Customer Reviews

Waking up the first morning on the ship to see icebergs out to w window and the sound of whales over the ship’s loudspeaker. It was clear that we had arrived in another world.

Absolutely no glitches and lots of pleasant surprises including aircraft carrier sized icebergs, Zodiac trips through ice fields, climbing the volcano on Deception Island, and up-close-and-personal with penguins, seals, and humpback whales. The fellow-travelers were very pleasant, mostly highly accomplished, and very interesting--a far cry from what one encounters on cruise ships and escorted tours. As for the grandchildren, I'll show some pictures and when they get a little older make sure they get to Antarctica. The continent is ineffable: words fail.

Seeing the penguins, whales, seals, dolphins, sea birds in their environment. Natural beauty of Antarctica - the ice, snow, mountains. Learning more from the lectures from the marine biologist, then also the presentation on the sad whaling history (told by a Norwegian expedition member whose uncle was a whaler) - the room was silent. The trip gives you lots to learn and think about in a bigger context.

My most memorable moment was finishing the hike from Godthul to Sandebrugten and being greeted by a curious baby fur seal who cutely charged at me.

Near the end of the cruise we sailed into a little bay in the Antarctic Sound...there were mountains, ice bergs in the bay, penguins, whales in the distance, rolling hills, sun and clouds and so very many shades of blue and white on the ice. In short it was the single perfect moment with all the elements that we were enjoying coming together in one spot. And we were able to sit in the snow for the first time and we took some awesome pics there. It was what I call a perfect moment.

Standing on South Georgia with 100,000+ breeding pairs of King penguins.

This is so hard to answer because there were so many memorable moments. I think our most memorable moments was during our first kayak trip. We landed our kayaks on a rocky beach to go see a penguin rookery. After getting out of the kayaks, we turned around to see dozens of Gentoo penguins walking by and going about their penguins business a handful of meters away. Nothing prepares you for how many penguins you'll see, how unfazed they are by you, and how adorable they are.

It is hard to pick out a highlight, the penguins especially seeing a Macaroni penguin on the first landing (I could watch penguins for hours), making a dash against the conditions to reach the Antarctic Circle and some of the scenery around Neko Harbour. Unfortunately we didn't camp due to the wind conditions, but this didn't have much of an impact on the enjoyment of the trip. Such a wide range of people from all over the world.

Hard to pick one moment but the scale and beauty of South Georgia and Antarctica was beyond my expectations. One moment that comes to mind is when a humpback whale near the ship to check us out while we were at anchor in Fournier Bay. The whale surfaced, blew, rolled and hung around the ship for quite a while before moving on. The clear water made it easy to see the whale just under the surface. Many good photos adn videos were captured!

Every destination had a memorable moment. On the Falkland Islands, I enjoyed the lecture by Mensun Bound about finding the Endurance wreck in the Antarctica sea. Getting a signed copy of his book, The Ship Beneath the Ice was epic. On South Georgia, the King Penguin colony of Saint Andrews Bay was stunning! Stepping onto the Antarctica Peninsula at Portal Point was a moment I’ll never forget! Overall, wildlife spotting from multitudes of penguins to breaching whales was a true highlight of the trip.

Brilliant! Thousands of penguins, delightful weather, stunning scenery. We feel very lucky to have been able to experience such an amazing place.

The entire adventure was tremendous. It's one of the hardest trips I've been on to identify a single "this is the top" moment, so I'll give three examples. 1) We were caught in the middle of what the Polar Latitudes team called a "Super Pod" of humpback whales, 100+, just playing and showing their flukes and bubble netting. It was stunning to see in person. 2) A large pod of Orcas hunted penguins directly next to our ship. No more than a meter or two off of the ships port side. Mother nature is truly powerful 3) The ice! All of the ice. It is so pretty and unique and hard to understand and also very simple at the same time. Wow.

There were two - setting foot on the main continent of Antarctica during sunset and experiencing the sheer size and scope of the wildlife on South Georgia (especially seeing the playful personalities of the Gentoo penguins and seal pups).

There really isn't just one. I think seeing the glacial ice and the wonderment of the environment were among my most memorable moments. Watching penguins waddle and slide, seals swim and humpbacks letting their presence be known were other memorable moments. Sharing the experience with 150 strangers from around the world and a very talented staff also provided memorable moments.

I stepped on Antarctica - the final continent for me! The combination of the landscapes and wildlife will always be a highlight for me. It is hard to believe that such a place still exists on earth. I mailed a postcard from Port Lockroy, Antarctica! The crew of the Plancius were outstanding. They even remembered my name among all the passengers. Food and services were outstanding. There were many surprises. The Plancius was able to go through the Lemaire Channel for the first time this year, so we were very fortunate. Also, the captain took us to Deception Island and Cape Horn on the way back. I was very fortunate that I was matched up to a great roommate from Finland. I met many people from many different countries, all with very interesting stories.

Overall, the trip was good. Excellent guides, service on board, etc. The landings we were able to do were excellent, and we totally lucked out with beautiful weather and a calm Drake Passage on the way back.

Everything on the trip was great, even the weather (which I know is out of anyone's control, but still an added bonus). The best part of the trip for me were the excursions and the optional activities. Being on land, so close to the wildlife is a great experience. I also did kayaking, which I would recommend to anyone. Being on the water, among the icebergs and brash ice gives a whole new perspective to the gorgeous landscape. One of the best moments while on the kayak was when we were surrounded by hundreds of gentoo penguins, which were in the water, swimming around us and jumping in and out of the water. Amazing experience. In addition to the kayaking, camping on the continent was an amazing experience as well the polar plunge. stories that I will be telling for a long time to come. The people I met on board the ship were also a pleasant surprise. I expected a much older crowd and that I would be one of the youngest ones on board the ship. It turned out that there was a group of about 40 of us youngsters (late 20s / early 30s). I had a great time on board the ship and made some new friends. The staff was also very friendly. They were very helpful with anything that was needed. Many of them would also often socialize with the guests, both during the day and later at night after all activities had finished. It made it a much more personable experience.

The highlight of the trip is being remote and off the grid for a week. It gave us the chance to soak in an untouched part of the world. The landscapes were dramatic and opened our eyes to other part of the world. The people, crew member, and ship operator's staff all made the trip extra memorable. We got to met with everyone and they were some of the nicest people. The staff were professional and made sure everyone on board was safe, happy, and had fun. This is a special story for us and it will be told to our grandchildren as the trip that we got engaged on the summit of Paradise Bay, Antarctica.

Close encounter with two humpback whales while kayaking.

The highlight was the enormity of the scale of the peninsular and the pristine, untouched solitude of the environment. The landscape was overwhelming and all encompassing, with a grandeur that we had not expected. We loved the antics of the penguins and the curiosity of the chicks. Up close viewing of seals and whales was awe inspiring. Our outstanding leaders helped to deepen our understanding and appreciation of this amazing world. Our fellow travellers were all like minded so sharing our experiences increased the enjoyment.