Luxury cruises to the Arctic take a hit from the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Small luxury cruise ships newly built for the Arctic are canceling many of their planned calls in Northwest Alaska this summer, with many citing the Russian war in Ukraine.

Nome, about 200 miles across the Bering Sea from Russia, had been receiving small but growing numbers of the cruise ships. They’re built to handle ice and shuttle tourists to remote villages and wildlife-rich waters.

Then COVID-19 happened in 2020, canceling the cruises in Nome — and in other parts of Alaska — for two straight years.

This summer, Nome was expecting a blockbuster season, city officials said. Companies had announced plans for 22 visits, about double 2019 levels, said David Karp with Nome Discovery Tours, providing ground support for the ship’s guests.

Then Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

Now some of the companies have canceled visits, city officials said.

“It’s primarily the ships that have scheduled calls in Russia,” said Joy Baker, Nome’s port director. “They grab people in Nome and they go across the pond (to Russia).”

The city still expects about 10 visits this summer, with some vessels making repeat calls through the summer, according to a March port schedule.

Nome will still benefit from the ships that will arrive, Karp said. But the cancellations will mean hundreds fewer visitors in the town of 4,000, who support local guides and shop at art fairs and stores. And there will be fewer visitors to attend cultural demonstrations, like Native Youth Olympics or gold panning.

“We’re definitely disappointed,” Karp said. “But I’m very hopeful, after two COVIDs and a war, unless the locusts show up next year, we should be able to find our way to some degree of normalcy.”

The luxury cruise companies are building more of the specialized liners as sea ice melts and interest in polar travel grows.

Although there are concerns about environmental impacts in the remote region, cruise ships have helped generate a new revenue stream for communities like Nome. There’s an effort underway to expand the port there, which would support more ships.

The expedition ships often run between Nome and Seward, said Rick Erickson with Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska, providing services to the vessels in Alaska waters.

The foreign-hulled vessels traditionally stop in Russia’s far east to meet the requirements of the Passenger Vessel Services Act, he said. The federal law sets limits on such vessels when they transport passengers between U.S. ports.

The canceled calls to Nome this summer include the Sylvia Earle, a new 340-foot vessel with space for about 130 passengers. It was to stop in Nome three times starting July 20 but now has no calls scheduled, Erickson said.

Ship owner Aurora Expeditions said in a statement on March 8 it was canceling plans because of the situation in Russia.

“Aurora Expeditions has confirmed that it will make changes to its upcoming voyages that include Russian itineraries in light of the invasion of Ukraine,” it said.

Swan Hellenic, based in Cyprus, canceled three visits to Nome for its new 340-foot “boutique ship,” the SH Minerva.

The company announced March 21 it was changing plans for the Minerva and another ship because of the “tragic situation in Ukraine and ongoing COVID-related restrictions across the Far East.”

Other companies have also said the Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused them to change schedules. Officials with cruise companies did not respond to emails this week seeking comment.

Jen Martin, a longtime industry employee, is a trip planner for Seabourn Cruise Line, a Seattle-based company owned by Carnival. The company is building new expedition ships, advertising trips to Southeast Alaska this year, and it’s planning trips to Nome next year.

There are ethical considerations about supporting Russia by spending money there, she said.

The Russia-Ukraine war also creates logistical hurdles for companies that had originally planned visits there, she said. Sanctions that countries have slapped on Russia are likely a key factor preventing the ships from visiting the country this year. It would be problematic to buy supplies at a Russian port, for example, she said.

“Right now with sanctions on Russia, we wouldn’t necessarily be able to spend money with companies that are doing business in Russia,” she said.

Visits remaining on Nome’s port schedule include calls from ships with Lindblad Expeditions and partner National Geographic. That includes the Resolution, a new, “next-generation” 400-foot vessel with space for 125 guests, scheduled to arrive Aug. 7. The more than two-week trip heads from Nome to Japan and along the Aleutian Islands in Southwest Alaska, without a stop in Russia, according to online travel sites. Prices start around $30,000 a person, the sites show.

It has a Zodiac for shore excursions plus kayaks, a spa, saunas, lecture areas and other amenities, including a photo instructor certified by National Geographic.

Things aren’t bad as they could be, but the cancellations are still difficult, said Nome city manager Glenn Steckman.

“For the last two years, Nome, just like every other community in Alaska, has been taking a beating,” Steckman said. “This is another year of it. Maybe not as bad as the previous two years where we had no cruise ships, but it still hurts.”