LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Crystal Cruises, the World’s Most Awarded Luxury Cruise Line, announced today a charter party agreement with Tactical Marine Solutions of Victoria, Canada and British Antarctic Survey (BAS) headquartered in Cambridge, UK to have the RRS Ernest Shackleton escort Crystal Serenity on its 32-day expedition voyage through the Northwest Passage this August. The RRS Ernest Shackleton, operated by BAS, is an ICE 05 classed icebreaker (exceeding the more common 1A Super class) that will provide operational support to Crystal Serenity, including ice breaking assistance should the need arise and carry additional safety and adventure equipment.
“We have been planning this historic sailing for more than two years, working closely with expedition experts from EYOS-Expeditions, as well as Transport Canada, the US and Canadian Coast Guards and local agencies along the route to ensure the ultimate safety and a most memorable experience for our guests,” says Crystal president and CEO, Edie Rodriguez. “The RRS Ernest Shackleton’s assistance in navigating this region will only enhance the safety of our voyage.”
The RRS Ernest Shackleton will carry two helicopters for real-time ice reconnaissance, emergency support and flightseeing activities. In addition to its robust ice navigation and communications equipment, the RRS Ernest Shackleton will have on board supplemental damage control equipment, oil pollution containment equipment, and survival rations for emergency use. The expedition crew comprises of expert guides with many years’ experience transiting the Northwest Passage and also a diver and support team trained in the use of the emergency equipment carried on board. The RRS Ernest Shackleton will support Crystal’s adventures ashore, carrying newly acquired zodiacs for “wet landings,” while the vessel’s crew will provide expert assistance during flightseeing adventures and the line’s recently unveiled “Unexpected Adventures,” which offer more spontaneous ways of exploring the region.
Prior to making the voyage Crystal Serenity will be outfitted with state of the art forward looking sonar, ice detection radar, ice searchlights and thermal imaging, as well as an ice navigation system that will display near real time satellite ice imagery and ice forecasts. In addition, the Master and bridge team will attend ice navigation training at a simulator in St John’s, Newfoundland, and two veteran Canadian ice pilots will be on board to assist the bridge team in managing the information provided by additional equipment which is not typically found on cruise ships. The RRS Ernest Shackleton will also carry her own very experienced ice pilot.
Crystal’s 2016 Northwest Passage voyage sails August 16 from Anchorage to New York.
Crystal Cruises is the World’s Most Awarded Luxury Cruise Line, having earned more “World’s Best” accolades than any other cruise line, hotel, or resort in history. Crystal Cruises has won “World’s Best Cruise Ship” in Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader Choice Awards for 22 years; been voted “World’s Best Large Ship Cruise Line” by Travel + Leisure readers for 20 consecutive years; and the “Best Luxury Cruise Line” by Virtuoso for two-consecutive years (2014 & 2015). In summer 2015, Crystal embarked on the most significant brand expansion in the history of luxury travel and hospitality, introducing three new classes of cruising – the recently launched Crystal Yacht Cruises (December 2015), Crystal River Cruises (July 2016), Crystal Exclusive Class Ocean Cruises (fall 2019), Crystal Luxury Air (April 2016) and Crystal AirCruises (2017).
For more information and Crystal reservations, call your travel agent or Crystal Cruises at 888-799-2437, or visit www.crystalcruises.com. Join the hundreds of thousands who follow the Crystal Cruises Facebook page and @crystalcruises on Twitter and Instagram to engage in the conversation with #crystalcruises.
Notes for Editors:
British Antarctic Survey (BAS), an institute of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), delivers and enables world-leading interdisciplinary research in the Polar Regions. Its skilled science and support staff based in Cambridge, Antarctica and the Arctic, work together to deliver research that uses the Polar Regions to advance our understanding of Earth as a sustainable planet. Through its extensive logistic capability and know-how BAS facilitates access for the British and international science community to the UK polar research operation. Numerous national and international collaborations, combined with an excellent infrastructure help sustain a world leading position for the UK in Antarctic affairs. For more information visit www.bas.ac.uk
RRS Ernest Shackleton launched in 1995, is primarily a logistics vessel used to transport cargo, fuel and passengers. The ship also has a basic scientific capability and undertakes some research work. During the northern summer, the vessel is commercially chartered to third parties. Built by Kvaerner Kleven Leirvik yard of Norway as the MV Polar Queen for owners GC Rieber Shipping of Bergen, she was deployed in the Antarctic by other national programmes before commencing a long-term charter to The British Antarctic Survey in August 1999.
More information about the ship: https://www.bas.ac.uk/polar-operations/sites-and-facilities/facility/rrs-ernest-shackleton/#about
Tactical Marine Solutions Ltd. A marine management group with the proven ability to design or evaluate shipping systems, find and negotiate the acquisition of specialized ships, and manage ships, safely, economically and effectively.
Tactical Marine Solutions offers better solutions for complex shipping requirements, whether you are a shipping company, the marine department of a resources company, a research institute, or government agency.
More information can be found at: www.tactmarine.com
PHOTOS: RRS
Ernest Shackleton
Photo Credit: British Antarctic Survey
(BAS)
