Expedition Trips Testimonials from Antarctic Cruises

We made 16 landings - 3 on the continent itself and on "Graham Land" no less! There was even another "Graham" couple onboard - so we had a lot of laughs on that one! We even ventured and made a landing below the Antarctic Circle -- something that is rarely accomplished! We literally saw over a million penguins, having visited 2 major penguin rookeries with 1/2 million penguins at each (Deception and Paulet Islands). Yes, we swam at Deception Island, too. Whales, mountains, icebergs - lots of "Nice Ice"!

The Endeavour's crew and naturalist staff were top-notch and not enough good things can be said about our expedition leader, Tom Ritchie! There were 4 other kids on the ship and our youngest, Tanya, made a new best friend. The kids had a blast and learned so much. Heidi (my 13 year old) wrote the Lindblad web page one day with naturalist Art Cooley (it is the #2 Web page hit this season). We had great weather that made the Drake's crossing fast and easy which allowed us the additional landings and other sightseeing. Our cabins were perfect, too. And, picking up our parkas on board was also a smart idea. We got perfect fits and were saved lugging them around -- they are great coats.

Thanks also for the welcome aboard note and Christmas card (which I just got today -- mail is slow here). Take Care, good luck, & thanks again for everything!

Hank, Loretta, Heidi (13), & Tanya (10) Graham; Maracaibo, Venezuela

My recent trip on the Endeavour exceeded my expectations substantially! You were certainly right about this expedition group -- outstanding crew and staff.

Having returned from a similar trip on the Hanseatic that was outstanding just two years earlier, I never thought that the Endeavour trip would come close; however, this expedition far surpassed my first encounter with penguins, whales, land and sea birds and icebergs – the Endeavour blew the other one away!

Jacklyn Friedman; Colorado Springs, CO

The Antarctic has always been an intriguing place to me and the recent IMAX movie and the Shackleton stories enhanced that. The trip also has permitted me to say that I have visited all 7 continents! A memorable part of my trip was the very long day, starting with crossing the Antarctic circle early in the morning and sailing in calm seas, glorious sunshine and a near cloudless sky through the magnificent scenery, then docking the ship in Lallemand Fjord next to an ice sheet and walking out on the ice, and, finally, seeing two Emperor penguins at nearly midnight the same day. Really a day to remember!

This trip met and, considering it was the Antarctic with all of its uncertainties, probably exceeded those expectations. The trip leader and all naturalists were experienced experts and had wonderful communication skills. The Antarctic is truly an incredible, once in a lifetime experience and I think this trip presented the best of it. The local sightseeing in Santiago and Ushuaia were pretty minimal because of time limitations, but those were not a very important part of the trip to me, probably because I had been in Santiago and Ushuaia for a longer period just a year ago. The welcome reception and dinner in Santiago were outstanding.

This was my first trip on the MS Endeavour and it was an absolutely first class operation.

The ship's leadership and crew were efficient, friendly, and went out of their way to
help passengers in any way they could. The Endeavour is well maintained mechanically, as far as I could tell (there were no mishaps), and in appearance. The ship met all my expectations.

Harold Mozer; Bellevue, WA

Thank you for arranging my trip to Antarctica so efficiently, Ashton! Many fellow passengers were very envious of the advance notice I received about rental of clothes and of my laminated wildlife sheet! You came across to everyone as THE travel agent for this particular adventure, and I was glad to recommend you. I wear the cap with pride!

It was, of course, a stupendous trip! We were lucky and had five sunny
days, at the right time, and a smooth Drake Passage. No words or photos can adequately describe that stunning and serene place. And we had such FUN, which was an unexpected bonus. I feel so privileged to have been able to go there. I will go back some day…

Elizabeth Oakley; Amsterdam, Netherlands

I am still walking on clouds! The trip was absolutely awesome!! You definitely picked the right ship and group for us. Greg, our expedition leader was the best - we are all in awe of all of his accomplishments and all of his staff as well. We even made some Russian friendships, too. The champagne awaiting us in our room was top-notch treatment - thank you! I took video while Carol took stills. We met and bonded with a group of Aussie, UK, NZ friends and we're even planning a reunion trip to Australia next January. Thanks again for everything.

Billie Gibson; Houston, TX

Thank you to Kristy and ExpeditionTrips.com for all your advice: I look forward to hopefully working with you again in the future!

The trip was spectacular. We had a great time. It was like going to another
planet. I could never imagine how fantastic Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands are. The scenery and wildlife were unbelievable. Booth Island icebergs and deception island climb were unforgettable.

You were right about the program, the lecturers and the expedition staff- the expedition leader was a particular highlight. The whole staff and crew were exceptionally thoughtful and helpful. We are very happy we made the trip.

Michael Rosenblatt, MD; Newton, MA

ExpeditionTrips.com helped me find the perfect trip to Antarctica. They saved me $900 and I got a single cabin. The trip was so amazing — the best I have ever been on. It changed my life!

Paul Brown; Seattle, WA

Lynne was excellent. I would definitely book another trip with ExpeditionTrips.com. I have been dreaming about going to Antarctica for several years. This year I turned 40, and decided it was time.

I was expecting a lot, and the trip exceeded my expectations! The food was fabulous, the crew were great, the scenery was spectacular. I was quite happy with the comfort level and quality of the ship. I was not expecting 4 star luxury and facilities, but it was more than adequately comfortable, with all the facilities we needed. The bar was especially comfortable. The service of the staff and crew was excellent. They paid attention to all the details, and were ready to help with any questions or problems.

Sitting on the deck on a sunny day, watching the icebergs gracefully float by is one of my favorite memories.

Kevin Thompson; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

We went to Palmer Station to provide transportation for one of their personnel who was in dire need of a root canal to avoid losing a tooth. We had the shortest time before returning to Ushuaia of all the ships in the area. They only grant about four visitations a year; so being invited ashore was a special treat. We were ashore for a couple hours and they provided hot drinks, brownies and apple turnovers.

One of the other passengers was flipped over in her chair by a wave and hit her head on the wall so hard that the doctor put her in a neck brace. We deviated to a Russian station to X-ray her neck, but the machine hadn't worked for a couple years. Luckily the Chilean station was just a short walk away. They x-rayed her neck adequately to diagnose no serious damage, and they found the beginning of arthritis that they thought might be adding to her pain. She continued the trip and received an MRI in Buenos Aires. They read the scan and said she could continue her planned trip to the Galapagos Islands.

The food was outstanding. The Swedes did a remarkable job. We had three choices at lunch and dinner and soup to start each meal when the seas cooperated.

I cannot think of anything I had hoped to see and do that we missed.

I did not use the upper bunk because I could not get off the end of the ladder without a boost, and then there was no way for me to get down when the need arose. Sure could have used a monkey bar on the ceiling to swing down with. It probably also would provide something to push against for getting into the bunk. I became very accomplished at putting the mattress and bedding on the floor. It was less hard than the bunk, and the rolling cannot toss you on the floor when you are already there. Had a problem with things falling off the desk during the night. One time the chair tipped over onto my back. A real surprise, but no injury. I heard I was not the only one sleeping on the floor. I liked it, actually.

I did have a seal make a bluffing move toward me once. I was alone. It barked and jumped a couple steps toward me, then stopped. We saw one elephant seal. They are just huge.

I am home, and do not expect to return. I will always remember this experience. Super trip!!!

Carbon Wolfe; Albequerque, NM