About PolarQuest
For more than 25 years, we have taken adventurous travellers on small ship expedition cruises through the world’s most breathtaking and untouched wildernesses – the Arctic and Antarctica. Founded in 1999 by two polar guides, PolarQuest has grown but our core values remain the same: small groups, passionate guides, and exclusive wildlife and nature experiences. Exploring the Polar Regions on a small expedition ship means greater flexibility, closer contact with nature, and more focus on the destination. Each expedition cruise is unique, with the goal of giving every traveller the journey of a lifetime. Sustainability is at the heart of what we do. We measure all our emissions and invest in climate projects that effectively reduce them.
Words from some previous travellers
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Caroline Morris-Eyton
We have now been home a week and I should just like to thank you all at PolarQuest for a most marvelous adventure. We loved every minute – everything was perfect. In fact, I couldn’t fault the trip in any way! The ship was really splendid, the food delicious and the service excellent and our cabin very comfortable. All the guides were first-class, friendly, full of information, energy and enthusiasm and obviously loved what they were doing. Alex was worried for me that we would only see bears in the distance, but that wasn’t so at all – just amazing.
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David & Maureen Macleod
We have been home a few days now, but are still ‘blown away’ by our holiday in Svalbard. We will remember our time in the Arctic forever. The hospitality and the food on the ship were excellent, and the guides were 5 star plus. This has proved to have been one of our best holidays ever, and one which we would hope to repeat.
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Richard & Christine Shorttie
We had so many “Attenborough moments” which made this trip easily the best we have ever been on. The accommodation and food were excellent and the crew did everything they could to get close to such fascinating wildlife.
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David & Jackie March
We have just come back from Svalbard and have had the most wonderful time! It passed our wildest dreams. Thank you to everyone who helped us to organise it.The whole holiday from booking to going and being there has been excellent.
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Peggy Gerick
I want to thank you for the fabulous trip to Svalbard. It far exceeded my expectations of this polar region. We had wonderful sightings of polar bear, reindeer, walruses, an arctic fox, harp seals, bearded seals, humpback whales, many sea birds and arctic flowers.
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Janet & Eddie Brown
Our trip was faultless, everything was so well organised, and every person so pleasant. We have travelled a lot, to over 80 countries in the world, with different companies, but yours “PolarQuest” certainly came out the top, yes you are our no. 1 company.
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Yvonne Higgs McHugh & Tony Brake
In my experience, a wonderful thing about your company, i.e. all the staff and crew, is that everyone tries their very best, and they are so well selected for the jobs they are doing. Intelligence, personality, experience… it made the trip a charmed cruise from planning to completion. The support I got from you in the office was excellent – everything went as planned and all details were correct!
We feel for the cold
In our view, the Polar Regions offer by far the most spectacular places one could imagine. The Arctic and Antarctica greet us with magnificent wilderness and captivating wildlife, far from the noise of civilization and large crowds. Here, nature reigns supreme and the superlatives outdo one another. It is hard to return home unaffected, and our hope is that each year we create new ambassadors for the Polar Regions.
Small Ships – Great Moments
All our expedition cruises are built around small groups and unforgettable encounters with nature. In the Arctic, our comfortable expedition vessels carry a maximum of just 12 or 50 passengers, while in Antarctica no more than 78. We believe small ships are the most sustainable way to explore the Arctic and Antarctic’s unique wildlife and landscapes. Just imagine spotting a walrus on an ice floe with only 11 fellow travelers – instead of in a crowd of 150–200 passengers. Traveling on a small expedition ship also means a more relaxed atmosphere on board, more focus on the destination, and more time ashore compared to a larger vessel. Comfortable cabins and excellent cuisine are, of course, a given. The exact route depends on weather, ice conditions, and wildlife – flexibility is the key to a successful expedition!
Travel with Awareness
PolarQuest is one of the eight companies that founded the Association of Arctic Expeditions Cruise Operators (AECO) in 2003, to regulate tourism in Svalbard and promote sustainable, environmentally friendly and safe tourism in the area. The organization strives to conduct expeditions with the utmost respect for nature and wildlife. One part is carefully developed guidelines that all members are to follow during cruises and landings. Today, AECO is a respected representative of the cruise industry and an invaluable support to operators who wish to conduct responsible tourism in the Arctic.
Experienced guides & sales staff
We know that one of the other keys to a successful expedition is having knowledgeable and enthusiastic leaders. Travelling with PolarQuest, you will meet guides with solid polar experience and a genuine love for these regions. When calling our office, you will talk to personnel who are passionate about our expeditions and have personal experience from the Polar Regions.
The Zodiacs brings you closer to nature
The Zodiacs are one of the secrets behind a successful expedition cruise. With these safe and sturdy rubber boats we navigate among icebergs, cruise along glaciers and go ashore to get unique nature experiences. Each day, our goal is to make several landings or cruises with our Zodiacs. Our Zodiac operation is fast and efficient and all guests can get ashore on short notice.
Secure payment
PolarQuest places all revenue in a bond with the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency until the completion of your expedition.
PolarQuest, passionerad specialist inom Unlimited Travel Group
Together with 9 travel and event companies, PolarQuest forms the modern travel group Unlimited Travel Group (listed on Nasdaq First North Growth Market). We are united by strong passion, curiosity and quality consciousness. We put our customers' experience first and foremost, and each one of us is a passionate specialist - together we are UNLIMITED.
PolarQuest Club
At PolarQuest, we are blessed with the most wonderful guests! We have met countless of enthusiastic, cheerful and knowledgeable travellers throughout the years. As a way for us to say thank you for the opportunity to plan and carry out your adventures, we are happy to present our very own travel club – the PolarQuest Club.