1 · POSITION
Quark Expeditions was founded in 1991, is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and operates as a subsidiary of Travelopia. It describes ships purpose-built for polar exploration and claims one of the largest expedition team-to-passenger ratios in the polar expedition industry, without publishing the figure behind the claim. Its largest ship, Ultramarine, carries 199 passengers with 140 staff and crew. The accommodation is described throughout as suites rather than as cabins. [1]
2 · ONE HUNDRED AND TWO SUITES IN NINE SHAPES
Ultramarine has 102 suites across nine configurations, running from 132 square feet to 563 square feet. The ship made its inaugural voyage in December 2021 on a sailing the company framed as a celebration of Sir Ernest Shackleton. Nine configurations in a single hull means the room a guest occupies varies more than fourfold in area. For a ship of under two hundred berths that is an unusually wide spread of accommodation. [1]
3 · WHERE THE SHIP EATS AND DRINKS
Balena Restaurant is the main dining room, with direct access to a wraparound deck and tables seating between two and ten. Bistro 487 offers an indoor and outdoor alternative. The glass-enclosed Panorama Lounge and Bar is described as a gathering point where guests sip a glass of wine. Between them the ship holds one formal room, one informal room and one room glazed to the horizon, which is the whole of its evening. [2]
4 · HELICOPTERS, SAUNA AND A YOGA SPACE
The company says that, for the first time, guests take to the polar skies in Ultramarine’s two twin-engine helicopters, which it describes as transporting guests to destinations accessible only by air. The sauna has floor-to-ceiling windows, so that guests stay connected to their polar surroundings while relaxing. The fitness centre includes a separate yoga space with views of the polar landscape. The wellness rooms are set against the same ice the expedition exists to reach. [1, 2]
5 · ⚑ CANDOUR
⚑ The company’s own information page states a fleet of four ships purpose-built for polar exploration and then lists three; the discrepancy is not resolved here. The claim to one of the largest expedition team-to-passenger ratios carries no number and cannot be checked. The figures of 199 passengers, 140 staff and crew and 102 suites are Ultramarine’s alone and do not describe Ocean Explorer or World Voyager. The helicopter first is the line’s own claim, and no mudroom was described on the pages fetched. [1–2]
Sources & Further Reading
Sources checked 12 October 2026.