Crystal Endeavor, the first of three expedition yachts of Crystal Expedition Cruises, will sail through the Northeast Passage on a 28 night cruise in August 2021, the company said in a statement.

The ship will sail from Anadyr in Russia for Tromsø in Norway on 18 August 2021.

“The Northeast Passage is precisely the type of bold expedition for which Crystal Endeavor is designed, with her PC6 designation and the ability to manoeuvre through medium first-year ice, offshore dynamic positioning, zodiacs and virtually all other gear necessary for such intrepid exploration,” said Tom Wolber, president & CEO of Crystal, which is part of the Genting Hong Kong group.

“In addition to these technical amenities, she’ll accommodate guests in the highest standard of comfort and luxury, even as they travel to the most remote destinations,” he added.

The ship will visit places that are only sparsely occupied since legendary polar explorer Nils A.E. Nordenskjöld first successfully made the passage in 1878-79. Before that time - and since - polar bears, Arctic foxes, walruses, whales and hundreds of species of seabirds are the primary local residents in the region, which is a Russian-controlled trade route in the summer months.