Quark Expeditions has released its earliest-ever season launch, giving travellers more time to plan future polar journeys. The new Arctic 2028 and Antarctic 2028-2029 seasons include more than 70 departures, with new routes, guided photography, gateway extensions, and specialist expedition experiences.
Quark Expeditions travellers considering the Arctic or Antarctica, the longer planning window matters. Polar travel involves limited seasonal access, specialist ships, gateway logistics, weather considerations, and itinerary choices where small details shape the whole journey.
Polar expedition cruising rewards careful preparation. Region, ship, season, excursion style, wildlife interest, and gateway arrangements all influence the final experience.
This early launch gives travellers more time to compare Arctic and Antarctic options before committing. It also gives advisers more room to match the voyage to your comfort level, photography goals, wildlife priorities, and preferred travel pace.
The new programme includes more than 70 departures across the Arctic 2028 and Antarctic 2028-2029 seasons. That breadth gives travellers a wider range of regions, dates, ship experiences, and expedition styles to compare. It also helps those planning milestone trips, retirement travel, extended international journeys, or complex flight arrangements.
A larger season still needs careful filtering. A Northwest Passage voyage, an Antarctic Peninsula sailing, a South Georgia itinerary, and a Snow Hill Island expedition all serve different traveller interests. The right choice depends on how remote, active, wildlife-focused, or photography-led you want the journey to feel.
The value of the early release sits in the extra time it gives you. Travellers have space to study routes, compare regional highlights, and secure a departure aligned with their priorities. For polar travel, early planning often leads to a better match.
The Arctic 2028 season spans Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland, the Canadian Arctic, and Atlantic Canada. Each region offers a different view of the north, from high Arctic landscapes and remote communities to wildlife-rich waters and dramatic coastlines. This range makes destination choice central to the planning process.
New for 2028 is a Canadian High Arctic voyage exploring the remote Northwest Passage. The itinerary includes Arctic Bay and Lancaster Sound, two names likely to interest travellers drawn to northern history, wildlife, and remote expedition travel. This route suits guests who want a stronger sense of distance and place.
Greenland also gains attention through the return of Tundra to Table on four Arctic 2028 voyages aboard Ultramarine. Co-developed with a local Greenlandic chef collective, the concept explores Indigenous food and culinary traditions. It highlights regional ingredients, local perspectives, and the cultural practices shaping life in the region.
The Antarctic 2028-2029 season covers the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, the Falkland Islands, Patagonia, and Snow Hill Island. These regions suit different interests, from penguin colonies and historic landing sites to mountain scenery and remote wildlife encounters. The programme gives travellers several ways to approach the southern polar region.
Snow Hill Island stands out because of its emperor penguin colony. Access is by helicopter from Ultramarine, making this a rare and specialist expedition option. Travellers interested in wildlife should treat this as a highly specific journey, with access shaped by polar conditions.
South Georgia and the Falkland Islands bring another layer of wildlife and history. Patagonia adds landscape depth for travellers extending time in the region. Antarctica rewards careful route selection because small itinerary differences often create very different experiences.
The new seasons show how polar travel is becoming more specialised. Travellers are looking for deeper regional context, better photography support, and worthwhile experiences before or after the expedition itself.
These additions make the programme more than a list of departures. They help travellers shape the journey around how they want to engage with the polar regions.
The new guided photography programme has been developed with support from Quarkâs expedition team. It offers dedicated instruction and small-group access designed around shooting in polar conditions. Each excursion is capped at 16 participants and led by a dedicated lead photo guide.
This structure matters because polar photography requires patience and field awareness. Weather, light, glare, movement, wildlife behaviour, Zodiac positioning, and cold conditions all affect the result. Small groups give participants more time, better guidance, and stronger access to suitable shooting angles.
The programme includes priority Zodiac positioning, slower-paced field time, daily workshops, and image reviews with the lead photo guide. These features suit travellers who see photography as a core reason for travelling. They also help guests return with stronger images and a better understanding of polar field conditions.
Quark is also introducing its first expedition extensions before and after selected voyages. These curated experiences focus on the landscapes, cultures, and communities serving as gateways to the polar regions. For many travellers, this turns the expedition into a fuller journey rather than a single cruise segment.
The named gateway options include Finland, Iceland, Torres del Paine National Park, and Iguazu Falls. Each adds a different layer to the polar trip, from Nordic landscapes and volcanic terrain to Patagonian national parks and major South American natural sites. These extensions suit travellers who prefer a richer itinerary around the core expedition.
This is especially relevant for long-haul travellers. Reaching the Arctic or Antarctica often involves several flights and at least one gateway city. Adding a considered extension gives purpose to that travel time and helps the wider journey feel more complete.
Ultramarine plays a central role in several highlighted experiences. The ship hosts the returning Tundra to Table voyages in Greenland and supports helicopter access to Snow Hill Island in Antarctica. This makes ship choice an important part of the planning process.
For expedition cruising, the vessel affects more than comfort. It influences excursion style, helicopter capability, Zodiac operations, group flow, onboard learning, and the type of remote access available. Travellers should review the ship beside the itinerary rather than treating it as a separate detail.
For travellers considering Quark Expeditions, the key planning question is how each ship, route, and experience fits your priorities. Wildlife, photography, culinary culture, remote access, and gateway extensions all point to different voyage choices. A specialist adviser helps turn those options into a practical shortlist.
If these new seasons have placed the Arctic or Antarctica on your list, Cruise Finder gives you a practical way to start comparing expedition options. Use it to review route patterns, departure timing, voyage length, and ship details before narrowing your preferred polar region.
Cruise Finder is especially useful for complex trips where destination, ship, season, and gateway planning all matter. Bring your shortlist to an adviser so the final choice reflects your travel style, physical comfort, photography interests, and wider itinerary.
The early launch of the Arctic 2028 and Antarctic 2028-2029 seasons gives travellers more time to plan a polar journey with care. With more than 70 departures, a new Canadian High Arctic voyage, returning Greenland culinary experiences, Snow Hill Island access, guided photography, and gateway extensions, the programme suits travellers seeking a more considered expedition.
Your best voyage depends on the region, season, ship, excursion style, and level of support you want before and after the expedition. Speak with an S.W. Black Travel adviser to compare polar expedition options and choose a journey matched to your travel priorities.