Canada’s Remote Arctic Adventure with Quark Expeditions

Our trip in September 2024 started in Calgary, Canada, at the Hotel Arts Kensington, a boutique hotel designed by award-winning architect Richard Lindseth. When it opened in 1999, it was styled as a country-style bed and breakfast. Hotel Arts Group acquired the property in 2007 and transformed it into a European-style boutique featuring 10-foot ceilings, stylish furnishings, a unique art collection and a comfortable yet sophisticated atmosphere.

I was given a tour of the hotel and found the 19 guest rooms and suites different and charming. In-room spa treatments are available and there are complimentary bikes for exploring. There was free bottled water in the room, along with a Keurig coffee machine. Daily continental breakfast and high-speed internet was included and room service was available during restaurant hours.

We rode bikes along the Bow River and watched — crazy, to me — Canadians tubing in the frigid water. We had a great time exploring the Kensington District, where the hotel is located. During our one-night stay, we ate at the hotel restaurant — called Oxbow — and ordered room service. It was very good, but they don’t do ketchup well, which reminded me of New Zealand.

On our second day, we headed to the included-with-our-itinerary pre-night hotel at Delta Hotels By Marriott Calgary Airport In-Terminal, which is connected to the Calgary International Airport. The check-in process was smooth with a lot of assistance from the Quark Expeditions team. We tried on our official Quark parkas (included in the cost and ours to keep) and then headed to our very comfortable room. TIP: There is also the Calgary Airport Marriott In-Terminal Hotel so be sure to reference the DELTA by Marriott. Our taxi driver dropped us off at the wrong location, but luckily it was a short walk to our hotel. Both Marriotts are onsite airport hotels with easy access to the gates.

We were up early on our third day, starting with the included breakfast before walking over to check in for our charter flight. We had one stop for fuel in Yellowknife, the capital city of Canada’s Northwest Territories, during our five-hour flight. If the weather remained clear, our final destination was Resolute in Nunavut, Canada (they would be unable to get fuel there). This flight takes a bit of grit and determination, both from the passengers and the pilots. The weather turns on a dime, and if it isn’t clear, the pilots turn back at Yellowknife instead of going on to Resolute. We were told we may have to spend more time in Yellowknife, if weather changed. Luckily, there were clear skies in Resolute and the winds at our back and away we went after refueling after about an hour. We were served a meal on the flight and it was comfortable enough, but it was a little unnerving not to ever see the ground until you were landing, due to the thick clouds. There was no tarmac and we landed on a dirt road. They did not serve alcohol on the flight, and I think that was an excellent call! There were people stuck in middle seats with no control over where they sat or who they sat next to. The flight was very bumpy at times. Weather updates were continually checked as we travelled along, and this would be the case during our entire journey. Weather and wildlife dictated where we would be able to go and what we would be able to do.

Aboard the Ultramarine, the newest ship in the Quark fleet, we had a Balcony Suite on Deck 4. Coming it at 226 square feet, our comfortable cabin included a separate sitting area, robes and slippers, a hairdryer and complimentary water bottles. The bathroom had a heated floor with a shower. We used our balcony but could never be outside for long as the temperatures were 30 degrees and below most of the time! TIP: There was a wraparound deck on Deck 5, where people liked to jog. I sometimes heard them while in our room but it never bothered me.

The main restaurant, Balena, is on Deck 5 and features tables that accommodate two to 10 guests. The Bridge was on Deck 6 and, during the voyage, one may be granted access to observe how the captain and officers sail and navigate the ship. This offered an excellent opportunity to learn how the vessel operates. On Deck 7, there was the sauna (with floor-to-ceiling windows), the library, Tundra Spa, a gym and studio space for informal yoga. Also on Deck 7 is Bistro 487, an alternative dining option with healthy eating options and light snacks, as well as an early riser’s breakfast, afternoon tea and late-night snacks.

Ultramarine is an Ice Class 1A+, PC6 ship with a cruising speed of 16 knots in open water. This ship travels to both polar regions and is more of an ice pusher than a true ice breaker. The ship holds 199 guests and we travelled with 177. There are 140 staff and crew and Quark does a great job of swapping out team members so they can be refreshed. Staff and crew can choose to work in three-month shifts or longer.

Ultramarine's off-ship adventures start on Deck 2. This is where two mudrooms (Quark calls them ready rooms and most ships only have one) are located next to the 20-Zodiac hangar. Mudrooms A and B include an individual locker for each guest to store and dry personal items and expedition gear between outings. They’re also equipped with benches that are handy when changing attire before or after off-ship excursions. A pair of waterproof expedition boots are on loan for landings and Zodiac cruising excursions. Zodiac embarkation is at water-level, which makes for quick deployment. We were also separated into four groups: Musk Ox, Glacier, Fjord and Beluga. My husband and I were in the Musk Ox group. To be honest, I did not know what a Musk Ox was until saw two of them on this adventure. They are very strange looking Arctic creatures!

On this Canadian Arctic adventure with Quark, we saw Polar Bears, Musk Ox, Arctic birds and a large pod of Orcas hunting what I’m sure were Narwhals. Nature created amazing artwork with huge glaciers, deep chasms and rocks that date back a billion years. From the state-of-the-art Ambassador Theatre on Deck 5, we attended daily presentations, lectures and films, which were shown on a high-definition LED wall screen. The space was large enough to accommodate all guests, but if you didn’t want to attend, you could listen from the TV in your cabin. The expedition team was on par with National Geographic on Lindblad. They were amazing, open individuals who loved their jobs, the land and the people. A photographic journal documenting the expedition was included.

I would categorize the passengers as well-travelled expedition cruisers. They thrived on adventure and were physically fit. Many were repeat guests and 22 countries were represented on this beautiful ship.

EXTRA: Quark hosts some of the Inuit people from the community of Nunavut onboard for lunch. This gives everyone an opportunity to interact with the amazing and resilient locals of this amazing harsh environment.

HIGHLIGHT: The Ultramarine carried two twin-engine H145 helicopters, which operated from two helidecks on Deck 8 when the weather was clear. Typically in groups of seven to nine, we were taken on an aerial tour of the Arctic during a 10- to 15-minute flight-seeing excursion that’s included in the voyage. Yes, this is an included amenity! Additional helicopter activities may also be available for purchase onboard. It was our first time up in a helicopter and it was an amazing and unforgettable experience! The helicopters were operated by two retired Navy pilots. These two were probably the happiest people I have ever seen as they had big smiles on their faces when they got to work. There are garages onboard for the helicopters. They do have them out when you first get onboard and you can get in, take pictures and ask a million questions. I know this because my husband did just that!