Quark Expeditions
Ocean Explorer
- Cruises
- 0
- From
- —
Ship comparison
Ocean Explorer vs River Duchess
Uniworld River Cruises
River Duchess
- Cruises
- 2
- From
- $3,999
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Ocean Explorer is an intimate Quark Expeditions ship carrying 138 passengers. River Duchess is an intimate Uniworld River Cruises ship carrying 134 passengers, in service since 2003. Ocean Explorer has no Bliss scores yet, so the verdict rests on the figures we do hold.
Choose Ocean Explorer if you want more crew per passenger or more space per passenger: it has a crew member for every 1.3 passengers (vs 3.9) and it has 59.6 gross tons per passenger (vs 26.1).
River Duchess does not lead by a clear margin on any measure we track, so pick it for its itinerary or its dates.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Ocean Explorer | River Duchess | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Quark Expeditions | Uniworld River Cruises |
| Ship size | Intimate | Intimate |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | — | 2003 |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | — | 2012 |
| Gross tonnage | 8,228 | 3,500 |
| Passengers | 138 | 134 |
| Crew | 105 | 34 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 1.3 (better) | 3.9 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 59.6 (better) | 26.1 |
| Decks | — | 3 |
| Length | 343 ft | 361 ft |
| Beam | 60 ft | 38 ft |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | — | 10 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | — | 2 |
| Upcoming sailings | — | 4 |
| Cruise lengths | — | 7 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | — | $3,999 |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday.
Ocean Explorer has no Bliss scores yet.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Quark Expeditions
Ocean Explorer
Uniworld River Cruises
River Duchess
River Duchess, part of the Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, carries 134 guests in luxurious style. River ships (for the Rhine, Main and Danube) must navigate hundreds of locks that are only 12 meters wide.
Highlights
- Visit the picturesque Bulgarian towns of Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi.
- Have an al fresco meal in the Sky Lounge.
- Enjoy the piano player during tea, cocktails and after dinner for dancing.
Sailing now
2 cruises on sale, from $3,999.
Questions
Ocean Explorer or River Duchess?
Which is bigger, Ocean Explorer or River Duchess?
Ocean Explorer is bigger at 8,228 gross tons, against 3,500 gross tons for River Duchess. Ocean Explorer carries 138 passengers and River Duchess carries 134.
Which has more space per passenger?
Ocean Explorer, with 59.6 gross tons per passenger against 26.1 on River Duchess. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Ocean Explorer, with one crew member for every 1.3 passengers against one for every 3.9 on River Duchess.
Still deciding?
Tell us what matters and we will match the sailing
Send your dates, budget and who is travelling, and our partner travel agency will come back to you about Ocean Explorer, River Duchess or a ship that suits you better.