Broadcaster Al Jazeera has reported that a Canadian passenger liner has started an trip to the Arctic.

The ship, named Crystal Serenity, departed from Alaska and is scheduled to pass through the Bering Strait to the Arctic Ocean before heading to Greenland and then sailing back to New York. Around 1 thousand 500 passengers are on board. Prices for the sold-out excursion ranged from 20-thousand to 120-thousand US dollars.

The ship is equipped with floating ice-detecting radars and high-power searchlights. Ice-breaking vessels and navigation experts will accompany the liner on the journey. However, some security concerns remain as reports say the ship's route is out of the scope of US and Canadian rescue helicopters.