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.

Robert Marshall

SPITZBERGEN EXPLORER

Written September 2008
We achieved our main objective of seeing Polar Bears close up on two separate occasions. In addition to the wildlife, we enjoyed the sea ice, the vast glaciers and the beautiful light of the Arctic skies. The Quark team on board were knowledgeable, fun and enthusiastic about the environment.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
We enjoyed so many great moments that it was difficult to pick one. Probably the most amazing was the female Polar Bear that stayed close to our ship for over 90 minutes. She "posed" brilliantly for photos, pretending to rest, jumping from ice floe to ice floe, swimming strongly in the icy waters, eyeing us all as the next potential meal and even licking the bow of the ship.
What did you think of your group leader?
“Dutch” had the right blend of seriousness and humour. He made the (fortunately) correct decision to navigate the Svalbard archipelago in an anti-clockwise direction because at the time of departure the sea ice further north would have prevented us sailing around Spitsbergen. He always had the passengers’ safety in mind yet organised good shore excursions that enabled us to view Arctic wildlife close up.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
1. Be enthusiastic! 2. Take the best camera with you that you can afford. With a good camera and a powerful zoom lens the scenery, the glaciers and the wildlife (Puffins, Seals, Reindeer, Arctic Fox etc) will impress your friends and family. 3. Take plenty of warm clothing, particularly when seated for a long time in the Zodiacs. Layers are best, thermal underwear, several tops, two pairs of gloves, socks, fleece hats and for those not used to winter holidays we would strongly recommend hand and feet warmers.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Make the most of the opportunities that arise. You never know what you will see. Our second most inspirational moment was getting very close to several Walruses on a beach (our second attempt). Go on every shore excursion, jump into every Zodiac trip, attend every presentation given by the knowledgeable Quark team and you will have a wonderful time.
Val Berry

ARCTIC - SPITZBERGEN ADVENTURE

Written July 2008
One of the best holiday experiences I've ever had. It will definitely go down amongst the greats
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There were many. Seeing the first polar bear was a thrill and then we saw one with a kill! Later on we saw a bear that came right up to the ship so it's impossible to say which was the best, they were all wonderful. Going on a zodiac cruise amongst the sea ice was tremendous and our time with the walruses was another highlight. The icing on the cake was during our final excursion when I spotted two arctic fox cubs and I don't think my pulse stopped racing for a number of hours.
What did you think of your group leader?
Woody was absolutely fantastic. His knowledge of both the wildlife and the arctic conditions is superb so we couldn't fail to have a good trip with him in charge
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Silk thermals are a must, so comfortable without being bulky. If I went again I would also take more short sleeved T-shirts with me to wear around the ship as the ship can be very warm
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I should like to extend my thanks to all the crew who were absolutely wonderful, particularly the kitchen staff who must be so long suffering when we all disappeared to see the bear with the seal and nobody ate any of the deserts that had been prepared! The food was really very good with everybody's tastes being catered for. How do they keep all that lettuce so fresh all the time? Everyone was very helpful and friendly and nothing was ever too much trouble for them. It's impossible to single out anybody in particular as 'the team' were all so knowledgeable and enthusiastic.
Thank you for such a wonderful holiday
Shane Carroll

ARCTIC - SPITZBERGEN ADVENTURE

Written July 2008
Fantastic trip, excellent staff support and expertise. Generated memories and experiences that will always be with us.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Cracking through the ice in a Zodiac. Seeing our first polar bear in the ice wilderness. Sitting on the side of a hill with Little Auks swooping around our heads.
What did you think of your group leader?
Woody and Paul were excellent, and could not have been better. Paul's style took a bit of getting used to, but his passion and determination shone through.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Layers, layers and more layers. Be flexible in your expectations as you cannot control Mother Nature.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Would fully recommend this trip.
Lone Kirkwood

ARCTIC - SPITZBERGEN ADVENTURE

Written July 2008
Wonderfull time, great sightings, great crew. As with our previous polar trip, the level of knowldge and dedication was second to none.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
How can you choose?
- seeing the polarbear coming right up to the ship
-watching the foxcubs for over ½ hour
-the midnight sun and the great scenery
What did you think of your group leader?
Very dedicated and knowledgeable. Wanted the trip to succeed and a large part of the success was no doubt down to his dedication and desire to find the wildlife.
Needs to listen more to what people say and talk less, there are other views in the world that counts and not everyone is wrong even if they disagree. A tendency to favour a few passengers. Would not approach him for advice on photography out of fear of feeling stupid would (and did) approach people like John Soder and Chris Edwards.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Do it - take warm clothes and lots of memorycards!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Not really - it was a great trip:-)
Christopher Buckley
ARCTIC - SPITZBERGEN ADVENTURE

Written July 2008
Awe inspiring - a stunning part of the world with amazing widelife living on the edge of what appears possible.The Vavilov, its fleet of Zodiacs and committed staff enable you to get as close as possible within the bounds of safety. Very good use is made of the ship's ability to move into ice and the frequent Zodiac excursions offer a more intimate view of the environment.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Sitting high on a hillside with flocks of Little Awks swooping only feet above our heads. Effort required, but worth it.
Oh - and the bears, walrus, whales, seabirds, seals, ice....
What did you think of your group leader?
Paul Goldstein is intensely focussed on enabling you to make the most of the trip. He is something of an acquired taste, but if you want to better understand the environment and animals around you or improve your photography then Paul fits the bill.
This was my second trip with Paul, and we booked largely on the basis of the first. We weren't disappointed.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Some points to note:
The itinerary should be seen as an example rather than a commitment. From my perspective this is fine as it means there is a large degree of flexibility to change plans to make the most of available opportunities - but if you really want to visit a particular place then make sure the group leader knows...
Be prepared to be too warm - even at Arctic temperatures. Some options on shore landings can involve strenuous hiking.
Photos of animals (rather than scenary) require long lenses.
Take dollars for the final day aboard ship - credit accounts close the night before.
Be very sure that special dietary requirements are understood - some people appeared to have issues.
Between leaving the ship and going to the airport is a 4 hour interval spent in Longyearbyen. Do not expect to find a lot to do... (particularly if you are there before 10am - the museum and most shops don't open until then). Retire to the warmth of comfortable seats in the Radisson.
Penny Clark

ARCTIC - SPITZBERGEN ADVENTURE

Written July 2008
I thoroughly enjoyed my holiday, I did hope to see some Artic wildlife, but I didn't expect to see as much as we did, and the landscapes that we saw were amazing as well.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
When the polar bear walked around the boat and then came within 10m from us and just seemed to look right at us for a good 5 minutes before walking away.
What did you think of your group leader?
Woody was an excellent group leader, he was approachable, calm and very patient with everyone. He also tried incredilby hard to make sure that everyone saw what they came to see, and he changed the ships course lots of times to try to ensure that we did had places to see even when the mist and sea ice tried to stop us.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Bring a long lense for your camera and a tripod to get good pictures of the polar bears. A camcorder is a good idea as it can capture the movement that a camera can not and the noices that are around.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
On our last morning we were informed that a large group of beluga whales had visited the boat just after midnight. Unfortunately I had decided to have an early night, and no announcement was made. So unfortunatley I didn't see them even though passengers who did see them informed me that they were around the boat for quite a long time and close by so that you could see their heads. I do think it would have been nice if an announcement had been made. So that everyone had a chance of seeing them.
Paul Kirkwood
ARCTIC - SPITZBERGEN ADVENTURE

Written July 2008
What a great trip! Saw everything we wanted to see, and more... The Stunning scenery and arctic wildlife, combined with the capable staff and crew of the Vavilov, made this an experience to remember!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Too many to mention, but here are a few of my favourite moments:
Seeing our first Polar Bear (of course), but also seeing two of them with kills
Having a Polar Bear come right up to the ship, so we could almost pat him on the head
Getting close to a couple of Arctic Fox cubs and watching them for about 40 minutes (thanks to val)
Getting close to a Walrus colony and watching them for around 30 mins
Cruising around the sea ice in Zodiacs and the many trips we made ashore to check out the flora and fauna
Fantastic scenery and 24 hour daylight
What did you think of your group leader?
Our expedition leader (Woody) was fantastic. He was friendly, approachable and very experienced in leading trips like this. Together with the captain, he showed a great respect for the wildlife and a knowledge of the changing sea conditions around Svalbard. Woody's ability to 'change the schedule' at a moments notice to ensure we got the most out of the trip was quite incredible.
This was our first trip with Paul Goldstein, who is very competent, knowledgable and extremely focussed in everything he does. I am sure most of the drive and determination to see as much as possible was down to him. He will certainly do everything in his power to ensure you have a good trip, and his knowledge of photography and wildlife are excellent.
However, I didn't find him particularly easy to talk to, or approach. He tended to favour a few passengers and I found it hard to approach him for advice about photography (luckily, the other passengers and crew were very helpful)! I also largely agree with his views, but he should also learn to listen to others and respect their views too.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Yes, I strongly recommend this trip!
Remember to pack all your thermal gear - you'll need it. It can be cold out in those Zodiacs.
Remember to go to bed - some of us didn't!!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
A special thanks to the captain and all the crew, as well as the rest of the Exodus team who made this trip so special.