Dean
United States Of America
Customer
Rating
8
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?”
Dean's Trip Date:
23rd Jan - 2nd Feb 2026
What was your most memorable moment?
Close-up observation of Gentoo penguins.
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?
8 out of 10
On a scale of 0 to 10, how would you rate your trip: Antarctic Explorer Refined?
9 out of 10
Were Swoop right to recommend Quark Expeditions?
Yes
Tell us about the Paddling
We only got to go out on the water once, so the paddling, while very enjoyable felt like we got shortchanged when compared to the sea kayakers, who got to go out 3-4 or more times.
Tell us about Zodiac excursions
I always felt safe on Zodiac excursions, even in rough seas, due to the experience of the expedition teams and ship crew. Enjoyed doing a time lapse recording as we circled a particularly unique iceberg.
Something Else?
Polar plunge was an amazing experience!
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to Antarctica?
Plan to get off ship at 0800 on day of debarkation. Plan for rough seas in Drake Passage. Include a visit to the Prison Museum in Ushuaia; you can spend an entire day there and not see everything. Enjoy a steak dinner on the water in Buenos Aires and lobster/crab in Ushuaia, but be wary of the meat places in Ushuaia, as the meat was very poor quality and included cuts not typically found in American restaurants (sweatbreads, blood sausage ). Consider the wine tasting tour in Buenos Aires (available through Get Your Guide app) and the Tierra del Fuego National Park Tour in Ushuaia. Get familiar with WhatsApp, which we needed to use to communicate in Buenos Aires. Also, if flying Aerolineas Argentinas, their web site is available in English but app is Spanish only.
Has your experience changed your perspective in any way?
More aware of need to reduce CO2 emissions and limit global warming before Earth becomes inhabitable for future generations.
How prepared and excited for Antarctica did you feel?
I didn’t realize the polar jacket issued to us included an inner liner which was very nice. Had I known that, I would’ve packed fewer jackets/outer layers, thus saving more room for other necessities. The 34 lb baggage limit on Aerolineas Argentinas also created some extra expenses we could’ve avoided if we packed smarter.
Would you consider another trip to Antarctica with Swoop?
Yes
Would you be interested in travelling to Patagonia with Swoop?
Yes
Would you be interested in travelling to The Arctic with Swoop?
Yes
Would you be interested in travelling to Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand, Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Kenya or The Galapagos, with one of our trusted partners?
Yes
Would you like to receive our email newsletter about our other destinations?
Yes
When are you thinking of taking your next trip?
I don`t know
