
Epic Antarctica: Crossing the Circle
An expedition cruise with countless unforgettable moments in Antarctica aboard the Ultramarine
From: USD 31,388
A 23-day expedition cruise
5 Reviews
The Trip Highlights
Witness sparkling icebergs and glaciers
Observe Polar wildlife in their natural habitat
Whale watching from your Zodiac
Cross the drake passage
Your Polartours 'Plus' Experience
Experience the chill of a polar plunge
Learn from Polar experts
Your trip is 100% carbon offset
Expedition Parka to take home
Enjoy an epic Antarctic experience as we set sail on the comfortable and spacious Ultramarine from the Falkland Islands to South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula. Become an Antarctic wildlife expert with our experienced polar guides and get to photograph huge albatrosses, millions of seabirds, friendly dolphins and over five different species of penguins. Make the most of this important milestone for any world traveler with a wide range of activities organized on your vessel.
Your ship: Ultramarine
Welcome aboard the Ultramarine! One of the newest cruise ships in the Polar fleet, Ultramarine was designed to go beyond the familiar in polar exploration - to discover new places and immerse you in the best of the region. Equipped with two twin-engine helicopters, it offers robust adventure activities. It features the category’s most spacious suites, breathtaking public spaces, and more outdoor wildlife viewing spaces than other expedition ships of its size. It also features a best-in-class operational range and an innovative mix of sustainability features that exceed all industry standards. … Read more about Ultramarine
Amenities
Fitness Center
Mudroom
Lecture Theater
Observation Deck
Zodiac Fleet
Observation Lounge
Spa
Gift Shop
Sauna
Medical Services
Library
Food & Drinks
*Ultramarine” two dining options. “Balena” is the main restaurant located on Deck 5. “Bistro 487” gives guests an alternative dining option on Deck 7. Both offer a great choice of high-quality international dishes and healthy options. While mealtimes may change due to landings and wildlife encounters, you’ll always be served three meals a day.
In addition, an “early riser’s” breakfast will be offered in Bistro 487, as well as afternoon tea and late-night snacks. There’s also a permanent selection of light snacks available here at all times.
The dress code on the ship is casual, as befits a polar exploration vessel, though some may choose to dress up a little for the Captain’s Welcome Reception.
The well-stocked bar on the ship is open to enjoy with your fellow shipmates in the late morning, afternoon, and evening. Soft drinks, juices, and water are available at no cost, and beer and wine are offered with dinner. A selection of liquors, spirits, and premium beer, wine, and champagne is available and can be charged to your shipboard account.



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Adventure Options
Adventure Options during your cruise
Day 1 • Start your journey in Ushuaia



Ushuaia, located in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, serves as the southernmost city in the world and the starting point for many Antarctic expedition cruises.
The city offers a range of options, from small-ship expeditions to larger vessel tours, providing travelers with an unforgettable experience in the remote and beautiful Antarctic. Many cruises visit the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands, allowing visitors to see diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes.
In addition to the natural beauty, Ushuaia also boasts a rich history and a stunning national park, making it a unique destination worth exploring. Overall, Ushuaia is the perfect base for those seeking adventure and a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the Antarctic.
Day 2 • Embark on your new home, the Ultramarine



Ushuaia, located in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, serves as the southernmost city in the world and the starting point for many Antarctic expedition cruises.
The city offers a range of options, from small-ship expeditions to larger vessel tours, providing travelers with an unforgettable experience in the remote and beautiful Antarctic. Many cruises visit the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands, allowing visitors to see diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes.
In addition to the natural beauty, Ushuaia also boasts a rich history and a stunning national park, making it a unique destination worth exploring. Overall, Ushuaia is the perfect base for those seeking adventure and a once-in-a-lifetime experience in the Antarctic.
Day 3 • Get to know your shipmates on the way to the Falkland Islands



The Falklands Passage is the name given to the stretch of the Southern Ocean between mainland South America and the Falkland Islands. This is usually a 2-day sailing.
During this time, your naturalist guides will hold a series of informative and exciting talks and lectures about the wildlife and the geology that makes the Falklands and the Southern Ocean so remarkable.
Your guides will also be available to help you spot the various species of seabirds you will encounter, as well as using their expert eye to spot whales and other cetaceans in the water as you make your way to your next destination.
Day 4-5 • Explore the Falkland Islands



Lying 300 miles off the Patagonian coast, and 750 miles from the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands (also known as Islas Malvinas in Spanish) is a far-flung British overseas territory.
Consisting of two major islands and over 770 smaller islands and islets, they are home to a hardy resident population of about 3,400 islanders. With a chequered history of disputed sovereignty, the islands were uninhabited until the 1700s.
With an economy that was traditionally driven by whaling, then fishing and farming, the islands have more recently diversified into sustainable tourism. With an abundance of wildlife, particularly birds - including some species found nowhere else - the islanders have been restoring natural habitats previously lost to grazing, as well as farming in ways that are more environmentally friendly.
There are a variety of sites to visit where you can see endemic and migrant birds, as well as several colonies of penguins and seals. Whales and dolphins are frequently spotted in the Sound and off the shoreline around the islands.
You will also see the historic capital, Stanley, which visitors often remark reminds them of how England used to be 50 years or more ago…
Day 6-7 • At sea towards South Georgia Island



The passage to South Georgia to or from the Falklands or South America is usually a 2-day sailing. On your way to the magnificent yet remote South Georgia, your expert guides will enthrall you with a range of talks and lectures all about the remarkable concentrations of Antarctic wildlife that can be found on the island.
As well as the huge numbers of breeding birds and sea mammals, you'll also learn about the geology and human history of the island, and its importance in the exploration (and exploitation) of the Southern Ocean.
On deck, your guides will help you to identify the bird species that frequently follow the ships, as well as spotting cetaceans and other marine life you can spot en route.
Day 8-11 • Explore South Georgia



This remote and mountainous island might seem to be barren at first, given that it has no trees and is snow-covered for much of the year. However, appearances can be deceptive, and South Georgia is teeming with life!
Not only is it home to important breeding grounds for fur seals, elephant seals, and king penguins, it is also the only known habitat of the South Georgia Pipit - the Antarctic's only songbird - and the South Georgia Pintail duck.
High, rugged mountains and stunning coastal fjords make cruising the coast of South Georgia a spectacle you will remember.
Used as a base for early-20th century sealers, there are relics of this industry at various places around the island - a reminder of the human history of exploitation of Antarctica and its natural resources.
Day 12-13 • At sea to the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula



This is a 2-day passage through the Southern Ocean and the edge of the Weddell Sea. During the passage, your expert naturalist guides will entertain and enthrall you with a series of talks and lectures about the geology and wildlife of the Antarctic, and in particular what you will be able to discover on South Georgia and on the South Shetland Islands.
As well as learning more about the remarkable Antarctic bird and sea life, you'll also learn about the fascinating human history of your destinations, including their roles in whaling and sealing, as well as scientific exploration and discovery.
Day 14-16 • Discover the South Shetlands Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula



Sometimes overlooked as a destination by people keen to set foot on the Antarctic Peninsula, the South Shetland Islands are a must-see destination in their own right.
Often the first and last landfall on an Antarctic cruise, many people are taken aback by the stunning beauty of these islands. What better way to make contact with the Antarctic than by making your first beach landing here surrounded by gentoo penguins?
Apart from some of the most southerly species of penguin, the South Shetlands are home to a huge range of Antarctic wildlife, and they make a superb introduction to the wildlife of the whole region, including key species like elephant seals, humpback whales, and more.
With active volcanoes, the relics and remains of its history as a centre for whaling, and some of the most beautiful Antarctic mountain scenery, the South Shetland Islands are a fitting first destination for any Antarctic cruise.
Day 17-18 • Cross the Antarctic Circle



For the hardiest of adventurers only, this is the "deep south"!
The South West side of the Antarctic Peninsula starts south of the Lemaire Channel and locations just to the south of the Lemaire - roughly south to the Yalour Islands - are popular if the channel is free of ice, and the chance to see Adelie Penguins.
But the rest of the deep south is only visited by a few select few cruises, and only then subject to the ice conditions. Narrower passages can be impassable due to ice build-up, meaning going around the outside in the open sea, the Southern Ocean. If you are lucky you will enjoy remarkable frozen vistas with invigorating Zodiac and ship cruises bringing you up close and personal with the wonderful ice landscapes of places like Crystal Sound.
If conditions are right, you may be lucky enough to cross the Antarctic Circle, and get ashore to some remote historical sites - and be able to describe yourself as a true Antarctic explorer.
Day 19-20 • Travel back north along the western Antarctic Peninsula



The North-West portion of the Antarctic Peninsula is the most frequently visited by expedition cruises and is home to many of the most popular landing sites. The Gerlache Strait is renowned for the stunning scenery with the snow covered mountains, as if covered in icing sugar, with numerous glaciers tumbling down to the sea.
Being the most northerly part of the whole continent, the Peninsula enjoys the mildest Antarctic condition, with temperatures in winter averaging a balmy -20 degrees C (-4 degrees F)! In the summer, things warm up to an average of just above freezing. Large areas of this part of the peninsula are ice-free in the early season, being important breeding and feeding grounds for many iconic Antarctic species.
It's here that many of the historic Antarctic expeditions began, and where early military and scientific bases were first established, some of which you will be able to visit if conditions allow. These remarkable artefacts have been left as time capsules, their contents showing remarkable levels of preservation thanks to the dry and cold climate.
Day 21-22 • Cross the infamous Drake Passage



The Drake Passage is the name given to the infamous stretch of open ocean between the tip of South America and the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula.
It usually takes 2 or 3 days to cross the Drake Passage, and this is a great time to learn from your expert Antarctic naturalist guides. Through a series of fascinating talks and lectures, you'll begin to learn more about the remarkable wildlife and awe-inspiring geology of the Antarctic continent.
Your guides are always on hand to help you identify the sea bird species that always follow the ships, as well as spotting whales and other cetaceans that can be seen en route to the Antarctic Peninsula or the South Shetland Islands.
Day 23 • Your unforgettable Antarctic cruise comes to an end in Ushuaia



After breakfast aboard the ship, it is time to part ways and say goodbye to your Expedition Team. Airport transfers will be provided for those departing on the first homeward flights. Other guests will be transferred to town.
Reviews

Richard
Possibly the best was the Walrus colony onshore. Life altering was realising the lagoon we were anchored in was 10 years ago a glacier (Copied from Swoop Arctic)

Shari
Beautiful ship, though my cabin did have an weird odour issue. Dinner at night not fantastic. I felt it had been prepared way too early and had been sitting there and heated at the time . Though I could be wrong . My favourite meal was lunch due to fresh salads (copied from Swoop Arctic)

Mlmgallant
That Quark only does the Arctic regions and that they have a brand new state of the art ship, the Ultramarine, made the choice of expedition cruise line easy. Additionally, the itinerary of following the epic expedition of Sir Ernest Shackleton I knew would be very special. Quark exceeded my expectations in every way. The ship’s physical spaces were well designed and comfortable. My penthouse suite had more storage than we needed. Heated bathroom floors, en suite Nespresso machine and the option of room service dining was 5 star! The crew was well trained and gracious. The expedition leaders were outstanding. Shout out to the leader, Solan . The captain made frequent adjustments to maximize our experience. Fitness facilities were very nice. A fully equipped gym, sauna and spa…all with floor to ceiling windows. Finally, the Ship management handled Covid protocols very well. We have had 5 PCR tests and are Covid free! You will have a great experience on the Ultramarine. (Copied from Cruisecritic)

Basecamp22
The itinerary, the ship and the world class quark expedition team were expectation exceeding in every way. The Covid measures were so well applied and managed that we are one of the few ships returning home with zero positive cases. I can’t say enough about the team. They were always around helping to spot wildlife, answer a question or deliver an enriching talk on such a wide variety of subjects. I learned an enormous amount on this trip. Makes we want to go again with Quark. And as for Antarctica and South Georgia…well…I’ve run out of superlatives to describe how incredible these wildernesses are. The food and restaurant service could not have been better, friendly staff going out of their way to accommodate some of my special food needs. We did a helicopter sight seeing tour, it was extraordinary to see the glaciers and icebergs from the air. (Copied from Cruisecritic)