Ted Schipper
Canada
Customer
Rating
8
Customer Rating On return from their adventure we ask customers: “On a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest, how likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend or colleague?”
Ted Schipper's Trip:
Svalbard Wildlife In-DepthTed Schipper's Trip Date:
27th Jun - 14th Jul 2019
Ted Schipper's Ship:
Ocean AdventurerOverall, how was your trip?
Highlights were wildlife sightings and excursions off the ship. People were very nice with a good mix of backgrounds and nationalities. The second 4 hour visit to Longyearbyen after the cruise was unnecessary. We did not know about the stop in Tromso to re-enter Norway.
In one sentence, what did you think of the Arctic? Did it live up to your expectations?
It was an excellent trip and lived up to our expectations.
Would you visit again?
Yes
How was the service that Swoop provided?
Swoop's service was excellent, although I don't like your Adventure Planner communications format. You have to search for recent messages and sometimes scroll through all the earlier correspondence.
How likely is it that you would recommend Swoop to a friend?
8 out of 10
You chose a/an {area.title} voyage. How was that experience?
Great!
You chose a/an Svalbard Wildlife In-Depth experience. How was that experience?
The excursions and sightings were very good. The pre- and post- onboard presentations were fair to good. They were not very detailed and glossed over most topics. The speakers themselves were good.
How were your experiences on the guided excursions?
Expedition staff were great but much better one-on-one than in the lecture format. Photography tips were weak but the speaker was enthusiastic. Sightings were great, considering Mother Nature didn't know the itinerary. One highlight was an iceberg breaking and rolling over about 100 metres from our zodiac.
How would you describe {vessel.title} if talking to somebody potentially interested in going to the Arctic, and what tips would you pass on?
Ship was great. We were on it in 2014 when it was the Sea Adventurer and appreciated the upgrades. The wifi was poor and for those who paid extra, a bad investment. You could consider a larger platform for getting in and out of the zodiacs.
If Swoop arranged some of your travel before/after your voyage/group trip. How did we do?
Pre- and post- cruise arrangements were fine, except for not telling us about having to leave the airplane, claim our luggage, and re-enter Norway in Tromso on the flight back to Oslo. It appears in the documents as just a stop. Accommodations were good, although we found the hotel in Oslo, not Swoop.
Do you have any tips or advice for other people planning a trip to the Arctic?
Go sooner rather than later, keep an open mind, be flexible, and take the longest telephoto lens you can.
Is there anything you would recommend we change to make trips like yours more environmentally sustainable?
Not necessary to turn on the reading lights in the cabin each evening when making up the beds for the night. Would save some energy.
Anything else? Tell us anything you’d like to share that we forgot to ask! It’s ok to leave this empty too :-)
Already went with Swoop to Antarctica. Wouldconsider another part of the north.