Nuclear-Powered Icebreaker Opens Cruise Season to the North Pole

Nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy (50 Years of Victory) owned by FSUE Atomflot has left the port of Murmansk on her voyage to the 'top of the world', the company’s press office said. The 25th season of tourist cruises started on June 4.

The first voyage will last 12 days. The rest of seven voyages scheduled for this year are to last 11 days each. “It has nothing to do with the route or exclusiveness of the first voyage. Ice situation is difficult in June – hence a longer cruise,” explained Andrei Smirnov, Deputy Director General of Fleet Operation at FSUE Atomflot.

The program of the first cruise of the icebreaker with 117 tourists on board includes the visit of Arctic bays, Polar barbecue and swimming in the Arctic Ocean.

The list of chartering companies consists of Quark, Poseidon, Volento and Zehgram. The series of tourist cruises will end late August.

First ever tourists were delivered to the North Pole on August 1990 by nuclear icebreaker Rossija (Captain - Analoly Lemekhov). Starting from 2007, 50 Let Pobedy is the only icebreaker involved in such cruises.