Antarctic Express: Cruise South, Fly North

Quark Expeditions
4.0 . Great
74%
Travel Style: Array Relaxed
Physical Level: Walking or physical activity half to most of day - no carrying equipment. Easy
Lodging Level: The highest level of comfort and service. All accomodations are in four or five star hotels, boutique lodges or high-end homestays. Luxury (5*)
10 days
From: $ 11,595 $ 1,160 / day
Checking price

Overview

Highlights (Bullets)

  • The excitement of a southbound Drake Passage crossing
  • The speed and convenience of a northbound flight over the Drake Passage
  • All the Antarctic Peninsula highlights
  • Lecturers and specialists deliver presentations on geology and animal life

Short Description


Revel in the excitement of crossing the famed Drake Passage after embarking from Ushuaia, with the convenience of a northbound return flight at the end of your expedition. Minke and humpback whales or Adélie penguins floating on ice floes may greet you as you pass, enroute to the northernmost tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.

The surreal silence in this vast wilderness may at first overwhelm, but playful, charismatic wildlife and your intrepid traveling companions keep you grounded. You’ll develop a new appreciation and understanding of Antarctica’s extreme contrasts - harsh, rugged mountain peaks and fragile ecosystems; stark, lonely icescapes and populous, gregarious penguins.

Style Small ship cruise
Off the beaten track trips will stretch your comfort zone. They don't always feature tourist highlights, but dive deeper into local life and culture.
Itinerary Focus Off the Beaten Path
The highest level of comfort and service. All accomodations are in four or five star hotels, boutique lodges or high-end homestays.
Lodging Level Luxury (5*)
Flight & Transport Inclusions All internal transport included (including local flights)
Start City Ushuaia
End City Punta Arenas

Destinations

Argentina Chile

Attractions & Cities Visited

N/A

Activities & Interests

Nature Wildlife viewing

N/A
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Itinerary

Day 1 — Ushuaia, Argentina

This quaint city at the southernmost tip of South America is your gateway to Antarctica. The city itself provides a wide range of jewelry shops, cafés, gear shops and restaurants to explore before your voyage. Outside the city, snow-capped mountains and hiking in Tierra del Fuego National Park offer ample adventure activities if you enjoy exploring nature.

Day 2 — Embarkation Day

You will embark in the afternoon, with a journey through the picturesque Beagle Channel. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled and be out on deck, as the channel is home to a wide variety of wildlife including seabirds and seals. Rainbows are common here too, creating a great photographic opportunity to kick off the start to your Antarctic adventure.

Days 3 and 4 — Crossing the Drake Passage

Legendary for its high winds and rolling seas, you may get lucky and have surprisingly calm seas. Spend your time in the lounge or chatting with your fellow travelers. As you develop your sea legs during the crossing, our Expedition Team will begin their series of presentations to help prepare you for your upcoming Zodiac and land excursions. You officially enter Antarctica when your ship crosses the Antarctic Convergence, a biological boundary that fluctuates around 60° south.

Days 5 to 8 — Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands

Icebergs are the first attractions that welcome you to Antarctica. Massive floating bergs become more common as you get closer to land and you catch your first glimpse of the Peninsula, with its grand snow-covered mountains. In addition to spotting icebergs, you’ll likely spot Adélie penguins chilling out on ice floes and minke or humpback whales feeding and swimming in the frigid waters.

As soon as possible, the Zodiacs will be readied for your first landing in the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula. Experiencing this immense wilderness up close for the first time can be a numbing experience. The silence is great, the vastness is even greater. Thankfully the noisy locals – penguins and seals – are there to remind you that this wonderful landscape isn’t just a dream.

Your Expedition Team will monitor the ice and weather conditions to determine which landing sites can be visited. With many sites to choose from, each expedition presents new opportunities for exploring the white continent by Zodiac and land. Swimming in Antarctica is perhaps the most adventurous option to tempt you, by taking a Polar Plunge in the water at Neko Harbour!

A typical day in this wildlife wonderland will be spent listening to calving glaciers at Petermann Island, watching penguins waddle around a beach, or taking a hike atop a hill for a panoramic view of Port Lockroy. Whatever you prefer, the photographic opportunities are endless.

Day 9 — Disembarkation and Fly to Punta Arenas

As the ship turns north, you’ll say goodbye to the penguins, as well as many of your shipmates. With only the Drake Passage ahead, you’ll disembark and enjoy a bit of time on King George Island before flying off to Punta Arenas, Chile. Once you’re in Punta Arenas, we’ll transfer you from the airport to your hotel, where you’re free to explore and enjoy a final dinner out.

Day 10 — Depart for Home

Say goodbye and depart for home.

Availability

Checking price
Price From $ 11,595
Price Per Day: $ 1,160 per day
  • Deposit Price: $ 1,000

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Quark Expeditions.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

78 Quark Expeditions Travel Reviews & Ratings

74%
4.0 out of 5 (100+ reviews)
Excellent 56
Great 2
Average 0
Disappointing 1
Terrible 19
Value
4.0
Guide
4.0
Activities
4.0
Lodging
4.0
Transportation
4.0
Meals
4.0

Antarctic Express: Cruise South, Fly North

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Company Reviews

Run! Scam! Worst cruise company ever!

1.0
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I had the unfortunate experience of booking a cruise with Quark Expeditions, and I must say it was one of the most disappointing and frustrating experiences I've ever had. The entire process from start to finish left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Firstly, Quark Expeditions cancelled our cruise without any prior warning or communication. I understand that unforeseen circumstances can arise, but the complete lack of transparency and consideration for their customers was unacceptable. We had already made travel arrangements, taken time off work, and were eagerly looking forward to our trip, only to have it snatched away without any explanation.

To make matters even worse, the communication from Quark Expeditions during this ordeal was abysmal. There was no attempt made to keep us informed of the cancellation, and we were left scrambling to find out what had happened ourselves. It was an infuriating and anxiety-inducing experience, as we were left in the dark with no information about alternative options or compensation.

To add insult to injury, Quark Expeditions then decided to hold us captive in an airport hotel for three days, with no clear reasoning or explanation. We were effectively trapped, unable to leave the hotel or explore the area while we waited for further instruction. This was not only a waste of our time and money, but it also left us feeling like prisoners in a foreign country.

Perhaps the most frustrating part of this entire situation is the fact that Quark Expeditions informed us that it would take a whopping 60 days to process our refund. Sixty days! This long wait is completely unreasonable and demonstrates a complete disregard for their customers' financial well-being. It's as if they have no understanding or respect for the fact that people have budgets, bills to pay, and other responsibilities to fulfill.

Overall, my experience with Quark Expeditions was truly disappointing. The cancelled cruise, lack of communication, being held captive in an airport hotel, and the exorbitant wait time for a refund have left me with a sour impression of this company. I would strongly advise others to think twice before booking a trip with Quark Expeditions, as their lack of professionalism and customer care is completely unacceptable.
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Company is a scam

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This company cancelled our trip 3 times due to COVID. The most recent cancellation was less than 10 days notice. When we tried to re-book this time for a later date (our fourth reservation with them), they charged us over $10,000 more for the EXACT same itinerary even after their 100% guarantee says they have a voyage-for-voyage exchange on cancelled trips and we would be able to exchange the trip for the same itinerary. Now they've changed their rules to say they only have 1 date available that's approved for "exchanges." So our original booking, which was the week of Christmas, now has to be some random week when conditions are not as good and we won't even see Antarctica in the season we wanted. For the EXACT same itinerary as we already booked and paid for (and they kept the money for over 2 years for, while continuing to cancel our trips) they want 10k+ more to book. This is a scam and these people have kept our money for going on 3 years now with absolutely no intent to honor their "guarantee." This company has been a nightmare from the beginning and I highly recommend you book with someone else.
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Terrible company.

1.0
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Terrible company. It has taken me 10 months to finally get the refund from the trip me and my wife had booked (Aberdeen to svalbard). Quark refused to refund for the first 7 months saying they didn't cancel the trip (even though it didn’t run and the boat was at anchor in a different country) i was told that the trip has been re scheduled and not cancelled so legally they do not have to refund me. I hope Andrew white the ceo is proud of his decision to steal hard earned money from customers and make them fight for months to get back what is rightfully there's. After 7 months of me constantly badgering the travel agent i booked through and quark directly they agreed to refund my money but it will take them 90 days to process this refund. Its amazing quark can accept payments automatically but needs 90 days to return payments. If you are booking with quark now on there new refund terms be careful of the wording. It says IF THEY CANCEL THE TRIP which quark will not do, they will re schedule it for another date 12 months or more away, ie next years trip which you will then have to pay the price increases to them as well. Avoid at all costs.
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So much excitement yet letdown after letdown

2.0
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Value2.0
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My wife and I recently planned and booked a trip to Antarctica with Quark. We were thrilled about the opportunity and had done the research to ensure we could make it happen. We chose Quark because of there great marketing and reviews and leadership with the expeditions in the area.

Everything was great until we actually went to go book. It started off by experiencing an abnormal 3 week delay in response to our request to book a tour. Then once we did and responded with specifics about what to book and where to send the deposit, another long delay. Eventually Quark made the decision to cancel all of its upcoming trips until March 2021. They presented options on how to reconcile any prepayments. We responded with how we would like to move forward. THREE MONTHS LATER, we get a response that they had a technical error preventing them from being able to provide refunds without having to send over specific bank details. Poor customer service in general. Maybe we will have forgotten by the time we go to book this again in the future, but other travelers should know.

TLDR: Great marketing, terrible service.
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Warning

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Warning
I booked a trip to the Arctic Circle 2021 on 08/28 and paid a deposit.
On 09/10 Quark canceled the trip and informed me today that the repayment will take up to 90 days due to the high workload!
I assume that Quark knew about the cancellation at the End of August and managed to collect my money in 2 days despite the workload.
I would like the money back that fast!
With the cancellation, Quark made a promise that it would be very easy to rebook in 2022, fo the same voyage, the same ship and the same price (or two options for money back).
Well, nothing was easy, because the promise could not be kept, since 2 trips in 2021 will only become one trip in 2022.
First they had a single cabin for me, then suddenly they didn't.
Instead of offering me another shared cabin at the price of the booking period - there was an early bird discount - they offered a single cabin for 34,000.00 and told me that the prices in 2022 were now higher.
Where was the promise?
And now they keep my money up to 90 days. This is really bad style Quark Expeditions!
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Do NOT book with Quark

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Do NOT book with Quark. Please please please take your hard earned money elsewhere. Due to Covid, our voyage was cancelled for January 2021 which is totally acceptable. Times are tough and businesses need to make the right decisions for their employees, their investors and their future. However, by not taking care of customers, they have failed miserably. Quark wanted to book us on a future voyage instead (great!) but then proceeds to tell us that all of the options that we have paid for are not available - so a lesser product. Additionally, before the voyage was cancelled, we had friends that we travel with frequently shop for the same trip. The price was lower each time (again, typical business practice and understood by me as someone that works in both marketing and in the travel space), but the issue is that Quark refuses to do a price adjustment (we have screenshots sent from friends of what that price was). Noted here, per Quark's cancellation policy, we could have cancelled and rebooked on that same trip at the lower rate ($3k per person lower rate). However, when we contacted Quark at that time, we received no response as they were clearly deciding how to solve the challenge they created by having a cancellation policy that was in conflict with their pricing strategy. So instead of just making it right for the customer, Quark has lost a customer. Simple price adjustment, date change to the same excursion we booked and decent customer service would have built some loyal customers that can easily influence others to give their product a try. Quark has failed us, do not let them fail you. There are plenty of other options available.
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Details

Ship Name

Sea Adventurer

Ship Stats

Staff and Crew: 83

Guests: 117

Lifeboats: 4 partially enclosed

Length: 101.1 meters

Breadth: 16.2 meters

Draft: 4.5 meters

Propulsion: Diesel Twin Engines - 5,200 horsepower.

Ice Class: 1A

Cruising Speed: 12 knots in open water

Registration: Bahamas

Ship Description

Designed to carry travelers in comfort to the most remote corners of the world, Sea Adventurer was built in Yugoslavia in 1976, refurbished in 1999 and had further upgrades in 2002. You will be impressed by this ice-strengthened ship, which carries up to 117 passengers and features a spacious forward lounge and bar, window-lined dining room and promenades.

The nimble, ice-strengthened Sea Adventurer is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation. Take a look at what to expect for 2017:

A new look and feel throughout

Renovations to the interior of the ship including outside cabins with ensuites, spacious forward lounge and bar, and other amenities

The addition of new passenger cabins

New bathrooms in every cabin, and upgrades to the Main Lounge and Main Dining Room, gym, and select suites

Significant technical enhancements – including two new engines, generators, gear boxes, drive systems, and re-bladed propellers

Increased fuel efficiency, and a minimized carbon footprint.

Deck & Cabin Plans

All Deck & Cabin Plans (affiliate link) Trip Photos (affiliate link)

Optional Activities

KAYAKING — $950 per person

Kayaking in Antarctica is probably one of the most intimate and inspiring ways you can explore this incredible region. Glide through the quiet waters and take in the beauty of Antarctica. Paddle through astounding icebergs, watch penguins, seals and possibly whales swim around your kayak.

Kayaking in the Polar Regions is highly weather-dependent, however we guarantee at least one outing during your voyage. Your kayak guides will always attempts to take you out as many times as possible throughout your voyage.

Offered on most Antarctic voyages, spaces are limited and require some kayaking experience. All equipment, guides and instructions are provided by Quark.

SNOWSHOEING — Included activity

Experience the 7th Continent the way explorers of yesteryear did — by snowshoe.

Walk atop fresh snow and visit places that are inaccessible by foot. Snowshoeing is offered on select Antarctic voyages at the beginning of the season. Spaces are limited and all equipment, guides and instructions are provided by Quark.

EXTEND YOUR STAY

Travel to the World's Most Remote Inhabited Island: Take a five-hour flight from Santiago to Easter Island, one of the world’s most remote inhabited islands. A single massive (extinct) volcano rising over 10,000 feet from the Pacific Ocean floor, Easter Island is famous for its enormous statues carved from the tough stone of the Rano Raraku, the island’s volcano. Your package includes tours of the statues, tombs and volcanoes of the island. This luxurious package offers guests three nights’ accommodation at Explora Rapa Nui, where all meals, daily explorations and drinks are included.

Experience Iguazú Falls Package: One of the great natural wonders of the world, the grandeur of Iguazú Falls includes over 274 cascades spread over nearly two miles of the Iguazú River. Learn about the history, flora and fauna of the National Park, and the waterfalls. Experience the spectacular views and the thundering sounds of the waterfalls, located in the midst of 890 square miles of nature reserve. The National Park has easily walkable footpaths which will give you incredible access to the numerous waterfalls. Enjoy one of the true wonders of the natural world.

Flight & Transport Inclusions

All internal transport included (including local flights)

Group Size

Standard Group - 25 + people

Maximum Number of People in Group: 117

Cancellation policy

All requests for cancellation must be received in writing. Cancellations received 180 days or more prior to departure, are refunded less an administrative fee of minimum US$1250, AU$1000, £650, €800 per person. If cancellation is received between 179 days and 120 days, the deposit is forfeited. If cancellation occurs less than 120 days prior to departure, all payments are forfeited. If full payment has not yet been received, the full penalty will still apply and any unpaid balance is due immediately. To protect the traveler’s investment, we recommend that you obtain adequate trip cancellation insurance.

Cancellations cannot be made online.

Additional Information

Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy – and excitement – of expedition travel. There are no guarantees that we can achieve everything we set out to accomplish. A measure of flexibility is something all of us must bring to a voyage. There are nearly 200 recognized sites in the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetlands and the places mentioned above may be changed to others equally as interesting.

Trip ID#:

AntCruQua

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