I was on a Quark trip in December 06 and it was a great trip. Their small boats really offer a plus. The ability to get everyone into the zodiacs quickly allows more stops and more time off ship.
The only negatives are that the food was not great on our boat and there isn't a good lounge with a view.
After talking with other travelers from other boats at the airport (all flights had weather delays so everyone was talking about their trips) I am glad I took Quark and would gladly take them again
I am scheduled for a December '08 departure with Lindblad to Antarctica. I've sailed with Lindblad in Alaska and Baja. I will be going with them to the Galapagos this coming December.
I, too, am interested in identifying the best operator for what will be for me a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Looking at Quark, Peregrine and Lindblad based on research done so far. I've also already made the decision to go with an expedition size ship rather than a research vessel size.
Can anyone out there make a comparison between these and/or say why they booked with one company or another?
Can anyone out there make a comparison between these and/or say why they booked with one company or another?
I agree, it's a tough choice. All three operators look good.
When deciding on which operator to use for our Alaska trip, I did the legwork before deciding on Lindblad. Our choice of Lindblad for Baja and the Galapagos became easier 1) For the quality of the Alaska experience and 2) The fact that many of our fellow Alaska pax were repeat Lindblad customers.
During the Baja trip in February we must have had 5 couples who had previously done Antarctica and they raved about the experience. So, when I booked Antarctica a few weeks after -that- I didn't put much time into research. I had already determined, price allowing, Lindblad would be my carrier-of-choice.
All-in-all, we will be doing four adventure cruises in 2 1/2 years. All with Lindblad.
I will be leaving tomorrow for a Lindblad trip to the Galapagos and an extension to Macchu Picchu. This will really be a change for me as I am a big fan of Intrav's Clipper Adventurer and Clipper Odyssey. Last year I was in Antarctica on the Adventurer. Everything about the trip was so memorable. There is nothing to compare to going on a small ship.
I will be on the Polaris. Would have liked to be on the Islander but I wanted to do the Macchu Picchu extension and that was only offered on the Polaris. Heard a rumor that the Polaris may be replaced some time in the near future. I understand it is older but that is o.k. as I am just in my cabin to sleep mostly.
Programs: United 1K, Delta Silver Medallion, Starwood Gold
Posts: 319
By reputation, the two best Antarctic cruise operators are Linblad and Cheeseman's Ecology Safaris. I was talking with one of the guides on the Akademik Shokalskiy (Quark), and he thought highly of the Clipper cruises.
I think Lindblad gets the nod because they're so organized, their guides are very good, and the facilities are top notch. Cheeseman's has got excellent guides and they go out for very long cruises.
Coincidentally, I was on a cruise in the Galapagos with Lindblad (Polaris), and fell into a conversation between the photo guide (it was a photo-oriented departure, and the guide did work for Lindblad and Cheeseman's) and a couple on the trip who were guides for Antarctic cruises (they both worked for A&K). They had some hair-raising stories about Quark that I found very interesting. They were telling me about one trip where a passenger died (heart attack); and they put the corpse in the freezer so that they could continue the trip. Heh - there was one gentleman on my Galapagos cruise who looked like he was going to expire just climbing the gangway. We actually had to evacuate him a few days into the trip.
Last edited by escog; Apr 24, 07 at 7:54 pm.
Reason: typos
Programs: United 1K, Delta Silver Medallion, Starwood Gold
Posts: 319
Oh, and the reason I chose Quark was more about budget than anything else. Their reputation was sufficiently good, and they didn't have a lot of extras, so they seemed like the best bang for the buck. It was a great trip - one of the best I've ever taken.
The big budget operator is GAP - they bought one of Lindblad's old ships, but their itineraries were too short. Given that you spend 2 days getting to Antarctica and then 2 days going back, I wanted to get as much time out there as I could afford. So, that's why I didn't consider them.
Lindblad seems pricey, but if you look at everything they include, they compare pretty well. They tend to stay at upscale hotels and include transportation and whatnot, so it does drive the price up if you want to economize. Cheeseman's is pretty pricey, as well, but that's because their trips are so long. Their per day costs aren't bad.
In terms of picking a cruise, I used the following criteria:
Itinerary - Just the peninsula or South Georgia and the Falklands, too? Not everybody does the longer trip, so that may eliminate some contenders.
Length - as noted, figure 4 days used going to and from antarctica. So, look at how many days you actually get in Antarctica doing landings and figure your per day costs for any given itinerary.
Ship - I wouldn't do the trip with a ship bigger than 100 passengers. Takes too long to get everybody out onshore, and for the really big ships, you have to do your landings in shifts. Some ships are nicer than others. Lindblad's ships are definitely very nice - gyms, spa services, e-mail stations, etc. Quark's are a bit utilitarian, but comfortable - they are converted research vessels, after all. But, really, you're either going to spend your time wedged in your bunk riding out the Drake Passage, running around in Antarctica, or in your cabin exhausted from all the running around - and, even then, you'll probably want to spend time up on the bridge watching icebergs go by.
Quality of Guides - you'll have to figure this out by reputation, but as noted Lindblad and Cheeseman's have great guides. The guides I had on Quark were very good in my estimation. I've talked to people who have done Peregrine, and they were quite happy as well.
Special Interest - If you have special interests like kayaking, climbing, or photography - certain cruises are going to be more geared towards what you want. My cruise was a general cruise, and if I had to do it over, I would probably have picked a photo-oriented cruise since that's where my interests lie. Quark tends to do general cruises, while Lindblad, Peregrine, Cheeseman's, etc... will have specialized cruises - perhaps have historians onboard to talk about Shackleton's voyage, or professional photographers to help guide your photography.
Extras - make sure to calculate what's included so that you're comparing apples to apples in choosing an operator. As noted, Lindblad usually has upscale accommodations included in their packages. They're also very well organized, so you'll never have to worry about anything, and they'll take care of you from end to end. For my Quark expedition I was pretty much on my own until I showed up at the hotel in Ushuaia, and was on my own again once I got off. Some cruises give you the bright red parkas and rubber boots. Some expect you to bring your own gear. Some include things like alcohol, others charge extra (a lot extra). I think everybody charges for laundry.
I'm an independent traveler by nature, so Quark worked out well for me. I made my own arrangements, brought my own gear, and used the savings to afford the length of trip I wanted. I enjoy nice facilities, but I was also completely satisfied with what I got from Quark.
However, when I go back (not "if), I'm doing South Georgia and the Falklands and it's going to be a photo-oriented tour. But, those are my choices - I just have to save my pennies to afford it.
Special Interest - ... Lindblad, Peregrine, Cheeseman's, etc... will have specialized cruises - perhaps have historians onboard to talk about Shackleton's voyage, or professional photographers to help guide your photography...
However, when I go back (not "if), I'm doing South Georgia and the Falklands and it's going to be a photo-oriented tour. But, those are my choices - I just have to save my pennies to afford it.
escog, heaps of thanks for the detailed summary. Now I'm curious--when you go back to South Georgia and the Falklands, which company will it be with?
I was actually leaning toward Peregrine myself, because they do seem to promote a photography orientation, even on cruises that don't specialize in photography.
The one tour I saw that Peregrine does that is focused on photography is in November, and I would prefer to go later in the season, so I'd probably choose a general tour with them if photography as a whole is an emphasis with this line.
Programs: United 1K, Delta Silver Medallion, Starwood Gold
Posts: 319
Well, the nice thing about the South Georgia/Falklands trips is that the per day costs aren't that different between photo-oriented tours and general tours.
The cheapest trips I've seen are around $400 a day for 20 day trips - these are Quark trips. Lindblad/National Geographic is quite expensive at $640 a day for 25-day trips, but again, I'd have to look at the inclusions - it's still probably too much for me. That's $16,000 for a 25-day trip.
If I can afford it, I'll probably try something like a Van Os trip:
At $500 a day for 26 days, that isn't bad considering that this is a hard-core photo trip. Still, that's around $12k for the trip, which is a lot more than the $8k a general 20-day trip would cost me. It'll be tough to balance, but I've got a few years to go before I'll have to figure it out.
This summer I'm off to the other end of the earth - 10-day river rafting trip in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
escog, the link you provided on the photography tour looks fantastic, and seeing that there are some heavy-hitters scheduled to be on it (IE, John Shaw), it is very likely to be more than well-worth the 12k considering that it is a longer (26 day) itinerary and you'll be getting, as you said, a hardcore photography experience. Time of year is perfect, too. Wish I had the time and money to go myself next year!
