportunity to land on Elephant Island. Making this possible was the superb weather we had every day of the trip.

I have always been attracted to the idea of going to Antarctica. Two things encouraged me to take this trip now: several of my storytelling friends have excited me with the Shackleton story and this trip went to South Georgia; I'm getting older and frailer, so the now or never factor was part of my response. I would still like to get below the Antarctic Circle. My interest in birds also contributed, as well as the encouragement of one of my birding friends.

I can't speak highly enough of all the expedition staff and ship's crew. The Captain allowed us on the bridge at any time and the guides, including Scotty, were so enthusiastic when they gave educational sessions they made it come alive; almost felt you were there, re-living Shackleton's experience!

Neil, in particular, had an interest in the history of Shackleton and had always wanted to go to the Antarctic.

The expedition exceeded all our expectations. The lectures were all very well presented, though some of them lasted 1 1/2 hours, which seemed a bit too long, in my opinion. Jill Baxter really made the trip for us, she was so accommodating and enthusiastic and made the most of every moment she could for us. She obviously had the respect of everyone from the guides to the staff and crew and had an excellent rapport with the Captain, hence a very happy atmosphere. We just could not fault anyone!

I thought the information you put together was very comprehensive and useful - I did a lot of research before I went. We were particularly lucky with the weather on this trip; I did not wear all the warm things I bought especially!! Onboard, the whole organization was first class. The guides were extremely knowledgeable so I learned a lot. Laurie was an exceptional leader and every lecture made the whole trip so much more interesting and a great learning experience.

Although what he (Laurie) considered a walk was pretty much more a major hike! I thought the food was excellent - in variety and taste. The homemade rolls were to die for!!

I had been to the Patagonian ice fields previously, and wanted to go further south - also I have been interested in the Polar explorers for a long time and I love looking at the wildlife. The most memorable part of this trip was watching the albatross and petrels glide behind the ship and the penguins of course, especially the gentoo babies who were SO friendly.

Even though we never met face to face, I feel I was treated with 'professionalism with a personal touch' and believe me, such treatment is certainly a rarity these days.

Everyone onboard the Clipper Adventurer was great. I was particularly proud of the fact the majority of the expedition team was Canadian (given that I'm a Canuck) and as it turns out, I had every right to be proud. I cannot sing enough praises about Laurie Dexter and all the others.

I have always been interested in the polar regions, Antarctica in particular and the trip exceeded my expectations. I loved each and every minute of it (well, maybe not the getting seasick part - but hey, it was all part of the experience). One of the many highlights was to encounter penguins up close and personal; I never got tired of spending time with them. The only bad part was having to leave them behind!

The sights were more incredible than I could have imagined - the blue color of the icebergs, the clear skies, the wildlife. I only wish I could have spent more time there!

This was a life-time dream to travel to the 'South Pole'--I love the sense of adventure and doing what others would feel impossible. The most memorable was seeing the mass of 500,000 king penguins and fluffy big babies. Plus, the fact that we felt we had the southern ocean to ourselves and that we were the first people to make the landings. I had feared lots of cruise ships docking off shore awaiting their turn. But it was wonderful to have the Robinson Crusoe feeling.

The crew was also excellent; I speak Russian and so they were very kind in letting me practice with them. They had long days and often stormy conditions to work in, and yet they always had time to talk and smile; putting up with us wandering around the bridge and no request or question was ever too much for them. I have a very happy feeling about the whole trip--when I forget the terrible seas that we had; I discovered that I will never make a sailor. The whole set up from travel arrangements, information packets, accommodations, to those cozy, huge warm jackets was great and much appreciated!

I especially liked the fact that the ExpeditionTrips’ staff had all been on an Antarctic expedition and could speak from personal experience about what to expect.

The trip was awesome! The staff, guides and crew went out of their way to please the passengers. The hotel manager went out of his way to make sure that passengers’ questions and needs were addressed even when the request was outside of his area of expertise, making sure that the passenger was connected to the proper staff. The expedition leader and captain used their vast experience to provide exciting landing sites in spite of wind and pack ice. We did not expect the option to take 3-6 km hikes in the Falklands and South Georgia, but they were an unexpected extra that we enjoyed. The refurbishing of the Ocean Nova was excellent. Our cabin had more room and storage than I ever expected. The panorama lounge and aft saloon were spacious and generous with the viewing windows. The food was great and the staff was experienced and aimed to please.

There were numerous highlights of the trip, but the most memorable part of the expedition was the hour and a half that I sat on the rocks at Godthul South Georgia and was surrounded by multiple curious Gentoo penguins that checked me out by pecking at my day-pack, boots, arm, and fingers. It was an awesome encounter!!! The rockhopper penguins, the King penguins, walking on water (i.e. the pack ice) and visiting Shackleton's gravesite were also highlights.

The service onboard was beyond exceptional. The expedition guides had such a depth of knowledge. Just one example of many great experiences is that the geologist, who did some seminal work on Antarctic geology in the past, seemed excited to share his knowledge with us, loved to answer questions and showed how they figured out that there had been a volcanic explosion under an icecap with rocks found in Antarctica. In fact, that is the characteristic that impressed me the most: how enthusiastic all expedition members were about sharing their love of the Polar Regions. As our expedition leader said, "you're only old when you've lost your marvels."

The trip exceeded my expectations in every way: the itinerary, the commitment of the crew to do everything possible to ensure every possible listed activity/site would be achieved, outstanding communication regarding happenings/activities, accommodations and food. My fellow passengers were congenial, flexible and interesting. Spending 20 days with congenial and interesting people from around the world was a great experience in itself.

The expedition staff, galley crew and all others gave 120% every day. There were so many times I saw them go far beyond what should have been expected to meet a passenger request, give extra assistance in loading the zodiacs, research a source to provide an answer to a passenger question, etc. During the entire expedition, I did not see one crew member do anything except act in a very positive manner, and always with a smile. The shipping company definitely gets an A+ for the crew they put together for this expedition. One example of this is on Christmas Eve (and for most of Christmas Day) we were told to stay in our cabins and not to be up and moving about due to strong winds and very rough waters. No doubt, like many of the passengers, crew members must have also been suffering from seasickness. I don't know how they did it, but they still managed to make sandwiches for breakfast and again at lunch, and deliver them along with a drink to all passengers. Despite the rough waters continuing until around 4 PM, a great holiday dinner (along with birthday cakes for 2 of us celebrating birthdays) and an evening of holiday celebration was put together for the passengers. This level of commitment was reflective of what I observed throughout the entire trip.

One of the most memorable parts of the trip was sharing the experience of visiting Point Wild on Elephant Island with a son of one of Shackleton's 22 men left on this island, who were eventually rescued. It was so emotional and moving when this fellow passenger shared his relationship with Shackleton, and made a presentation with photos.  As we made our landing on Elephant Island, I tried to imagine what emotions this gentleman must be feeling: a moment I will never forget. Later, as he spoke to the group and tried to put into words what the landing meant to him, along with other moving comments, he stated "I have been waiting for this all my life". There were not many dry eyes in the group.  

Shaun was the tour leader and he was outstanding and very helpful. Akos and Jamie were also outstanding, wonderful photographers.

The Orlova was nice and the Russian crew very efficient; really enjoyed the young dining room servers and the food was very good. So, just want you to know we're two very satisfied customers! Thank you for a trip we'll never forget!

Everything went like clockwork: The agency you use in Buenos Aires was a pleasure to work with and absolutely reliable and on time. The city tour and all the connections were great. The cruise was also a once in a lifetime experience--exceptional service and we'd happily sail with them again. South Georgia was without doubt the most memorable part of out expedition. The wildlife, scenery, remoteness all combined to make it an unforgettable experience. In fact, the Antarctic itself was somewhat anti-climactic after that. If it were available I would heartily recommend people consider visiting South Georgia in preference to the Antarctic.

The Expedition Staff was phenomenal. The caliber of all of the lecturers/guides was extraordinarily high - both 'on paper' and in their personalities and willing to share with the passengers. It would be hard to pick specific examples.

The Russian crew and catering staff were also wonderful. Despite any language barriers they were invariably friendly and helpful. The seamen, in particular, were very patient - some of the passengers were only marginally able to meet the physical demands of the Zodiacs and the crew virtually lifted them in and out of the boats. And never an exasperated word or look.

Gador Viajes in Buenos Aires provided exemplary service - every transfer was on time, courteous, clean cars. The private tour was wonderful - both the driver and guide went out of their way to provide us with the tour we wanted. Please pass on to them how pleased we were with all their arrangements. Both the NH Hotel Florida and Hotel Reconquista Gardens were great - again the staff were very helpful.

We have wanted to go to the Antarctic ever since we took a trip through the Canadian Arctic and on to Greenland many years ago on a similar Expedition Style ship (Marine Expeditions which is now defunct!)

Our expedition team was great. Many of them were experiencing South Georgia for the first time as well. Kara Weller, our expedition leader, worked hard every day to give us the best possible experience. To her credit we were able to add many unscheduled landings including Coronation Island in the South Orkney's and Neko Harbour on the Antarctic Peninsula. The knowledge and commitment of the expedition team was inspiring.

Visiting the grave of Ernest Shackleton and having a toast to the 'Boss' put me in touch with the spirit that has caused people from everywhere to journey here. The rest just made the experience all the richer.

We had 7 expedition staff, all well educated and experienced in their fields and with many previous expeditions. One was a wildlife photographer and videographer and had filmed programs for Nature, another had done cross-country skiing across trips of hundreds of miles in the arctic while others were noted naturalists and geologists. All were what I would consider world-class adventurers. Our group included Americans, Australians, British, Canadians, South Africans, and a charming man from Ireland.

We flew from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, Argentina, the southern-most city in the world, which is nestled in a valley of the Andes Mountains. Just flying in there is an experience of its own. Upon arriving, we immediately hit a snowstorm that left the mountains with a fresh coat of snow. It was like a fairyland.

We arrived in the Falkland Islands, where we made several zodiac landings into beaches covered with tussock grass mounds, seals, and colonies of little rock-hopper penguins. There are some strict guidelines you must follow on these trips, to be sure you do not disturb the wildlife or pollute the pristine environment. We made 2-4 zodiac landings per day, and each time we returned to the ship, we went through a line where our boots were washed and disinfected by a crew member. And naturally, we had to follow orders on where we could walk and how close we could come to the animals -- we were told to stay 15 feet away, but if the animals approached us closer, that was ok. There were no souvenirs taken, and every effort was made to protect the environment, with only 100 passengers permitted on a given landing.

A highlight was South Georgia Island, reported to have more wildlife than any place on earth. I had thought Kenya had a lot, but it did not compare with South Georgia. The landing sites were stacked so thick with seals that it was difficult to make your way through them to get to the gentoo penguin rookeries. The large elephant seal beach masters are up to 20 feet long, and weigh 4 tons. Fortunately, they are not aggressive and totally unafraid of humans-- we could walk right up to them, and I took some fabulous photos. However, there were also fur seals mixed in, and they would come after you if you came too close -- several chased me, but I fought them off. The nesting penguins were in the many thousands, and were along the beaches and surrounding mountains as far as the eye could see. They were quite friendly and would come right up to us if we sat still. We also visited an area of nesting wandering albatrosses, the largest winged bird, with a wingspan up to 12 feet. Another favorite were the beautiful and friendly king penguins by the thousands, about 3 feet tall with a flaming yellow patch on their head and chest. My photos from this island are magnificent.

We traveled for a day and a half through some very heavy ice fields, until we arrived at Deception Island in the Shetland Islands, just off the coast of the Antarctic peninsula. We sailed through a narrow passage into the deep crater of a volcano. There we dug a large piin the sand which then filled with warm water, and I don't know the percentage of seal and penguin guano dissolved in the sand, but several of the crazy ones (including yours truly) shed our heavy clothes and jumped in. After a few pictures we jumped into the icy water of the bay. The whole experience took your breath away, but it was worth it!

Included in our many landings were visits to old abandoned whaling and sealing stations. These operations almost wiped out the entire population of wildlife for the oil, including whales, seals and penguins. Fortunately, treaties have been signed since, and all of this is only a sad memory of man's lack of respect for nature. Most of the old tanks and cookers remain, rusting away.

We finally were able to make a difficult landing on the Antarctic continent, thanks to the efforts of the captain and the zodiac drivers. The surf was extremely heavy and our only possible landing site-packed with icebergs. We only stayed on shore for a couple minutes, but a number of the passengers took the trip so they could say they had stood on the Antarctic continent. We spent the next two days crossing the infamous Drake Passage, around Cape Horn, back to Ushuaia. This passage is known to be the roughest 600 mile crossing in all the world, and it lived up to its reputation. Our small ship seemed even smaller in this sea. We were able to visit with the crew at any time on the bridge, which was really interesting, and something you cannot do on larger ships.

I feel I have been truly privileged and blessed to go to the Antarctic.

The ship probably exceeded our expectations. The food was very good. The staff was very knowledgeable and helpful. It was wonderful to be able to go to the bridge at any time.

We wanted to let you know that every single day of the trip got better! How did that happen? Even the gale on the open seas was worth the experience (and the seasickness pills). Actually, we had exceptionally good weather for most of the trip; we even crossed Cape Horn in sunshine! Whales, penguins, seals, icebergs, seabirds, glaciers... The sheer numbers of animals, the generosity of nature when allowed; the spectacular desolation, the ice, the sky, the clouds, the colors.... We loved it all!

Regarding the ship in particular: We were happy with the size, service, and were pleased with the warmth of the crew and staff. The room was kept clean, the food was great, the service was personable -- we were expecting the distance you get in hotels. We felt included. We felt more like guests rather than customers.

Some of our favorite moments: A cow and calf humpback whale playing and breaching off the port bow; An Adelie chick so intent on running after it's parent that it bounced off my knee and just kept going; The iceberg graveyard disappearing into the distance looking like a Martian City; The sun bouncing off of a pristine glacier; The sound of thunder at a calving; The noise a quarter million penguins can make; Beating the ship's doctor in a game of killer scrabble; Not being seasick!

Also, wanted to let you know that the side trip to Bariloche worked out very well! It's well catered to tourists, even English-speaking-only ones. The hotel was excellent (great 'continental' breakfast) and great location. The parks were easily accessed by the public bus system, so we had lots of freedom at a low cost. The scenery was great, and the weather was great! The CONDORS were little black dots on photos, but were great in person. The wildflowers were in bloom as we rode through them on horseback! The chocolate was too readily accessible and the food was fantastic! We will send you some photos, but we can recommend it highly to anyone who wants to try it. It sure beats having spent the extra time in Buenos Aires (which was OK but was a big city - with all its usual big city contradictions). We did go to a fun tango show as a complementary offering from the tour company when they forgot to pick us up at the airport on our first arrival at Buenos Aires (worked out fine, and they were otherwise excellent).

This trip was way beyond anything we had imagined. We were especially impressed with the smoothness of the logistics as well as the enthusiasm of the staff to make changes as opportunities arose to please us.

You can feel free to put us on the list of satisfied (grinning) customers for references to future travelers. If you ever come through Miami (a layover at the airport perhaps), please contact us! We'd love to meet you and put a face with the voice! Ta, ta for now!

Again, many thanks for your help in planning and arranging such a terrific trip. And as I'm sure Gerry mentioned, we loved Antarctica, as well as South Georgia Island and the Falklands. The boat was comfortable (great food!), the expedition guides were very knowledgeable, and of course the wildlife was amazing and the scenery magnificent!

I'm glad we also decided to go to Iguazu: the falls were truly spectacular. We also enjoyed Buenos Aires and were glad to have the extra few days in a warm climate. The people who did the transfers in there were great -- not only were they prompt and efficient, but they were interesting, friendly and generally helpful in all kinds of ways. It was truly the trip of a lifetime!

The Antarctic trip more than lived up to my expectations. Aside from the fact that the places we visited (the Falklands, South Georgia, Antarctic peninsula) are all fascinating and breathtakingly beautiful, the lectures by the expedition staff added immeasurably to our knowledge of the wildlife, the geology and the history of each place. It was also fun to be on a trip with people from so many different countries -- we enjoyed the opportunity to make the acquaintance of folks from England, France, Brazil, Israel and Australia as well as people from all over the United States. I can't think of anything that would have made the trip any better than it was.

The ship definitely met our expectations. Although it was not luxurious, it was very comfortable and the food was extremely good. The 'hotel' staff (the waitresses, the people who cleaned and made up the rooms, etc.) was efficient and unfailingly courteous. The ship's crew was also really nice; I only wished I could speak Russian so that I could have communicated more with them. The Captain and the officers on the bridge were great and never complained when we crowded up there to become 'backseat sailors' when seas were rough or when we were navigating narrow channels, etc. The expedition staff was wonderful: knowledgeable, informative, interesting, helpful, fun and amazingly patient with us. The only complaint I have is that the area that was used for the lectures was designed as a lounge/bar/dance hall and the seating.

The most memorable part was probably the time that we had made a Zodiac landing in good weather, but had to return quickly to the ship when the weather changed very suddenly. The trip back in the Zodiac was very hair-raising, as the seas had become extremely rough. What should have been a 12-minute ride took 35 minutes. Thanks to the skill of the Zodiac drivers, we made it, but it was a bit more adventurous than I had wished for! My favorite part of the trip (hard to choose, there are so many highlights) was our hour-long Zodiac cruise in a channel filled with icebergs, all sculpted by the wind and the water into weird and exquisite shapes. It was really like being on another planet.

My husband and I have long shared an interest in Antarctica because of what we'd read, videos we'd seen, etc. about the wildlife and the scenery. In addition, I had been intrigued by the Shackleton story, since I read his book about twenty years ago. I don't think it occurred to us until relatively recently that it was possible to visit Antarctica as tourists, but once we realized that tours are available, we decided that it was a trip we'd want to make.

I would most definitely recommend this trip to others, although I think one has to be both somewhat adventuresome and in at least decent physical shape to get the most enjoyment from it.

At any time that we should find ourselves able to plan a similar kind of trip, I would certainly contact ExpeditionTrips.com as my first choice!