Vicky Seymour review 6 Aug 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Great spottings of whales and dolphins - baby bottlenose dolphins.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Sea sickness pills/ patches or bands could be useful if you are sensitive.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Excellent research organisation - all funding comes from participants so essential to the work they are doing to conserve the cetacean populations in the pelagos sanctuary.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent, certainly one of the best experiences I have had on an organised tour.
Bernard Murphy review 12 Sep 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Just being on the ocean seeing so many marine animals created memories which will last forever. So many sightings of whales and dolphins and even multiple sightings of "solitary" sperm whales!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Just join in, learn and experience. Don't pack too much, you won't need it.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Every effort was made to minimise any adverse environmental impact whether that was reducing fresh water usage and the standard use of biodegradable cleaning products, including shampoo and body wash prior to daily "marine baths". As the purpose of the holiday was to participate in cetacean research conservation was paramount, both by recording the numbers etc of cetacean species and recording the environmental conditions each hour.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic. An experience to remember. I would rate it 4 and a half stars if I could!
Rita Montebello review 30 Jul 2012
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
When I saw the playful dolphins in the middle of the Ligurian sea.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
I would suggest to travel light, put lots of sun block and take part in all the activities, research and tasks if possible. Do not go with any agendas as the weather plays a big part in the research.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes of course. Conservation of cetaceans is of utmost importance and using biodegradable products as well. Local people are very aware of the environment and Sanremo is a very clean and well looked after place.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
My research/ holiday was great. I would give it 9 out of 10. The team was wonderful and so were the members of the group/volunteers.
Avni Patel review 21 Oct 2011
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The whole experience was truly magical and deeply satisfying. Seeing whales close up with experts and having the privilege to understand the behaviour of these animals was the best part, as well as feeling like a valued member of the research.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Travel light.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes. It was really good to meet the local captain and be part of a local project.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
10 out of 10!
Lesley Pavincich review 20 Aug 2009
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Being in the middle of the sea, (Mediterranean), land nowhere to be seen, waiting patiently but in suspense for the whales, (sperm and Cuvier beaked) to surface.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared for a tight squeeze in the cabins at night.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Certainly benefited the cetaceans being studied. The whole ethos of the research and how it's conducted is to be mindful of the environment around us.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Great, would certainly recommend.
Arianna Watson review 7 Aug 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Well that's quite a difficult question as there were so many exciting parts! But I would probably say that the best moment was seeing over twenty striped dolphins jumping around the boat. It was amazing how those lovely and friendly animals wanted to just play around are boat for hours!
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Mmm... I'd say "Think about a dish you'd like to prepare for your cooking turn."
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Definitely! And it was very nice to know that all the research we were doing wasn't harming the environment in any way.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Amazing!!! It was really one of the best trips I’ve ever been on!
Friederike Schroeder review 6 Aug 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The research project in the Ligurian Sea was a unique opportunity to see the other side of the world and to experience the whales and dolphins in their real habitat. The team has been fantastic and offered knowledge to all participants who engaged in the trip.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared to live in a small space and leave all the comforts of life behind, should also be sociable in order to make life on board a fun experience.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
It created awareness to protect an area which is under threat and needs support to protect it for future generations. Education pays a vital role in this.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
All in all I would rate the experience highly and appreciate the multiple benefits.
Louise Banbury review 16 Jun 2008
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
There were many moments I won't forget, but perhaps the most exciting was our first sighting of a whale on our first day.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared for cramped conditions - it's a fairly small boat - and don't expect a relaxing holiday! Early starts (and possibly some night shifts) and being at sea all day can be very, very tiring. And take some warm clothes - even when it's beautifully hot in the harbour, it can be windy and chilly out at sea.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Absolutely. The more knowledge is spread about the need for conservation of whales and dolphins living in the Ligurian sea, the better for everyone, especially those living in the region. The researchers on this trip are doing an important job. Impact on the environment was minimal - rubbish was recycled, etc.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was amazing. Good company, good fun, and most of all a shared sense of purpose with everyone on board. The researchers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about their job. And nothing will ever compare to seeing so many beautiful creatures close up in their natural habitat.
Sandy Topzand review 14 Aug 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Sighting our first sperm whale and the subsequent excitement of getting to it and watching it breathe and blow and then dive with a majestic flip of the fluke.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Read the brochure carefully - everything you need to know is in there. Pack sparingly!! Be flexible. Have an attitude for adventure.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was lovely - good balance between relaxing, being involved and working on a project, social interaction, learning new things.
Sebastian Ritscher review 13 Aug 2007
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Being thrown into the completely different way of life as a volunteer on a small research vessel with over a dozen people from all sorts of backgrounds and languages, but most of all the sightings of whales and dolphins in the Mediterranean Sea.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Leave half of the luggage at home that you're planning to bring. Although the official language on board is supposed to be English, the trips during the Italian holiday season (August) are predominantly in Italian. English speakers will find it easer travelling not in August. Don't expect a relaxing quiet holiday on this trip. It's a lot of work, and not a lot of sleep.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
My money went into a whale and dolphin research and protection project that depends on volunteers' contributions. The work on board helped the small group of researchers to do their work properly and efficiently.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Very interesting experience, something really different.
