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50 Years of Victory

Twenty years in the making, 50 Years of Victory is the first Arktika-class icebreaker to have a spoon-shaped bow, capable of breaking through ice up…

About 50 Years of Victory

Twenty years in the making, 50 Years of Victory is the first Arktika-class icebreaker to have a spoon-shaped bow, capable of breaking through ice up to 2.5 meters (9.2 feet) thick! This is one of the world’s largest, most-powerful nuclear icebreaker.

Complete with a helicopter for shore excursions, Victory is a ship unlike any other, with the ability to go where other ships cannot.

Ship Facts

Launch yearLanguageGross tonnageLengthWidthCurrencySpeedCapacityCrew countDeck countCabin countLarge cabin countElectrical plugs
2007en23439150 meters30 metersUSD18 knots1281407625 types:
EU 2 Pin 220v
adapters provided:
false

Accommodation

The icebreaker features 64 cabins and suites. All the cabins and suites afford outside views (opening windows), private facilities with bathtub or shower. Most of the suites have two rooms. Minimum cabin area is 14 sq.metres (151 sq.ft.); maximum is 33 sq.metres (355 sq.ft.). Cabins are spread over four decks and all have an exterior view with windows that open and en-suite facilities. All cabins have a TV & DVD player.

Arktika Suite

This has a very spacious bedroom with a single bed and a sitting room with a sofa bed. The private facilities have a bathtub. The exterior windows open. (Views are obstructed in cabins 46 and 48.) Amenities include a TV/DVD combination, coffee maker, safe, and fresh fruit, drinks, and snacks. The TV is connected to a CCTV system.

Facilities

  • One Single Bed
  • Shower
  • Bath
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Suite Benefits
  • TV
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Desk
  • Media/Entertainment Station
  • Telephone

Victory Suite

There is only one Victory Suite. It has a separate bedroom and sitting area, with a sofa bed in sitting room. The private facilities include a shower. The amenities include a refrigerator, coffee maker and safe. The window opens. The TV is connected to a CCTV system. You may borrow DVDs from the library to play in the DVD attached to the TV.

Facilities

  • One Single Bed
  • Sofa Bed
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • TV
  • Coffee Machine
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Media/Entertainment Station
  • Telephone

Suite

A suite has a bedroom and a sitting area with a sofa bed, private facilities with bathtub or shower, refrigerator, window that opens, TV and DVD player, coffee maker, safe.

Facilities

  • One Single Bed
  • Sofa Bed
  • Lounge Area
  • Shower
  • Coffee Machine
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Desk
  • Media/Entertainment Station
  • Telephone

Mini Suite

Each Mini Suite has a sitting area with a sofa bed, and a bed separated from the sitting area. The private facilities have a shower. The window opens. Amenities include and a TV to a CCTV system and a DVD player.

Facilities

  • One Single Bed
  • Sofa Bed
  • Shower
  • TV
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Desk
  • Media/Entertainment Station
  • Telephone

Twin

Standard twin cabins have one lower berth with a curtain and a sofa that is converted to a bed each night. The private facilities are en suite, with a shower. The exterior window opens. The TV is connected to CCTV system. The DVD player is attached to the TV. You may borrow CDs from the ship’s library.

Facilities

  • One Single Bed
  • Sofa Bed
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • TV
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Desk
  • Media/Entertainment Station
  • Telephone

Entertainment

Victory Bar

The well-stocked bar on the ship is open to enjoy with your fellow shipmates in the late morning, afternoon and evening.

Lounge

Located on Bridge Deck 2, the Lounge offers a comfortable space to take a break, look over your photos and engage with your fellow passengers, taking advantage of the 24-hour coffee & tea station.

Library

On Bridge Deck 2, you will find a library of polar books, reference and general reading materials in multiple languages covering subjects like wildlife, history, marine biology, ecology and geology. The library is open 24 hours a day and also includes a selection of games for your entertainment.

Polar Boutique

If you forgot any essentials or need a little souvenir from your voyage, the Polar Boutique on Bridge Deck 2 is our onboard gift shop.

Bridge

During your voyage you may be given access to the Bridge, where you can observe how the Captain and officers sail and navigate the ship.

Dining

Dining Room

There is one dining room located on the Bow Deck. If there is one constant at sea, it is that you’ll enjoy delicious meals on a daily basis. While meal times may change due to landings and wildlife encounters, you’ll always be served three meals a day. Hours of operation will be posted around the ship, and are subject to change based on the activities planned for each day.

There is one seating for all passengers at breakfast, lunch and dinner. The dining room has an open seating policy.

Assortments of fresh-baked cookies and/or pastries are offered each afternoon. There is also a selection of hot and cold snacks available in the lounge during cocktail hour.

Breakfasts and lunches are normally served buffet style, while dinners are served plated. À la carte meals are made at the time of your order, allowing our chefs to prepare each dish to your individual needs. Working in a small kitchen, our chefs are able to monitor and control the quality of food being served, ensuring you receive top quality meals during the course of your expedition.

Enrichment

Every vessel in our fleet becomes an expedition base camp. Unpack once. Visit an exciting range of places, because the ship moves from place to place. The ships are equipped with inflatable landing crafts known as Zodiacs. They are used for shore landings and ocean-level cruising.

Activities off the ship are called shore landings or Zodiac cruising. These are daily activities. In the Arctic, you may visit Inuit in their home communities. In the Antarctic, you may visit research stations manned by scientists who brave the extreme environment to add to our knowledge of wildlife, climate and ice. You will hike carpeted tundra valleys or glistening ice fields. Optional activities include kayaking, cross-country, camping, skiing and mountaineering.

The capacity of the vessel determines where you go ashore and how often in Antarctica.

In Antarctica, we operate under International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) guidelines that limit the number of travelers and Expedition Staff ashore during a landing. No more than 100 people can be ashore at any one time, and in some locations that number is 50. Quark operates small expedition vessels, and none of our Antarctic vessels carry more than 199 travelers.

Expedition Team

The perfect polar expedition doesn't just happen. It takes a team of talented, knowledgeable and experienced professionals to bring it all together. Our Expedition Team is comprised of seasoned veterans with rich backgrounds in marine biology, history, glaciology, geology and more. With the highest staff-to-guest ratio in the industry, our Expedition Teams safely deliver your trip-of-a-lifetime to maximize your polar adventure every step of the way.

Special Guests

Embarking on a polar expedition with Quark is as much fun as any other vacation. And, it can also be a fascinating, enriching learning experience. Because the world is still learning about the Earth’s Polar Regions, it’s important for us to be able to provide an accurate picture of these areas, and its wildlife, to our guests.

That’s why Quark offers a Scientists in Residence program. Launched to coincide with the beginning of the 2012 Antarctic season, the program employs a number of experts who receive opportunities to expand their knowledge of polar wildlife and environments, and then share it with guests.

The program is meant to provide scientists and researchers with a means of getting to remote areas, otherwise inaccessible to them, to make their observations, collect samples, conduct research, and gather data for later analysis. This is one of the many learning and educational highlights that Quark passengers experience on their polar cruise.

Special Guest and Experts Fully Engaged with Quark Guests

The scientists and researchers engage with our passengers, and make their work accessible to all travelers. They also deliver lectures on board, in their area of expertise. Quark is proud to announce this year’s scientists-in-residence as Tom Hart, Mark Jessopp, and Mike Polito.

Dr Tom Hart was a founding part of the program six years ago and his speciality is penguin science and conservtion. Mark Jessopp has been participating for three years, focusing on seabirds. Mike Polito has also been with the program for six years and he specialises in birds and mammals and their environment.

Scientists are chosen for the nature of their research, and the relevance of our destinations to their research. They conduct ongoing research, and excel at explaining their work to guests in an informative, engaging way.

Enjoy Formal Lectures and Informal Talks

Lectures, presentations and talks are an important component of the program. Often, scientists don’t have opportunities to share their work in ways that most people would understand. With the program, not only can they do this with Quark guests, they get to do it in the place where their research is happening. It is a fantastic match, where everyone benefits.

Guests can listen to formal lectures, informal talks, and ask questions of the scientists when the scientists aren’t working and it can make for fascinating bar conversation in the evening. Quark guests can expect two formal presentations from the scientists, in addition to casual conversation here and there. While there are no hands-on activities for guests as part of this program, there is still an opportunity to help with the research.

Engine Room Tour

One of the highlights of the North Pole voyage aboard the “50 Years of Victory” is a tour to the engine room where travellers can learn all about the unique icebreaking capabilities of the “Victory” and how pack ice is negotiated.

Flightseeing aboard 50 Years of Victory

Imagine soaring over the polar regions from the comfort of a helicopter and enjoying the most astounding aerial views imaginable of the frozen Arctic Ocean, of snow-capped ice ridges, massive crevices, and of melt pools ranging from cerulean to deep, spectacular turquoise.

Flightseeing on polar vessels like 50 Years of Victory provides guests with an entirely different perspective of the polar regions. Helicopters take passengers to places Zodiacs and ships can’t reach.

Helicopter flightseeing typically includes 7 to 9 passengers. No experience is necessary. Bring your camera—and enthusiasm.

Recommended Gear/Clothing

  • Thermal base layers
  • Quark Parka
  • Fleece
  • Waterproof pants
  • Thick wool socks
  • Neck warmer
  • Waterproof gloves
  • Warm hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen
  • Camera
  • Small backpack (optional)

Zodiac Cruising

Zodiacs are used for transferring you ashore, transporting your luggage when necessary and for taking you ocean-level cruising among icebergs, whales and seabirds. During the expedition, you will visit remote and isolated sites that are accessible only by Zodiac.

These large, heavy-duty inflatable vessels are extremely safe and were specially designed for expedition work. Zodiacs are the workhorses of Polar expeditions. Separate air compartments retain a large reserve of buoyancy even if these sturdy boats are damaged. Their flat bottom design permits the craft to land directly onto the cobble and ice-strewn beaches that you will encounter on your Polar expedition.

Sea Kayaking

Sea kayaking is offered on all of our departures and you require no previous experience to enjoy this activity. Our sea kayaks are the ideal means by which to get some good exercise and explore the cliffs and shores of the various visitor sites around the archipelago. A typical cruise week offers great opportunities to go kayaking around secluded coves, shores, mangrove estuaries and beautiful beaches. Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants, sea lions and many other animals can be seen up close on a kayak and even as they swim.

Hiking

Hiking in the polar regions differs from your typical trail experience. Here, in a tree-less terrain, you are the tallest figure on the landscape as you walk over spongy tundra, crusty snow or sandy beaches in remotes parts of the Arctic and Antarctica. Stepping ashore anywhere in the polar regions means you’re not a distant observer.

Our organized hikes range from short jaunts to the top of lookouts or visits to see wildlife or longer walks of several kilometers over ice and rock and snow. Hiking excursions may last from two to three hours with plenty of time for photographs of wildlife, learning moments from your experienced guides, or just time to stand back and admire the incredible polar surroundings.

No experience is necessary but participants should be able to get in and out of a Zodiac and walk on uneven terrain. Hiking options are tailored to all interests and abilities, from those who want to contemplate the landscape in silence to photographers who want that perfect image to energetic travelers who want to summit a peak in the hopes of seeing wildlife in their natural habitat.

Polar Plunge

The Polar Plunge is scheduled once during each voyage. Throughout the journey, the Expedition Leader and Captain constantly monitor conditions in order to choose the optimal time and location. The Polar Plunge sometimes takes place onshore or, in many cases, from the gangway or Zodiac. All participants wear a tethered harness and plunge into the polar waters from the side of Zodiac or safety of the gangplank cheered on, of course, by fellow passengers and Expedition Team.

Safety is paramount—the onboard physician always attends the Polar Plunge. Guides in survival gear circle the area in Zodiacs as guests take their turn jumping or cannon-balling into the polar waters.

Paddling Excursion

Explore the ocean from a more intimate vantage point on a sit-on-top kayak. No experience is required to manoeuvre these very stable kayaks, allowing you to enjoy an unforgettable experience on the water, taking in breathtaking landscapes and wildlife. Whether it’s your first time in a kayak or you want greater flexibility to try other Adventure options, this shorter excursion is for you.

Paddling in the Polar Regions is highly weather-dependent and a one-time experience. Your kayak guides will attempt to take you out on the water for 1-1.5 hours of paddling. Offered on most voyages, spaces are limited. All equipment, guides and instructions are provided by Quark.

Pricing subject to change based on season. Please proceed to checkout or contact a Polar Travel Adviser for more details. 

Camping

Imagine for a moment, staring at the stars in the indigo glow of an Antarctic night as you bed down for the night outside in the elements. The buzz of your daily life becomes a distant memory as you listen to the bray of penguin, the ethereal calls of the Weddell sea – even the exhalation of a humpback whale. And then you fall asleep.

Antarctic Camping with Quark Expeditions is an unforgettable experience. After dinner onboard, you'll be escorted ashore by Zodiac to camp out on the snow for the night in your ready-to-roll bivy sack (tents can be used upon request). Once you decide on your spot, you set up camp and enjoy the peace as the Antarctic night unfolds.

Camping in Antarctica is limited to 50 participants, all of whom will be briefed beforehand on the principals of basic camping. Prior to you settling down for the night, Quark Expeditions staff will prepare the site, including setting up a perimeter in safe, flat to gently-sloping and beautiful site. You’re free to choose where (within the perimeters) you want to settle down for the night.  

Hot Air Ballooning

Arctic

Imagine the sensation of rising slowly upward in the basket of a hot-air balloon during a much-anticipated visit to the North Pole. Suspended 30 metres (100 feet) high above the icy surface in the safety of a tethered hot-air balloon basket, guests enjoy a 360° view of the Arctic landscape below. Exclusive to Quark Expeditions, the hot-air balloon option provides guests an entirely new perspective at the top of the world!

Hot air ballooning is an accessible activity in one of the most inaccessible parts of the world. No experience is required. Quark Expeditions staff will make every effort to make sure you´re not only safe and comfortable but most of all, that you have a wonderful ride.

Recommended gear/clothing

  • Waterproof and breathable pants
  • Mid and base layers
  • Warm hat and or brimmed hat
  • Gloves
  • Sunglasses
  • Waterproof and sweatproof sunscreen and lip balm (minimum SPF 30)
  • Camera and accessories (if you have a wide-angle lens, this is a great opportunity to use it)
  • Binoculars

Stand-up Paddleboarding

Stand-up Paddleboarding, popularly known as SUPing, originated in Hawaii. Quark Expeditions is the first company to bring this watersport all the way to Antarctica.

SUPing combines the immersive experience of kayaking but in a standing position. Participants, if they prefer, can kneel, sit or even lie down and stare up at the azure Antarctic sky. Because of their wide base and tail fins, SUP boards are quite stable, enabling participants – after a bit of practice – to stop staring at their feet and admire the surrounding scenery. Imagine seeing Gentoo penguins gliding below you, or making eye contact with a Weddell seal lying on a piece of ice as you paddle by.

Guests receive on-ship and on-water instruction from a qualified SUP guide. In addition, a safety driver (in a Zodiac) stays within range to offer assistance.

Health & Fitness

Multi-purpose Sports Court

A multi-purpose sports court is available for your use, accessed through Bridge Deck 1.

Sauna

The vessel also has a men's and women's sauna next door to the pool where guests can relax after a day of expedition activities.

Gym

Located on Bridge Deck 1, gym hours are posted at the door, with facilities available on a first come, first served basis.

Pool

50 Years of Victory features a small, heated saltwater plunge pool for guests to enjoy.

Deckplans

Bow Deck

  • Helicopter & Helipad
  • Volleyball Court
  • Clinic
  • Dining Room
  • Reception
  • Twin Cabins

Bridge Deck 1

  • Gym
  • View over Volleyball Court
  • Staff Offices
  • Twin Cabins
  • Victory Cabins
  • Mini Suite
  • Suite
  • Elevator

Bridge Deck 2

  • Aft Saloon
  • Bar
  • Polar Boutique
  • Lounge
  • Library
  • Twin Cabin
  • Mini Suite
  • Arktika Suite
  • Elevator

Bridge Deck 4

  • Bridge
  • Radio Room

Bridge Deck 3

  • Captain's Saloon
  • Captain's Office
  • Victory Cabin
  • Mini Suite
  • Arktika Suite
  • Elevator

Lower Deck

  • Pool
  • Sauna

Middle Deck

  • Stern
  • Bow
  • Crew Areas
  • Pool
  • Sauna

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