Aurora Expeditions Reviews 

Excellent in every way: size and comfort of cabins, superb expedition leaders, polite and helpful crew ( cabin staff, waiters), excellent food, size of ship ( only 120 passengers), time of cruise (early November) so we experienced Antarctica at its best. No words to express the awe and wonder that being in Antarctica with massive icebergs and rugged snow covered mountains everywhere instilled in us.

Amazing new ship. Friendly and competent crew. Outstanding food. Top equipment for outdoor activities. I can't say enough about this trip. It was an incredible experience.

I had the opportunity to join Aurora on the maiden voyage of the Greg Mortimer and it was nothing short of spectacular. The cruise and the expedition staff were world class. The new x-bow technology made the drake crossing a breeze. We had crossed in only a day and a half on either end. From start to finish every day was excellent!

Excellent and can be improved. This was Auroras second expedition on the new ship to Antartica. The crew and program and opportunities were excellent especially for those wanting outdoor off ship experiences. Still a few things that the team were making better. The expedition team, ship crew and leadership were very available, capable, knowledgable and committed. I am highly experienced outdoors in the snow, and found the half day ski touring destinations great however the guiding and gear advice requirements were overly cautious. Highly recommended

The staff and crew were exceptional. The guides were incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. The staff was friendly and accommodated all our requests. The ship Captain was experienced and deftly handled this incredible ship, the Greg Mortimer on its first journey with passengers. There were a few cosmetic issues with tears on the new chairs but I trust they have been fixed.

A unique experience run by professionals with deep knowledge of the Antarctica

Amazing experience, the expedition staff are fantastic!

Fantastic maiden voyage on the Greg Mortimer

A great trip and one that is rather different to any other travel experience I've ever done. The ships crew were very good as were the team leaders were excellent, but a few of the activity leaders need to lift their game a bit.
The ship was first class as was the food and service.
The only reason for not giving it 5 stars was the time wasting day and night waiting to embark and the slow return journey.

Fun and knowledgable expedition staffs. I enjoy the small group vibes which gives you opportunity to enjoy Antarctica in serenity. I also enjoy the lecture-filled down time to learn about history of Antarctica and it's supporting wildlife.

One can not give enough accolades to a mind blowing & once in a lifetime experience . A great ship with even better crew . The expo leaders did a great job led by Howard . A special mention to Hillary & Bronwyn . Thoroughly recommended to all .

The experience of a lifetime.

Best experience ever.
It is not every day that you get the chance of a life time, the chance to go to Antarctica, and I am glad that I went with Aurora Expeditions. The crew was so accommodating and very kind. The excursions were beautiful and me and my family enjoyed every second.

I have just completed the Spirit of Antartica cruise on the new Greg Mortimer ship. The expedition leaders and the ship crew were all fantastic and the landings and zodiac cruises were simply amazing! What you see from the ship is just a microcosm of seeing things inland or from a zodiac . I loved the lectures , met some fabulous people and each day brought another surreal almost sublime experience . The cabins were lovely, spotlessly cleaned each day and the food was excellent . I had to ration myself as I think otherwise my waterproof
Pants wouldn’t have done up! .
My tips would be : if you are NOT very mobile you won’t do well trying to get in and out of zodiacs and / or walking in what was sometimes deepish snow. I would book direct with Aurora and look at paying in USD to their account. I was solo and had my own cabin( I luckily picked up a special deal so my supplement was small) and loved being able to almost meditate at the scenery passing in silence . But there are plenty of places to have your space within the ship if you do share . If you get seasick , ( I don’t) pick a lower deck. Avoid the rooms right at the back of deck 4 as the banging in and out of the mud room may annoy you. The privacy screens were missing on deck 4 after
Storm damage and that would be my only annoyance / negative as people
Just walked along outside your window rather than the inside corridor ! Bit awkward if you left your curtains open and were in bed .. If it’s on your list : do it. And I would definitely travel with Aurora again.

My dad and I just completed our inaugural Antartica Cruise on the Greg Mortimer - a stunning experience!

From my first engagement with the Aurora team at the Travel Expo in Sydney, the support from Matthew and Carley in making real, Howard’s exceptional leadership, Hilary’s inspirational guidance and to the whole crew of the Greg Mortimer - a big thank you for making this special journey with my dad even more memorable!

The comradeship, sharing and emotions created by experiencing the natural wonders of Antartica were significantly enhanced by a simply great ship in the Greg Mortimer.

Trust of ship and captain can never be underestimated - this was clearly on display!

Yes - it may be a bucket list cruise; however the Antartica is more... it’s a very special and inspirational place to connect with the wonders of nature and people! A must do and more than once!

Re "In Shackleton’s Footsteps (ASG77)" I was very impressed with the thorough way in which the Sydney staff helped organise elements of our expedition. Once on board "Polar Pioneer" we were treated with respect, honesty, equality and friendliness. The staff were very supportive of personal needs & wishes. The content was thought provoking and field trips rigorous. The Russian crew were very professional and supportive as well. The itinerary was packed full of interesting, exciting adventures along our route. There were few disappointments. We received support when weather changed our plans. I highly recommend Aurora and hope to sail about their ships in the future. gn

I have recently completed my 3rd Aurora voyage and would highly recommend Aurora to everyone. My first two voyages I travelled with my husband who has now passed away. My third trip was to the Kimberley which I did alone and can thoroughly recommend Aurora to any singles as well as couples. I met an amazing group of people – all like minded wanting to explore pristine wilderness and untouched beauty. The staff and crew on all my Aurora voyages, Antarctica, Arctic and Kimberley have been nothing short of excellent, with thorough knowledge of not only the vessel but of course the destinations. I’m so excited because I have just now booked another Aurora trip to Costa Rica. I know that I travel in extremely safe hands with people who are experienced in the areas of travel with a massive input of knowledge to impart.,,,,,Michele

Adventure + safety = I'll come back. The majority of the 54 passengers on board were Aurora regulars, so that says something. American outfitters (many if not most) are so afraid of liability issues that they suck the adventure part out of adventure travel with rigid schedules and "safe at all costs" activities. For example, most Amer. outfitters offering a polar cruise, would not offer a kayaking option. Aurora is Aussie and they still believe in the notion of personal responsibility. We kayaked daily and I felt very safe. Kayaking offered 10x more adventure than zodiac rides.

What a magical trip. Everything imageable was on show from Polar bears to Artic Fox's. It was fantastic and enjoyable to see the wild life in their natural habitats. Great to catch up with the original staff from our very fist with Aurora trip. Looking forward to our next adventure.

great experience