Tour Overview
About the itinerary
The itinerary descriptions included in this brochure reflect the plans for each expedition and should be read as general guides only. These are expeditions to remote and rarely visited regions of the world, and flexibility is required. Our exact program will vary based on local weather and ice conditions, availability of local permissions, and government orders.
Itinerary
The itinerary described is subject to change at the discretion of the ship’s master and Expedition Leader. This is an expedition to a remote part of the world, and we reserve the right to change the itinerary due to weather conditions, availability of anchorages, political conditions and other factors beyond our control without consulting the passengers. It is understood that such decisions will be made in the best interests of all passengers aboard and with regard to the safety of the vessel. Passengers have no right to any refund or other considerations in the event of these inevitable itinerary changes. Nothing in this brochure is meant to signify the use of any specific design or model of helicopter. The images featured in this brochure are inspirational in character and do not necessarily depict the exact people, animals, and places encountered by passengers.
Photography
Passengers extend QEI and SEL permission to take their photograph during the voyage and release all rights over those images. Passengers who do not wish to be photographed during the voyage must inform QEI and SEL in writing prior to the voyage.
Rates
Voyage rates are based on tariffs and exchange rates in effect at the time of printing and are subject to change prior to departure. Substantial changes in tariffs, exchange rates and the price of fuel, services and labor sometimes increase the cost of expedition arrangements significantly, and we reserve the right to alter prices or introduce surcharges accordingly, even if payment has been received in full.
Adventures in comfort.
Traveling to the farthest reaches of the world doesn’t mean you can’t be comfortable. Our Expedition Ships offer adventure combined with the service and many of the amenities of a classic passenger vessel. The outstanding cuisine may vie with the landscape and wildlife for your attention. You’re traveling in the wake of history’s greatest explorers, with steak in place of pemmican. These expeditions provide quality and value at a good price.
Classic Antarctica: Discovering the Peninsula.
Day 1: Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
Ushuaia sits at the foot of the Andes, in a beautiful setting. Relax at a sidewalk café and soak up that “end of the world feeling” of this frontier town, before spending a night at our host hotel.
Day 2: Embarkation Day
Board the ship in the late afternoon for the voyage through the Beagle Channel to the Drake Passage.
Day 3-4: The Drake Passage
Among the many unforgettable experiences you’ll have on your journey, food will certainly be one of them. It may seem as if you are dining in one of the finer restaurants in the world, with one exception: other restaurants would never interrupt you with shouts of “whales ahead at 12 o’clock.”
You’ll be properly prepared for wildlife sightings, because our Expedition Team delivers an incomparable education program as you cross the Drake Passage en route to Antarctica.
Day 5-8*: Land, birds, seals, whales, volcanoes, ahoy!
You have arrived in Antarctica! The Expedition Team will attempt an average of two landings per day. Many factors influence the daily program, such as prevailing wind, ice, weather conditions, and wildlife behavior. During the voyage, our onboard fleet of Zodiacs will transfer you to penguin rookeries, where you are welcomed by a committee of chattering birds. There will be leisurely Zodiac sightseeing cruises past icebergs or wildlife on the rocky shoreline.
Discovering the White Continent.
During our four days exploring the Peninsula, you’ll make new friends over a game of cards in the lounge, or a beverage in the bar. Don your parka and join fellow travelers on the deck as you sail through the Gerlache Strait or along the Danco Coast, past towering glacier-covered mountains that shoot to the sky. Don’t forget to pack your binoculars. There may be seals sunning on an ice floe or a raft of penguins feeding as you sail past.
History, wildlife, scenery – Antarctica has it all.
During the in-depth education program, the historian will recount the development of the region, pointing out the remains of buildings where spies dwelled or a doctor went mad. The ornithologist will take you ashore and help you identify different species of birds. You could cruise with a glaciologist through a bay filled with fantastically colored icebergs.
Day 9-11: A reluctant farewell
Returning to Ushuaia across the Drake Passage, you know you are one of the people in the world that have visited Antarctica. The adventure will be with you forever. You may already be thinking of a return trip – as many have found before, the lure of Antarctica is a strong one.
Important Reminder: 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.
*12 day itineraries have one additional day on the peninsula.
Prices
2008
Aboard the M/V Lyubov Orlova
November 9-20; November 20- December 1; November 30- December 11; December 9-19
$3,500 Per Person, Triple Occupancy
$5,100 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Lower Deck Twin
$5,700 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Main Deck Twin
$5,700 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Captain's Deck Twin
$6,500 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Superior
$7,500 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Amundsen Suite
December 18-28
$4,500 Per Person, Triple Occupancy
$5,900 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Lower Deck Twin
$6,400 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Main Deck Twin
$6,400 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Captain's Deck Twin
$7,400 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Superior
$8,500 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Amundsen Suite
December 27- January 6, 2009
$4,900 Per Person, Triple Occupancy
$6,100 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Lower Deck Twin
$6,800 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Main Deck Twin
$6,800 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Captain's Deck Twin
$8,100 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Superior
$9,200 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Amundsen Suite
Aboard the Clipper Adventurer
November 20- December 1; November 30- December 11
$6,200 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Lower Deck Twin
$6,500 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Main Deck P Twin
$6,800 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Main Deck W Twin
$7,200 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Superior
$7,700 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Deluxe
$8,500 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Suite
$9,900 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Owners Suite
December 28- January 7, 2009
$7,200 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Lower Deck Twin
$7,500 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Main Deck P Twin
$7,900 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Main Deck W Twin
$8,300 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Superior
$8,900 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Deluxe
$9,800 Per Person, Double Occupancy, Suite
$11,800 Owners Suite
Single occupancy:
An additional Fuel surcharge of $580 per person applies to all dates
Selected standard twin cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.7 times the twin share.
Inclusions:
• Welcome service at the airport on day one of tour voyages starting in Ushuaia.
• One night hotel accommodation pre-expedition with breakfast at our conveniently located hotel. (The number of guests per room is the same as cabin occupancy on the ship. Due to limited availability, travelers who reserve a suite on board are accommodated in standard rooms at the hotel.)
• Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping.
• All breakfasts, lunches and dinners on board throughout voyage. (Please inform us of any dietary requirements as far in advance as possible. Unfortunately, the ships’ galleys cannot prepare kosher meals.)
• All shore landings and Zodiac excursions per the daily program.
• Leadership throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leader, including shore landings and other activities.
• Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled.
• Photographic Journal on DVD.
• On our Icebreaker, and on selected Expedition Ship voyages, our Polar Arts Program featuring an artist-in-residence who gives presentations and may conduct workshops in digital photography or traditional media (e.g. pastel, watercolor, oils, pen and ink).
• A pair of rubber expedition boots on loan for shore landings.
• Hair dryer in every cabin.
• A Quark Expeditions parka (except for guests of Orlova)
• Coffee, tea, cocoa, and bottled water available around the clock.
• Comprehensive pre- departure materials, including a map and an informative Antarctic Reader.
• Group transfers from the hotel to the ship at the embarkation port, and from the ship to the local airport on disembarkation – plus all baggage handling aboard ship.
• All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program.
• Emergency evacuation insurance for each passengers with a maximum benefit of $100,000 USD.
Exclusions:
Airfare to or from the gateway city, whether on scheduled or charter flights; passport and visa expenses; government arrival and departure taxes; any meals ashore with the exception of breakfast at the host hotel before embarkation; baggage, cancellation and travel insurance (please note that emergency medical insurance is mandatory); excess baggage charges; laundry, bar, beverage and other personal charges; telecommunications charges; and the customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for stewards and other service personnel (guidelines will be provided). Any item not mentioned in the Inclusions.
Mandatory Travel Insurance:
Passengers traveling with Quark Expeditions are required to be covered by a travel insurance policy that includes emergency evacuation coverage. This mandatory insurance is now included in the per-person rate for all expeditions. Please note that the included emergency evacuation insurance does not cover cancellation, medical expenses, and baggage. iExplore strongly recommends that travelers cover these additional risks by purchasing a comprehensive travel insurance policy.
Special cancellation policy:
All requests for cancellations must be received in writing. Cancellations received up to 150 days prior to departure are refunded less an administrative fee of $500 per person. If cancellation is received between 149 and 90 days prior to departure, the deposit is forfeited. Please note that for cancellations received within 89 days prior to departure, all deposits and tariffs are forfeited. If cancellation occurs within the 89 -day period and full payment has not yet been received, the full penalty will still apply and unpaid monies are due immediately. For these and other reasons mentioned below, you are strongly encouraged to obtain trip cancellation insurance. Prices quoted are based on group participation and no refunds will be made for any part of the program in which you choose not to participate, including any helicopter flying time (if applicable and which, at the discretion of the Captain and Expedition Leader, may or may not be utilized).
It is understood that refunds cannot be made to passengers who do not complete the tour for any reason whatsoever.
Rates:
Voyage rates are based on tariffs and exchange rates in effect at the time of printing and are subject to change prior to departure. Substantial changes in tariffs, exchange rates and the price of fuel, services and labor sometimes increase the cost of expedition arrangements significantly, and we reserve the right to alter our prices or introduce surcharges accordingly, even if payment has been received in full.
All prices are in US dollars and do not include international airfare, unless otherwise noted.
Prices displayed are based on the lowest season base price and assume double occupancy. Prices are shown in U.S. dollars and may or may not include administrative fees, taxes, meals, airfare (where applicable) and Single Supplements. Cancellation penalties, blackout dates and other restrictions may apply.
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