December Reviews

I have only answered No above because there are still several places on my bucket list that I need to get to while I am still able to travel long distances, including the Arctic! There was no one single highlight, there were many and the whole trip was a highlight in my advancing years. The landscapes and wildlife unique and I felt privileged to be able to see it all. The people on the trip from young to older were all very friendly, and good company, with several nationalities, but we all got on and quickly gelled, all having one common purpose. What have I told my grandchildren? A lot for kids to take in but they will always have my photos! Hopefully one day they will have the ability and the desire to go too. Surprises? The colour of the snow and the icebergs and the overall impression of all shades of blue. And the delicious chocolate cake I was presented with on my birthday!

Bailey head and Spork Island. Indescribable. The wildlife we were able to see was a gift from God. The whales took our breath away. We all froze when one went under our Zodiac ;) Everyone was friendly. I happened to bring one of my grandchildren who has been obsessed with Penguins her entire existence and it was the best gift of her life. The new years celebration. The BBQ was awesome and to countdown in the middle of ice was a privilege with the beauty of the midnight sun.

The trip was fantastic. The highlights included: -Cruising on the zodiacs through icebergs -Hiking up beautiful mountains in absolute silence -Hanging out with the penguins -The incredible photographic opportunities

The trip was exceptional! One of the things I most enjoyed and was a surprise to me was hearing a leopard seal singing into an iceberg underwater! I didn't know they did that, and it was such a beautiful sound. The expedition team is phenomenal and went above and beyond to ensure we had a wonderful time and were well-informed. Even when it was "time to go back to the boat", when magical moments happened (which was often... like the singing leopard seal), they stopped the zodiac - we were never rushed through experiences, and in fact, we were encouraged to experience as much as possible. I appreciated the PA announcements about sunsets, breaching whales, and other amazing sights - they didn't want us to a miss a thing. It's typically hard for me to sit still and therefore I can find "talks" challenging, but this team was so engaging and entertaining, I went to every single talk. I loved that the talks happened at the end of the day and related to experiences we had or things we saw that day. The wildlife and landscape was breathtaking. The boat was outstanding as was the crew. I felt like somebody was there with anything I could have needed, before I had to ask.

Incredible with truly memorable experiences, ranging from watching icebergs roll to cuddling with a baby elephant seal.

The day trips onto Antartica proper were fabulous and the scenery and wildlife just beautiful.

A simply stellar experience all around. The ship was beautiful, the crew and the expedition team were the kindest people on the planet. The travel companions were excited and fun. The scenery was a beauty not expected to be seen on our planet. The food was amazing. And the wildlife provided an unexpected level of joy and awe.

I met the most fascinating people, saw amazing scenery, and enjoyed every minute of the adventure!

I would love to go back but it may be a once in a lifetime experience. Of course, seeing the penguins was great fun. The scenery was beautiful. Loved being in such a pristine place.

It was not planned; however, based on traveling to Antarctica, I will make future plans to travel to the Arctic Circle.

A gentoo penguin chick pecking a seal and watching the seal react. We spent ages watching it.

The ship, the expedition team, ship (hotel) staff and overall organisation of the tour were exceptional. The commitment all expedition staff had to ensuring everyone had a great time, as well as safe and practical journey, and the service given by all ship staff, food preparation and variety and cabin service was excellent and of the highest standards. This is all alongside the exceptional and very special landscape and wildlife of Antarctica. Wildlife such as birds and penguins were in their thousands and the scenic landscape was breathtaking.

Highlights were whales breaching beside us, penguins swimming in front and beside kayak, wonderful artistic ice forms- floes and icebergs, interesting history, really lovely other guests who we made great friends with, great lectures and talks from the naturalists and others. It was run very safely- much more so than when we went to the Arctic about 25 years ago, with a different company. All the people leaving and returning to the boat were signed in and out. Kayaking was a big highlight for me- being so close and it was all so well run. Safety was a high priority.

Too many things to mention. Kayaking through brash ice, over shadowed by 100 ft icebergs, the brilliance and purity of the light and air. The topogrophy was breathaking, very emotional, calm and inspiring.

The wildlife was the highlight.

Highlight - being so close to humpbacks in a kayak (maybe 2 meters). Having someone catch that experience on a brief video was priceless as a souvenir. Similar to the giraffes in east Africa, I was surprised how much I found the penguins to be an interesting animal. I had never seen how they swim. It was excellent to meet people that have traveled as much as we have; that was very unique and enjoyable.

Whales!! So close and I was able to take numerous wonderful pictures. On top of that, the whole staff did a wonderful job putting day to day events together. We never felt bored.

Highlight was kayaking on Christmas morning in a snowstorm. Loved the blue iceburgs, 1000's of penguins, seals and whales. We loved being on an expedition ship where there was no majority of demographic...ages from 10-81, couples, singles, families....people from all different countries. I hope to return someday...maybe with my grandchildren.

Highlights were just being there, being able to walk around on the continent and see the wildlife in its natural habitat - in terms of activities the highlight was camping out in a snow hole overnight on the summer solstice (truly magical). Our fellow travellers were also amazing, from the incredibly competent ship's crew, to the expedition staff (who were friendly, helpful, informative and approachable, as well as being experts in their field), to the wonderful people we met - all with adventurous souls and full of tales of travel. No matter how well travelled anyone was - we all had the same sense of child-like wonder in Antarctica.

Stunning scenery, icebergs everywhere some of incredible sizes both in length and breadth, wildlife, whales of various species. 6 types of penguins, birds nesting and following the ship, and all overlaid with amazing historical sites and stories. My grandchildren will hear how their grandmother was picked up by a 6 foot 3 inch giant and thrown from a beach into the zodiac, got knocked off the tubes by the strength of the waves, and then returned, soaked, to the ship with 8 inches of water in the zodiac!