January Reviews

The most memorable part was the trip up the Drygawlski Fiord from Larson Harbor on South Georgia Island. It was just above freezing and snowing but the water was so cold that the snow was not melting but collecting on the water. The raw beauty of the fiord was stunning especially with the dusting of snow. The geography of our location was expertly described by our leader Stephi which added to the amazement of the moment. We saw at least 6 and perhaps 7 Wendell seals with a couple swimming around our Zodiac as we cruised and floated. There were also some Fur seals to entertain us. The steep sides of the fiord, the glaciers and waterfalls made the whole trip magical.

Honestly, every single thing about this trip was incredible. My husband and I travel a lot, but this was hands down the most incredible experience we've ever had. If I had to pick one thing, I would say kayaking was our favorite part. We really enjoyed being able to explore and see wildlife from a completely unique view.

Would say this would be the twice-daily Zodiac excursions revealing the wildlife, habitat, geology, etc. We saw a leopard seal, heard calving glacier, saw avalanche, saw killer whales (orcas).

I don't know if I can pick one - even 10 days later. The BBQ on the deck, the zodiac tour in the snow with humpbacks, polar plunging, the penguins, the Lamaire Channel, for sure! Every day had something shocking and wonderful and glorious and we really tried to just experience each day. We lucked out with weather and lack of motion sickness, so the entire trip felt charmed.

The highlights were all the penguin chicks at Petermann island and going through the Lamaire channel. The wildlife was amazing, especially the penguins and crab eater seals. I had a wonderful roommate and met several nice people, with whom I will keep in touch with. I was shocked how the ship operator's staff allowed the other passengers to be agressive and bully others when trying to take photos.

Seeing the breathtaking volume of penguins in South Georgia and the thrill of paddling on the water and seeing seals on an ice sheet at eye level!

So many, but seeing all the wildlife on South Georgia was the highlight. Others include the Towers in Torres, numerous Shackleton sites, whale encounters in Antarctica .....

The experience was fantastic. We saw lots of different seals, penguins, icebergs and glaciers. Highlights: 8 orcas playing "with" our ship, and 2 humpback whales jumping in and out of the water as we had to say good-bye to Antarctica. But our trip was interrupted and our itinerary changed almost completely (effectively to a trip that would have taken half the time and cost half the money). I experienced Antarctica as a "mass tourist", which was different to, e.g., standing on the Greenland ice shelf all by myself. But crew, staff and also fellow passengers were great company, experienced, and did everything they could to make the trip excellent. Most magical: sailing into cierva cove at 5 o'clock in the morning, sun blazing, icebergs glittering, no one at the back end of deck 3 ;)

Going further south in the Weddell Sea than the ship had ever sailed before, then walking across the ice to the Emperor Penguin colony...We were the called back to the ship as the ice started to shift and the ship was surrounded. It was only after a few hours of careful manoeuvring that we were free and heading north again. The expedition team and the captain were absolute heroes.

I am adding a little personal information because my perspective was very much colored by my physical limitations. I am way beyond middle age. I am a breast cancer survivor however one of the medications also left me with osteoarthritis resulting in mobility issues. Also since birth I have been legally blind (US gov term) I see about 10% of what the average person sees. However I think I see more because I look more intently at things but I do travel with a "seeing-eye-elbow" to make certain I get where I intent to be. Everything was a high-light. Having never encountered the likes of the Antarctic I was delighted with the chance to be able to experience everything which came my way. The expedition staff were incredibly helpful without being fawning. Their assistance on the gang-plank and boarding an off-loading from the zodiacs was wonderful. They seemed to anticipate my needs and assisted in my enjoyment of the trip.

I don't really do "favorites". There were so many incredible moments and each is special in its own way.

Kajakking in Neko Harbor with all the ice around us (and so quite you can hear the ice breaking)

Going through the Lemaire channel twice. First time was amazing. Also visiting the huts at port Lockroy, Petermann, and Wordie. What a way to have lived.

The awesome beauty of Antarctica is difficult, if not impossible, to put into words. My wife, Laura, and I read several books prior to the expedition, but nothing matched the experience. The most memorable moment was probably standing on the land for the first time. Everything there seemed larger than at home . . . and a great deal colder! A thought that struck me several times was that the Earth was its own and not necessarily meant for man. I was strictly a visitor to this creation.

It's hard to pick a specific moment because the entirety of the expedition was exceptional. I would have to specify kayaking among the icebergs as my top priority, but this is only by a tiny margin compared with the wildlife encounters.

Too many to list, the animals, the feeling that it’s a place where humans have never existed, the realization that traveling there is dependent on the whims of the sea and weather that are out of human control

Glaciers, icebergs, immense beauty & majesty of the landscapes!

When I saw the first Iceberg and the penguins

Very luxurious cruise, fantastic exploration team that provided though information, lectures, trips on zodiacs and large "citizen scientist" programs. Icebergs and all wildlife was observed close up and the whenever anyone saw more animals, it was announced over the PA system so everyone could see them. It included some fun events like a photo contest, charity auction, and "get to know your team" game.

The whole trip was memorable, really. Like choosing a favorite child, its hard to choose a most memorable moment. I would say the craziest time was during our kayaking adventure when the iceburg we were kayaking by started to crumble and fall (at least 40ft high) so instead of originally turning to the iceburg to head on face the waves, our guide then yells at us to high tail it out of there as quick as we could. Always an adventure.