Angie
United States Of America
Customer
Rating
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?”
Angie 's Trip Date:
8th Dec - 18th Dec 2016
Angie 's Ship:
Akademik IoffeOverall, how was your trip?
The only reason I wouldn't visit again is it's a "once in a life" opportunity! Going once was enough. I'm not sure I'd be up for the Drake Passage a second time, and it just costs a chunk of money to go in the first place. The highlights for me were Cuverville, Cierva Cove and Wilhemina. The landscape was beautiful. I wanted to go early in the season to see white - snow, icebergs, clear landings. And I definitely saw that! Blue icebergs were breathtaking. We saw all three peninsula penguins, seals, minke, killer and humpback whales - fantastic! The people were wonderful. There were only 63 passengers on the ship which was really nice having a smaller group. The crew is stellar, top-notch. So helpful, knowledgeable, and safety conscious. I will tell my grandchildren that I saw the great white continent and if they ever have a chance in their lifetime, they should go. It's truly a spiritual experience.
In one sentence, what did you think of Antarctica? Did it live up to your expectations?
AMAZING! Yes, it met and exceeded any expectations I had going in - just a beautiful, magical place.
Would you visit again?
No
How was the service that Swoop provided?
Swoop was great! We were very pleased with our booking. In fact, it was due to their customer service that we went with Swoop in the first place. I was very nearly booked with the ship's operator but had come across Swoop online and sent an email. And John called me, within the hour! I was really impressed with that. He explained how it's better to go on a smaller boat and was able to connect us to the Ioffe with a better room, for not much more cost, than I had been looking at with the ship's operator. I was very satisfied. Because the number of passengers was smaller, Swoop upgraded us to a room one floor up which was really nice. It also turned out we didn't need to share a bathroom, which was a perk! We received Swoops gaitor in the mail beforehand which was very nice, and definitely wore on the trip. Swoop's service was excellent - I spoke highly of them to the crew on the ship!
How likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend?
10 out of 10
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Antarctica?
Bring motion sickness pills in addition to the patch. I went with just the patch and found doubling-up with patch and pill helped me not be sick. Really adhere to the packing list from Swoop. I did and was happy - I did not overpack and had everything I needed. Don't bring a big tripod, it's not necessary.
Anything else? Tell us anything you’d like to share that we forgot to ask! It’s ok to leave this empty too :-)
Great experience, thank you for helping make my trip to Antarctica amazing and stress free!
