Climate change CRUISE will tour melting Arctic


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We're regularly encouraged to pay close attention to the environmental cost of our holidays, but now there's a cruise to take a tour of the devastation that mankind has allegedly caused.

Tourists can now take a trip through the melted Northwest Passage to see the sights of the Arctic, while it still exists as we know it.

The luxurious month-long grand tour will give climate-curious tourists the chance to see endangered Arctic animals such as polar bears in their quickly disappearing natural habitat.

The ultimate journey? Departing from the Gulf of Alaska, (mapped) the 31-day journey will navigate the Northwest Passage, around Alaska and into the Beaufort Sea, through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and on to Greenland, before ending in New York City

The ultimate journey? Departing from the Gulf of Alaska, (mapped) the 31-day journey will navigate the Northwest Passage, around Alaska and into the Beaufort Sea, through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and on to Greenland, before ending in New York City

CRUISE FEATURES:

Sail date: August 16, 2016 – for 32 days

Ship: Holds 1,070 passengers plus crew, weighs 68,000 tonnes and is 13 decks tall.

Itinerary: Flexible with 'expedition days' finalised 14 hours in advance to coincide with favourable weather conditions.

Possible adventures: Helicopter, Zodiac and kayaking trips plus Tundra treks with guides.

Experts: 14 naturalists, explorers, scientists, historians and photographers on board. Extra lectures and photography workshops will be available and a local Arctic guide will give an insight into the Inuit community.

Wildlife: Seals and walruses will be seen throughout the trip. In Davis Strait, Crystal Serenity might encounter humpback whales and Beluga and bowhead whales are possible.

Musk-ox might be seen on shore, either in Canada or Greenland, and the Northwest Passage boasts teaming colonies of kittiwakes, guillemots and murres.

The company said: 'In general, wildlife along the Northwest Passage is unpredictable and often difficult to spot… while polar bears thrive in this region, there is no guarantee that any will be seen on the transit or that the ship will be able to approach within a few miles.'

Temperature: Highs of 9°C (48F) during the day and lows of –2°C (28F) at sea.

Environmental impact: Not currently known.

Conservationists claim that warmer temperatures are threatening the animals' existence and the cruise is designed to give wildlife enthusiasts the chance to see a plethora of creatures unique to the Arctic, while they still can, tapping into a kind of disaster tourism.

But there is no mention about the environmental impact of the journey itself on the icy surroundings, with some experts estimating that cruise trips are far more damaging than journeys taken by aeroplane.

The 'once-in-a-lifetime expeditionary voyage' is being offered by Crystal Cruises from almost £14,000 ($24,000) and is set to appeal to wildlife lovers and those curious about our changing world.

The luxurious Crystal Serenity cruise ship will be the first to traverse the Northwest Passage, 'a mystical Pacific-Atlantic sea route far beyond the Arctic Circle that for centuries captured the imaginations of kings, explorers and adventurers,' the firm says.

 

It is only in recent years that the Passage has become passable in the summer, because of melting ice.

Until 2009, the Arctic pack ice prevented regular marine shipping throughout most of the year, but climate change has reduced the pack ice and this Arctic shrinkage has made the waterways more navigable.

Departing from the Gulf of Alaska, the 32-day journey will navigate the Northwest Passage, around Alaska and into the Beaufort Sea, through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and on to Greenland, before docking in New York City.

'The company says: 'Here in the Land of the Midnight Sun, you will bear witness to breath-taking landscapes that few have ever seen, from spectacular glaciers to towering fjords, and experience nature that is truly wild.'

The trip is two years in the making and the first cruise will depart on August 16, 2016.

In the lap of luxury: The luxurious Crystal Serenity cruise ship (pictured) will be the first to traverse the Northwest Passage, 'a mystical Pacific-Atlantic sea route far beyond the Arctic Circle that for centuries captured the imaginations of kings, explorers and adventurers,' the firm says

In the lap of luxury: The luxurious Crystal Serenity cruise ship (pictured) will be the first to traverse the Northwest Passage, 'a mystical Pacific-Atlantic sea route far beyond the Arctic Circle that for centuries captured the imaginations of kings, explorers and adventurers,' the firm says

Tourists will be taken on ¿unplanned expedition days¿ to take in wildlife such as of polar bears
Tourists will be taken on 'unplanned expedition days' to take in wildlife such as of polar bears and narwhals

See them while you can: Tourists will be taken on 'unplanned expedition days' to take in wildlife such as of polar bears (stock image pictured left), narwhals, (right) musk oxen and Caribou. But the company warns that endangered animals such as the polar bear may prove elusive

WHY AUGUST 2016?

The company has been planning the cruise for over two years.

It chose the August-September sail date because it says it is the optimum time of year to navigate the Northwest Passage.

'This is when the Arctic ice significantly recedes allowing vessels to safely transit with minimal risk of encountering ice concentrations,' the company says.

'And here in a land where the sun rarely sets, you have more time to absorb every last detail of this extraordinary journey.'

Tourists will be taken on 'unplanned expedition days' to take in wildlife such as of polar bears, narwhals, musk oxen and Caribou.

They could also go kayaking in protected bays and trekking in the tundra with professional guides and scientists as well as taking a tour of the environment in small Zodiacs – rubber motorised boats.

An escort vessel will follow the cruise ship packed with 'adventure equipment' including a platform for wilderness landings and a helicopter.

The crew will be accompanied by a 14 naturalists, explorers, scientists, historians and photographers to point out and document the sights.

'Once-in-a-lifetime experiences include the chance to see rare wildlife in its purest form - from humpback, beluga and bowhead whales, to seals and walruses, musk-oxen on shore and teaming colonies of kittiwakes, guillemots and murres in flight,' according to the brochure.

Holidaymakers will also have the chance to meet indigenous people in small groups, which the firm says is designed to benefit and not disrupt the locals and their way of life.

The cruise claims to balance 'rare adventure with intimate exploration,' but there is no mention of its carbon footprint, which may seem unusual seeing as the itinerary is designed to appeal to people who love the great outdoors.

Getting less icy: The trip is two years is two years in the making and the first cruise will depart on August 16, 2016. This satellite image of the Northwest Passage shows the ice retreating in August 2012

Getting less icy: The trip is two years is two years in the making and the first cruise will depart on August 16, 2016. This satellite image of the Northwest Passage shows the ice retreating in August 2012

MailOnline is awaiting calculations of the cruise's environmental impact on its icy surroundings from the company.

But estimates made in 2013, indicate that the carbon footprint of a cruise ship can be three times as large as a 747 flight, if measured per customer, PopSci reported.

Rod Downie, polar programme manager at WWF-UK, old MailOnline: 'The loss of Arctic summer sea ice is perhaps the most visible sign of climate change on our planet.

'With new international shipping routes such as the Northwest passage opening up as a result of less sea ice, the risk of major shipping accidents and trans-boundary oil spills increases.

'These would have massive long-term impacts for Arctic communities and wildlife,  including polar bears and beluga whales. It is increasingly urgent that the International Maritime Organisation in London agrees a robust Polar Code for safe and environmentally responsible shipping in the region.'

Amazing scenery: Holidaymakers could go kayaking in protected bays and trekking in the tundra with professional guides and scientists who will help them understand the various animals and landscapes of the Northwest Passage (pictured)

Amazing scenery: Holidaymakers could go kayaking in protected bays and trekking in the tundra with professional guides and scientists who will help them understand the various animals and landscapes of the Northwest Passage (pictured)



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