Poseidon ExpeditionsReviews of poseidonexpeditions.com

We did a trip from Svalbard with Poseidon to watch the polar bears. There was at least four senior executive managers / directors of the tour operator company Poseidon on our trip, who mingled with all guests, and personally experienced and observed our enjoyment. When we decided now to plan a new trip, we had the contact details of the senior executive on hand, sent him a mail, and within six hours had full response to all our enquiries. This was not delegated, but personally answered. The same hands on experience we enjoyed then, over spilled with the exchange of e-mails of enlightening us with perfect detail of our new planned trip. Antarctica here we come with Poseidon.

We (parents with two kids) had a great experience going from Reykjavik to Longyearbyen. Did not see the polar bears, but plenty wildlife and of course great nature! A great ship, fantastic crew - we were spoiled! An experience we will not forget!

Had a great time with Posidon sea spirit. Excellent experience. It exceeded our expectations. The entire staff was very warm and friendly. Very good hospitality. The restaurant and Bar staff was exceptional and sensitive to individual needs. Special mention for Ricardo who looked after us exceptionally well in the dining room. Manager Ruel was very considerate and would take special effort to take care of our specific requirements. However time spent on Polar beer search could have been better and we sadly came back without seeing the Polar beer. We would strongly recommend Poseidon expeditions and Sea Spirit for Polar cruise.

A very wise man – the Dalai Lama said “Once a year, go some place you have never been”. In February 2016 I had went on life changing expedition on Sea Spirit. I am a very well travelled person. I have done some amazing things around the world – both on land and on ships. But nothing has come close to this trip. I tried to find out as much as possible before the trip but as Sea Spirit was new to the Antarctic there were not many comprehensive reviews. So sorry for this long one. My trip – “An Audience with Kings”. Antarctica, South Georgia and Falklands. Feb 2016. The Ship – Sea Spirit was great. All the luxury of a large cruise ship and the benefits of a small ship. At 100 metres long the ship was intimate and friendly, but large enough to let you find a quiet place. It travelled well through rough seas and remained comfortable. The social areas were fantastic. Deck 4 was the main social area with a large lounge room and a bar. The bar was full bar with great prices and live music. Wine started at $22 a bottle and was lovely. Cocktails were under $10. A glassed off library created a really peaceful place. There was a deck all the way around deck 4, so plenty of room for everyone to view wildlife and to follow animals. Deck 5 had a large spa tub and BBQ area and a gym inside. Sitting in a hot spa watching icebergs and glaciers was pretty amazing – as was eating a meal, wrapped in a blanket, watching whales! The bridge was usually open. The ship used English as the main language. German was also used for a second set of announcements. The Guests. Were a great mix from around the world – ranging from a teenager to 90 yo. Everyone was friendly and fun. Staff - were amazing. So knowledgeable and willing to share. They were all experts and qualified in their fields, some with PhDs. There was always someone to answer your questions, point things out, have a chat. They could spot animals and birds miles away, or hidden in a bush. And could tell you all about it. No question was left unanswered. A photograph was there to help with your camera. Accommodation was very comfortable. Large rooms were well set out with lots of power points for all your cameras, storage and places to dry clothing. Walk in showers with good hand rails. Rooms were serviced twice a day. Food was too good! You could have 3 x three course meals a day as well as afternoon tea each day, appetizers each evening, biscuits all day. The bakery was amazing. Vegetarians and special diets were well catered for. Safety was paramount on all occasions. Everything was so well run and controlled without treating us like fools. Equipment was great. The Marina – was exceptional. It was undercover and so easy. I have two metal knees and am not too agile. I found this process, both at the marina and on shore, incredibly easy due to the way it was done. Three people assisted you in and out of the zodiacs. Even in rough seas this was easy and safe. The sailors who assisted were so strong! Enrichment. Such an extensive selection of lectures on everything! Mammals, birds, ice, history, culture, whaling, oceanography, geography and on and on. And work shops - photography, ice rescue, …. If we were not on land, there was an informative and interesting lecture delivered by someone who really knew their stuff. There were also fun activities like trivia and quizzes. Excursions – were mind blowing. The zodiacs would take us ashore and we could stay or return as we chose. You could be active or just sit and look. I walked on my seventh continent, I made snow angels, I walked among hundreds of thousands of penguins – literally. I walked with tiny seals snapping at my heels. We also did many zodiac cruises where you just sat and were blown away but the beauty. During this trip I saw Humpback, Minke, Fin, Southern Right, Sie and Blue whales. Orca, Hourglass Dolphin, Peale's Dolphin, Commonson's Dolphin, Dusky Dolphin, Long Beaked Common Dolphin. South American Fur Seals, Crab Eater Seals, Weddell Seals, Elephant Seals and Leopard. And what the birders saw was amazing. On the last night we all sat around discussing how we could possibly describe our trip and what we would say to people. One person summed it up perfectly when she said “tell your friends to sell a kidney if that is what it will take to get them on this trip!” And she was correct. My only complaint was that they made me get off their ship on the last day. I cannot fault Poseidon Expeditions and the crew and staff of the Sea Spirit. Truly a mind blowing experience! If a trip to Antarctica is on your radar – make it happen!

I very much enjoyed this expedition cruise. The Sea Spirt is a very comfortable and wee appointed ship. The shore excursions were well planned and managed. The lecturers were very informative, the food and service staff were first rate, and the guests were all happy campers.

We started our trip to Antarctica on the wrong foot after original trip, planned a year ahead, was cancelled 3 weeks before our scheduled departure.Our travel agent recommended Poseidon but naturally we were quite worried. And then we boarded Poseidon and never looked back. We had a great room, big, with walk-in closet and a veranda. Everything on the trip was perfectly organized and carried out. The service was great yet very friendly and the food was exceptionally good. The expedition team was very professional and organization was perfect. And Antarctica, this is definitely a must

My wife and i had a wonderful trip to Antarctica on Sea Spirit. The facilities on board were spot on and the crew fabulous. We were enthralled by the penguins and sea birds. Could have seen more whales. The vistas were better than we had dreamed of. We missed out by 3 miles getting to the polar circle as weather and ice got in the way. Landings at several bases were undertaken and it was great to see the conditions experienced by the occupants. The crew took great care to make sure the landings were done safely. We had some big seas in Drake Passage on our return, but the captain made the crossing as comfortable and safe as possible for us..The crew even took food to our cabin when it was too rough for us to move around the ship!

We expected to see polar bears and walrus and other sea life. None, zero BUT we saw glaciers and icebergs and learned about them. Did you ever see an iceberg explode?? We did.