HX Expeditions vs Quark Expeditions: Which Antarctica Cruise Is Right for You?

Article by Kieran Buckley · Co-Founder of Expedition AdvisoryOperator details checked 8 October 2026

HX EXPEDITIONS

QUARK EXPEDITIONS

Quick comparison table

The headline distinction is guest numbers on the larger HX ships. The important exception is Fram. Treat the operator name as the beginning of your research, rather than the final decision.

These are published figures, not a promise of the number aboard your sailing. HX’s regional pages sometimes give different maximum capacities, particularly for Fram. Confirm the operating guest count for the departure you are considering.

How the operators differ

HX, formerly Hurtigruten Expeditions, offers expedition travel across several regions. Its Antarctica programme pairs time outdoors with an emphasis on learning and life on board. For someone who enjoys the voyage itself as well as the destination, the ship’s public spaces can be part of the appeal.

Quark focuses on polar expeditions. Its Antarctic options include conventional Peninsula voyages, fly-cruise routes and specialist helicopter-supported trips. That does not make every Quark sailing more adventurous than every HX sailing. The route and the activities you actually join decide that.

Both belong on a serious Antarctica shortlist. Our comparison is about finding the better fit for your expectations, rather than awarding an overall winner.

Fleet and passenger numbers

HX: compare the larger ships with Fram

Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen list 490 guests on their ship pages. They offer a different scale of onboard experience from the Quark fleet. Roald Amundsen entered service in 2019; Fridtjof Nansen followed in 2020. Their cabin range and larger public spaces are worth examining if you want comfortable surroundings between excursions.

Fram deserves its own comparison. HX’s English-language ship page and Antarctica FAQ currently describe 200 guests, while some regional specifications list 250. It is substantially smaller than the two newer ships. Ask for the expected guest count on your particular voyage, especially if that figure is central to your choice.

Quark: three distinct modern ships

Ocean Explorer lists 138 guests, Polar Class 6 construction and an X-BOW design. Almost all cabins have verandas. It is the smallest of these three Quark ships, so it is a useful place to start when you want modern accommodation with a lower passenger count.

World Voyager lists 168 guests and has a Science Hub, alongside facilities including a spa and sauna. Look carefully at its cabin descriptions: a Juliet balcony is different from a walk-out veranda. Similar cabin names do not always mean the same private outdoor space.

Ultramarine lists 199 guests and carries two helicopters for applicable programmes. It also has 20 Zodiacs and multiple embarkation points. Choose it because its voyage and facilities suit you, rather than assuming every Ultramarine departure includes the same helicopter experience.

Our expedition ship comparison tool helps you compare the individual vessels. Check cabin layout, viewing areas and guest capacity together. A ship’s age, ice class or bow shape alone will not tell you how much you will enjoy it.

Landings and expedition experience

A larger HX ship can take you ashore. It should not be confused with a cruise-only vessel. IAATO’s rules allow landing operations for ships carrying up to 500 passengers, while ships carrying more than 500 cannot land passengers.

The same rules limit visits to 100 visitors ashore at a site at once, with some sites imposing lower limits. Ships in the 201-500 passenger category also face tighter site and scheduling restrictions. Guest numbers therefore affect planning and rotations, not simply whether a landing happens.

Quark’s 138-199 guest ships still need rotations when a site has a 100-person limit. A smaller ship does not automatically put everyone ashore together or guarantee twice as much time outside. Groups may alternate shore visits and boat cruising, and conditions can change the plan for either operator.

Our guide to how Antarctica landings are decided explains the practical limits. Weather, ice and wildlife protection apply whichever ship you book.

Guides, science and learning

HX makes science a visible part of the voyage through its Science Centres and citizen science activities. If you like understanding the wildlife and landscape as well as photographing them, look at the departure’s programme and the ways you can participate.

Quark also offers expedition presentations, with a dedicated Science Hub on World Voyager. Science is therefore not exclusive to HX. The useful question is which programme interests you and how it fits around the excursions.

We would not choose between the operators using a crew-to-guest ratio. Crew numbers include many roles beyond guides, and headline team ratios may count staff differently. Ask about the expedition team on the departure, specialist interests and access to guides during activities. A published staffing figure is not a reliable ranking of guide quality.

Kayaking, camping and helicopters

HX: understand the onboard booking process

HX’s Antarctica FAQ describes kayaking, snowshoeing and camping as optional paid activities with onboard registration. Camping uses a lottery and is weather dependent. An available cabin therefore does not secure a camping place. Its science boat activity is free, but also requires registration and has limited capacity.

If sleeping ashore or kayaking is your main reason for going, confirm the process before booking. Being willing to pay for an activity is different from having a place reserved. Decide whether that uncertainty suits you.

Quark: check the programme and remaining spaces

Quark lists sea kayaking, paddling and camping on selected departures. These options can differ in duration, experience requirements and cost. Ask which programme is offered and whether spaces remain when you reserve the voyage. Do not assume a short paddle is equivalent to a multi-session kayaking programme.

Ultramarine’s helicopters add another option on applicable itineraries, including specialist Snow Hill voyages. Flight operations depend on weather and operational conditions. A general Peninsula itinerary is not the same booking as an expedition attempting an emperor penguin colony.

For either operator, choose activities you will value and understand how they fit into the day. Our guides to Antarctica kayaking and camping in Antarctica can help you decide.

Cabins, food and onboard life

Start with the cabin you can actually book. Check floor area, bed configuration, window or balcony type, storage and position on the ship. A lead-in fare for one category cannot fairly be compared with a balcony suite on another vessel.

HX’s larger ships may appeal if you enjoy a choice of public spaces between excursions. Fridtjof Nansen has a Science Centre, an observation lounge, restaurants and outdoor pool facilities. Fram has a more compact setting. The HX name alone does not tell you which onboard atmosphere you are buying.

Quark’s ships also offer modern comforts. Ocean Explorer, for example, has a library, gym, sauna and hot tubs. A smaller passenger count does not necessarily require giving up a comfortable cabin or places to relax.

Meals are included in the programmes compared here. HX’s speciality Lindstrøm dining can cost extra outside suite inclusions. For either operator, confirm dietary needs before paying a deposit. Food preferences and the cabin you return to each evening are practical parts of the decision, even when Antarctica is the main attraction.

Inclusions and value

HX’s all-inclusive package covers meals, standard drinks, gratuities and Wi-Fi, alongside the expedition programme. Premium drinks, certain dining, wellness treatments and optional excursions remain extra. “All-inclusive” should not be read as every possible activity or every cost from home.

Quark’s current Antarctic Explorer inclusions cover meals, selected alcoholic drinks during bar service and dinner, basic Wi-Fi, a parka to keep and boots on loan. The published exclusions list voluntary gratuities and adventure options outside the included programme. Check the exact ship, season and itinerary rather than assuming one list applies to every Quark voyage.

Flight and hotel arrangements need equal attention. Many HX Antarctic packages include specified flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia. Quark’s arrangements vary with the itinerary, including its fly-cruise options. Confirm what is included and what remains yours to arrange.

Neither operator is always the cheaper choice. Promotions, season and cabin availability can change the result. Our Antarctica cost guide helps with the wider budget, while our cruise versus fly-cruise guide explains the route choices.

Who should choose HX?

Start with HX if you like the combination of learning, comfortable onboard spaces and a broad package of inclusions. Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen are worth a closer look if you are comfortable with a larger guest group and the way excursions are organised.

If that group size is your main hesitation, compare Fram separately. It can change the decision substantially. HX may also be the better fit when the itinerary, dates and cabin work particularly well for your plans. Confirm any essential optional activities before treating the voyage as suitable.

Who should choose Quark?

Start with Quark if you want fewer than 200 guests on the ships compared here, or if a specific fly-cruise or helicopter itinerary is the draw. Ocean Explorer deserves attention when a lower guest count and veranda accommodation are priorities.

Quark may also suit you when you want to check a particular adventure programme at booking. Choose the departure with the right available activities, rather than a ship with an appealing brochure but no space in the experience you care about most.

Our verdict

For travellers who place a firm limit on guest numbers, Quark is the clearer starting point than HX’s larger ships. Fram remains an important exception. For travellers who value extensive onboard spaces, science participation and a broad set of inclusions, the larger HX vessels deserve consideration.

Our advice is to compare two or three actual voyages. Ask what compromises you would notice: a larger group, a cabin without outdoor space, an activity you cannot secure, or fewer days in Antarctica. The best choice is the one that fits your priorities and complete budget.

How Expedition Advisory can help

Tell us when you want to travel, your budget, preferred cabin and the experiences that matter most. We’ll compare HX and Quark alongside other suitable operators, explain the differences and help you choose a voyage with no advisory fees.