The trip was good, the light gorgeous, the icebergs fantastical, and the wildlife wonderful with more polar bears than expected. The traditional villages made us think about their future, and we met new friends. The big surprise was our rescue of the passengers on the grounded Ioffe! Please don't ask questions about grandchildren--not everyone has children!!!

The Arctic is always special, and we love it for the beauty of the light, the ice and the wildlife. We visit often.

Yes

We've done a lot of Arctic and Antarctic travel before. We actually tried to book with MountainTravelSobek, but they had no accomodations, so my search turned up Swoop and it worked fine.

There were too many people on each land outing. The strenuous hikes stretched out over long distances. The bird walks had far too many people to enjoy the sightings or even to hear what the guide was saying. By the time some of us got close enough to see or hear, the subject was gone.

If you have been to Antarctica, modify your expectations of wildlife. They are few and far between in comparison, although still thrilling. The wind on board can be very strong so good windbreakers are a necessity. I would recommend bringing your own gear if you are not an average fit. Small people will be very uncomfortable in the gear OneOcean provides.

We've already spent lots of time in Antarctica and Patagonia but don't rule out another visit. Although we would prefer a smaller ship. We've traveled with Aurora on 50-passenger ships and found that more suited to our style. But given the size--the largest group we've ever voyaged with--the staff did a great job.