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Dirk

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?”

Dirk's Trip Date:

23rd Dec - 16th Jan 2023

Dirk's Ship:

Seaventure

What was your most memorable moment?

I am still 'working through' my 7,000 plus photos and I am reliving some of these moments that I captured 'digitally'. It is impossible to reduce the trip to only 'one moment'. The first sight of the Antarctic Peninsula, watching Penguins stumbling over the rocks, hitting some ice at night that shakes the entire ship, South Georgia's sheer endless number of Penguins, Grytviken Whaling station, the endless cruising along the 80 mile long iceberg A76-a,...

Which of the following best describes your adventure?

Life changing

On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend or colleague?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10 out of 10

On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your trip: South Georgia, Antarctica and Falklands Luxury Explorer?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10 out of 10

Were Swoop right to recommend Polar Latitudes?

Yes

Tell us about Zodiac excursions

I can only say - bring a lot of layers and dress warm. The landings of course were most exciting, since you get close to the wildlife, can take better pictures - but of course, cruising around the icebergs is something special as well.

Tell us about the expedition team

All of the expedition staff, from the Doc to Randy the Musician were very friendly and treated us beyond expectations. Thanks again to evryone to make this an unforgettable trip. ALL the lectures were very interesting. As mentioned above I have to point out Paul's Shackelton lectures again -they were just very capturing and outstanding, just behind Danny's stories and funny comments. Just perfect to hear these stories with a british accent!!

Tell us about the Seaventure

I love the lady!!! She has a lot of charme and is just the right size. Our cabin was super comfy and bigger than I expected. Everything is super clean and the hotel staff were doing an excellent job. Allthough we had BIG waves on the Drake she did not feel super shaky, I think thanks due to the stabilizers and a great captain and crew. She was quite and the inside climate temparature felt always comfy and perfect. There are enough places to 'hang-out' and she never felt crowded.

Tell us about Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is one of our favorite cities and we have been here before numerous times. The city has a lot of different subburbs to explore and there is always something new to discover, so we added a couple of days to our Antarctic trip to 're-enjoy' BA. A couple of must do's, whatch the Tango Show on Plaza Dorego, eat the best Steak on the Planet at Somos Asado or El Julio, check out Recoletta, Palermo, La Boca and the new Puerto Madero. Oh - and exchange money at the Blue-Dollar Exchange or on the street -it will make up for your expensive Antarctic trip:)

Something Else?

Special thanks to the mostly Phillipino kitchen and restaurant crew!!! They never got tired and treated us like royalty from the first dinner to the last breakfast.

Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Antarctica?

Include South Georgia and the Falklands. Bring waterproof pants - forget about skipants (initially I though of that - happy I got myself an Arcterix Goretex pants) - you will get wet on the Zodiacs. Don't bring boots - the Polar Lattitude Boots on the ship are excellent and comfy even for the walks. I have pretty messed-up feet and they fit perfectly. Bring a dry-bag for your camera.

Has your experience changed your perspective in any way?

Yes - Iwe travel a lot - but we have to travel even more and never postpone any planned trip - our bucket list is growing. Having been to Antarctica made me realize how much our planet has to offer - and we just scratched the tip of the iceberg.

Do you have any recommendations for Swoop, or feedback about the team?

This is was our third attempt to get to Antarctica and if I am not mistaken, we had our first commuincation with Tennessee January 2020. Over the years we commuincated with several SWOOP folks and I always felt treated very professionally and want to thank the long list of SWOOP staff who took care of us -especially during the COVID times - which have been challenging for everyone. Special thanks to Venus (conratulations for beeing a mom now) and Mariana who guided us through everything from Hotel bookings, Airport transportation, etc.

How prepared and excited for Antarctica did you feel?

'Over-prepared' - since we started reserach in 2019 and finally made it in 2022/23.

Would you consider another trip to Antarctica with Swoop?

Yes

Would you be interested in travelling to Patagonia with Swoop?

No

Would you be interested in travelling to The Arctic with Swoop?

Yes

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