Seattle-based expedition cruise operator Quark Expeditions has quietly revealed that it has joined the growing number of its industry peers in adding an ice-classed newbuilding named World Explorer to its fleet.
In its 2018/2019 expedition cruise brochure released last week, Quark indicated that the new 126-metre ship will be powered by Rolls-Royce diesel-electric engines, accommodate 176 passengers and be staffed by 125 crew.
The first cruise is scheduled for January 2019.
Unusually for a cruise operator about to launch a new ship, Quark has not issued any press releases containing information about the origins of the vessel.
Sources within the expedition cruise industry say that Quark is chartering the ship from Mystic Invest, a Portuguese company that has investments in the river cruise industry.
Mystic is reportedly working on an ocean-going expedition cruiseship newbuilding project with the WestSea Viana Shipyard in Portugal.
Founded in 1991, Quark is considered to be an expedition-cruise heavyweight. Although to date, the company has never owned a ship outright, its fleet comprises nine ships that are operated on short or long-term charters.
These range from small to medium-size polar-classed cruiseships to Russian-owned nuclear powered icebreakers that offer voyages to the North Pole.
