Quark ExpeditionsReviews of quarkexpeditions.com

Everything was great

me parece ingreible

The warmth of welcome, professionalism, friendliness and enthusiasm of every member on board was outstanding. Talks were fascinating and fun, food was delicious and it felt as though everybody went out of their way to ensure we saw the absolute best of Antarctica in the safest possible way. The captain turned the ship around when wildlife were spotted and his ability to manoeuvre us amongst the ice and currents was incredible. I loved that there were places around the ship for quiet time, friendly conversations, tea, coffee etc. and as a solo traveller had no difficulty meeting people, sharing tables etc. The demographic ranged from 21 to 84, from all countries. Portholes in the solo cabins had to be closed during Drake Passage crossings which some found made it claustrophobic but this didn't bother me unduly. Only disappointment was that our group didn't get to Port Lockroy as the weather worsened and all the other groups did - I accept this is part of Antarctic travel but it would have been good to have had our disappointment acknowledged. That said, a Penguin Post Box quickly appeared at reception for our postcards with Quark bearing the cost. Strongly recommend Quark for a truly amazing trip.

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 expedition staff was great, good excellent and the cleaning staff superb. The only complaints are from the last day. Internet was turned off while we were still on the ship even though many of us purchased additional time.

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.