@@michellehuynh8451 we were very lucky! Yes, I went with Tromso Outdoor for the cross-country skiing, I was one of three in a small organised group. The trail is on Tromsoya Island, I think it’s Charlottenlund Recreation Park which is a free park if you are just going yourself, and has a range of trails including many perfect for those learning.

@@jameswright8695 that’s a very kind comment James, thank you. I know I’m fortunate to have been able to go, and hope that as well as experiencing destinations through YT videos, you do get the opportunity to travel to at least some of the places that inspire you.

@@serenity8145 yes, I’ve been told that a few times… well, I was a beginner! 😆

@@JackMcClendon thanks very much Jack!

Thanks again!

Hi Doris, many thanks, I’m delighted you enjoyed the video! I went in January 2024, for 10 days / 9 nights. Yes, we had good weather when we were on the ice (all through the trip really), calm and mostly overcast, with one day of amazing sunshine. The trip was along the Antarctic peninsula.

@@alicefromwonderland1677 Thank you, you’re welcome ☺️ 🇺🇦

Thank you very much! Glad to be of some help, enjoy the planning and the trip, it’s such an amazing experience.

@@Groenespecht Thank you, great to hear you enjoyed the video! You must be so excited for your visit to be so soon, hope it’s an amazing experience for you!

I'm going in December!! What ship are you going on?

@@MickeyMishra great point, it really is amazingly cheap! I tell everyone I know it’s the cheapest place in Europe, I think my total spending money for two weeks was €550, eating out all the time!

@@zerowaste_reka Thanks so much - lucky you, have a great time!!

Hi Marcus, I was on the starboard / right hand side of the ship… and to be honest, I never thought about whether I was on the best side until you asked the question!! I don’t think it makes a huge difference as the scenery is so spectacular throughout. Also, the trip is busy, so I spent a very little time in the cabin looking out from the balcony. So sorry I don’t have a firmer view on this, but for the purposes of this trip, it’s all good!

No worries. I appreciate the reply.

@@hotkopipeng Thanks so much, I’d love to be back at that point, anticipating it and counting down the months and weeks!! Trip of a lifetime, I hope you enjoy it.

Wow ! Lucky you !! And how fortunate. I’m a Postal Worker so I’ll probably never be able to go. Maybe someday I’ll see my Orcas tho. Enjoy

@leanneadams2549 yes, I am mindful that I’m very fortunate. I put a saving fund together and paid into it for about four years to cover the costs. I think for most people who do it, it’ll be the most expensive trip they’ll ever take.

​@leanneadams2549 oh, please, you can go if you do what you have to do. First thing change the way you think! Peace! ☺️

@@photographerlostintimber Yes, very much!

@@AshleyandChristian Hi Ashley and Christian, thanks so much, delighted you enjoyed it! Yes, the helicopter excursion is included for all passengers. There is also an extra you can pay for, heli-hiking, where you land inland a bit and get to trek. I had booked to do this, but the diversion for the medical emergency for the crew member meant it wasn’t possible: the expedition leader felt (correctly, i think) that it was better for everyone to get the helicopter trip included rather than a small number of people getting to do the optional extra.

Thanks Diemer, hopefully see you there again!

Many thanks, appreciate that, and sorry you’re not in there - it was early November? If you inexplicably ended up on the cutting room floor, there’ll have to be a Director’s Cut!! 😉

Thanks Savannah, yes, we had quite a few of them and it always felt surreal in somewhere that should be just normal, elegant European cities.

@@Terp99 героям слава! 🫡

@@anthonywilliams9852 Gosh, what an odd thing to take from the video… I think I’d have been perfectly happy as it happens - it wasn’t a big part of the trip.

@@YvetteCrabtree Thanks Yvette!

I love Chile too! ❤

Haha, no they didn’t - to be fair, pumping is simple, it was the pump operator that was the problem!! A great board, still going strong.

Thanks Mairead, glad you enjoyed it and that the craic came across in the video, it really was great fun as well as awe-inspiring!

Thanks so much, delighted you enjoyed it!

дякую Валерія - слава Україні 💙💛

Thank you, I only wish I was able to spend more time there. 🇺🇦 ❤️

That’s great, with Refugee Support Europe, you can apply to volunteer at this link: www.refugeesupporteu.com/volunteer-with-us/ Best of luck, I hope you get to do it!

Thanks so much, delighted that you enjoyed watching! There’s no TV channels as such, but there is a good selection of movies and TV programmes to “stream” as it were - I was too busy and didn’t watch any, so can’t remember what they have, but I remember thinking it was a good selection. Within that, there are of course Antarctic-themed shows and movies too. However, the in-room screen is mainly focused on ship activities and excursions. They had a live feed from the Ambassador theatre so you could rest and watch lectures from your room. The daily schedule was there as was an updating map showing the ship’s position. You could also check your bill for onboard purchases on the screen, learn more about the ship, check out spa services, and read info about the expedition team.

@@BarryKenny Thank you!!

Hi Judy, no I booked the balcony twin share, so it wasn’t an upgrade, just that no other male booked the twin share, so I had it all to myself. I hope you have a great trip, when are you going?

Isn’t it just! The manual pump was a great way to find out the limits of my fitness though… 🙈

Thanks so much for such a generous comment, I really appreciate it! I hope you’ll get to book soon and meet some great people on your adventure.

Thanks so much Andres, that’s such a kind comment. Enjoy the research and your own Antarctic adventure!

Thanks Teddy - I can certainly recommend Ultramarine, but there are so many great choices! Enjoy the planning: I was like you, I booked in April 2022 for a January 2024 trip.

@@BarryKenny planning in advance is the key.

Thanks so much, glad it was of help to you! I remember that myself, trying to decide which ship and weighing up all the options. Needless to say, very happy with my choice!! Best of luck with your own visit.

and none of us reacting to help, all focused on the whale!!

Great to hear Zaza, I think you’ll find it an extraordinary experience.

Thank you Atul! My dates were 5th to 14th January. It’s a special ship, I hope to be back on it some day, maybe in Greenland!

Hi Chetan, thanks, I appreciate it! Our ship had a maximum of 199 passengers, and we had 196 on our trip. They planned activities very well so that when landings were happening, others were kayaking / paddleboarding, so everyone who wanted to disembark could do so. They also had us broken into four groups to coordinate numbers well. For a full landing, they were about 2 hours, and were combined with mini-zodiac cruises.

Thanks for the information and reply. Cheers.@@BarryKenny

We did indeed, what an introduction to Antarctica it was!

Thanks, very kind of you!

Hi Michael, I got it just after Christmas so not unusual for Irish weather not to cooperate over a few weekends. And yes, I was surprised too how I took to it - I assumed it would be the clown show that my surfing efforts had been, but the one lesson I took from other YT videos was “stand either side of the handle”. The boards are sturdy, and it was very calm. Full disclosure, I had stood on a board on holidays about 5 years earlier, without instruction, and with fairly regular falls! And also had a “beginners” informal session a few months earlier, that was worth doing just to see if it was worth buying (again, quite a few falls). But that was my first use of that board, and assuredly as a novice!