Aurora Expeditions Reviews 

What a memorable holiday! The expedition team members and Russian crew ensured we all individually and collectively had our needs, wants and desires catered for...right down to getting the right angle in the zodiacs for taking photographs. A month after the expedition and I am still left with a feeling of euphoria whenever I recall the natural wonders I witnessed...glaciers calving, puffins polar bears, 1 am sunrises, gentle soft snow on the deck and an ocean of ice! So much more to say, words are inadequate compared to my memories and feelings. Thank you to the whole team.

Aurora Expeditions are consistently great! This was our 5th trip with Aurora, and we had a wonderful time. Really expert expedition leaders generously shared their knowledge, all staff were friendly, patient, ever-helpful, and the places we visited were amazing. We hope to travel with Aurora again.

Fabulous trip, we did the kayaking and it couldn't have been any better. Amazing scenery, fantastic expedition leaders, particularly our kayaking guide.

A really wonderful double expedition cruise of the Arctic. The Polar Pioneer is a lovely small ship, with lots of very happy customers, just like us. The expedition leader was excellent, all staff were wonderful, the crew were great, and it's a pity the ship has finished its service with Aurora Expeditions. Small numbers meant it was great for the passengers and getting on and off the ship was straightforward for each excursion. Thank you for such a terrific trip on a home away from home.

To be up close and personal with muskox, reindeer, arctic foxes, seals, walrus AND polar bears, not to mention all the polar birds is what my dream has been all my life. I saw Spitsbergen on school maps and decided as a kid that one day I would see the real thing as well as Greenland. From Australia they were as far away as anything on the planet. Aurora's team, some of whom I'd met before going to Antarctica, are impressively knowledgeable and great company. I learnt SO much! Alison and I had a ball.
Thanks to everyone :)

Just fabulous! Friendly, helpful staff who go out of their way to help. Special mention for Dr JB who went beyond in assisting a passenger who had specific needs. I will miss the Polar Pioneer but can highly recommend Aurora for a trip out of the ordinary and into the spectacular. Thanks for a great trip.

After several voyages with Aurora (Scotland, Antarctica and the Arctic) we’d give six stars out of five if it were possible. And that’s not just because of the itineraries, and the wonderful scenery and wildlife we saw. And let's not forget the interesting lectures on a variety of subjects!
We dearly love(d) the Polar Pioneer: that lovely, personable, little ship with its wonderful atmosphere, comfort and terrific size. Its particular ambiance is unique. It was hard to say goodbye.
All staff on all voyages were terrific. Enthusiastic, knowledgeable, nice, kind, helpful, and always going out of their way to ensure the passengers have a great experience. The Russian captain & crew are great too, only some of them quite visible, but you just know that they all also aim to facilitate the best possible experience for the passengers. So congratulations to Aurora for having all these lovely people work for them.
Office staff and agents are terrific, too. We had trouble getting from Amsterdam to Longyearbyen for our last voyage, but Aurora’s staff has been tremendously helpful and had a crucial part in getting us there in time – against all odds!
You just can’t go wrong with Aurora.

Very professional, hard working, knowledgeable, fun loving crew. The small number of passengers made it an intimate enjoyable experience. Highly recommend Aurora

I have travelled to the Arctic on the Polar Pioneer several times with Aurora Expeditions and I have nothing but praise for Aurora. The itineraries they offer are fantastic and varied, the staff in the Sydney office are extremely helpful and knowledgeable and the Russian and Expedition crews on board work tirelessly to make sure that every passenger has a great trip which for a some is the trip of a life time.

Wow We certainly enjoyed our Arctic adventure. The trip staff communicated knowledge and important instructions very well. We were well advised and consistently in a position to gain a first hand experience in such a wonderful land.
Thank you

Very happy with every aspect of our Svalbard trip. This was our second voyage on ‘Polar Pioneer’ and we are very sad to see that she is being replaced by a sleek modern ship which does not conjure up that feeling of ‘going exploring’. Polar Pioneer had just the right character and atmosphere for expedition cruising and we took this trip specifically for the small number of passengers, the sense of being on a true expedition and knowing that we would enjoy our onboard experience. If I have one comment it would be to say I personally would have preferred lighter options for lunch. The food was too delicious to pass up but left us feeling over full when a full hot lunch was followed by a big hot dinner. The Staff on our trip were truly amazing - friendly, informative, fun to be with and we appreciated their efforts to make our trip full of memories of a lifetime

Staff, crew, care, food deserve top ratings. I loved the relaxed atmosphere on the ship so that I felt totally at ease travelling on my own. It felt like being with one big family! The combination of 100 % professional staff with relaxed atmosphere made it a holiday of a lifetime. Thank you Aurora.

Aurora are professional yet personal, small group but not small on experience.
I have travelled twice and I would travel again tomorrow, but i beed to save up.

I could not fault the care given to me and other passengers onboard the Polar Pioneer - by the Aurora Team they were wonderful also the Russian crew were wonderful as well and I also felt very safe and very happy on board the ship - The last trip was my forth I am very sorry that the ship has been redelivered

A trip of a life time! My family booked it two years in advance and we were not disappointed.

We were awe struck ever since we boarded the Polar Pioneer from the beautiful scenery to the abundant wildlife and vegetation in Svalbard to Greenland.

Life on the Polar Pioneer added to the whole Arctic experience. The Aurora staff and Russian crew were amazing. Their knowledge of the region, passion for nature and history, and skills of leading expeditions made our experience all the more memorable!

We also enjoyed our fellow passengers. By the end of the first week, we basically knew everyone thanks to the intimacy of the Polar Pioneer. The food was amazing as well in terms of choices, quality and quantity. Our two teenage boys never got hungry!

This is truly a trip of a life time for us! Highly recommend it.

On my recent Jewels of the Arctic expedition I booked for the optional rock climbing component of the trip, and apart from the actual climbing in Scoresby Sund only one afternoon was spent with the climbing guides. This is inadequate time for the guides to make an accurate assessment of their clients ability, or for the clients to get to know their guides.

This trip to the Arctic Region was more than I expected as this trip has ticked all the boxes regrading the wildlife I wanted to see including the Polar Bear also a visit to a community in Greenland,Ittoqqortoormiit, was a bonus. All of the expedition crew on this trip were brilliant and were experts in their fields and answered all the questions from the guests regarding the wildlife and the glaciers also the lectures from the crew was very interesting and informative. all of the crew on this expedition made this trip a most memorable experience for me, if you are looking for a trip to the Arctic, i would recommend this trip

A last trip on Polar Pioneer. As good as ever - wonderful staff, great company and so enjoyable. A lump in my throat as I said "goodbye" but happy memories for a long time.
Thank you and all the best for the future with "Greg Mortimer"

It was a fabulous cruise to the High Arctic. Daniel was a great kayaking guide and really made the trip spectacular for us. Food was great. Rest of the crew were great too.

Fantastic staff, incredibly knowledgeable.