Quark Expeditions is a worldwide leader in polar exploration with a fleet of 4 small and intimate ships sailing in the icy waters of Antarctica between Nov and Mar and in the Polar North between May and Sep. Lars Wikander and Mike McDowell, the cofounders of Quark Expeditions, took the first group of commercial travellers to the North Pole In 1991. That inaugural, game-changing expedition—the first-ever tourism transit of the Northeast Passage—set Quark Expeditions on a course that would put Quark at the forefront of polar exploration. Onboard a Quark Expedition cruise, you will interact with a professional and passionate team of Expedition Leaders who bring a wide range of experience to every adventure. Some have degrees in marine biology, political science, others have trained as medics, biologists, park rangers, outdoor educators and even lawyers!
Not simply an ice-reinforced ship, the Kaptian Khlebnikov is a powerful working icebreaker designed for the challenging conditions of frozen polar seas that has been refurbished to accommodate passengers with en suite facilities.
50 Years of Victory is the first Arktika-class icebreaker to have a spoon-shaped bow, covered in a skirt of stainless steel, meaning she can crush through sea ice up to 9.2 feet (2.5 meters) thick en route to its destination of 90°N.75,000 horsepower generated by nuclear reactors makes 50 Years of Victory the one of the world's most powerful icebreakers.
World Explorer features two state-of-the-art Rolls Royce hybrid-electric engines, significantly reducing its environmental impact on the Polar Regions.Micro Auto Gasification System (MAGS) is the industry-leading system that converts waste into energy at the site that it's generated. MAGs eliminates the environmental impact of waste transportation, offering an innovative sustainability feature that exceed all industry standards.
Equipped with two twin-engine helicopters, Ultramarine offers the most robust portfolio of adventure activities in the industry, the most spacious suites in its category, breath taking public spaces, and more outdoor wildlife viewing spaces than other expedition ships its size. It also features an innovative mix of sustainability features that exceed all industry standards.
Ocean Diamond is one of the largest vessels in our small expedition ship fleet and one of the fastest ships in Antarctica, it is also one of the most comfortable. Two stabilizers and an ice-strengthened hull make this vessel ideal for polar expedition.