Quark ExpeditionsReviews of quarkexpeditions.com

What an amazing adventure! Tremendous expedition team and staff made my time aboard Explorer a truly unforgettable experience. From the first morning wake up call through zodiac excursions and shore walks to the daily wrap up and amazing meals, there is nothing to say but, “wonderful!” I felt completely safe and taken care of. However, the polar bear and walrus sightings were the icing on the cake.

Had an outstanding expedition with Quark to Svalbard Archipelago. Traveling solo I wondered if it’d be awkward in any way. Not the case from a comfortable cabin on deck 7, dining with other passengers and crew and the best and most important aspect experiencing the high latitudes of the Arctic in all its splendor. Can’t say enough. Transits in airports with charter craft comfortable. Expedition staff knowledgeable, safety conscious, accomodating and attentive. I sea kayaked for 9 different sessions and am so happy I selected this option. Kayaks are easy to adapt to, suits are fine once you get the hang of their zippers. To experience for such extended periods of time under your own power nature at its best… words are insufficient.

Quark Expeditions is known as one of the best names in Polar expeditions. And on a recent trip to the Arctic with them, I understood why they're very beloved. The ship's rooms, food, and service were all top-notch and the hotel team made me feel like family. But most importantly, the expedition team is full of seasoned explorers that will be eager to share their love of adventure with you. One of the members of my expedition team is part of the first group to circumnavigate Svalbard by Kayak in 80 days. Another is a professional, competitive dog musher who spent multiple winters in the Svalbard wilderness. These are just impressive people who also happen to be the friendliest and most humble men and women you'll meet. I am thoroughly impressed and will hope for an opportunity to return.

The trip was really outstanding and all staff were very friendly, efficient and worked hard to provide outstanding levels of customer service. The expedition team were knowledgable and shared this in an informative and entertaining manner. A fabulous trip with great staff.

The company has a number of organisational geniuses without whom the seamless connections couldn't work. THE ONLY glitch encountered related to pre-expedition paperwork. Simplification would save some frustration. Without exception the crew and expedition leaders could not have done more to make our voyage the stunning success that it was.

Quark Expeditions is a class act operation from start to finish! The staff, the guides, the accommodations, the excursions, the opportunities are all beyond expectations.

We travelled on 'Antarctic Express: Fly the Drake' in March 2026. Unfortunately, despite the extraordinary cost of the trip the experience fell far short of expectations and we only ended up experiencing one day in the South Shetlands and one day in Antartica itself. As reviewer laurakfryne has also described, the main issue was not simply the short time we got, but how operationally fragile the Fly the Drake programme proved to be and how poorly the disruption was managed when things went wrong. Communication during the extended stay in Punta Arenas was limited and created a constant sense of unease. We could not fly on Day 1 or Day 2 and instead were provided with short trips in the local area. The food provided in Dreams Hotel was really not good quality. Day 3 involved us being stuck at the airport for around 6 hours with more poor communication. Our group's flights eventually took off much later than planned and the closing weather window meant only one of the two flights could land. The people on the second flight had to return back to Punta Arenas and their trip was cancelled entirely. Once we eventually boarded Ocean Explorer, we remained in the vicinity of King George Island due to the fact that half of the previous trip was stuck onboard and the crew prioritised assessing how to get them home, rather than start our expedition in earnest. As a result, the actual Antarctic exploration experience was far more limited than we had reasonably expected for the price paid - and in reality only amounted to one real day in the vicinity of the Antarctic peninsula. We never actually set foot on the peninsula itself. Prospective travellers really need to understand that, there is a real possibility that you may ultimately receive only a very short Antarctic experience. The onboard expedition staff and crew were generally excellent - but the tour leader's communication onboard was appalling. He failed to engage with unhappy passengers and ignored us. I do not believe the Fly the Drake itinerary currently provides sufficient contingency or resilience given the cost and expectations attached to this type of once-in-a-lifetime trip. Be prepared to pay an awful lot of money for a very short experience.

Dear Quark Expeditions Team, I hope this email finds you well . My name is Terence, and I was a guest on the Antarctica Peninsula cruise from 18 to 28 December 2025. I would like to share my sincere feedback on the expedition. - Positive Feedback I would like to give my highest compliments to the Sea Kayak team. Justin Szabo, Ian, and Mackerel delivered excellent service throughout the trip. The team was well prepared, highly professional, caring, and the activities were very well organised with a perfect balance of safety and fun. All three instructors performed very well. I especially appreciated that the team allowed me to practise kayak rolling in the Antarctic waters. Coach Ian even joined us and played in the water together, which made the experience truly memorable and enjoyable. Thank you very much for this special opportunity. I would also like to commend Dr. Fabrice, the Penguins expert. He performed exceptionally well. His presentations were delivered in a fun and interesting way, helping guests gain deep knowledge about penguins and their behaviours. His PowerPoint presentations were excellent and very informative. Areas for Improvement Unfortunately, my experience with the Stand Up Paddle (SUP) coach was far below the high standards of the rest of the expedition. He did not seem to know who had joined the SUP activities and failed to count me during the Sea Kayak briefing. I had to ask my Sea Kayak coach to relay the message to him. He had noticeable difficulty getting in and out of the Zodiac boat due to his age and physical condition. During the Zodiac briefing, although he showed some SUP paddling and safety skills, he missed several important points, such as how to remount the board after falling into the water and the use of proper group formation (e.g. buddy system). Most concerning was a safety incident in which one participant fell into the water. Despite being informed, the coach told the group to continue listening to him and did not check on the person in the water. This lack of immediate safety priority was disappointing. As a qualified SUP and kayaking coach myself, these issues were particularly noticeable and did not meet my expectations for a premium expedition cruise. Food Feedback There was limited Asian cuisine offered during the cruise. For Chinese, Thai, and Japanese guests, it would be highly recommended to include more Asian options such as Dim Sum (點心), Chinese fried rice, fried wide noodles with beef, or Thai dishes. Many Asian passengers would greatly appreciate these. Additionally, I found that most of the food — especially at lunch — was overly salty. Overall, I had a wonderful journey to Antarctica and am grateful for the hard work of the majority of the team. I hope this feedback will help Quark Expeditions continue to improve and maintain its excellent reputation. Please feel free to contact me if you need any further information. Best regards, Terence YIU Kwok-man Hong Kong