Celebrity and the Arctic---Not This Year
April 05, 2005
Celebrity Cruises had to put the freeze on its Arctic cruises that were scheduled to begin on August 29, 2005. The powerful icebreaker that Celebrity has used for its Polar Xpeditions, Kapitan Khlebnikov, is being recalled by the Russian government from Quark Expeditions, the operators of the vessel.
Built in Finland in 1981, Kapitan Khlebnikov is a polar icebreaker specifically outfitted and designed to travel through some of the harshest environments in the world, one laden with icebergs and bitter temperatures. Since 1992, it has taken adventure-seekers to the extreme remote corners of the globe; no other expedition vessel in the world has navigated more polar waters.
However, with the recall from the Russian government, Celebrity must seek alternative ships to travel to the Polar region, at least for this season of Arctic travel.
Although the Arctic may not typify the ideal cruise vacation, it has been very popular in the past with those who want to explore an area of the world that few people have seen. Thriving in the Arctic's harsh beauty is a huge amount of wildlife, including seabirds, polar bears, walruses, whales, foxes, and more. The Arctic is also home to the most isolated and hardiest communities in the world.
For those of you who don't want to miss out on the small window of opportunity this year to visit this icy region, there is an alternative to the cancelled Celebrity sailing. The Inuit-owned Makivik Corporation has gotten into the cruise business.
The corporation hired Dugald Wells, a veteran of the cruise industry, to head the project, dubbed Cruise North Expeditions. There will be eight 7-night cruises from under $2,500, a price that includes the flight from Montreal to the ship's port of Kuujjuaq, Canada.
Michael Gloss, JrBook your cruise online
