Russia to launch cruise line along the Caspian Sea

Russian side intends to launch a cruise line along the Caspian Sea for the first time in the history in spring of 2009, said Gennady Pilipenko, chief of department for development of internal tourism and state tourism projects of the Russian Federal Tourism Agency (Rosturizm).

He said the voyage starts in Astrakhan and in seven days the tourists will be able to visit Daghestan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan.

He said the motor ship, owned by the Caspian cruise lines shipping company, built in 1974, ice-boat like Maria Yermolova is intended for 216 tourists.

"It passed the first test voyage along the Caspian Sea successfully in autumn of the last year and we hope the cruise along the Caspian Sea will become regular in spring of 2009. The littoral states displayed interest in it and Kazakh businessmen even made an attempt to purchase the motor ship", said Pilipenko.

/IS Voyage/