![]() ![]() Like the Crystal Serenity, Shackleton also embarked two Ice Navigators. The Shackleton carried containers brimming with additional survival equipment and rations, helicopters for routine and emergency response, as well as oil pollution response equipment and expedition grade rigid hull inflatable boats. In many ways, this is a step up from the concept of the “buddy system” routinely used by cruise ships operating in Antarctic waters, ensuring support is always close at hand when two cruise ships operate together. The Shackleton acted as ice as a support ship and ice escort, if required. Crystal added another level of safety as it engaged the very capable icebreaker RSS Ernest Shackleton to accompany Crystal Serenity. To cover all eventualities, in addition to the experienced bridge team, two highly experienced Ice Navigators were onboard the ship throughout the voyage. The window for Crystal Serenity’s voyage was carefully selected for the period of summer when sea ice would be at its least and the route virtually ice free. Regions previously ice-choked are now more commonly open. The window of least summer in ice has been slowly increasing in length. Global climate change has not only enabled this particular voyage, it has contributed to the increased safety of any ships operating in the Arctic. In fact, the route is more open, and less navigationally challenging than the Inside Passages of British Columbia and Alaska that see many larger cruise ships ply those waters every summer. Contrary to some comment on the internet, the entire route is well surveyed to modern standards, regularly travelled, and safe for ships the size of Crystal Serenity. It was determined that a voyage along what is known as the “southern” route, via Amundsen Gulf, Coronation Gulf, Queen Maud Gulf and Peel Sound to Lancaster Sound was possible. The ship selected was the light ice class Crystal Serenity, larger than any previous cruise ship to transit the Northwest Passage. From the very first, senior Crystal Cruises operational management consulted knowledgeable Arctic expedition operators and shipping experts on the concept to determine whether or not it was even feasible with the ship that was intended to complete the voyage. Planning for Crystal Serenity’s voyage began several years before the voyage. Safety is paramount protection of the environment, cargo, ship and personnel, whether crew or passenger, is the standard. Not only has much changed in the Arctic in recent years, but much has also changed in how we conduct the business of ships and cargo around the world’s oceans. True, tremendous challenges still face those who venture into the Arctic, but the waters of the Arctic have become less onerous and now far from deadly, unless those who venture there do so without adequate preparation. The old images of the Arctic as an environment rife with danger is no longer valid. It was not poorly planned, it was not an assault on the environment, it was not a risky venture in dangerous ice-covered seas and it was not an unwanted intrusion on the communities along the route.Ĭrystal Cruises has set a very high standard for Arctic shipping risk assessment, planning and execution of what many had considered dangerous and risky voyages. In fact, the voyage was none of those things. The Internet misinformation game had taken hold and as each misrepresentation, misquote and error of fact was requoted and rebroadcast on various websites many who were otherwise unknowing of the reality of the situation came to see the voyage as a threat to the environment, a threat to the cultures of the people of the north, and seemingly just a bad thing all around. Little was said in support of the voyage…a voyage that has been planned well in advance and executed flawlessly. In the lead up to this momentous voyage, declarations of doom and gloom, warnings of imminent disaster and expectations of a turn for the worse in Arctic shipping seemed to gain the most attention in online blogs and chat rooms and eventually more traditional press outlets. Perhaps one of the most newsworthy Arctic shipping related events in 2016 is the Northwest Passage voyage of Crystal Cruise’s MV Crystal Serenity. ![]()
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