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We had a dream of a trip to Antarctica — a beautiful new ship (SH Minerva), friendly and knowledgeable expedition staff, great lectures, lots of land outings, penguins galore, lots of whale sightings too, delicious dinners, comfortable rooms, a jacuzzi on deck from which to watch the stunning scenery float by, kayaking among icebergs and Weddell seals, and an invigorating polar plunge right off the side of the ship!
The boat and the crew were fantastic. Quality of the cabins, food, expeditions and the boat was superb. Only downside was that over 100 of the 170 guests were of one nationality and they did not generally mix with other guests. Impacted the atmosphere on board.
We recently cruised on Swan Hellenics Vega ship to Antarctica. It's a boutique ship 3 years old and absolutely beautiful. We have around,40 cruises under our belt and this ship surpassed everyone of them hands down. Cruising on her from Ushuaia to Antarctica was amazing. We were taken on ,2 zodiac expeditions a day with world class Antarctic explorers who guided and informed us about the areas. If you're contemplating an Antarctica cruise make sure it's a ship that can actually doc and one where you're not waiting around. Antarctica can only have 100 people landing max and the Vega cruise do this easily and you're not waiting too long for your turn. If you're thinking about it just do it life's too short.
We set the bar high with our expedition cruise to Antarctica on the SH Vega and we surpassed it. Absolutely fabulous. The food and wine were amazing and the excursions went like clockwork even though the crew had their work cut out for them with the weather. We had the opportunity to of on an amazing kayak adventure seeing Minke and Humpback whales, a Leopard Seal and Chinstrap Penguins all while being surrounded in nature's beauty. Often while cruising to the next destination, the captain would announce wildlife near the ship and he would manoeuvre so we'd all get a great view, we saw a pod of orca. Also a highlight when we had humpbacks bubble net feeding in front of the ship. Magic! We have been on 2 cruises prior to this with the ships having lots of entertainment areas which we never used, SH Vega was a great size for us as we never felt crowded or felt the need for any other entertainment, I had read reviews complaining about this issue but it was not a problem for us. The expedition crew, the hotel and dining crew were all super friendly and fantastic. A special mention to the Captain who got us to the Weddell Sea which had so much ice, it all added to the adventure when we had to make our own path through the ice. A truly memorable experience and we are so grateful to have been part of it.
Great Expedition cruise to Antartica. Ship and stateroom was incredibly spacious and elegant. The staff were incredibly friendly and very knowledgable. My feedback to SH is that they need to improve the pre-cruise communications (emails).
Booked a Luxury Antarctic Expedition Cruise for January this year. Cruise was with Swan Hellenic who were recommended by a friend. Could not be more impressed by this company. We were met at the airport by a representative who explained the process moving forward. We were conveyed to our pre cruise accomodation which was 5 star. We were issued boarding passes for our flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia the following morning and our bags were collected and checked through to the cruise ship for us.The SH Vega was a beautiful ship and our stateroom magnificent. Staff were amazing and the food and beverages were beyond expectation.The expedition team were knowledgeable and leaders in their fields. The lectures were informative and delivered with ample video and photographic content. The highlights of the trip were our daily zodiac cruises of which there were 2 a day with continental landings and unforgettable treks on glaciers and small islands. These were run with the highest safety measures and military precision. I will never forget the views and unimaginable beauty from the locations we were taken. The fact there is no itinerary as the weather dictates our journey was another factor that increased the brilliance of this holiday. The wildlife, ice, snow and history of this place is something that I will remember forever. The facilities onboard are second to none and we enjoyed it so much that we have booked a 2027 Iceland, Greenland and Canadian Wilderness cruise on the same ship.Small ship cruising is a must for this location and the experience provided by Swan Hellenic, in my opinion, cannot be beaten.
We recently returned from a 17-night expedition cruise to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and Antarctica. The destinations and wildlife sightings—including countless penguins, sea lions, dolphins, and humpback whales—were absolutely phenomenal, and the expedition team itself was fantastic.However, the experience fell far short of the luxury standard advertised by the cruise line. Our frustrations began even before departure: we had to call three times to receive our final documents, and the customer service on the final call was particularly poor.Onboard, the small ship offered limited amenities—just one restaurant and one bar. While the crew members were amazing, personable, and made a real effort to know us, the operational planning often didn’t match the expedition pace. We missed breakfast three times due to early excursions (6-7 AM departures), as the restaurant closed at 9 AM and wasn’t adjusted for returning guests. The food was generally just okay. Although the soups and breads were excellent, the menu lacked variety—salad dressings remained the same almost the entire cruise, and seafood like shrimp or scallops was nearly absent aside from one shrimp cocktail night, lobsters tail night.The beverage package was also disappointing. Many premium liquors (e.g., Grey Goose) were excluded and required extra payment, which is often included in base packages on other lines. The cocktails were mediocre.Overall, the trip was unforgettable because of the breathtaking landings and wildlife. Yet, for a line marketing itself as luxurious, the customer service, dining flexibility, and amenities did not meet expectations. Because of this mismatch between promise and reality, we would not book with them again.
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