“We travelled on board the Expedition. The boat facilities and staff were exceptional. Would definitely recommend the kayaking extra for those who are fit enough, if not, the landings and zodiac cruises were equally amazing. If wildlife are your thing, then Feb/Mar is the time to go, with an abundance of whales, seals and of course, penguins!”
“Antarctica is such an amazing place - the colours, the varied icebergs, the beautiful scenery, incredible skies and the magnificent creatures. We enjoyed each and every excursion, be they landings or zodiac adventures. Sitting (well - standing) in a zodiac surrounded by feeding whales for three hours will be etched permanently in our memories. And the delightful penguins continue to make me smile. One Ocean staff and crew worked tirelessly to ensure we had a memorable and safe expedition and as many experiences as possible. We were inspired by the knowledge, experience and enthusiasm of the staff 'experts'. On-board presentations were excellent and informative and every night-time entertainment was such fun. Being on a small boat was definitely worthwhile - we could go places the bigger ships can't, had more time on land (limit is 100) and got to know most fellow passengers. The 'flexible' (for weather reasons) itinerary is varied and we did and saw many interesting things - old huts and stations, a working Antarctic station, volcanoes, penguin colonies, whales, seals and sea lions, sea birds, sea ice, glaciers and icebergs of unbelievable shapes and size, pristine bays and ice fields. Every way you looked was another 'postcard' view - magic! Sleeping on the ice was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Akademik Sergy Vavilov is an ideal boat - extremely stable - my sea-sick prone (therefore very well preventively medicated) hubby never felt even queasy. Our cabin was cosy and comfortable and very well looked after by our cabin maid. The Russian crew were excellent and the chefs provide us with excellent and varied meals. All in all a faultless expedition we'd do again in a heartbeat.”
“A unique place in the world to have had the priviledge to visit. We had penguins sitting on our feet & nestling into us. Saw whales, seals, albatross, icebergs, spectacular scenery & walked on ice flows!!! Reached the furthest South for the season - 68 degrees south - Stonington Base. Plus we were lucky enough to have a smooth sail across the Drake Passage - in both directions. It is a definite destination to put on your bucket list. Thank you Clare & Chimu for your excellent planning & organisation for our holiday.”
“Experience on the Akademik Ioffee was superb. The excursions by zodiac were impressive. Seals, whales and a lot of penguins were surrounding me. Don't miss camping on ice! Meals on-board were sumptuous. Best of all, staffs are super friendly and service-minded.”
“The Expedition Leader and naturalist guides/drivers were knowledgable, experienced and professional. The itinerary went off without a hitch (thanks to good weather) fromthe first greeting and prep talk at the Dreams hotel to the flight and then the cruise. Susan at Chimu was wonderful. She found us a great deal on the Antarctic cruise, was very responsive and patient with all out questions.”
