Antarctica Cruise

ExpeditionTrips excelled at the speed and level of detail of responses and pleasantness and friendless (all by email!). I felt that even if I had a small, silly question it was totally okay to ask it, and that I'd get a good response. When my flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia was delayed, the response from ExpeditionTrips was both calming, prompt and exactly what I needed. I couldn't be more positive about my experience of dealing with ExpeditionTrips, which will be my first stop for any future trips I take - and this is from someone half-way across the world from ExpeditionTrips!

The trip exceeded my expectations.  I'm not sure how it could be improved. The Expedition staff was excellent - knowledgeable, experienced, interested and interesting.  Our naturalist seemed to know everything about every bird we saw. Everyone was happy to answer questions, at any stage. Both ExpeditionTrips and the staff on the ship at all times seemed to have a genuine interest in ensuring that I had a great experience.

The most memorable parts of the trip were standing on the Antarctic Peninsula itself after wanting to do so for so long, and visiting South Georgia, which was a very impressive, inspiring, beautiful and wildlife-packed place to visit.

The trip exceeded my expectations. The services offered were amazing. I had no idea that we would eat so well. There were many services I didn't really expect that were nice like a bar. I enjoyed the freedom to roam around during the landings. I learned so much during this voyage and was confident that any needs that I might have had would have been met. I honestly can’t think of anything that I would change.

The bridge was open and the guys up there were gracious and polite, even when we got loud.

I loved South Georgia with the king penguins, the most fabulous animal in the world. They are elegant and drop dead gorgeous as an adult, comical as a baby and foolishly inquisitive as a juvenile. I also liked leaning against the stern wall of the bridge deck, holding on for dear life as the ship bucked and tilted and the wave water shot from left to right across the deck in front of me as I watched the albatrosses and petrels dip and soar in the raging gale - all serene as they would just touch the wave with the tip of their enormous wings. And then the expedition leader would get on the intercom and tell us all to come in and they were locking the outer doors because of the gale. Darn!

And then the one time I was alone astern at my favorite place and out of the wake came a pod of orcas! They first showed just their fins and I could hardly believe my eyes as they burst from the wave, huge, powerful and black and white and they did it again and again and I was the one to call the alert and the intercom came on "Orcas astern, orcas astern" and everyone piled out with their cameras and from then on they were "Spence's orcas" because I had seen them and reported them. Exciting! And a great way to win friends and influence people... 

And one of the best parts was all the Aussies on the boat. We all were kindred spirits, loving to travel, physically fit, no complaining… Just great new friends and travel companions.

I was inspired to take this trip because when I was 14, I saw a little ad in the back of the NYTimes magazine with an iceberg and tiny ship. I asked my folks to let me drop out of high school and go. They said no. So I had to wait 58 years, saving my pennies and reducing my carbon footprint.

I wanted to pay for the best wildlife experience and not for fine dining or other such refinements, and that is exactly what I experienced. But the accommodations were very comfortable, clean and well set up for gear. The food was fab - fresh, yummy, lots and well cooked - and the chefs were definite characters. The boat, trip and landings were fabulously worked out and passengers had free run of most of the boat. Everyone - the staff, crew, captain, stewardesses and kayak leader - was helpful, friendly, kind and accepting of all the (often odd) passengers. The crew has left a strong impression on me for their delight in the history, scenery, flora and fauna - it isn't just a boring old job to many of them. And the older passengers kayaking were given a helping arm where necessary (e.g. climbing back up on to the boat—not easy at times).

I think the most memorable moment of the trip is slowly cruising around after a pod of whales in the Polar Pioneer and watching some passengers go completely nuts because they didn't know which way to look - we were surrounded! AND watching another boat just cruise straight past, totally missing this wonderful moment.

I don’t think I could have imagined how amazing the trip would be. The trip was significantly above my expectations (which were incredibly high!!). I’m not really sure it could be improved – I could have had a completely fulfilling and unimaginable trip with just being in Antarctica stranded alone on one of the islands – but the comfort of the ship, the loveliness of my two cabin mates (who were randomly assigned to me and each other), the outgoing and interesting nature of the other passengers, the professionalism and warmth of the entire staff, and the ridiculously good (and never-ending) food were all completely unexpected but made the experience that much richer.

All of the staff, expedition leaders, and Russian crew were fantastic. The whole trip felt very organized and coordinated, with no detail spared. The staff was incredibly helpful with any questions/concerns that we had. The chefs and hotel manager/bartender kept us incredibly well fed and hydrated. The naturalist on board was really wonderful – he gave informative lectures during the days, especially to pass the time in the Drake Passage, and was always on hand and willing to answer questions about the wildlife. The staff was professional, but fun and gave us a sense of adventure instead of feeling just carted from one place to another. They managed our expectations quite well and I think everyone onboard seemed very happy. They also kept us very occupied; there is a lot of time on the ship and times when it wasn’t great to be outside, but there were many scheduled activities.

The most memorable part of the trip is so hard to say, but probably kayaking around icebergs and having the snow starting to fall, or sitting atop a small hill with a 360 degree view of the amazing white splendor on our first clear day. 

Going to Antarctica was a lifetime experience which I would recommend to anyone. If I was to give anyone any advice on this, I would encourage them to go on an expedition ship and to seek an “off the beaten path” destination like the Weddell Sea. I could not think of a better choice of such a ship than the Polar Pioneer, as its size makes it ideal for reaching difficult to get to spots, yet is comfortable enough inside. Further, its very experienced and very passionate expedition staff are always looking for ways to get more out of the expedition. The expedition staff was probably the one factor that made our trip such a good one. They are truly passionate about what they are doing; they enjoy Antarctica as much, if not more, than the passengers who are seeing it for the first time. Thus, they are always in an attitude of discovery, of wanting to see more, of trying to get the best out of every single moment of the day, whether this might be through an additional landing, a hike up a hill, a cruise on a zodiac or even a “polar plunge”, a dip into zero degree waters!

The trip went beyond my expectations.  Having spent more money on this trip than any other by far, it was well worth it. The crew and everyone who worked on the ship were fantastic. If I go again, I would want the same crew. They were very experienced and seemed excited to go to different places even though they have been there before. It showed that they were passionate in their work.

I chose the Polar Pioneer because of the adventure options and the most memorable part of the trip for me was when we, the kayakers, landed on an iceberg and had a little party. The staff and crew onboard the Polar Pioneer was quite friendly.

I enjoyed chatting with the captain and officers onboard. I am really grateful to Al Bakker, the kayaking instructor, for taking care of us and to the captain who was eager to turn the ship to follow orcas and other whales. Also, the Russian crew was very kind to share their Russian cuisine with me!

To visit Antarctica was one of my dreams because it is a fairly remote continent difficult to reach and very few people have done it. I take with me many amazing memories like observing the wildlife - especially the elephant seals, plunging into freezing Antarctic water and spending a whole night on the continent camping and enjoying the nature and wildlife. I will never forget waking up and finding a group of penguins and a seal about 10-15 feet from me!

I don't have any specific examples, but I had the feeling from day one that I was among friends! Unfortunately, global warming was the main reason for taking this trip. I wanted to see the beautiful wildlife and landscape while it's still roughly intact. Also, I loved the ice and isolation so much when I went to Antarctica that I wanted to experience more! My expectations for this trip were completely met. Nothing to be improved upon. The only things I wished were different were more animal sightings, but that's nothing that can be planned... just luck!

We were surprised that the accommodations onboard the Polar Pioneer were as comfortable and spacious as they were, and the superb quality of the food was really surprising. We especially appreciated having bowlfuls of fresh fruit always out in the galley. The lecturers were always good and sometimes splendid, though we did wish that they had a more accommodating venue as the lecture hall was a bit cramped. A primary example of the excellent care we received onboard by the ship's staff is when I (Carol) broke my wrist. The doctor was immediately summoned and spent much of the morning with me, examining, icing my wrist and applying a cast, all the while, monitoring constantly my pain level.

The ship was more than I expected. It was small and cozy and created a warm atmosphere for all of us on the boat. But, at the same time I could find nooks and crannies to hide away when I needed to be alone. Also, I really felt a part of the voyage since the boat was small and I could feel the engine and sea.

Of course, I got to know the crew and expedition staff very well and always felt at home. The crew saw to our every need and were very efficient and prompt when things went awry, like replacing light bulbs and desks that upended during bad weather. I especially liked the hominess of the dining room where coffee, tea, and snacks were always available. The food was excellent - the cooks did an outstanding job!

I did not realize that the other passengers were so traveled and adventurous -- I learned a lot from them and the expedition staff. I especially enjoyed the lectures from people who had actually been to these wild places.

When the guys came back from the traverse on South Georgia Island (Fortuna Bay) and we could see their lights on the side of the glacier, the captain shone a bright light on the side of the glacier to show them the way down. And the next day we all hiked the last 5 miles to Stromness Bay.

The book, Endurance, by Alfred Lansing was what inspired me to take this trip. To be where Shackleton had been had been a dream of mine and it finally came true. As an aside, I believe I was meant to take this trip.

Very fun trip: the staff was very friendly and helpful, and the crew was great and provided excellent service.

Also nice: the fact that we did not have bad weather or too rough of seas and the other passengers were very friendly. A talent night was organized, which brought the passengers together and closer. The food was unbelievably fabulous. The ship was great; the food exceeded my expectations, and the cabins had plenty of storage.

The most memorable parts of the trip were: the people, seeing an iceberg for the first time, seeing whales, drinking vodka shots at Verndasky (the Ukrainian research station).

I will (and I have) recommend this trip to others. It is simply an experience of a lifetime for anyone interested in this kind of adventure. Thanks, ExpeditionTrips, for all the joy you brought me on my trip to Antarctica -- it was truly fantastic!

After a lifelong desire to visit Antarctica, I'm very delighted that I made the trip!

Overall, the trip exceeded all expectations. The weather was good, and the field trips were exciting, educational and sometimes entertaining. Well, often entertaining. I can't imagine how the trip could have been improved!

The ship was quiet, handled the seas well, had comfortable accommodations, and was just the right size for it's purpose. The staff and crew did a nice job, were available when needed, otherwise they were invisible. They were very friendly and polite.

My most memorable experience of the trip was Zodiac cruising through the pack ice in the Weddell Sea: the winter wonderland of the landscape and the isolation in the cold beautiful waters was unbelievable! The other highlight was my first step on the actual continent.

We even made some Russian friendships, too. I took video while Carol took stills. We met and bonded with a group of Aussie, UK, NZ friends and we're even planning a reunion trip to Australia next January. Thanks again for everything.

(Friendly, outgoing service at all times, great communications, and talking with several office staff members who have particular expertise in things we were asking about.)

After 2 trips to Antarctica, we wanted to experience Greenland. The dates, the pricing, and knowing we'd be with Aussies sealed the deal for us.

The Polar Pioneer was more comfortably refurbished than similar ships in its class run by other companies that we've been on. The lounge was most comfortable, and almost all cabins (at least those with private baths; I didn't really study the shared-bath cabins) have two berths on the floor, rather than an upper and lower bunk. This set-up is much more comfortable in general, but particularly if the boat rolls due to the seas.

There were several nationalities on board, but dominated by Aussies; if you love Aussies as we do, that was great. Not boisterous Aussies, just neat. The best of all was having Greg Mortimer as our expedition leader; he's quite a guy. Really adventurous. Took the ship into several places it hadn't been before, just because 'we've never been there, have seen it from afar, and always wondered what landing there would be like'. Neat. He's, of course, incredibly accomplished, and you just got an aura of great confidence and interest being around him. Didn't see a polar bear, but that's nobody's fault. From a lot of the comments from passengers, from Greg, and from the other really great naturalist on board, we now know that we need to do a Spitzbergen trip.

Speaking of auroras, we saw two beauts, the first time we'd ever seen it except once from an airplane. Not terribly colorful, all pale green, but great curtains and a full sky show. We're also hooked on spending some time in aurora areas during the winter, so that's in our future as well.