Quark Expeditions

Quark Expeditions Experience:

Each ship carries under 200 passengers to allow for a more personalised, customised experience. A range of onshore activities are offered including sea kayaking, and paddling. Guests can also enjoy enriching lectures from world-leading experts including biologists, penguinologists and historians.

Quark Expedition Cruises Include:

• Full board cruise
• Wine and beer with dinner 
• Soft drinks during bar opening hours
• Complimentary tea, coffee and water at all times during the cruise
• Zodiac landings and shore landings, walks and hikes
• Lectures by the Expedition Team
• Quark Parka to keep
• Loan of waterproof boots
• Port charges and taxes

Destinations:

Quark Expeditions specialise in the polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctic.

Their Arctic expedition cruises include Greenland, Spitsbergen, the remote Russian Archipelagos, the High Arctic and the North Pole.

In the Antarctic, they offer a choice of cruises to the Antarctic Peninsula, with some also including South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. There are also two Antarctic Express itineraries which start by flying across the Drake Passage.

Activities:

Zodiac cruising, shore landings and hiking are included in the cruise cost in both the Arctic and Antarctic. Both destinations also offer a superb range of optional activities to personalise and enhance the experience. Activities offered differ on each cruise and each ship offers a different selection.

In the Arctic, activities offered include flightseeing, hot air ballooning, paddling and sea kayaking. In the Antarctic, they also offer paddling and kayaking, as well as cross-country skiing, paddle boarding and even camping under the stars.

Ships:

Quark Expeditions have one of the largest fleets of polar-class vessels and each ship carries less than 200 passengers.

Ocean Adventurer had a multi-million-pound refurbishment in 2017 to bring a refreshed, contemporary look throughout the ship. She also had technical enhancements to increase fuel efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint. Ocean Adventurer carries 128 passengers in a choice of cabins including triple cabins, twin cabins and suites.

Ocean Diamond joined the fleet in 2012. She carries 189 passengers and is ideal for solo travellers as there are dedicated single cabins, along with triples, twins and suites.

World Explorer had its first Antarctic voyage for Quark in November 2019. She carries just 172 passengers, but is capped at 140 guests for the Antarctic Express cruises. World Explorer is one of the finest ships in the fleet, with six decks of deluxe accommodation. Every suite has a private walk-out or French balcony.

Ultramarine is the newest ship in Quark Expeditions’ fleet, launched in 2020 and built with the latest technology. Ultramarine has been designed to get passengers off the ship quicker, to maximise time ashore in the polar wilderness. Ultramarine carries 199 passengers and has a wide choice of cabins including solo panoramic cabins, triple cabins and seven different suite categories, some of which are inter-connecting. Ultramarine features two helicopters and a wide choice of optional activities.

50 Years of Victory was the first Arktika-class ice-breaker to have a special spoon-shaped bow to enable it to break through ice up to 2.5m thick. 50 Years of Victory is unlike any other ship, and only operates on Quark’s expedition to the North Pole. She carries just 128 passengers.