First Ever Luxury Cruise Navigates The Northwest Passage Through The Arctic Meltdown, Might Face Risks

The Crystal Serenity, a huge luxury liner will depart from Anchorage, Alaska and head to Northwest Passage even though the Arctic is melting this week. The extravagant cruise is the largest cruise ship that attempts the risky and dangerous voyage.

A Nearly Ice-Free Northwest Passage : Image of the Day https://t.co/ZIkRwe31fJ pic.twitter.com/0s1wJf0PmU

— The New Science (@NewScienceWrld) August 22, 2016

The cruise is on a 32-day voyage in the Northwest Passage, which is the sea route that links the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It is reported that it was historically impassable. On the other hand, the warming of temperature due to climate change is transforming the Arctic and its ecosystem, according to Huffington Post.

Extinction tourism? More on the Crystal Serenity cruise through the NW Passage https://t.co/KI2YLAMZbk pic.twitter.com/22KOYJB5L7

— Kristin Westdal (@KWestdal) August 20, 2016

The extravagant cruise carries 1,070 passengers 670 crew members. It has nine passenger decks, which tower over a hundred feet above the surface of the ocean. Passengers could enjoy things such as shopping, play in a casino or watch a movie in its theater. There are several bars on board too. The passengers can also perceive the sights, which for centuries have been largely the provenance of intrepid explorers and a small population of native people. They are clustered in hamlets that can be divided by hundreds of miles of Arctic tundra and icy waters.

Crystal Serenity assures their passengers that everything will go well. The cruise is using low-emission fuel and they would not dump untreated sewage. They have a high-efficiency garbage incinerator. Paul Garcia, the company's spokesperson  told the Think Progress that Crystal Cruise has been working on this project since 2013 and will be implementing a number of additional precautions to ensure the safety of all guests and crew, as well as to protect the pristine environment.

He further said that they have taken many extraordinary operational and equipment-related measure to ensure a safe voyage. If in case there is trouble, they have additional ship-to-shore boats, helicopters and a large hotel's worth of provisions and amenities. Mr. Garcia also said that typical conditions along the planned route during the Arctic summer are substantially free of ice and within Crystal Serenity's safe operating parameters.