Spitsbergen Explorer Arctic Expedition Cruise

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

Average Review Rating: from 82 reviews.

Clare Flynn

SPITZBERGEN EXPLORER

Written July 2009
What an amazing trip. I didn't really know what to expect when I booked it, but it was the best decision I've ever made! Loved the expedition team, Spitzbergen, the Vavilov, I met some fantastic people on board. All in all, I wish I was still there!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There were a few moments, but I one of them would be watching a mother polar bear and her cub from the bow of the ship. We watched them for hours, it was amazing.
Another moment was watching a big healthy male bear shake himself off after going for a little dip in the sea!
Or going on a zodiac landing very near a herd of walrus and watching two of them swim over to the zodiacs to have a look (very curious!)
And then there was the zodiac cruise through the ice field....
The landscape was stunning, especially when the sun was beaming down at 1am.
I could go on for hours....everything was perfect.
What did you think of your group leader?
Love Woody, what a legend! He's so enthusiastic, and he's great to talk to about all things Polar. I miss his morning wake up calls!
The rest of the team were brilliant, they were so knowledgable, friendly, helpful. A good laugh too!
Kyle was great fun, and fantastic when you have camera questions. Ian Sterling is brilliant, his expertise in polar bears meant any pb question you had, he had an answer for. He has some great stories too! Annie is amazing, loved being in her Zodiac and having her as our guide on some of the landings.
All the team deserve a mention really, we were spoiled with them!
Paul Goldstein...interesting guy! Great fun and has the cheesiest jokes imaginable. Always looked forward to his nautical views, and his excessive use of alliteration. He gave some great photography tips as well, and was very approachable.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Bring the best pair of binoculars you can buy. Or the best zoom lens you can buy. We saw about 10 polar bears, but alot of them were in the distance. Same with the whales - I didn't actually see any, apart from their air spray!
Enjoy every second of it, spend every chance you have out on the bow or the decks soaking it all in. The scenery is breath taking.
Talk to the expedition team, they are a fountain of knowledge!
Layers for outside are the best, as well as thermals. Inside the ship is nice and warm.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Be prepared to be rolled off the ship at the end - there was a lot of food! Hats off to the chefs, it was tasty!
Some people seemed to think the Arctic was going to be like a zoo, and as a result they were a bit disappointed. Don't expect the wildlife to turn up right beside the ship at a time that suits you. It takes patience, luck, a lot of work and hours on the teams part (and also the passangers if they want to) to find a speck in the distance that may or may not be a polar bear, arctic fox, whale etc.
Some people seemed a bit put out by the fact that an itinerary wasn't stuck to. It's the Arctic! You can only go where the weather and ice lets you. The team know what they're doing, trust them!
I wish I was still there :-(
Louisa Richardson

SPITZBERGEN EXPLORER

Written July 2009
I loved every second of this trip except having to go home at the end. From the moment we stepped on board the Vavilov we were treated to fantastic sights and experiences. The team on board the ship were superb and helped us to make the most of this stunning wilderness area while keeping us extremely well fed. There was a friendly, fun atmosphere both on board and during the Zodiac cruises and landings and we were very lucky with our wildlife viewings.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
It is extremely difficult to pick one moment as there were so many! Of course seeing four different Polar bears was a real highlight; we got the full set: one swimming, one on land and two separate sitings of bears on the ice. We were also fortunate enough to get a really close up view of an Arctic fox which seemed totally unconcerned by a group of people all furiously taking his picture as he tucked into an egg. The scenery which surrounded us was truly breathtaking from snow-covered cliffs to floating pack ice to soaring glaciers. The whole trip was inspirational!
What did you think of your group leader?
We were extremely fortunate to have Woody as our main leader. He entertained and informed us throughout our journey and couldn’t have done any more to improve our experience. He was always happy and enthusiastic, even after having stayed up all night on the lookout for Polar bears. The rest of the staff on the Vavilov were also exceptional and it was a privilege to travel with them. The whole team is extremely professional and made sure that we got the most out of our time in the Arctic.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If you are adventurous and have an interest in wildlife and wilderness, book on this trip now – you won’t be disappointed. Don’t worry about being cold. As long as you bring appropriate clothing you will be fine. The ship is heated and any time you are feeling chilly you can quickly pop inside and warm up with a hot drink which are available 24 hours day. Bring plenty of layers so you can adjust your clothing depending on the weather and what you are doing. On a cloudy day you will need 5 or 6 layers when you are out in the Zodiac cruises. A pair of good quality ski gloves will make sure your hands stay warm and dry. You can wear walking boots on the Zodiac cruises which will probably keep your feet a bit warmer than the wellington boots (these are necessary if you are making a shore landing and are supplied on the ship). If you dont' bring anything else, bring the best pair of binoculars you can lay your hands on. Not all of the wildlife comes up close to you. Also, if like me you have a reasonable camera with a mediocre lens, see if you can borrow or hire a bigger one to stand the best chance of taking 'pin sharp' photographs
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Our trip was a special departure and we were extremely lucky to have Chris Packham and Jonathan and Angie Scott aboard. They gave presentations on photography and wildlife which were superb and I feel very lucky to have seen them. I am a fledgling photographer and I learned so much from them. I am now feeling inspired to improve both my camera equipment and increase my photography practice. We also had the world-renowned Polar bear expert Ian Stirling aboard and he gave us several extremely informative presentations as well as helping us understand what the four Polar bears we saw were up to. Again, a real privilege to see these wildlife experts in action.
Margaret Farnes

SPITZBERGEN EXPLORER

Written July 2009
The vessel and all the staff were superb as we expected having been on it down in Antarctica. Spitzbergen in June still has a lot of ice on and around it so a complete circumnavigation of the island was impossible. However, the combination of sun and ice with pointy mountains made for some spectacular landscapes with reflections. The wildlife, compared with South Georgia, was hardly visible. Guillimots were seen often, with puffins twice, and little auks on several occasions. Kittywakes were plentiful. Arctic fox was only seen by the energetic walkers on their hard treks on shore so not something that I was able to enjoy. Walrus were found once and fortunately decided to stay put whilst we were taken ashore in groups to get a closer look.   And for the main quarry, polar bear, we had sightings through binoculars on three days, culminating on the third day with the bear coming across the ice in the direction of the vessel. Heart stopping moment. I actually have photos, albeit grainy because of digital zoom, that look like a polar bear!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Being surrounded by the most staggeringly beautiful scenery in complete and utter peace was magical. When the large male polar bear that we had been watching for hours suddenly decided to make his way across the large expanse of fast ice in the direction of the ship my heart started pounding. At some point lunch was called over the tannoy. No way!!! I was glued to the bow watching his every move as he came nearer and nearer.
What did you think of your group leader?
Woody is the most amazing expedition leader: a gentle man in every sense of the word. His many skills clearly include the ability to manage the expectations not only of the passengers but also the Russian captain and crew, his own expedition staff and experts, and the tour operator, in this case Exodus. It is a very happy ship.
Paul Goldstein is an exceptionally talented one-off kind of guy. This is the second photographic trip of his that I have been on and I cannot wait to book others.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
The icy polar regions are just something else. Do not go through your life without experiencing being there. It is cold outside, so read the 'what to pack' advice carefully but the vessel is warm, welcoming, comfortable and easy going. Do it!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
All in all, a great trip. Glad I did it but would not do it again because we saw it in the best weather and we may not be so lucky next time.   Whereas the abundance of wildlife in South Georgia and Antarctica will draw me back again and again.
Nicky Handcock

SPITZBERGEN EXPLORER

Written July 2009
What can I say?!! Stunning scenery, fabulous wildlife sightings, made all the more rewarding as we watched and waited with growing anticipation, top class expedition staff, and, dare I mention it, wonderful food in abundance!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Undoubtedly when the fattest polar bear in the Arctic came right down to the edge of the ice and dozed for a while before plunging into the water for a dip and then rolling contentedly on the ice.
Other trip hightlights were the sheer unspoilt pristine beauty of the landscape and the feeling of privilege that we were able to drift about in it and absorb its majesty.
It was also an honour to be in the company of many naturalist experts on board the ship, particularly Ian Stirling, and being able to chat to them and learn from their great fonts of knowledge and wisdom.
What did you think of your group leader?
Paul's boundless enthusiasm was wonderfully infectious and he did everything within his means to ensure that we all got as much out of the trip as humanly possible.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Go with a very open mind and no preconceptions. Nothing is pre-ordained and patience is the order of the day - we were lucky and ours paid off with many polar bear sightings, not to mention whales, walrus, seals, arctic foxes, reindeer and a huge variety of sea birds, but this is not guaranteed. The more you put in, in terms of watching and searching, the more you will get out of the trip.
Make sure you bring plenty of warm clothes, and train yourself to sleep as few hours as possible at night - the hardest part of each day is dragging yourself down to the cabin to sleep!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
If you do not visit the Arctic, you haven't lived!
Dirkje Ten Hove

SPITZBERGEN EXPLORER

Written July 2009
The trip to the Arctic is on of my favourate holidays. The scenery was breathtaking, the Polar bears were fantastic, the ship was great, all the crew and experts were extremely helpful and we had a great group to travel with.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
We had 1 day when there was a sense of anticipation in the air as soon as we got up. We sailed in the Smeerenburg fjord in the morning. The wheather was really good, making the scenery feel even more special. At luchtime we saw a Polar Bear on an island. We went out in the Zodiacs and were able to observe it for a long time.
In the evening we had a BBQ on deck. Therer were little flurries of snow now and again. Just after we finisehed eating we saw another Polar Bear. On the ice this time. We managed to get very close with the boat and again could observe it for a long time.
What did you think of your group leader?
Woody and his team were all very good. They were all very knowledgable and really wanted to help everyone.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Wrap up warm and enjoy it.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I ahve learned a lot about the Arctic and its flora and fauna.
Angela Longman

SPITZBERGEN EXPLORER ON THE VAVILOV JUNE 2009

Written July 2009
First off, our trip was on the Vavilov boarding on 24 June. Great ship and crew and outstanding expedition staff. The standard of safety care was excellent on the whole, and we were blessed with good weather on the whole, and saw a fair amount of wildlife.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The polar bears, especially the one swimming off Edgeoya, but mostly the extreme beauty and grandeur of Spitzbergen, and the sense of how lucky we were to be there, especially to reach 80 degrees North.
What did you think of your group leader?
Woody was/is constantly on the go, and brings vast enthusiasm to the trip, which gives you the energy to keep going whilst tired, after hours standing out on deck.
My only niggle was him leading his group of chargers up and across the scree face of the Alkhornet, in wellies, when a lot of people, younger and older, had the sense to back off - a 45 degree slope with scree and no proper equipment was asking for trouble - even one of the expedition staff was worried about it. When you are in an isolated region of the world with very little medical backup, it was foolhardy.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Go! but be prepared for long days searching for the elusive bear. Talking to people back in Longyearbyen who had gone north just up the coast for 4 days, they had seen 16 bears, including mother and cubs. We covered much more ground, and saw only 4, but that's the luck of the draw. We saw much bird life, and our ornithologist Tony was fantastic.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
My one disappointment, having chosen this particular trip because of Jonathan and Angie Scott, was how little group presentations he did. One group one and one bar talk was meagre. Thank goodness for Chris Packham who was not just an added bonus, but did at least 3 group talks, and really earned his crust.
We were so lucky having Ian Stirling as our polar bear guide - fantastically knowledgeable and such a lovely guy.
Nicola Billows

SPITZBERGEN EXPLORER ON THE SHOKALSKIY

Written July 2009
Fantastic holiday. Very well organised, and a feast for lovers of the environment. Wonderful landscapes, amazing skies, clarity of light, an abundance of birds, snow, rocks and ice, jewel-like flowers, and silence. Nature on the edge - tough but beautiful. A photographic heaven.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The polar bear on ice, first seen as a blob in the distance, and then slowly, gingerly, the captian edged our boat ever closer, forcing our way through the ice, until we saw her clearly, feeling her way carefully along the thinning ice, then lying in wait for a seal to appear. Then after a while she rolled on her side, stretched and yawned and waved her massive paws in the air as if performing for our benefit, then turned round and watched us watching her. Eventually she seemed to get bored and fell asleep, until some low flying birds disturbed her, and she heaved herself up, and slowly made her way towards the water's edge and swam away....(But perhaps he was a he.) And on the last day, when we came upon the arctic fox carefully sucking out the birds' eggs he had stolen, then trotting nonchallantly about, without a care in the world. And finally, the auk colony, clustered together on the cliff edge, seemingly egging each other on to jump off and fly, before the others all followed on in swoops and dives, only to return and start again. Magic.
What did you think of your group leader?
Woody and his team worked incredibly hard to make this an enjoyable and successful holiday. All were very friendly, helpful, interesting, hugely knowledgeable, with large reserves of humour. It was hard to say goodbye, and I was left with a sense of wanting to do the trip all over again, with all the same people on board...
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Don't expect to see polar bears close up with cubs. (I did.) These sightings are very rare.
Don't worry about travelling on your own. This was a very sociable holiday, where everyone mixed and socialised together.
Usual advice - bring lots of thermal layers. Ski clothes are great, gloves, hats, sunglasses, and lots of warm socks are a must. But bring some T shirts and light-weight clothes too, for when you are indoors. The boat is very warm.
Leave your books behind - you won't have time to read them!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Exodus has done it again - a brilliant holiday! And thanks for the brilliant DVD, so even if your own photos don't work out, you'll have these to remember it by.
I had no idea that there would be so many experts on board as part of the crew, giving lectures on the history, geology, polar bears, birds, plants, and the different kinds of ice. And we were also especially lucky to have Angie and Jonathan Scott and Chris Packham on board, all superb wildlife photographers, spoiling us with entertaining presentations and stunning slideshows of their own work, as well us giving us helpful advice and commentaries on our own photography.