Expedition Cruise Diary

RUSSIAN FAR EAST
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CONFERENCE 2019
of Cruise
DISCOVER:
THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST
Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula lies some 4,200
miles due east of Moscow – that’s more than
eight hours by air – and is so remote that even
today there are no roads or railways in or out
so the only way to visit is by ship or air.
SELLING TIPS
• It’s likely most clients will know
nothing about the Russian Far East.
Take time to learn where in the world
it is and the attractions so you can sell
with confidence.
• Don’t worry about the price. Your
clients would not be asking if they could
not afford to go.
• Sell the Kamchatka Peninsula and its
neighbouring islands to clients with
a sense of adventure and interest in
seeing nature and wildlife in the raw.
• Cruise ships navigating these remote
shores will mostly anchor off the coast
and take passengers ashore by Zodiac
so your clients need to be able to climb
in and out of the boats.
The peninsula is 780 miles long, spends most
of the year covered in snow and ice, and is one
of the highlights of an expedition voyage to the
Russian Far East. It is home to 160 volcanoes,
29 of which are still active, thousands of brown
bears, spotted seals and half the world’s Steller
sea eagle population.
The surrounding islands, also part of Russia,
are teeming with seabirds including puffins,
kittiwakes, cormorants and gulls, as well as
seals, sea lions and otters, while the surrounding
waters are a favourite hangout for whales.
All in all, it’s no wonder expedition cruise lines
have come exploring this region of late.
Danish explorer Vitus Bering helped map the
region during the 1700s, naming Petropavlovsk,
the only major city, after his two ships, St Peter
and St Paul.
After the Second World War, the Soviets
declared it a military zone and closed the
region to both foreigners and Russians, and
it stayed that way until the Soviet Union
collapsed in 1990.
An unintended but happy consequence
of the ban was that the scenery and wildlife
were protected, making this a fabulous port of
call for cruisers looking for a seriously exciting
once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
WHO GOES THERE
Crystal Cruises
Ship: Crystal Endeavor – 20,000 tons, 200
passengers.
Itineraries: A voyage from Otaru in Japan to Seward
in Alaska visits the Kamchatka Peninsula, and takes
passengers on a wildlife quest through the Russian Far
East and America’s Aleutian Islands.
Sample: From $17,449 per person for 19 nights
departing June 12 2021. Excludes flights.
Silversea Expeditions
Ship: Silver Explorer – 6,072 tons, 144 passengers.
Itineraries: Voyages ranging from 12 to 18 days will
be exploring the Kamchatka Peninsula and islands in
the Russian Far East in 2020.
Sample: From £11,700 per person for an 18-day
Russian Far East cruise round-trip from Otaru in Japan
departing June 18 2020. Excludes flights.
Ponant
Ships: Le Soléal – 10,944 tons, 264 passengers.
Itineraries: Two options are available in summer
2020 - a 15-day voyage from Otaru in Japan to
Petropavlovsk and a 13-day sailing from Petropavlovsk
to Juneau in Alaska. Both cruises are in partnership
with National Geographic Expeditions.
Sample: From €9,450 per person for a 15-day Sea of
Okhotsk voyage from Otaru to Petropavlovsk departing
June 26 2020.
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38 | Expedition Cruise Diary | March 2019
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