Quark’s fleet: three hulls, one with helicopters
A new charter, a departed sister and a North Pole icebreaker Quark no longer sells. Here’s the fleet as it stands for 2026–27 — and which hull fits which trip.
Choose Ultramarine for the helicopters, Ocean Explorer for the smallest group, and World Voyager for the balcony and the science. That’s most of the decision, and Quark’s own ship pages back each call.
The fleet changed this year. World Explorer left after the 2025–26 season, sold to Windstar and renamed Star Explorer, and World Voyager arrives on a three-season charter in November 2026. Its 1B ice rating is the lowest of the three.
Cabin size swings widely, from 132 square feet to 563. Match the ship to the trip first, not the cabin — then pick the cabin.
What changed, and when it took effect
Expedition fleets turn over fast. Quark’s has swapped two of its three ships since 2024.
50 Years of Victory
Quark’s Arctic brochure dates its maiden North Pole voyage on the Russian nuclear icebreaker to 2008.
Ultramarine handed over
Quark takes ownership at the Brodosplit yard in Split, Croatia. Two H145 helicopters and 20 Zodiacs come with it.
Ocean Explorer replaces Ocean Adventurer
SunStone’s 2021 Infinity-class ship takes over for the 2024–25 Antarctic season, per Seatrade Cruise News.
World Explorer’s last season
Sold to Windstar Cruises and renamed Star Explorer, it’s being converted in Portugal for a first Windstar voyage on December 28, 2026.
World Voyager arrives
A three-season Antarctic charter from Atlas Ocean Voyages begins, with the Science & Discovery program on every departure. In October 2026 the ship spent about a week in drydock in Portugal for a stabilizer repair, per Cruise Industry News.
Arctic 2027 on sale
Bookings for Arctic 2027 and Antarctic 2027–28 opened October 21, 2025, the earliest launch in Quark’s history.
Older reviews still describe World Explorer as a Quark ship. It isn’t one now — check the ship name on any quote dated after March 2026.
The North Pole is the larger loss — a whole route, not a ship. Quark’s page lists no departures and says trips that include Russia are off sale because of the war in Ukraine.
If the Pole is the goal, ask us who is selling it before you plan around Quark.
Every ship, side by side
Tap a sort button. Lower is better for guests per Zodiac; the meters redraw against the top ship.
Specs come from each ship’s Quark page. “Guests per Zodiac” is our division of the two published numbers — a rough read on boat capacity, not a published ratio.
Quark doesn’t list tonnage or beam on these pages, and trade figures for Ultramarine disagree with each other. So we leave them out, not guess. Sort by guests per Zodiac if landings matter most to you.
Ultramarine, and everything else
Two H145s, two helidecks
Twin-engine Airbus H145s fly from two helidecks on Deck 8, with six window seats each and scratch-resistant windows. Quark builds Antarctica by Helicopter, South Greenland and a Canadian Arctic voyage around them. They don’t fly in Svalbard.
Zodiacs, kayaks, boots
No helidecks. The landings are by Zodiac — 15 boats on Ocean Explorer, 18 on World Voyager — with paddling and sea kayaking on select departures and stand-up paddleboards on World Voyager.
Helicopters change what a landing can be, not just how you see it. Quark’s Exclusive Heli-Landing and Ice Sheet Experience reach sites only open by air.
They also change the fine print. Quark’s contract never refunds helicopter time that goes unused or is cancelled, whatever the reason.
Some helicopter time comes in the fare. Antarctica by Helicopter launched with two flightseeing flights and one landing built in; other options are priced on request.
Ask us what’s included on your exact departure before you choose Ultramarine for the air.
Cabins, in square feet
Tap a ship. The last tab gathers every solo cabin in the fleet.
- Explorer Triple / Suite
- 285 sq ft, Deck 3, no balcony; the Triple sleeps three
- Balcony Suite
- 226 sq ft plus a 52 sq ft balcony
- Deluxe Balcony Suite
- 299 sq ft plus 70 sq ft
- Terrace Suite
- 350 sq ft plus a 100 sq ft terrace
- Penthouse Suite
- 369 sq ft plus 67 sq ft, Deck 7
- Owner’s / Ultra Suite
- 446 and 563 sq ft, each with a balcony of about 46 sq ft
- Studio Single
- 146–186 sq ft, Deck 3, one guest
- Veranda Stateroom
- 173–272 sq ft, Decks 4, 6, 7
- Deluxe Veranda Forward
- 182–195 sq ft, Deck 4
- Veranda Suite
- 200–205 sq ft, with a sofa bed
- Triple Suite
- 296–299 sq ft, three twins
- Penthouse / Owners Suite
- 269 and 443 sq ft, two rooms, Deck 7
- Veranda Suite
- 215 sq ft plus a 55 sq ft walk-out
- Superior Suite
- 207–270 sq ft plus 100 sq ft
- Infinity Suite
- 270 sq ft with a floor-to-ceiling glass Juliet
- Deluxe Suite
- 345 sq ft plus 100 sq ft, Deck 5
- Owner’s Suite
- 365 sq ft plus 100 sq ft
- Ultramarine
- Solo Panorama, 132 sq ft, Deck 6: the only solo suite with floor-to-ceiling windows, Quark says
- Ocean Explorer
- Studio Single, 146–186 sq ft; Studio Veranda Single, 162 sq ft, Deck 7
- World Voyager
- No solo category listed
Sizes are Quark’s, indoor space first and balcony second. The spread runs from Ultramarine’s 132 sq ft Solo Panorama to its 563 sq ft Ultra Suite — more than four times the floor.
Pick a category, then ask us which cabins in it are still open on your date.
The same trip, priced on each ship
Toggle the tabs. If the Buenos Aires package is extra, Ocean Explorer’s lead widens.
Antarctic Explorer runs on all three ships, so it’s the cleanest comparison Quark offers. Ocean Explorer is cheapest on the fare — and it includes an Ushuaia hotel night.
The two Buenos Aires ships carry a charter flight and hotel package that Quark values at $1,295. Its pages call it included and also list it as an exclusion.
Those are list fares, not what you’ll pay. On November 1, Quark’s dates page showed promo codes from 5% to 20% off on the Antarctic departures.
Compare the ships on the total, ask us whether the package is in your fare, then let us apply the code that’s live.
The scorecard
No ship wins every row. That’s the point of the chart, not a flaw in it.
Published classes: Ultramarine 1A+ and PC6, Ocean Explorer 1A and PC6, World Voyager 1B. World Voyager’s rating is the lowest of the three.
Ultramarine adds two helicopters to 20 Zodiacs. World Voyager carries 18 Zodiacs and Ocean Explorer 15.
Ocean Explorer takes 138 guests, World Voyager 168 and Ultramarine 199. Fewer guests usually means shorter waits at the gangway.
Ocean Explorer has two solo categories, Ultramarine one (the Solo Panorama), World Voyager none.
World Voyager is all-balcony, though its Infinity Suites use a glass Juliet. Most Ocean Explorer cabins have verandas. Ultramarine’s Explorer categories have none.
Ultramarine has the Explorer Triple and Ocean Explorer a Triple Suite. Every World Voyager category is for one or two guests.
World Voyager has a Science Hub and the Science & Discovery program on every departure. Quark is expanding the program on Ultramarine for 2027.
Our judgement on Quark’s published specs, not a Quark figure and not a quality rating. Ten means best in this fleet for that row. Specs checked November 1, 2026.
Which Quark ship, for which traveler
Our judgement, built on Quark’s published specs. Use it to narrow to one ship, then compare dates.
Ultramarine
The only Quark hull with helidecks, and the ship on Emperor Penguin Quest. Book a Balcony Suite or higher if you want outside space.
Ocean Explorer
138 guests, two solo categories and the lowest Antarctic Explorer fare, from Ushuaia with a hotel night.
World Voyager
The main Antarctic Express ship for 2026–27, all-balcony, with a Science Hub aboard. Plan two cabins for three people.
Ultramarine or Ocean Explorer
The Explorer Triple (285 sq ft) and the Triple Suite (up to 299 sq ft) sleep three. Quark’s minimum age is above 8.
You want a heavier ice class
Quark’s best rating is PC6. Compare Ponant’s fleet and Lindblad’s PC5 pair.
Straight answers on Quark’s ships
How many ships does Quark Expeditions have?
Three, as of November 1, 2026. Quark's ships page lists Ultramarine (199 guests), Ocean Explorer (138) and World Voyager (168), and says its vessels never exceed 200 passengers. World Voyager is chartered from Atlas Ocean Voyages for three Antarctic seasons, starting in November 2026. Cruise Industry News reported in October 2026 that it spent about a week in drydock in Portugal replacing a stabilizer before sailing for Antarctica.
Which Quark ship has helicopters?
Only Ultramarine. It carries two twin-engine Airbus H145 helicopters on two helidecks, with six window seats per helicopter, according to its ship page. Quark doesn't fly them on Svalbard voyages. Ocean Explorer and World Voyager carry no helicopters.
What happened to World Explorer?
It left the fleet. Cruise Industry News reported that World Explorer sailed its final Quark season in 2025-26 and was sold to Windstar Cruises, which is converting it at the West Sea yard in Portugal and renaming it Star Explorer, with a first Windstar voyage due December 28, 2026. World Voyager takes its place in Quark's Antarctic program.
Is 50 Years of Victory still sailing for Quark?
No. The Russian nuclear icebreaker carried Quark's North Pole voyages, and Quark's Arctic brochure dates its maiden Quark voyage to 2008. Quark's North Pole page now lists no departures and says it isn't operating or accepting bookings for trips that include Russia, as a consequence of the war in Ukraine. The ship isn't on Quark's ships page.
Which Quark ship is best for solo travelers?
Ocean Explorer has the most solo choice: a Studio Single from 146 square feet and a Studio Veranda Single of 162 square feet. Ultramarine has the 132-square-foot Solo Panorama, which Quark says is the only solo suite with floor-to-ceiling windows. World Voyager lists no solo category; every cabin is for one or two.
What ice class are Quark's ships?
Quark's ship pages list Ultramarine at 1A+ and PC6, Ocean Explorer at 1A and PC6, and World Voyager at 1B. Ultramarine and Ocean Explorer both carry Polar Class 6. World Voyager's page lists no polar class, and its 1B is the lowest rating of the three.
Torn between two hulls? We’ll check both on your date.
Tell us the region, the month and how many are going. We’ll confirm which ship sails your departure, what helicopter time is in the fare, and which cabins are left.
- Which ship is on your departure
- Helicopter and add-on inclusions for that voyage
- Solo and triple cabins still open
No fee, no obligation. You pay the cruise line’s own fare. A real advisor replies, usually within one business day.
Ask about Quark’s ships
Answers come straight from this guide.
Answers come from our guides and are general information. Confirm details with us before you book.
Where every spec came from
Ship specs are Quark’s own. Where trade press differs (Seatrade gives World Voyager 198 guests; Marine Log gives Ultramarine two tonnages), we use Quark’s figures or leave the number out. Guests per Zodiac, the per-day prices, the scorecard and the picks are our arithmetic and judgement.
Where to go next
The voyage, the gateway night, and the cover that matters out there.
Expedition trips have more moving parts than a Caribbean week: a charter flight, a night in a gateway city, gear lists and an evacuation clause the line sets for you. We book them together and check that the dates and the fine print agree.