Boutique expedition ship Silver Discoverer, carrying about 85 passengers, has been refused entry to a remote port in the Russian Far East.
The ship docked in the former military port of Provideniya during a 12-night cruise from Seward, Alaska, to Nome.
Passengers and crew had all obtained the necessary visas and were cleared by immigration, according to Silversea, but authorities from the autonomous Chukotka region ordered everyone to remain on board.
It is not known whether the action was the result of growing east-west tension after the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine. A report in the Siberian Times, however, said the local officials were following instructions from Moscow.
The ship made a number of successful Russian port calls during the previous voyage, documented on Silversea’s expedition blogs.
Discoverer, which joined the Silversea fleet earlier this year, replaced the Russian visit with alternative ports in Alaska. It is expected that the forthcoming 14-night cruise from Nome, departing today, will also be affected.
About the Author: John Honeywell
John Honeywell is a travel writer specialising in cruise ships and cruise travel. Winner of CLIA UK's Contribution to Cruise award 2017.
Bravo Russia! Give them some of their own medicine.
Well that will show em right? LOL They will lose a lot of money that way that cruise ship passengers would spend on shore in those villages. Cruise ships should just stop going there, period.