Quark Expeditions operates traditional Drake Passage sailings and fly/sail Antarctica products. Product length, gateway package, and ship can change the traveler experience enough that the exact itinerary matters more than the operator label alone.
Antarctic Explorer: the traditional-sailing reference
Quark’s current Antarctic Explorer: Discovering the 7th Continent runs in 11- and 12-day configurations. Current variants start in Ushuaia or Buenos Aires and use Ocean Explorer, Ultramarine, or World Voyager.
The Ushuaia versions sail the Drake Passage. Some Buenos Aires variants add a hotel and charter-flight package to Ushuaia before embarkation, so the package gateway and the ship’s embarkation port are not always the same thing.
Current payment timing
Quark’s Booking Terms and Conditions are currently effective June 24, 2026. For a booking made 151 days or more before Day 1, the published terms require a 25% deposit and state that the total booking amount is due no later than 150 days before Day 1. A booking made inside that window is due in full at booking.
Medical insurance is a participation requirement
Quark’s current Expedition Contract makes comprehensive medical insurance a condition of participation and states that the coverage must be sufficient for the medical risks of the expedition. Evacuation and repatriation costs remain the passenger’s responsibility. The current contract does not provide a basis for Atlas Expedition Guide to invent a universal dollar minimum.
Ultramarine context
Quark’s current company information lists Ultramarine at 199 guests and 140 staff and crew, with 102 suites across nine configurations. The ship is one part of the decision. The exact itinerary, included activities, charter package, and cabin category still need to be checked together.
Compare Antarctica expedition formats or ask about a Quark expedition.