Poseidon Expeditions

Wonderful experience

Everything was perfect.

Great Tour with a lot of wildlife

Well organized bucket list trip to the…

Well organized bucket list trip to the Antarctic: from the booking & admin side to the actual expedition, the on-shore outings, the food & the lectures. Professional & passionate staff that ensure a well run, amazing experience. Hospitality staff on ship were also excellent - very mindful of passengers' needs & very friendly.

I had the grandest experience with Poseidon Expeditions

I had the grandest experience from booking to the overnight hotel stay in Ushuaia to embarkation day on the MV Sea Spirit. Shulie in reservations was wonderful to work with. The hotel stay at Arakur Hotel in Ushuaia was amazing. A world class hotel tucked into the Andes Mountains. The expedition crew was by far the best. Knowledgable, friendly & very experienced. The ship was far more elegant than I thought it would be (as an expedition ship) Room crew were outstanding, Ari was so sweet & considerate of our late wake ups on non landing days. Restaurant crew were amazing. The food was always fantastic with so many great options for all types of foodie eaters. Rey was our server most days, always had a smile & greeted us by name, knew what we wanted to drink most lunches. He always saved the same table for our ever growing lunch & dinner mates. Angelo never let our wine glasses get low lol. Celine in the lounge referred to our group as "drink package crew" and always knew what we wanted. Everyone was so happy & friendly. Was truly a fun, happy experience. The expedition crew knew where to take us to see amazing wildlife. The daily recaps always had great adventure stories Will def book another expedition with Poseidon again

This trip was beyond my expectations

This trip was beyond my expectations. The ship, the crew, the wildlife, the food and the excursions I could go on and on. Everyone was so friendly and so helpful. I would recommend this trip to anyone that can go. It is a once in a life time experience as far as I’m concerned. Thank you for everything.

Poseidon is an amazing expedition cruise!!

The Sea Spirit is a beautiful comfortable ship. This was our second expedition cruise with Poseidon and hope to do another trip with them in 2024. Antartica was truly amazing. I wouldn't even consider going with anyone but Poseidon. Their team is amazing!!! There expedition guides are all well-educated and knowledgeable about everything from birds, mammals, glaciers, sea ice, and geology. They truly care about the passengers and want them to have the best experience possible.

Best vacation ever!

The whole experience was seamless. Booking was easy and the reservation agents were friendly and helpful. The ship and its crew were super hospitable and efficient. The Poseidon Expedition Team was amazing! Their enthusiasm is infectious. They learned the names of all the passengers, made everyone feel like part of the group, went out of their way to assist passengers with any questions or needs, and always put safety first while delivering a fun and one-of-a-kind vacation. Can't wait for my next Poseidon Expedition adventure!!!

It was an absolutely spectacular trip

It was an absolutely spectacular trip. I love the size of the ship, expedition team was informative and friendly. All ship staff was helpful. This was better than I could have imagined. We saw plenty of penguins, whales, and seals. The glaciers were out of this world, and I have endless photos of beautiful scenery. This was a much needed trip for my mental health and spirit, I feel like a bit of myself came back because of Antarctica. 10/10 recommend.

ANTARCTICA JANUARY 2023

Like others I too was very disappointed that we did not get to our planned destination and would like to make two points: 1. I recall a meeting at which an alternative was discussed, cancel the polar plunge and meet our goal. A show of hands indicated the plungers were a small minority but the expedition leader said the planned plunge would not be cancelled. I understand only 20 people actually went on the plunge. Why didn’t the majority count? 2. On another expedition cruise we have taken I felt that land treks were better handled. Details of the trek conditions and distance were made very clear, and alternative shorter walks were also offered. Trek maps were even included. I am not saying this would have prevented this accident, but at least it recognized that less fit people should have a choice. It would be nice to complete the journey another time but for us it won’t be with Poseidon.

EsserGermany · 5 reviews · Verified · Experienced 2023-02-19 · Posted 2023-03-06

Big THANK YOU all POSEIDON Team, thank you Antarctica 2023.

Very finally, and after two years in a row of postponements due to Covid pandemic, we made it from Germany to Ushuaia and embarked MS SEA SPIRIT. Already before, we appreciated outstandingly superior service from POSEIDON, Hamburg, with all the reshuffling next to extra pre -and after cruise activities such as flights and hotel accommodations. Once on bord, seemlessly, excellence in customer centric services made our days to/from Antarctica passing the Drake Passage at "lake" and shake" conditions. MS SEA SPIRIT had been our "safe base" for the coming 10 days. Away from any human settlement, the ship operation is a 24/7 task, brilliantly mastered by the entire ship-crews and expedition teams. The Chef produced miracles in the galley three times a day. Very well planned with no opportunity to visit a grocery store around the corner. On-shore landings and Zodiac cruises had been provided highly professional, fast and safe, at any time. Approximatly 100 guest from different cultures, some in trouble, stated a remarkable example, people can live in peace and is their nature. During the cruise, rich wildlife was around at its best. We stopped counting whales and penguines after a while next to all kind of birds and seals. All together, fond memories are engraved into brains and remembering with great pleasure any time. Last not least, MS SEA SPIRIT stands for a remarkable example what sustainability is about. All parts of the vessel are treated with great care and a prominent attention to detail, in combination with lasting traditions enhancing gracious living. High Five.

Wonderful South Atlantic/Antarctic cruise

After we got the trip booking originally made for 2020 through the Corona period in friendly and fair cooperation with Poseidon-Expeditions in Hamburg, we were able to experience the wonderful trip at the beginning of 2023. Very nice and competent teams on board, great and varied landings and activities and special luck with the weather in South Georgia made this trip a unique experience, for which we would like to thank everyone involved. The next trip is already being planned.

Martin Otto WolffGermany · 5 reviews · Verified · Experienced 2023-01-27 · Posted 2023-03-03

This company is great

This company is great! Helpful people, so friendly. The ship MS Sea Spirit is a real ship … i would subscribe it as an old lady with a wonderful staff and Crew. Don’t miss it!!!

This was an outstanding trip

This was an outstanding trip! The ship was very well appointed, from the large state rooms to the lounges, dining room, spa, library, and decks. The crew was fantastic—knowledgeable and helpful in so many ways. Activities of camping, kayaking, polar plunge, were great. Excellent food, great emphasis on safety, and the ship was spotless. Small size of 114 is essential!

Wonderful Trip!

We were on the Jan 7, 2023 expedition to the Falklands, South Georgia, and Antarctica on Sea Spirit. And, unfortunately, my wife was injured on the trip, through no error on the part of the ship or expedition staff. The stops in the Falklands and South Georgia were absolutely wonderful - great wildlife, good guides, and clear guidelines on access and safety. And, in particular, the expedition staff (lead by Aaron) was superior in their efforts to get us to land on South Georgia despite poor wind and wave conditions - They were able to divert to other alternative landing and zodiac sites when the planed landing site was not available to land. In general, reading about expected results in these expeditions before our trip, it is not unusual to only be able to land in slightly more than half of the planned sites - both the Poseidon literature and the staff were clear about that. This size of ship is ideal in that you can get into places that other boats cannot go and, because there is about a 100 person limit in the number of people who can go to shore at a time, you do not have to wait for others to come and go before you get your turn. My wife is an experienced hiker, doing 3-5 mile hikes a few days a week. She was blown off her feet by a sudden and unexpected 40+ knot wind gust and unfortunately landed on her shoulder. I personally witnessed two other passengers knocked over (they were not hurt) in the same area closer to the waterfall. The expedition staff and ship doctor responded immediately, got her back to the ship, and did the immediate task of putting her shoulder back into the socket. Once it was determined that her arm was severely broken, the ship's doctor and expedition leader worked diligently with the insurance company to schedule a medical evacuation from King George Island. As others have stated, we had to wait for 1.5 days for the weather to clear enough to allow a plane to land (since there are only research stations on the island, there is no place to stay and wait for the weather to improve). But the same weather would have precluded any landing on the Antarctic Peninsula at the same time. I should also add that the emergency surgical care she received in Punta Arenas, Chile was equivalent to what would be available in the US. Overall, I would recommend this trip - and this ship and their expedition staff/crew - to anyone who wants to see the Antarctic up close and personal. We are already looking at potentially booking just the Antarctic part of the trip to finish our adventure.

The almost perfect 'cruise' that missed its final destination.

The Sea spirit definitely has the most charm, with an amazing crew, expedition team, restaurant, bar & housekeeping. Even stabilizers for rough seas. This cruise also had an great photographer who gifted everyone with a memorable video (hats off to Piet). Sadly enough, it was a few antarctic scenes short from being epic. As well travelled, nature & wildlife lovers and photography enthusiasts, we search to spend the most time outdoors looking for wildlife. We chose this cruise as Poseidon advertises this as an expedition, with an itinerary going half way down the Gerlache strait and a detailed summary describing this as the most beautiful and calm area booming with wildlife. The trip started with the Falklands and the gorgeous sights at South Georgia. An extraordinary place! Where it all went wrong is that an elderly passenger had tripped and fractured her arm during a mediocre hike. Resulting in an evacuation being necessary. With no contingencies in place to offload a passenger at King George harbour, the ship had to remain a drift for an evening and almost 2 full days, untill a plane had confirmed taking off. Resulting in a four day itinerary for the Arctic region being reduced to one day, with most highlighted destinations such as Portal point and Wilhelmina bay being unreachable in the time left. The only option to reach the peninsula was 'Cierva cove' where they chose to do a ten minute photostop on a rocky beach. Doing so, the 'official step on 7th continent' was made before having to head north again. Technically we have not set foot on snow or ice.. on the arctic continent.. Out of shear luck a group off humpbacks crossed paths and a quick zodiac cruise saved the day. Apart from that, wildlife sightings in that regions were minimal. In my opinion this still is a luxury cruise, not an expedition. With the targeted audience being those at retirement age or with money to spend, and such an audience comes with a higher risk level for injuries to occur. Having no contingencies in place to offload a passenger at the Shetlands is a higher risk Poseidon takes, risking a journey to come full stop. An IAATO shared 'waiting station' at King George Island would solve this issue. Before boarding you have to sign off on being fully vaccinated and in good healthy conditions. The person that was evacuated had physical conditions where she broke bones easily. She had been helped down the stairs from day one and bragged about recent injuries at the dinner table. She was also the first covid case on board and in a weakened state, placing her under doctors supervision. In a recent comment Poseidon waves responsibility for the health form to ultimately be up to the passenger, but this in my opinion contradicts their own guidelines. Whether this person forfeited her medical form or not, the doctor failed to screen her and declare her unfit for certain activities. Quote: The Customer is obliged to have themselves examined before the journey, if necessary with the involvement of expert medical advice, whether participation in the journey with its specific contents and its route through extreme climatic conditions is actually compatible with the Customer’s respective physical condition, constitution and current state of health. In these cases, the traveller agrees to be examined by a doctor/ship’s doctor who will check the traveller’s fitness to travel and, if necessary, determine that the traveller is unable to travel, which shall be binding for both parties. This is where Poseidon failed in my opinion, they have taken the health declaration form too likely and risked a cruise with a 100+ people having to wait adrift for one person that did not meet the medical and physical requirements to participate in activities. The obvious response to any further complaint about being stranded there will be 'due to bad weather', however there were calm seas near the original destinations further south. They rushed in a few extra landings so the minimum required was met and the continental landing (roughly ten minutes) has also been ticked off the list. That simply doesn't feel right and justifyable to those that spent a lifetime saving for a once in a lifetime destination. Still, most other guests wil rate this as excellent for the luxurious dining and services rather than the actual destination. Most don't even know what they have missed, such as Portal point and Wilhelmina bay for ex, or what wildlife it harbours. For me this luxury cruise missed its most highlighted final destination.

Steven SheppardUnited States · 1 review · Experienced 2023-01-07 · Posted 2023-02-15

Great crew great little ship

Sea Spirit staff and crew provided a fantastic trip 20 day tour of the Falklands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic Peninsula January 21-27. Every staff from the ship crew, hotel, restaurant and especially the expedition staff did their utmost to give us the best experience possible. Some days we even had three landings or zodiac cruises. Small ship great crew highly recommend. One addition thought Aaron the expedition leader besides leading the trip did his very best to be transparent about why decisions were made and how they were made. I appreciated this extra effort on his part.

Too much uncertainty

I was on the January 7-27, 2023 trip to Falklands, South Georgia, and Antarctica. Not worth the money. There are just too many "iffy" things about Antarctica expedition trips to spend this kind of money, whether for this company or another. Nothing is guaranteed and the passengers will take the full hit of anything that goes wrong (COVID, injuries, weather, antarctica site bookings). Our Falklands excursion went fine enough (but this is the least scenic of the places you'll visit), then we got what I would estimate as about 80% of South Georgia and 40% of Antarctica that was planned on the original itinerary. We had to leave South Georgia a day early because of approaching rough weather, then the 2 sea days in our official itinerary to get to Antarctica turned into 4 because of slow travel across the southern ocean, causing us to lose time in antarctica. But the most horrendous part of the trip was when a passenger fell and injured her shoulder, forcing us to sit in a harbor waiting for a medical evacuation. Poseidon proposed some excursions nearby, but this is a very windy area and all of those disembarkment opportunities were called off. Had we not been forced to sit and wait, we could've penetrated deeper and further down the Antarctic peninsula, where the waters are more sheltered. I was very disappointed that we didn't get more than 10 minutes on the continent itself. Why there isn't a better system for dealing with evacuations is beyond me, especially when injuries seem very possible -- even probable -- given the rough nature of the ship travel and the activities and landings. All passengers are required to have evacuation insurance, and yet every single passenger on the ship is severely and negatively impacted if even one individual needs to be transferred off the cruise. Poseidon offered lectures on board during the sea days, most of which were quite interesting and well-presented. The expedition staff consisted of about a dozen members with various expertise, but I note that many of them have large gaps in knowledge outside of their own area of expertise. I had some zodiac outings with expedition leaders highly enthusiastic and knowledgeable, but I also had some outings with expedition leaders who did nothing more than drive the zodiac around and who offered little if any information about what we were seeing.

Antarctica cut - allowed 15 min. on 100 ft. of mainland

Please be aware: Passengers were offered a discount on their next voyage, if they leave a review here. Our boat was stuck for multiple days near S. Shetlands airport and missed Antarctica bookings. 105,000 people cruise to Antarctica but no true contingency plan for someone needing to be evacuated other than holding the entire ship for days around the airport. As a result, we missed our Antarctica bookings and cut out main Antarctica landings and venturing around sea ice. Horrible contingency planning. Poseidon blamed IAATO. Poseidon receives million and the only plan is to wait around. Posiedon takes your money. Poseidon should have a plan besides losing bookings and cutting out parts of Antarctica. In addition, lack of coordination with buses on Stanly, Falkland Islands resulted in passengers being left behind for 40 minutes while most of the expedition team were a half mile away sitting at a bar. Update: Still no word from Poseidon, even though expedition crew gathered at 10 a.m. on Friday to recap and report out to headquarters. I've since run into several passengers in Ushuaia who have been in multiple communications with their booking companies. This was a botched trip that lost our Antarctica bookings along with other issues. Reply: The survey results are not surprising, since we were informed to provide positive feedback several times with incentives offered. What you aren't explaining is that Poseidon skirted its responsibility to ensure passengers were fit enough to take an expedition trip. You had passengers sign a paper before boarding to release liability but did little else. The person who required evacuation brought covid onboard. That passenger was our #1 covid case. There was no covid test in order to board, no temperature check, no nothing. Covid then spread. Sometimes announced and sometimes not. This weakened person who had other pre-existing conditions went on a landing only to not surprisingly fall. This is part of what is meant by botched the trip along with missing Antarctica bookings. The leader had to beg other ships to let us land in Antartica and none agreed. Our Antartica bookings were lost. We found a tiny patch of mainland Antartica soil to land on in order to hold a sign that said we landed. We were given 15 minutes on the small patch of land. I guess that was counted in all the activities done. When the weakened person with a pre-existing condition fell, we were told she did not need medivac but just a regular plane. In fact the passenger was walking all about the ship inside and out in rough seas and participating in all onboard activities unapologetically. While we were missing our Antarctica bookings, this is what the other 100+ messengers had to watch. I and others believe all of this could have been avoided with a more responsible expedition company. Something else also not mentioned was the special meeting that had to be called to try to address all the disgruntled passengers. Lots of different issues were raised from handling of Covid to fitness for expedition landings to no plan other than waiting days near an airstrip and losing Antarctica bookings. One even stated she no longer knew what to tell others about selecting an expedition ship, implying how disappointing this one was. Personally, I believe Poseidon is hiding behind legal documents, tainted surveys, incentivized reviews, and attempts to not take responsibility for foreseable issues. Update: Looks like Poseidon decided to edit its reply today by removing the tainted statistics. Poseidon has been receiving emails from passengers on the expedition disputing how pleased everyone was and all the activities we did. We lost all our Antarctica reservations and couldn't move to calmer seas where about 40 other ships were around Antarctica. I and others believe Poseidon did not follow through with the terms of the contract. The passenger that brought Covid onboard and then fell on landing let everyone know onboard that she broke her wrist 6 months prior, had other medical issues, and was taking medication. This is not someone fit for an expedition with zodiac landings to this region. Poseidon had the obligation to other passengers to deny entry. This is what was mishandled along with no contingency plan other than waiting around a relatively unsheltered area for multiple days. 100+ people lost a once in a lifetime experience in Antarctica on this Poseidon Expedition.

Amazing expeditions

My wife and I were at Poseidon Expeditions trip to Antarctic Peninsula from Dec 30, 2022 to Jan 08, 2023. That was amazing. The ship (M/V Sea Spirit), the crew, the expedition team - everything was perfect. Our trip was a dream trip.

Outstanding expedition / cruise

Outstanding expedition / cruise. The M/v Sea Spirit is a wonderful boat, small enough to access landing points, at approx. 100 passengers perfect for expeditions and the crew provide great service. The Expedition Staff are outstanding making this trip a lifetime experience.