Customer Reviews

We know how easy it is to fall in love with the idea of curious penguin chicks and sparkling glaciers, but what is it really like to visit Antarctica with Swoop? We decided to let our customers do the talking and share their experiences below.

Sam  - UK Travelled: December 2017

10

Customer Rating On return from their adventure we ask customers: “On a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest, how likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend or colleague?”

It is almost impossible to describe Antarctica in a few simple sentences. We were treated to her best - spectacular weather, amazing wildlife, surreal scenery. Having spoilt us, Antarctica decided to throw a tantrum and fog delayed us somewhat at King George Island. This just added another dimension to our trip and we got to sail the Drake. (Sof got her wish!) Highlights - way too many. Cruising through the ice to the Antarctic Circle in glorious sunshine, Kayaking with Humpback Whales - literally! They were that close we got caught up in their bubble nets. Watching the kamikaze penguin come face to face with a Leopard Seal. (Have you ever seen a surprised penguin? He loved!) Feeling so small, insignificant and wanting to desperately protect the fragility of this amazing continent as we listened to calving ice and absorbed the silence of the glacial splendour that is one facet of Antarctica. The ship operator's staff were amazing. They worked really well together as a team. As Kayakers we were exceptionally lucky. Great group, great guides, awesome experience. A great group on board - even with the Chinese. I think the delay and Drake Crossing highlighted how well the dynamics between crew, staff and passengers worked. We felt very protective of the staff when we finally left the Vavilov. Antarctica was a surprise, the fog was a surprise. Epic. Just epic. The whole trip was epic! Biggest surprise - our upgrade and that bottle of wine.

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Anonymous  - USA Travelled: February 2024

10

Customer Rating On return from their adventure we ask customers: “On a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest, how likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend or colleague?”

Pod of Orca, 12 circled and porpoised on both sides of the Sylvia Earle for a long time. This was during dinner. Most of the passengers, expedition team, and many of the crew ran, outside on deck to observe the beautiful spectacle. It was an unforgettable moment of observing nature that was observing us!

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Grahame  - Australia Travelled: January 2017

10

Customer Rating On return from their adventure we ask customers: “On a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest, how likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend or colleague?”

As a bird watcher and photographer, the penguins were the stand out act followed by the landscapes and ice. I had wondered about the point of visiting the Falklands but after visiting the Black browed Albatross colony I quickly became enchanted. South Georgia is amazing for both its wildlife and the sheer wonderment of its land mass and form. You get a much better sense of and focus on the beginnings and break up of the continents similar to the relationship between the Galapagos Island and Charles Darwin's theory of evolution where you can see it happening. Having visited most prime bird watching areas around the world, its takes something very special to get me going and penguins aside, I would rate Galapagos as a better experience from a bird watching perspective. I hope that somehow in this seemingly out of control period of time across the globe, that Antarctica can continue to be preserved for generations to come and that my children and grandchildren and so on can experience it. I would be very disappointed but not at all surprised to see this happen from from hotel bases on Antarctica in the future. Mankind in general and business in particular cannot help itself in this regard. I was surprised at the mix of people on board the ship and quickly concluded that generally, it is the only generation that can afford the trip. I was surprised at the kindness of the weather which may have been a double edged sword from a bird watching perspective with relatively calm seas reducing numbers of seabirds sighted. I do suspect there were other areas that could have been visited that would have produced different numbers and species but I guess time, accessbility and other ships all play a part in that situation. I understand there were 14 ships in the area at the time. My grown up children have already experienced much overseas travel to remote and interesting places and no doubt my young grandchildren will follow on some day with Antarctica being on their lists. My photographic records are in part, kept for them and in time, my Antarctica bird photos will be uploaded to grahamefinniganbirdphotogrpahy.com where my birding highlights are stored.

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Rowena Lord  - UK Travelled: December 2018

10

Customer Rating On return from their adventure we ask customers: “On a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest, how likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend or colleague?”

Highlights: kayaking through pack ice, cruising through ice through the Neumeyer Channel, evening light in Paradise Bay/Harbour. Also, for Stephen, the visit to Port Lockroy and penguin pebble-thieving. The expedition staff were never less than good, and sometimes brilliant.

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David  - USA Travelled: January 2020

10

Customer Rating On return from their adventure we ask customers: “On a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest, how likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend or colleague?”

Seeing our first iceberg, before seeing land, was quite memorable, as was seeing the amount and size of the glaciers. Also, seeing the number and diversity of wildlife, in such a harsh climate, was not only memorable but encouraging as to the adaptability of nature.

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