Poseidon Expeditions Avis 594

This was our second expedition cruise with Poseidon. Everything was delivered to an excellent standard with top class Expedition Team, restaurant staff and cabin staff. We couldn't fault any aspect of our cruise.

The Trip was excellent: the team and the crew were always very friendly and helpful and we learnt à lot about the animals and nature. The meals were very good as well as the service. The whole organisation was perfect . Many thanks for this unforgetable journey!

Super tolle Reise! Einmalige Erlebnisse und Erinnerungen. Sehr kompetenter Expeditionsleiter und Team. Wir würden gerne jederzeit wieder fahren.

Was Reisen mit der MS Sea Spirit bedeutet, kenn ich ja schon von der Südgeorgien-Tour und mein damaliger Eindruck wurde wieder einmal voll bestätigt. Die Reise „Britische Inseln“ selbst wurde weiter unten ja schon von Ina und Dietmar ausführlich beschrieben, aber das Tollste war für mich doch, in Leith einfach an Bord bleiben zu können, um weiter gen Svalbard cruisen und das Bordleben genießen zu können.

Aber eigentlich geht es hier ja um die Bewertung von Poseidon und damit namentlich um Agnes, Anja und auch das Expeditionsteam. Es war wieder die reine Freude, von Euch betreut zu werden. Immer nach dem Motto „Probleme gibt es nicht, höchstens zu meisternde Herausforderungen“ wie z.B. einen kurzfristigen Zahnarztbesuch auf den Orkneys zu organisieren.

Danke für Alles und weiter so! Bis zum nächsten Mal

Es war wieder schön mit Poseidon unterwegs zu sein.

My expedition to West Spitsbergen & the ice edge went beyond my expectations.

Although the Arctic wildlife is always unpredictable, we saw a polar bear with her cub, a bearded seal and uncountable walruses.

We followed in the footsteps of polar explorers in Ny-Ålesund, we experienced pristine landscapes, a very comfortable ship and a fabulous service on board.
I have got many dietary restrictions and the staff was able to fulfill my needs!
The perfect ending was the polar plunge followed by a Jacuzzi.

I couldn’t ask for more!

Thanks for this unforgettable trip.

This was a good cruise and I wish there was a good rating as the only choices are great and average. I do think it was above average, but in some respects it was less than great. The booking process was a breeze and Shulie Klein was incredibly helpful. Our original cruise was cancelled which would have been later in June and we were offered this cruise in its place. Unfortunately friends who had booked with us were not able to take this cruise because of the date change.

Our cabin on the 6th deck was terrific - quite large with a great balcony which due to some warm weather and calm seas we were actually able to use. Our cabin steward, Ronald, was always available when needed and did an excellent job of keeping our cabin ship shape. The food on the ship was good and there were always sufficient choices at all 3 meals.

We were lucky to go ashore at some sights that are sometimes difficult to approach. Jan Mayan was almost mystical with its lunar type landscape. When we went ashore in pretty foggy conditions we never imagined that the fog would lift and we would be able to see the volcano on our sail out. Our stop at Fair Isle was also our opportunity to see Puffins up close. Other landings proved to be less than ideal and when we agreed to hike on one such stop we were told it was a 2 km hike when in actuality it was a 5 km hike in less than ideal conditions. While hiking that distance wasn't a problem, slogging through areas of thigh deep snow was not expected.

We were grateful that Michael Blencowe was on the cruise as he is such a dynamic speaker and is able to share information in an exciting way. It only made most of the other lectures seem uninspired. It appeared to us that some of the topics were just assigned to a speaker rather than the speaker having an in-depth knowledge of the topic. Other speakers may have had some interesting information to impart, but did so in a very uninspired way or couldn't seem to position the microphone correctly so that every word was heard. The order of topics was also a bit odd. For example, the lecture on the Mysteries of the Orkney's was presented after the visit. It seems to me that lecture should have been before our stop. We would have liked more emphasis on the wildlife aspects of the trip rather than botany and geology.

We really wish Poseidon would have been clearer about the testing requirement prior to boarding the ship. Even when we learned what the requirement was, it was still a bit unclear. Was it 72 hours before checking into the hotel or was it 72 hours before walking onto the ship. If we had known well in advance about the requirements, we would have made our travel arrangements differently. We started off in London for a few days rather than flying directly to Edinburgh which we would have done if the requirements had been more evident. As a result, we paid $200 once in Edinburgh for our 2 PCR tests rather than being able to have a free one before we left home. When we arrived in Longyearbyen at the end of the cruise, we saw the next group of cruisers being tested a their hotel (assume for free) and it looked to be a antigen test which are much less expensive.

Poseidon expeditions offer great routes and great service. The expedition teams are top class as are the captain, crew and staff that interact with the customers. Friendly, responsive and helpful. We have been on three of their cruises and all three were exceptionally good, highly rememberable experiences.

I could not recommend Poseidon enough. Not only are the trips incredible, with carefully thought out itineraries and excellent guides ensuring you have an amazing holiday, the boats are also stunning, luxurious and comfortable. The food onboard was absolutely delicious and every need was attended to. H on early the very best way to travel, I wouldn’t change a thing, recommended to all!

Vor der Reise macht man sich sehr viele Gedanken, denn sehr wahrscheinlich wird diese Antarktisreise eine Art "Once-In-A-Lifetime" Erlebnis sein.

Ist es die richtige Zeit? Sind im März noch genügend Pinguine da? Sehen wir Eisberge? Ist es noch lange genug hell?

Ja, ja und ja.

Wir hatten alles: Riesige Eisberge, Abertausend Pinguine, wunderschöne Erlebnistage und atemberaubende Sonnenuntergänge. Dazu das Glück vieler Wal- und Delfinsichtungen, einige faule Seeelefanten, jagende Seeleoparden und zahlreiche knuddelige Seebärenbabys an den Küsten.

Sechs unterschiedliche Pinguinarten konnten wir auf der Reise bestaunen! In der Antarktis haben wir vor allem erwachsene Pinguine und Pinguine in der Mauser gesehen. In den riesigen Brutkolonien von Südgeorgien gab es aber auch zahlreiche Jungtiere und sogar brütende Pinguine mit Eiern zu entdecken. Allein die Menge der Tiere verschlägt einem die Sprache.

Das Expeditionsteam war super: hochmotiviert, gut gelaunt und gerne bereit auch mal nass zu werden, um uns ein fantastisches Erlebnis zu bieten. Nur bei zwei Anlandungen spielte das Wetter nicht mit. Unser Expeditionsleiter hatte aber immer einen Plan B oder noch ein Ass im Ärmel. Daumen hoch!

Die Kabinen sind komfortabel, der warme Jacuzzi an Deck lädt zum Relaxen und die Bibliothek zum Schmökern ein. Das Essen war sehr gut und reichlich. Die Seetage haben wir zur Entspannung genutzt und interessante Vorträge des Expeditionsteams besucht. Selbst mitten auf hoher See durften wir viele Geschenke der Natur genießen: Vorbei treibende Eisberge, springende Delfine, fliegende Albatrosse sowie schöne Sonnenuntergänge.

Was will man mehr?!

Simply stated, this was the trip of a lifetime. The ship was wonderful, the service excellent, the expedition team well-informed and provided interesting insights, and the scenery and wildlife astonishing. If you can afford it (which is a big if because it is expensive), you should take this trip.

I had a good time on this trip on the Sea Spirit. The sales staff were AMAZING to work with prior to the trip and answered numerous questions. The food was excellent, and the crew on the ship was friendly and extremely knowledgeable. So why not a perfect score? The hotel that was included the night prior to departure had so-so service with limited dinner options and the check-in process for the lodging and the separate table for cruise information/COVID testing info was a hot mess. I was also extremely disappointed that we were denied the polar plunge because they were afraid of what it might do to our temperatures with COVID protocols (I think this was simply an excuse as we only had our temps taken once a day in the morning and the plunge could've been scheduled as to not impact our temps the next morning). I was also disappointed that the camping didn't happen, but this may have been because we had to leave the peninsula early in anticipation of some huge waves on the return trip (and I'm thankful that the decision was made to miss those as much as I'm thankful for seasickness patches!). We still had some great landings and the experience is one that most will never have. I appreciate the efforts taken to preserve the environment (including not disturbing the wildlife) while allowing the travelers to still have these experiences.

Recently returned from an Antarctica expedition with Poseidon and I can’t say enough positive things about the experience and the company. First, the preparatory material was accurate so if you’re looking at a trip, pay attention to their details and advice. Second, the US company reps were responsive and candid about some issues that I had noted on previous trips. Allayed my concerns by phone and text and had definitely resolved the issues. Third, this is truly an EXPEDITION with no guarantees of weather, sea conditions or wildlife. The international staff had incredible expertise to get us to the best opportunities AND their lectures regarding all aspects of our experience added high value. They were very skilled at helping passengers deal with the physical requirements of the trip (getting in and out of zodiacs). The ship was comfortable, food was outstanding, crew was highly professional AND fun. We will travel with Poseidon again.

A trip of a lifetime! The Antarctic Peninsula - South Georgia - Falklands sailing that we did on Poseidon Expedition's M/V Sea Spirit was absolutely phenomenal. Not only did we luck out in terms of weather (we had a very smooth Drake passage crossing - even the ship's crew was surprised!) and experienced generally wonderful weather (often sunny with blue skies - albeit cold) throughout the sailing. The crew and staff of the ship were incredibly friendly, professional and helpful. The culinary team impressed us quite a bit on a daily basis. Perfect mix of expedition and very upscale accommodations. We loved the 23 day trip (22 days sailing) and would recommend this brand highly.

This was an amazing trip-Adventure of a lifetime! We had a wonderful time seeing the timeless beauty of Antarctica and the incredible animals which inhabit it. The guides were very knowledgeable and excited to share it with us. The crew members were all very friendly and accommodating. The onboard restaurant was awesome. There was a large variety of expertly prepared food choices served by an amazing wait staff. The Sea Spirit was clean, modern and comfortable. The whole package was well worth the money spent.

Trotz Einschränkungen durch die Corona Pandemie war die gebuchte Reise mit der Sea Spirit ein einmaliges Erlebnis. Das Expeditionsteam und die Crew ermöglichten traumhafte Anlandungen auf den südl. Shetlandinseln, der antarktischen Halbinsel und Südgeorgien teilweise unter schwierigsten Bedingungen unter absoluter Beachtung der Sicherheit der Passagiere. Bei den Vorträgen an Bord konnte sich jeder über die Besonderheiten, Problemen und die Entdeckungsgeschichte der Antarktis informieren. Besonders hervorzuheben ist die gleichzeitige Übersetzung in Russisch und Deutsch. Bei Tiersichtungen wurde die Fahrt des Schiffes unterbrochen um jeden ausreichend Zeit für die Beobachtung zu geben. Der Service an Bord war spitze. Besonders hervorzuheben die schmackhafte und vielfältige Speiseauswahl. Das wegen der Coronapandemie ausschließlich am Tisch serviert und kein Büffet angeboten wurde, wurde von mir begrüßt. Vielen Dank auch nochmals an das sehr aufmerksame Personal.
Kritisch sehe ich die meines Erachtens etwas überzogenen Preise für Getränke, verweise aber auch darauf das Tee, Kaffee und Wasser kostenlos angeboten wurden.

We had an amazing time on the trip of our lifetime to Antarctica, this was the last continent for us so was special and we even celebrated Valentine's Day by making a continental landing!

Personally we would like to commend and thank Tanya Strikanova/Poliakova for her patience and time prior to the trip, she's had a surname change after 85 emails exchange and she's still helping us post-trip, congrats once again for your marriage Tanya! Tanya also asked us what can be improved and there really wasn't much and we have to really scrap a list for her.

We had to leave Antarctic Peninsula a day earlier but this is not an issue at all, we are at the mercy of the weather and the Expedition Team and Leader were all very experienced in deciding what's best for us!

The camping didn't happen due to weather, polar plunge can't be done due to corona and temperature check fluctuation, but we got in the Kayaking Club, a must do if you can get in! A great way to be active and be corona proof from others and you still get to do all the landings when the big crowd has left, you almost have the place to yourself entirely. We have only one zodiac cruise and choose all other times kayaking and must say we don't feel like we have missed anything. We really felt very special to have been part of the kayak group.

I am really fussy with food and I must say that 3 course meal every breakfast, lunch and dinner is hard to skip, and all that desserts has gone straight to my thighs haha!

Service were great, I threw up 4 times in 11 days, all during Drake Passage, even with seasickness tablets provided for free in board. One of the sick day, I called reception as I have not had dinner the night before and also missed breakfast and lunch the next day, I needed food. They sent the maitre'd up with menu and sent us food to our room. That was outstanding service and we really did not expect that, on top of a seasick plate (apples and crackers) I sure hope for the sake of anyone ever making it to this trip that there would not be 11m waves crashing every 12 seconds!!!

We cannot rave enough about this trip. We got plenty good shots but for those who just loves "living in the moment" as my husband would call it, don't worry about photographs as they gift you a thumb drive in the shape of m/v sea spirit at the end of the trip, with 300 professional clicks on your trip down right ro all that delicious food menu you have been eating. Kayakers, you get an extra folders of all the photos from kayaking, so if you think price is high, think about how many times you will be kayaking, we got 6 times in!

We are already contemplating a next cruise, Greenland is high on the list so will need to subscribe to the newsletter and hope for some special deals in our favour! Thanks for a great time to be had xxx

Vom Anfang bis zum Ende Klasse! Die Betreuung ab Interesse, Buchung, Reisevorbereitungen, auf dem Schiff selbst, die Crew, die Verpflegung und die Freundlichkeit und Hilfsbereitschaft aller Angestellten, der Besatzung, aller Teammitglieder einfach wunderbar! Wir würden jederzeit wieder buchen! Und tun das hoffentlich auch bald. 😊

After a stressful time before the trip with all the red tape involved in travel in the time of Covid, I was happy to arrive on the Sea Spirit . The boat was warm and cosy, the food delicious and the staff excellent. I think we were kept as safe as we could be from infections, wearing of masks, regular testing and isolation of passengers testing positive was key to a healthy ship. Difficult at times but necessary.
The programme was superb we had so many wonderful experiences with daily landings and zodiac cruises and encounters with wildlife. It was an experience I will never forget. A privilege to be able to to visit a pristine wilderness and take the message back home about caring for our planet.
The expedition staff were well informed and interesting in their talks. Some of the staff entertained us with music one evening and it would have been nice to have some more of this after dinner sometimes.
I am so glad I persevered with the trip with all the uncertainties and stress travel can bring in these times. I am old enough to find the experience physically challenging but felt encouraged and helped and will have such wonderful memories.

It was a wonderful Trip with so many great impressions. A big thank You to everyone on the Ship who made this Trip unforgettable for us.

We'll be back
Astrid Knobloch und Mike Strombach