Quark ExpeditionsReviews of quarkexpeditions.com

Just got home from a Quark Expedition to Antarctica. The whole trip was brilliant. More exciting and remarkable than I ever could have imagined. I've been dreaming of an Antarctic trip for years. What I experienced far surpassed anything I could have imagined. The Ocean Explorer was a fantastic vessel. The Expedition crew was brilliant. An ornithologist, biologist, geologist, historian and more were exactly what I needed to really enjoy and understand the cold wildness of the seventh continent. Our ocean mammal expert, Annie, was constantly on deck during passages, spying exciting animals. The all ship intercom would come on with an alert, orcas at 3 o'clock, emperor penguin on a distant iceberg at 1 o'clock, penguin pods porpoising at 11 o'clock. The whole ship load of people would dash to windows or on deck to spy the magic. Our expeditions on zodiacs off our ship were always exciting, whether cruising a bay looking for wildlife or heading towards a safe landing spot to spend some time on the land with penguins or climbing a dome for a different vantage point. The expedition staff and the ship staff were topnotch. The adventures were extraordinary. The food was fantastic. AND I bravely participated in the polar plunge. Trip of a lifetime.

The professionally and enthusiasm of the voyage team was remarkable. The Antartica environment is largely beyond expectations

The trip of a lifetime. We saw unbelievable sights in Antarctica and the wildlife was incredible. The expedition team were fantastic. Knowledgeable and friendly and the lectures were superb. The staff were great and looked after us well. I have dietary restrictions and nothing was too much trouble. Can’t fault anything. Would do it all again tomorrow.

This expedition to see the Emperor Penguins exceeded all my expectations - it was absolutely fantastic! From initially fearing that we may not get to the colony because of the huge amount of sea ice in the Weddell Sea, Expedition Leader Ryan and his amazing team (in particular the heli-ops team leader by Pato) figured out a way to make all our dreams come true! We flew over 62 nautical miles over the sea ice to get to the colony, an amazing feat in itself. Everything worked liked clockwork over the 2 long, 14 hour days of the operation, or it seemed that way to us passengers - a true sign of the highly experienced, cohesive and enthusiastic team on board. Thank you Quark Expeditions, and, in particular huge thanks to EL Ryan, who is always trying to ensure that his guests have the best possible experience. Without his courage to safely push the boundaries, we would not have got to see the Emperor Penguin colony, and I cannot thank him enough.

All aspects of the cruise and expeditiion were senasational. The support from all staff and the flexibility demonstrated when weather was against us was admirable

There are not enough words to describe how wonderful this trip was. Life-changing. What made it even better was knowing I was in good hands with the expedition leader Ryan, the hotel manager Darren & Captain Roy and their entire staff’s respectively. The cherry on top was Matt and the helicopter team. The ultramarine carries 199 passengers. If you want the polar experience of a lifetime, north or south this is the ship. These are the people hands-down. I will be back every year for the rest of my life.

I’ve been on an expedition cruise with Quark for the third time now, and I can’t praise it enough. Each voyage is better than the last. An incredible number of unforgettable experiences, an amazingly professional and friendly team, great people, great atmosphere. If you’re heading to the polar regions with anyone, it should be Quark.

Unmatched in the world of polar exploration. Expedition staff are the best by far.