We're constantly improving and adding travel options here at Quark Expeditions®. For travelers who are short on time but want a high-value Antarctic experience, we've added an exciting new addition to our fleet: the all-inclusive, all-suites Island Sky.
One of our most exciting expedition cruise ships, Island Sky is an intimate, small all-suites vessel. As an all-inclusive Antarctic experience for both fly/cruise and traditional voyages, it features included flights from Santiago or Buenos Aires, alcoholic beverages and all gratuities.
An All-Inclusive Experience in Antarctica
An ice-class 1D vessel, Island Sky is perfect for an Antarctic cruise. Passenger accommodations are arranged over 5 decks, and all 57 suites have exterior views – a number of those suites feature private balconies.
Each suite offers ample closet and drawer space, as well as comfy seating. Ensuite bathrooms feature walk-in, glass-walled showers, plus under-counter cabinets. Amenities include a mini-fridge, a flat-screen TV, a DVD player, an electronic safe, a hair dryer, luxurious Molton Brown toiletries, and individually controlled air-conditioning and heating. Cabins on Decks 2 through 4 also include a sofa, which can be converted into a single bed to accommodate another passenger.
Quark is well known for the variety of fresh, creative foods available on board, a real feat in such a remote location. Meals are prepared by a professional chef and team, and during a typical expedition, passengers enjoy healthy food choices and gourmet meals. Wine, beer, and spirits are included with lunch and dinner.
Before or after dinner, take a stroll around the promenade observation deck, which wraps around the ship. Its unobstructed views of the spectacular Antarctic scenery will take your breath away.
The Deck 3 lounge is perfect for a lecture by one of Quark's on-board experts, or you might take an intimate moment in The Club, on Deck 4, to reflect on all you've experienced. The Lido Deck is an open area for dining, and offers stunning vistas and wildlife viewing.
There are 9 comfortable lounge chairs in the extensive library, and 2 Internet-enabled computers for passenger use. Peruse our DVD library for something to watch in your cabin, or relax and play one of our available games.
Shorter Trip, Same Big Adventure
In just 10 days, intrepid Antarctic travelers can interact with the abundant wildlife on the 7th continent, learn about the environment from our on-board experts, and explore the stunning icescapes of the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula. Our Antarctic Explorer: All-Inclusive expedition aboard Island Sky offers all the daytime adventure you can handle, with the comforts and amenities of an all-inclusive vacation.
Explore local bays and channels by Zodiac, perhaps stopping to visit a penguin rookery or seeking out a leopard seal, then enjoy the breathtaking views and complete silence from the decks. A delicious, freshly prepared drink in the lounge will warm you up before your chef-prepared dinner.
Another Island Sky cruise option allows passengers to take the legendary Drake Passage crossing by air. This 600-mile (1,000 km) crossing takes 2 full days by ship, and because it's at right angles to the current, it can occasionally lead to what we call “the Drake shake.” For some adventurers, crossing the Drake is an important part of the Antarctic ritual, while others would just as soon skip this part, arriving in Antarctica sooner.
Flying over the Drake Passage eliminates 4 days of travel time, allowing those on a tight schedule to enjoy the same exhilarating Antarctic expedition all Quark passengers experience. Your trip will include a weather-dependent stop at ice-covered Elephant Island in the South Shetland Islands, so named for the elephant seals often found on its shores. Featuring seals and colonies of gentoo penguins, the island is most famous for being the last refuge of Sir Ernest Shackleton's crew before they were rescued.
On the Antarctic Peninsula, Neko Harbour was named after a Scottish whaling boat. Surrounded by glaciers that regularly calve, the harbor is a spectacular spot for icebergs. Another possible stop is Port Lockroy, a former whaling station and British military base. Half the island is open to tourists; the rest is for penguins.
Wilhelmina Bay has been nicknamed “Whale-mina Bay” because orcas and humpback whales are so common here. Other potential stops include Vega Island, where an almost complete plesiosaur skeleton was located in 2006, and where many other marine dinosaur fossils have been found.
For those interested in the history of Antarctic exploration, Horseshoe Island is home to Base Y, a fully equipped British scientific base from the 1950s.
Antarctica in Comfort and Style
The adventure of a lifetime doesn't have to be difficult to achieve. Unlike the days of the early explorers, travel to Antarctica can now be experienced in relative comfort, and with the addition of Island Sky to the Quark fleet, your exploration of the 7th continent can be conducted in comfort and style.
Contact an experienced Polar Travel Adviser today to discuss your Antarctic cruise of a lifetime.
