Melting Ice Allows Northwest Passage Cruise -- But At What Cost?

The first passenger cruise through the storied Northwest Passage arrives in New York this weekend. The trip onboard the Crystal Serenity has been billed “the ultimate expedition for the true explorer.”

But critics have called it the most dangerous cruise on Earth.

They say serious issues surround every aspect of the sail, from its interactions with indigenous communities to the dangers (to passengers and ecosystems) when a 69,000-ton, 14-deck luxury cruise liner sails through largely uncharted waters.

Crystal Cruises CEO Edie Rodriguez said two years of research went into making the cruise environmentally friendly, and that "I can assure you that we have done everything possible to ensure that we do not further contribute to the problem."

University of British Columbia professor Michael Byers has been writing about the Crystal Serenity, and he joins Here & Now's Robin Young to discuss issues of law, environment and the ethics of what some are calling "extinction tourism."

Read the Here&Now story - “Melting Ice Allows Northwest Passage Cruise -- But At What Cost?”