90°N - The North Pole Voyage - 50 Years of Victory - 16D/15N

Itinerary Map, courtesy of Quark ExpeditionsEverything seems bigger in the Arctic. Massive icebergs are surrounded by a horizon that seems to go on forever. The vacant blue of the wide sky looks over a sea of ice. Even the silence seems overwhelming. The scale is vast and humbling. You forget things like cell phones and deadlines even exist. It puts life in perspective.The top of the world. For centuries, adventurers and explorers tried to get here by sled, ship, aircraft, dogs and balloons. The harsh realities of the Arctic climate defeated every single one of them until as recently as 1948. Even today, reaching the North Pole is a difficult and challenging journey. Only a select few make it each year. Here is a chance to add your name to the short list of adventurers who have made the ultimate journey to the top of the world.

The Ship: The newest addition to the Quark Expeditions fleet is the largest, most sophisticated, and powerful icebreaker ever constructed. Twenty years in the making, 50 Years of Victory is the first Arktika-class icebreaker to have a spoon-shaped bow. Boosting the efficiency is the all-new automated digital control system. The ship, designed with a stainless steel ice belt 5 meters (18 feet) wide, breaks through ice up to 2.5 meters (9.2 feet) thick. The icebreaker is driven by 2 nuclear reactors that produce 75,000 horsepower. In open water, top speed can be as much as 21.4 knots.

Rates From: $22,690.00 USD

Included: Shipboard accommodation with daily housekeeping. All breakfasts, lunches and dinners on board throughout your voyage. (Please inform us of any dietary requirements as far in advance as possible. Unfortunately, the ships’ galleys cannot prepare kosher meals.) All shore landings and excursions per the daily program. Leadership throughout the voyage by our experienced Expedition Leader, including shore landings and other activities. Formal and informal presentations by our Expedition Team and guest speakers as scheduled. Photographic Album on DVD. A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for shore landings. Hair dryer in every cabin. A Quark Expeditions parka. Coffee, tea, cocoa and bottled water available around the clock. Comprehensive pre-departure materials, including a map and an informative Arctic Reader. All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program. Emergency Evacuation Insurance for all passengers to a maximum of $100,000 per person. One night pre- and one night post-expedition hotel accommodation with breakfast as indicated in the itinerary. (The number of guests per room is the same as cabin occupancy on the ship. Due to limited availability, travelers who reserve a suite on board are accommodated in standard rooms at the hotel.) All helicopter transfers and aerial sightseeing according to each day’s program. Group transfers from the hotel to the airport and from the airport to the ship for embarkation. Group transfers from the ship to the local airport upon disembarkation and from the airport to the hotel at the end of the voyage – plus all baggage handling aboard ship.

Not Included: Airfares to or from Helsinki, whether on scheduled or charter flights, other than those specified in the itinerary. Passport and visa expenses. Government arrival and departure taxes. Meals ashore and supplement for single hotel accommodations. Baggage, cancellation and personal insurance (which is strongly recommended). Excess baggage charges and all items of a personal nature such as laundry, bar and beverage charges and telecommunication charges. Customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for the stewards and others who have served you aboard (guidelines will be provided). Note: Additional helicopter flying time will be charged at an hourly rate to be announced. Insurance Note: Cancellation policies are strictly enforced! We highly recommend to protect your travel investment should you need to cancel your trip.

Departures 2009:

  • July 9 to July 24
  • July 22 to August 6
  • August 4 to August 19

A dog Sled in the ArcticExpedition Summary:

  • Day 1 - Helsinki.
  • Day 2 - Embarkation.
  • Day 3-7 - Northbound.
  • Day 8 - North Pole.
  • Day 9-11 - Southbound.
  • Day 12 - Franz Josef Land.
  • Day 13-14 - Barents Sea.
  • Day 15 - Fly to Helsinki.
  • Day 16 - Helsinki.

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Also tagged with: Cruise Expeditions, Adventure Expeditions, Escorted Journeys, Antarctica / Arctic, Arctic, Educational, Nature / Ecology, Hosted Tours, Arctic, North Pole, Quark Expeditions


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