by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 4:00 PM ET, Mon January 22, 2024
Quark Expeditions is welcoming a new polar expedition ship to its fleet for the 2024-25 Antarctica season. The 138-guest Ocean Explorer will ferry cruisers to and from Antarctica under the Quark Expeditions name starting later this year.
Built in 2021, Ocean Explorer had previously operated under charter for Aurora Expeditions; it’s owned by Copenhagen-based SunStone Ships.
The ship made headlines earlier this year when it ran aground in Greenland and got stuck for three days with 206 people onboard. A fisheries research vessel was eventually able to pull the vessel free.
Now, it will join Quark Expeditions’ trio of expedition ships, Ocean Adventurer, Ultramarine and World Explorer.
"Going beyond in the polar regions requires the best expedition team operating the best ships," says Andrew White, president of Quark Expeditions. "And we've got both. Ocean Explorer is the perfect addition to our fleet—for adventure, for luxury and for leading-edge technology, this purpose-built polar expedition ship truly delivers for our discerning polar explorers."
Ocean Explorer is an Infinity class polar ship rated Ice Class 1A and PC6. It has an X-Bow design, a two-story forward lounge, a pool deck, multiple restaurants, a gym, a medical center and other amenities. The vessel is equipped with kayaks and Zodiacs for exploration.
"The depth and breadth of our portfolio of innovative itineraries and polar experiences—from kayaking in Antarctica to flightseeing over the Greenland Ice Sheet—is made possible by the depth and breadth of our fleet," says White. "Maintaining such a diverse fleet of small polar ships enables guests to customize their voyage, to choose how they want to explore the polar regions and experience their expedition of a lifetime."
Travelers who book an Antarctica cruise on Ocean Explorer or one of the line’s other vessels can enjoy free alcohol and Wi-Fi starting with the 2024-25 season later this year.
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