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  Our Ship the "Yamal"  
 
Designed as a working vessel to keep shipping lanes open along Russia’s Northern Sea Route, the Yamal is among the world’s most powerful and sophisticated icebreakers and one of the few surface ships ever to have reached the North Pole. The ship is a model of technology – a nuclear-powered vessel with 75,000 total horsepower and an armored steel hull designed to withstand the toughest polar conditions. At the same time, the Yamal offers the utmost in passenger comfort, with all the amenities you’d expect from the ultimate expedition ship. One of five icebreakers in its class operated by the Murmansk Shipping Company, the Yamal has been carrying adventurous travelers to the North Pole since 1993.  
 
     
  Breaking the Ice  
  Our state-of-the-art icebreaker, the Yamal, is renowned not only in the realm of adventure travel, but in polar navigation generally. The Yamal is among a select group of vessels with the capability – and the mandate – to take you through the pack ice to the remotest High Arctic. The ships’ double-thickness armor-plated hulls have high-tech polymer coatings and underwater air-bubbling systems designed to reduce friction to a minimum. The Yamal breaks through the ice not by plowing into it, but by riding up onto the surface and crushing it with its massive weight. With its multiple propellers and advanced propulsion systems – in the case of the Yamal, delivering 75,000 horsepower – this ship has a unique combination of maneuverability and power that is amazing to see in action.  
     
  Adventures Ashore  
  The Yamal icebreaker carries helicopters as well as a fleet of Zodiac landing craft to ensure you get ashore efficiently, safely and as often as conditions allow. The helicopters, when not being used for ice reconnaissance, are at our disposal for unforgettable sightseeing tours above the Arctic expanses or to whisk you to otherwise inaccessible sites for guided tours on foot. Similarly, your Expedition Team uses the nimble Zodiacs to make frequent small-group landings on isolated shores, and for excursions along the coast to view natural wonders – calving glaciers, pods of feeding whales, seabird colonies along the cliffs – from the closest vantage point.  
     
  Making You Comfortable  
  Throughout your Arctic expedition, our Hospitality Team is there to look after your every need – in the dining room, in the lounge and bar, and in your cabin. Internationally trained and experienced in shipboard hospitality, these English-speaking professionals share the spirit of adventure while understanding that your enjoyment of a one-of-a-kind polar adventure will be even greater if you are comfortable, relaxed and well looked after.  
     
  Keeping You Informed  
  As your journey unfolds, members of the Expedition Team present a wide-ranging series of presentations in the ship’s lecture hall. Using slides and video, they illuminate all aspects of the unique Arctic environment you’re traveling through, from wildlife and geological formations to archeology and exploration history. In addition, your Expedition Leader provides regular updates on your evolving itinerary and the details of planned landings. There are also recap sessions where you can compare experiences with other travelers and query our specialists on what you’ve just seen ashore and on the ice. There are also plenty of chances for informal conversation in the bar, or up on deck under the midnight sun. And you can always relax with a good book about the Arctic from the ship’s library.  
     
  Our Expert Russian Crews  
  The Russian crew of the Yamal are recognized leaders in icebreaker operations. Your Captain and senior officers have decades of experience in navigating under severe polar conditions. At various points in the journey, together with the Expedition Team, they’ll be pleased to give you more insight into their unique expertise, whether showing you how to read an Arctic chart or explaining the art and science of pushing a gargantuan ship through pack ice.  
     
 

Superb Food and Accommodations

  
  A fundamental requirement of any polar expedition is eating well. And we can say with pride, reinforced by the consistent acclaim in our traveler questionnaires, that the food on Quark Expeditions ships is exemplary. Our master chefs use the finest ingredients to create a varied international menu presented with imagination and flair. We also win high praise for the quality of our accommodations. Your cabin is comfortable and well appointed, with ample room to relax and read up on the journey ahead, plus plenty of intelligently designed storage – a must for expedition-style travel – and, of course, spectacular Arctic views from every window.  
     
  Cabins & Amenities  
 
  • 50 comfortable outside cabins and suites, all featuring private facilities, large windows, desk, television and large closets
  • Twin cabins have one fixed berth and one convertible sofa bed
  • All suites have a sitting room separate from the bedroom
  • Open seating dining room serving buffet-style breakfast; table service lunch and dinner with main course choices from a changing daily menu; cakes served in mid-afternoon; coffee and tea available all day
  • Lounge and bar staffed by a European bartender, open late morning, afternoon and evening with a wide selection of wines and spirits
  • Heated indoor swimming pool, exercise room and sauna
  • Theater-style auditorium for Astronomy and Expedition Team presentations
  • Onboard shop and library of books and videos
  • Ship-to-shore communications via Immarsat or Iridium telephone and e-mail
  • Clinic with licensed doctor
  
     
  Nuclear Power  
  The Yamal’s two nuclear reactors are encased in 160 tons of steel, high density concrete and water. The system’s double vacuum stills produce five tons of fresh water per hour. The reactor’s direct steam to two turbines, which in turn power six generators, drives three massive propellers, each with four seven-ton blades. The Yamal’s high-efficiency propulsion system meets all international environmental and safety standards.  
     
  Ship Specifications  
 

  • Staff & Crew: 140

  • Passengers: 100

  • Length: 141.84 m

  • Breadth: 30 m

  • Draft: 11.08 m

  • Propulsion: 2 nuclear-powered steam turbines; 75,000 total horsepower

  • Ice Class: LL1 (the highest rating possible)

  • Cruising Speed: 20 knots (open water)

  • Range: 4 years (approx.)

  • Registered in Russia by Murmansk Shipping Company

  
     
     
   
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Copyright  2007 TravelQuest International.  All rights reserved.   800-830-1998
Revised: January 05, 2007.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
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