Category: Planning & Tips

It’s a question that we get asked all the time at Swoop: when exactly is the best time to visit Antarctica? The answer of course is that it depends entirely on what it exactly is that you want to get out of your trip: Antarctica is an amazing destination for expedition cruising whether you sail […]

If there is another place in the world whose mere mention conjures up such intrigue and inspiration as Antarctica, I am yet to find out about it. For me, Antarctica is a story rendered up by torch light on a dark winter’s evening, a glimpse into another planet uninhabited by human beings and the living […]

There are plenty of ways to explore Antarctica by cruise ship. Taking a zodiac cruise through its bays to pull up at a landing site to step foot on the continent – maybe taking in a penguin colony or two – will always remain the essential experience. But today’s expedition cruise ships offer plenty of […]

Antarctica is one of the world’s great wildlife watching destinations, and even more so if you add the island of South Georgia into the mix. But for the first time visitor it’s not always easy to work out what you’re seeing. The different types of penguin sort themselves out pretty quickly, but there are times […]

I’ve been lucky enough to travel as a professional photographer to some of the most far flung destinations on our planet. From Patagonia and the Galapagos Islands to the Canadian Arctic and Greenland, the list goes on – and yet it’s Antarctica that captures my heart most. Antarctica draws you in like nowhere else. It […]

It’s always an exciting moment when a new vessel joins the polar fleet. Autumn 2022 brought another arrival in the shape of the Sylvia Earle. Named for the celebrated marine biologist, its striking X-Bow hull cuts a neat dash through the waves. The Sylvia Earle carries an average of just 132 passengers, promising an intimate […]

The Seaventure ship is a big favourite of both Swoop Antarctica staff and passengers. Originally designed for around 180 passengers, a complete refit for polar cruising reduced the number of berths to a maximum of 139 as well as upgrading the vessel to a 1-A ice class rating – the highest possible maritime rating. When […]

A trip to the Antarctic Peninsula and South Georgia is the trip of a lifetime for many, taking in some of the most sublime nature anywhere in the world, from icebergs sculpted by a surrealist hand to the cacophony of hundreds of thousands of penguins in a single colony. These cruises also take in a […]