[The kids loved] sliding down a slushy hill on their backsides, no sleds needed, at the bottom of the world in Neko Harbour on the Antarctic Peninsula. They were such sports — trudging back up in the sunshine to do it all over again.

Seeing whales pop up all around them as they rode in Zodiacs in Wilhelmina Bay, which is a feeding ground for whales, was a once-in-a-lifetime moment. “I didn’t think I’d get to see them so close,” said Kyra from Boca Raton, FL.

Since we sailed during the austral summer and over the holidays, many of the nights never actually got dark. In fact, on New Year's Eve when it was light all night, kids could be found splashing in the on-deck pool at 2 a.m.

South Georgia Island is home to thousands of penguins, so the chance to see them up close was a highlight for the kids and adults alike. “I loved seeing so many penguins — and so many different ones, because penguins are my favorite animal,” explained Kevin from suburban Chicago.

The kids had so much fun putting out a fire with the Falkland Island firefighters at their station in Stanley — which has a population 2,500 — and then driving to the ship in a fire truck with the sirens blaring.

Learning how to drive a Zodiac with the Young Explorers program was the favorite activity for many of the kids on board.

“It’s impossible to choose the best moment,” said Sergei from Moscow. “Every day we saw something new!”