We're going at the end of this year. You've got PM.

Went with Ioffe via Quark
 

We went in Feb. 2009 on the "Crossing the Circle" itinerary. Echoing prior reviews, it's a pretty well done expedition. The crew is Russian, but the naturalists and guides are mostly American, Canadian, and Australians/New Zealanders. We booked directly with Quark. One annoying thing was that we were hit, subsequent to booking, with a significant fuel surcharge, notwithstanding that fuel prices ultimately plummeted before our trip. Ultimately, we negotiated a resolution, but it was a little irksome. I can't really compare Quark/Ioffe to other ships, but I would definitely recommend the experience to others. I'll also note that there were some on the boat who literally showed up in Ushuaia just days before the expedition left and got some sweet deals. But that's obviously a bit risky.

Ditto to the Quark thing. They did an excellent job on our expedition last year, and if you do decide to chance it, there's a travel agent shop on the main drag by the dock with advertisements inthe window of the last minute, fill-the-space deals.

Russian crew, Russian ship, but all guides were European / Australian / American (eg, all spoke english fluently). Our expedition leader was tops and managed to get us into a few additional landing sites that weren't on the itinerary through negotiation with the captains of all the other ships.

Ocean Nova
 

I went on the Ocean Nova - a Quark Ship. was fantastic! about 65 passengers, but it wasn't full. I think max is 80ish. The smaller ships can get into places the larger ones can't / don't.
Ocean Nova also had special trips that offer 'active' options - xc skiing, kayaking, ice climbing and camping. I highly recommend the additional activities. Also narrows the demographic - depending on what you are looking for.
I booked through a 3rd party and had no issues.
There was email, but i don't think internet on the boat. The various research station did have.
You'll have a FABULOUS time.

Akademik (Avraham) Ioffe was built for research - actually, hydroacoustic research, which means they were spying on American submarines. When I was aboard her she still had a sailing sloop for silent running and equipment placing, as well as two semi-cylindrical "sails" to run silently herself. 86+ or so is the usual passenger complement; it is well built for ice, has a hugely competent and experienced crew. Its sister ship is the Akademik Sergey Vavilov. Both iirc are owned by the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology in Moscow. I believe their stats are the same:

Length OA: 117.10m / 384 ft
Beam: 18.20m / 60 ft
Max. draft : 5.90m / 19 ft
Max. speed: 15.0kts.
Cruising speed: 13.5kts .
Endurance: 60 days
Range: 20000 n. mi.
Ice Class KM*L1(1)A2 (Canadian Type B)
Engines: 5,000 kW diesel, twin engine, twin propellor, and 600 kW bow and stern thrusters
Displacement: 6,450 Tons

Check this page out for some exterior shots and interior photos of the Ioffe's facilities, including a typical cabin, and a list of facilities. (They have certainly spiffed it up since we were on her years ago! And they removed the useless "sails".)

Also note: "Recently, the expedition cruise operators Peregrine Shipping and Quark Expeditions were merged by their new owner, the TUI Plc. Group, so from this season on they will be branded as "Quark Expedition" vessels."

http://www.adventureassociates.com/m...emikIoffe2.jpg
Akademik Ioffe

http://www.oceanadventures.co.uk/images/DeckPlans.jpg
Akademik Ioffe plans

The Professor Multanovskiy of the Akademik Shuleynkin type vessels are significantly smaller, nice for cruising once you are there, but a bit of a cork in a tempest on the Drake crossing. All are polar research vessels built in Finland.

Length: 71,6 metres (236 feet)
Beam: 12,8 metres (42 feet)
Draft: 4,5 metres (15 feet)
Ice class: KM*UL(1)A2
Displacement: 2,140 tonnes
Engines: 2x 1560 hp diesel
Speed: 10 - 12 knots
Passengers: 46
Crew: 32
Ice Class: UL

http://www.travelblog.org/pix/shim.gif

http://www.oceanadventures.co.uk/ima...vskiy-side.jpg

http://www.oceanadventures.co.uk/ima...skiy-decks.jpg


The ship is one of several in her class (Type Akademik Shuleykin) and includes:
Polar Pioneer IMO: 8010324 (built as Akademik Shuleykin, now converted for tourism)
Spirit of Enderby IMO: 8010350 (built as Professor Khromov, now converted for tourism)
Akademik Shokalskiy IMO: 8010336 (converted for tourism)
Nordsyssel IMO: 8118994 (built as Akademik Gamburtsye) and used by the governor of Svalbard
Akademik Golitsyn IMO: 8119003
Professor Multanovskiy IMO: 8010362 (converted for tourism)

Thanks JDiver, you've come through again!

My favorite little ship was the MV Explorer. I crossed the north Atlantic in her twice. She sank in Antarctic waters a couple years ago in very strange circumstances.

For those of you worried about email access, rent an Iridium phone. The system -- eventually to be upgraded -- was designed before high speed anything, but you can do slow internet access with the appropriate attachments anywhere on earth, if you're outside (and sometimes inside). Not cheap but well tested and works.

Can someone create a sticky with all the current operators along with the cost for each and their contact details?

When WikiPosts come along, perhaps that can be a community project - I don't know any single individual who would want to spend time volunteering to put it all together and then, spend much more time to maintain the sticky.

That would take 10+ hours to compile.