1 independent reviews for Ross Sea & Antarctic Circle voyage
Reviews for Ross Sea & Antarctic Circle voyage
Pamela Harris review 18 Mar 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
HIGHLIGHTS: Travelling to latitude 77.51, as far south as you can travel by boat. Reaching 4 Explorer's Huts including those of Shackleton & Scott. Visiting Macquarie Island and in fact all the sub-Antarctic Islands we visited - way more interesting than expected. The number of different penguin species we saw.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Definitely need a good camera with a telephoto lens. Don't expect a lot of exercise on shore, ie not many long walks and no snow shoe treks or kayaking.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
They were very strict with the bio-security when landing on the sub-Antarctic Islands and when visiting the huts - a good thing.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent holiday, but the new boat was too big for my liking. 140 passengers is triple the 53 that I originally signed up for. This meant we had less time on land or even on zodiacs. The relay system, where some people have to stay on the boat and wait for others to come back is not good and not what I wanted from this holiday. Some other cruises I'm told at least take people out on the zodiacs while they are waiting their turn to step on shore. This and the lack of on-shore walks or hikes did reduce the overall pleasure of the trip. The boat was comfortable and the crews (Expedition, hospitality & Ship) were all excellent. And Antarctica always provides an amazing holiday (this was my 2nd visit), regardless of my other comments.Read the operator's response here:
Dear Pam
Many thanks for your 4 star review.
We knew this was a trip of a lifetime for you: our 3 years ensuring it came to fruition; through covid disruptions and the invasion of Ukraine. Sadly the war meant that your original Russian 54 passenger ship was no longer a viable option and will remain so. Despite this you agreed to go ahead with the replacement ship with same itinerary, particularly given the wildlife focus of this unique month-long Ross Sea Expedition.
We were delighted that the wildlife and history the trip proved excellent. To our knowledge there are no smaller cruises or specialists who offer such a month long pioneering voyage. The expedition leader mentioned that the only time the rotation system had to be used was at landing sites which are designated historical sites such as Scott & Shackleton's Huts - and that the limits on visitors inside these areas are such that even the original ship would be subject to such restrictions. At several other landing sites within the Ross Sea when the weather permitted, a zodiac cruise was offered to those guests who weren't ashore - so that all guests were off the ship at the same time. The ice conditions in January in the Ross Sea were challenging, with much heavier ice than in any recent years so at times options for usual longer hikes were not possible due to safety concerns around the ice returning and blocking landing sites, but the heavier ice also meant that we offered a good hike to Cape Royds which is not normally an option.
Many thanks again for your feedback. It was a pleasure planning and arranging this very unique Antarctic expedition together.
Best Wishes
Charlotte
Polar Guide/Marine Scientist
Holiday Reviews
You can trust Responsible Travel reviews because, unlike many other schemes, reviews can ONLY be written by people who we have verified have been on the holidays. In addition, we don't run these holidays ourselves - our only interest is giving you the best independent advice.
