Off late, the Northern Passage of the Arctic Sea has been observing much more traffic than it usually does.
While ships with drilling equipment and cargo have become an everyday affair, a luxury cruise ship is next in line.
With the Arctic melting faster than ever, The Crystal Serenity, a luxury cruise is all geared up to set sail in August. The cruise will comprise 14 decks with the capacity of 1400 passengers as well as crew members.
The luxury cruise will sail to New York from Seward, Alaska and will complete its voyage in about a month. You may be surprised to know that with the tariff of the rooms being somewhere between $22,000 120,000, they are already sold out.
Had you been dreaming of taking a cruise trip in the Arctic a few years ago, it wouldn’t have been possible due to the thickness of the ice. However, with the thinning of the ice, the journey has become possible, and you can give Climate Change all the credit it deserves.
While it may sound like a fun trip, which it sure is going to be, it is also quite dangerous at the same time. The Crystal will also have an escort ship carrying helicopters. Both the American and Canadian coast guards are training for a potential rescue.
The worst part about this entire situation is that while the tourism industry may have been rejoicing on this new entrant, the local economy has been suffering way too much due to warmer weather conditions. As per local fishermen, they have only been able to make ends meet.
(Image Credit: gearpatrol.com); (Story Credit: guardian.com)