January 2024 · Antarctica
The trip of a lifetime on a fantastic ship with an amazing crew This was a trip to the Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctica. The entire experience was beyond belief it was so amazing. I will start with the ship; it has about 130 passengers so is quite intimate. The ship is modern and has fancy stabilizer wings. My cabin was spacious, had two twin beds, a desk, lots of closet and storage spaces and could put the suitcases under the beds. The bathroom was good with a nice shower. There was open seating in the dining room and everyone could eat at the same time. There were four meals a day: a huge breakfast buffet, a large lunch buffet and in the lounge a “lighter” option which changed every day. Then there was tea with assorted home made cakes and scones with whipped cream. Dinner was a four course meal served. The food was wonderful and the service was perfect. Going back to my room, it was serviced twice a day and laundry was efficient. The Wi-Fi on board worked the whole time as it uses starling and i bought 10 gig for $45 which lasted my whole three week trip. There were lots of staff managing the ship and in addition i counted 20 “expedition” crew led by the amazing Hannah Lawson. The range of skills was amazing from whale expert to geology to birds to history. Every staff member was positive, helpful and a pleasure to talk to. There were lectures on history, whales, women in Antarctica. A number of scientific research projects were also undertaken as part of the voyage. When getting off the ship the process was extremely well organized and the staff driving the zodiacs were great as were the guys helping one into and out of the zodiacs, there was no way i was going to fall they were so careful. When landing the crew went ahead and checked it was ok to land and they set up markers to show where to go and where not to go. For anyone thinking of going to the Antarctic i could not recommend Polar Latitudes more highly for the trip of a lifetime
March 2024 · Seaventure · Antarctica
The Thrill and Beauty of Antarctica I can't recommend Polar Latitudes enough. I was on the Crossing the Circle expedition. We sailed on the Seaventure with 138 passengers aboard and a phenomenal group of Expedition Leaders, Captain Nino and crew. We were lucky to have Falcon Scott, Robert Falcon Scott's grandson, on board as ship's historian. He was quite friendly and approachable. A major aspect of enjoying this expedition was the friendliness, enthusiasm and extraordinary breadth of knowledge each Expedition Leader had in their own field as well as others. The entire crew goes above and beyond to help in any way they can.Polar Latitudes includes a 2-night hotel stay at the Arakur with is a luxury hotel sitting high above the town with incredible views of the harbor and surrounding mountains. Ushuaia is a charming town, easy to walk, and has wonderful restaurants and shopping. On the ship you are given a wind/waterproof parka to keep and boots to use during landings/cruises. You are given a chance to try everything on and exchange if necessary.They offer a share-cabin option which is good for solo travelers like myself. The cabins are small but well appointed with really comfortable beds and small bathroom (all toiletries supplied) and numerous bars to hold onto.We sailed right on time and off into the Beagle Channel, headed for the Drake Passage. We lucked out with a fairly smooth trip through the Drake (a bit more 'shake' on the return). An orientation meeting is held for everyone up on the 7th deck and a Captain's Dinner (where the ship's crew is introduced) is on the first evening.Throughout the voyage any wildlife sightings were announced (eg, whales at 1 o'clock...) and those were often. Just prior to dinner one night there were so many humpbacks feeding all around the ship that the Captain actually turned and held the ship. The crew said they had never seen that many (more than 20 or so) - their excitement was palpable. It was a special, exciting event as people ran out on deck or crowded the windows. One of the evening recaps was even postponed because a pod of rare Orcas was sighted and the ship was maneuvered for the best views. Again, the Leaders' enthusiasm excited all of us.Additionally, there are informative (voluntary) lectures throughout about penguins, whales, climate/clouds, biology, history, Citizen Science, photography (there is a professional photographer on board who is very helpful), and whatever else I am forgetting.Of course there is the austere, other-worldly beauty of Antarctica with its sculptural icebergs, penguins, seals, whales. (And, yes, penguin rookeries stink.) The Zodiac excursions were excellent as each driver was one of the Expedition Leaders who pointed out wildlife, gave us information about ice formations, history, the landmarks we saw, etc. Each day a cruise and land excursion was planned. If an area for a landing was not tenable, another one was found - you are captive of the weather, mostly the wind. So when plans went awry, Nate (Expedition Main Leader) and the Captain would do their best to find a new location. There were days when the kayakers could not go out and one afternoon when the Zodiacs couldn't. But there is enough to do on the ship (there is wifi, a library, spacious lounges, a bar with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cappuccino, etc. along with a plate of cookies all day.Bottom line, Polar Latitudes is an excellent company/crew to travel with. I met wonderful people and there was no problem being a single traveler. Everyone was gathered up in the 7th deck lounge for the Crossing of the Antarctic Circle as Nate counted down to the actual moment of crossing New Year's Eve style.There was a hilarious Crossing the Circle celebration with the Leaders dressed as King Neptune, et al, with aquavit and a non-alcoholic beverage served. Oh, the Polar Plunge is a highlight not to miss. That was great!
May 2024 · Seaventure · Antarctica
Polar Latitudes Wonderful Adventure The ship and crew of Polar Latitudes Seaventure were amazing for our Antarctica adventure! Small ship with luxury amenities but packed with experiences and adventures! We had daily briefings and many presentations by premier scientists. The Captain made a priority to get us to the best shore excursions everyday while keeping safety at the forefront. We were up close to penguins and whales while also watching boundaries to protect the wildlife. Food, entertainment, and accommodations were excellent! All staff and crew were dedicated to enhancing our experience.
May 2024 · Seaventure · Antarctica
Look no further than Polar Latitudes for the ultimate Antarctica trip!! Polar Latitudes was absolutely the best tour company we could have picked for our Antarctica journey! We did the Antarctica Peninsula Classic on Seaventure in a Veranda room. I had done a TON of research on companies and ships prior to picking Polar Latitudes and I didn’t regret my decision for a minute. STAFF: all of the staff were unbelievable. The expedition staff were SO passionate (and knowledgable) about Antarctica and the wildlife and it was infectious. We were told they have the lowest turnover rate in the industry, and I can see why. They truly made me want to quit my job and work with them! Nothing goes according to plan A in Antarctica and the expedition staff did an incredible job of pivoting to amazing alternatives. The hotel staff was amazing too and our room attendant was so on top of everything. ACTIVITIES: We did every activity offered, from attending all the lectures and participating in citizen science to the polar plunge to the additional $ activities like kayaking and camping. Camping and the polar plunge were 2 of the biggest highlights of the trip for me! Not every company offers camping and this was one of the reasons I picked Polar Latitudes. SHIP: Seaventure is not the newest, shiniest ship that visits Antarctica, but it feels like a true expedition ship rather than a luxury yacht. We certainly weren’t roughing it by any means though! Our room was the perfect size and I loved having a balcony to watch whales, the Polar Plunge, etc. USHUAIA: our trip included 2 nights in Ushuaia prior to the cruise and the hotel we were put in was fantastic. It was far from town but there was a free shuttle. We were also able to sign up for a tour of the national park nearby (additional fee). TOUR: Our trip was 13 days/12 nights, which included 2 nights in Ushuaia and 10 nights on board the ship. We only had limited vacation days, so I appreciated the relatively short length of the cruise. We had 5 full days exploring Antarctica and the team made sure we were off the ship as much as possible. We had 2 excursions per day (either a landing or a zodiac cruise depending on the site and weather) and each one lasted 2-3 hours (I’ve heard other companies have much shorter excursions). FOOD: The food on board was delicious, especially dinners which were plated multi-course meals (breakfast and lunch were a buffet). Drinks were included on board, though I hear that is changing next season. I especially loved that they had both a cocktail and mocktail of the day (as someone who doesn’t drink this extra effort was really appreciated). One night we even had a BBQ on the back deck of the ship!If I go back to Antarctica (and boy do I want to!), I want it to be with Polar Latitudes again!
November 2024 · Seaventure · Antarctica
Absolutely must do bucket List. Absolutely awesome. Wasn't sure what to really expect from our cruise to Antarctica with polar latitude. No regrets and plenty of never forgetting memories. From my first snow, to my first ice berg, huge it was, to adorable penguins 🐧 that were just as interested in us as we were in them. Walking on sea ice, ever changing wonderful views. Riding in the zodiacs. Doing the polar plunge, water was cold but fantastic. A lot of firsts for me. Ship seaventure was great, had stabilisers thank goodness for crossing drakes passage. Staff were fantastic, friendly, knowledgeable, small number of passengers. Everyone were friendly. If anyone was bored it was definitely there own choice.
January 2025 · Antarctica
Polar Latitudes I took a 10 day Antartica expedition with Polar Latitudes and had an excellent time. The ship was in excellent condition, the crew were friendly and helpful, the expedition was science based with informative presentations on a plethora of Antartica flora and fauna. Great history presentations too! The four and five course meals were excellent as was the delicious wines that were served, They had a suckling pig barbecue one night too! All told, an excellent experience for me. I really appreciated their concern for safety when the departure was delayed a day by inclement weather. Thanks to all in making my adventure to my seventh continent so memorable.
