The Future of Cruising

02

The newest ship in the Quark Expeditions’ fleet, Ultramarine, unites style and sustainability.

01

Quark Expeditions’ president Andrew White describes Ultramarine as “more than just a ship – it’s an unrivalled operational base for polar adventure”. Indeed, the newest, most advanced addition to the brand’s fleet (sailing from 2021) comes with just about every bell and whistle imaginable, not only to make the journey comfortable for guests, but to ensure the future survival of this fragile landscape.

There’s space on board for just 199 guests and 140 crew, in classy cabins that are all blond wood with marine accents. Public spaces are just as sleek, from the sauna with picture windows framing icebergs, to the Panorama Lounge, offering equally enviable views paired with fine wines and cocktails. There’s smart technology throughout, including enhanced connectivity, real-time translation services and large-screen displays in the lecture theatre.

01 The sleek dining room on Ultramarine 02 Ultramarine cuts a striking form amid the ice 03 Cabins on Ultramarine unite blond wood with marine tones

03

These are the things you see – behind the scenes there’s another world of high-tech engineering at work to ensure the comfort of guests while exploring Antarctica. As expected, there are stabilizers to guarantee a smooth-as-possible crossing of the Drake Passage, as well as a host of features included to minimise the ship’s environmental impact (see ‘Fleet Force’ panel).

And then there are the toys, designed to take any expedition to new heights. Like the pair of twinengine helicopters (Ultramarine is the only polar vessel with two landing pads), meaning you can reach breathtaking landscapes only accessible by air, faster than anyone else. And the water-level Zodiac hangar, built with 20 quick-deploy Zodiacs and two Ready Rooms, so you can spend less time waiting to explore and more time out in the great white wilderness. Click here to read more about Ultramarine.

Fleet Force

The two newest technologicallyadvanced additions to the Quark Expeditions fleet, World Explorer and Ultramarine were designed with polar environments in mind. Both are equipped with a Micro Auto Gasification System that thermally breaks down waste, reducing its volume by 95 per cent. This means the ships can cruise for 40 days without discharging solid waste. The latter ship also has LED lighting, with the potential to use 50 per cent less energy than standard fluoro lighting, and will also use half the amount of fuel as older, chartered vessels of a similar size.