Competition Rules

1. AGREEMENT. These rules govern the Blog Your Way to Antarctica Competition, hereafter referred to as the Competition, run by Quark Expeditions and their marketing partners. No purchase is necessary to enter the Competition. The act of entering the Competition constitutes acceptance of the Competition rules as contained herein and of the decisions of the Competition judges.

2. ELIGIBILITY. The Competition is open to all those who have attained the age of 21 by June 19, 2009, (A valid passport is proof of age.) except for employees, immediate families and anyone living with any employee of Quark Expeditions, its corporate affiliates, and Travel Agent partners or, if applicable, any co-sponsor, their advertising or promotional agencies or affiliates. Entry is void where prohibited by local law. Limit of one blog posting per person of no more than 300 words. The blog entry must not contravene copyright laws or standards of good taste and must be the work of the entrant. The entrant must not have impediments to travel on the dates of the voyage as indicated. The entrant must participate in an interview process conducted by a panel of Quark Expeditions’ appointed personnel to confirm the entrant’s eligibility.

3. COMPETITION. The Competition start date is 18:00 EDT, June 19, 2009. The end date for Competition entries is noon September 30, 2009, EDT. A selected entrant will be chosen by public voting – one vote per valid personal email address, with changes permitted. The entry that receives the greatest number of votes, and meets all eligibility requirements, will be contacted by telephone or email by a representative of Quark Expeditions. The Competition entrant must reply within 10 days of notification to maintain eligibility. Once notified, if the selected entrant does not accept the position of Official Quark Blogger within 5 days of notification, the entrant to receive the next greatest number of votes will be contacted, and the first entrant will have no further claim to the prize.

4. SERVICES RENDERED. The successful entrant must permit Quark Expeditions to use his or her name and image for promotional purposes. The successful entrant must agree to post a minimum of 24 blog entries between February 15 and March 5, 2010 that communicate his or her experience prior to departure, during the expedition and on his or her return home.

5. IMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES RENDERED. The Competition Imbursement consists of an expedition for two to Antarctica, February 20 to March 3, 2010, plus economy air fare for two people from the international airport nearest the OQEB’s home community to Ushuaia, Argentina and back. The Imbursement includes:

• Shipboard accommodation for two people, aboard Lyubov Orlova on the February 20 to March 3, 2010 expedition, in a Main Deck Twin cabin. (Retail value: USD$15,380)
• Economy-class air fare for two people from the international airport nearest to their community to Ushuaia, Argentina and back. (Approximate retail value: USD$4,000)
• One night pre-expedition hotel accommodation in Ushuaia, Argentina, based on twin occupancy, with breakfast.
• All breakfasts, lunches and dinners on board throughout your voyage.
• All shore landings and Zodiac excursions per the daily program.
• A pair of waterproof expedition boots on loan for shore landings.
• Coffee, tea, cocoa and bottled water available around the clock.
• Hair dryer and bathrobe on loan for the duration of the voyage.
• Emergency Evacuation Assurance for all passengers with a maximum benefit of $100,000 per person.
• Group transfers from the hotel to the ship in Ushuaia, and from the ship to the local airport on disembarkation – plus all baggage handling aboard ship.
• All miscellaneous service taxes and port charges throughout the program.

The Imbursement has no cash value. No substitutions can be made. The Imbursement cannot be transferred. The documents offering the eligible contestant the Imbursement will be delivered by courier service.

The IMBURSEMENT SPECIFICALLY DOES NOT INCLUDE. Passport and visa expenses. Government arrival and departure taxes; any meals ashore with the exception of breakfast at the host hotel in Ushuaia, before embarkation; baggage, cancellation and medical travel insurance; excess baggage charges; laundry, bar, and other personal charges; telecommunication charges, with the exception of charges incurred for posting blog entries that fulfill the Competition requirements; the customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for Hospitality Team members, ship’s crew and Expedition Team Members; airport transfers, with the exception of the group transfer from the ship to Ushuaia airport on disembarkation day; hotel transfers with the exception of the group transfer from the hotel in Ushuaia to the ship on embarkation day; any domestic taxes levied in the winner’s country of residence as a result of receiving the OQEB Imbursement. (Should a US resident become the Competition winner, Quark Expeditions will issue a federal 1099 form, which will be sent to the Imbursement winner. Any US winner must complete and submit a W-9 form (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification) to Quark Expeditions.

6. DISQUALIFICATION. Entrants will be disqualified if the blog entry is longer than 300 words; the entrant knowingly attempts to contravene the eligibility requirements, including the creation of multiple email addresses for the purpose of voting; the blog entry contravenes copyright laws, and good taste; the applicant is not 21 years of age or older as of June 15, 2009 – valid passport is proof of age; the applicant is not the author of the blog entry; the entrant is not a citizen in good standing of his or her home country; the entrant knowingly attempts to contravene eligibility requirements; fails to complete any OQB functions as outlined in Section 4; and there are impediments to travel on the dates of the voyage as indicated.

Updated July 7, 2009