Travelmarvel and Quark Expeditions are joining forces to launch a purpose-built small ship designed to operate in two very different environments.
The as-yet-unnamed vessel, scheduled to enter service in 2029, will be Travelmarvel’s first ocean-going ship designed specifically for the brand.
Travelmarvel, the premium arm of APT Travel Group, will operate it in the Mediterranean, while Quark Expeditions will deploy it in Antarctica from the 2029–30 season.
The arrangement is part of a 10-year charter agreement between the two brands.
“By collaborating with APT Travel Group during the development process, we have an opportunity to help prepare a ship that is truly built for exploration,” said Sam Seward, president of Quark Expeditions.
The vessel will carry just 99 guests in suites, combining a more intimate style of cruising with access to smaller ports that larger ships cannot reach. It will also have a PC6 ice-class hull and expedition-focused features for Antarctic operations, including spacious mudrooms and efficient embarkation and disembarkation areas.
“With just 99 suites, the new ship will combine a more intimate and relaxed style of cruising with access to ports that larger vessels cannot reach,” said Paul Melinis, managing director for the UK and Europe at APT Travel Group.
“It will also give our travel agent partners an exciting and genuinely distinctive new product to offer their customers,” he added.
Elsewhere, Travelmarvel has completed the maiden sailing of its new Nile river ship, Travelmarvel Sirius.
The 124-guest vessel operates the 10-night Treasures of Egypt and the Nile itinerary, which combines a stay in Cairo with a seven-night round-trip cruise between Luxor and Aswan. The programme includes key sites such as Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings and Queens, Abu Simbel and Philae Temple, with excursions led by qualified Egyptologist tour directors.