Kapitan Khlebnikov

Your expedition will take place aboard the Kapitan Khlebnikov, a powerful working icebreaker designed for the challenging conditions in the seas of northern Siberia. Completely refurbished in 1992-93, the ship boasts 56 outside cabins and suites, all spacious and comfortable, all with private facilities. Public areas include a lounge, two dining rooms, digitally-equipped lecture room, small heated indoor pool and gymnasium, library, and sauna. The Khlebnikov also features a good polar library, an elevator, a small infirmary, six Zodiac landing craft, and two helicopters used for ice reconnaissance.

Download the Ship Fact sheet here.

Tonnage: 15,000
Length: 430 feet
Speed: 15 knots
Ship Registry: Russia

Accounts Onboard

Upon embarkation, a shipboard account is automatically opened for your convenience. The "chit" system is used for all onboard purchases, including bar charges, gift shop purchases, laundry, medical services, communication, etc. You will sign a chit for each purchase, and the amount will be debited to your shipboard account, which is presented for settlement at the end of the voyage.

The U.S. dollar is the currency used on board. Cash, traveler’s checks, and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Diner’s Club) are accepted for payment of shipboard accounts.

Baggage

Baggage is restricted only per the airlines’ regulations (See Baggage Allowance section under General Information). We do recommend that you travel with soft luggage, as this is less bulky to store and storage space aboard the ship is limited. Please ensure that your baggage is clearly labeled with your name and home address and attach yellow Zegrahm Expeditions luggage tags, which will be provided with your final documents packet, to each piece of luggage. Our staff will use these tags for easy identification of group passengers and baggage.

Bar

There is a well-stocked bar on board, staffed by a European bartender, in the late morning, afternoon, and evening. All drinks, liquors, spirits, and beverages are imported through international ship's chandlers and every effort is made to maintain reasonable prices. A varied list of wine and champagne will be available in the dining room and bar.

Bridge Visits

There is an open-bridge policy on board. However, the bridge will be closed to visitors during maneuvers in port, when anchoring, during periods of inclement weather, and at the captain’s discretion. 

Cabins and Service

Cabins are serviced daily by your cabin attendant. If you require additional housekeeping service, please advise the reception desk.

All cabins feature an ocean view with windows that can be opened for fresh air; two lower twin beds, one of which is a sofa bed that will be made up for seating during the day; private bathroom with shower, toilet, and wash-basin; ample cupboard and drawer space; and a large desk. All cabins have robes for passenger use while on board, which will be collected on the last day of the voyage, or can be purchased for $35 and taken home. 

Contact Information

The ship has facilities available for incoming/outgoing e-mail, telephone, and fax. You will be charged for all personal communication to/from the ship.

The radio officer answers all incoming calls and receives and distributes any fax and e-mail messages. Although very reliable, charges for telephone calls are expensive. Charges range from $10.00 – 15.00 per minute.

Specific contact information will be included in your final packet of trip documents sent approximately one month prior to your departure.

Daily Programs

The daily program is distributed to all cabins and posted in common areas every evening on board. The program announces the cruising schedule, lectures, and shore excursions. Weather conditions may, of course, alter the day’s intended program.

Dietary Needs

Special dietary foods can be provided, but we must be notified in writing on the Personal Information Form. The galley is equipped to prepare or serve most special dietary foods except kosher cuisine.

Dining and Meals

Two dining rooms are on board the Kapitan Khlebnikov. Seating is unreserved, and passengers are encouraged to sit wherever and with whom they like. Meal hours will be posted in the daily program. Breakfast is served buffet style, while table service is available for lunch and dinner, with a choice of main courses from the menu featuring international cuisine. Coffee and tea are available all day, and cakes are served mid-afternoon daily.

Electricity

The electricity on board runs at 220 volts, and outlets take European-style plugs with two round prongs.

Elevator

An elevator services all passenger decks.

Exercise Facilities

The vessel is equipped with a small exercise room, indoor saltwater pool, and sauna. The sauna has capacity for up to five passengers, and hours will be designated as men-only, women-only, and mixed groups, and listed in the daily program. The sauna is generally open throughout the day on a self-use, unsupervised basis. The exercise room has limited equipment, but includes stationary bikes, a stepper, weightlifting equipment, a rowing machine, and various free weights. It is open 24 hours a day.

Gift Shop

A small gift shop is located on Deck 5, carrying various logo items (T-shirts, sweatshirts, and caps), postcards, sundries, and a limited supply of film. The shop is operated by a separate concessionaire, and purchases need to be settled directly with the shopkeeper rather than signed to your onboard account. Settlement can be made by cash (U.S. dollars), traveler’s checks, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, and American Express). Shop hours will be listed in the daily program.

Gratuities

All gratuities for onboard staff and crew are included in the cost of the expedition.

Hair Dryer

Each cabin is equipped with a hair dryer.

Hair Salon

The ship does not offer hair cutting or hair styling services.

Helicopters

Essential for navigation in the ice, the Kapitan Khlebnikov carries two helicopters, which seat between five to eight passengers, for ice reconnaissance and passenger excursions. A mandatory safety briefing will be held before the first helicopter excursion, and all participants must sign a liability-waiver form (enclosed with these materials) prior to boarding any helicopter. Please read the section Helicopter Guidelines in this notebook for further information regarding helicopter procedures. 

Identification Badges

See Tagboard.

Laundry

Basic laundry service is available on board. Please allow 48 hours turn-around time. Dry cleaning service is not available. Prices will be posted on board, and charges will be debited to your shipboard account, payable at the end of the voyage.

Lectures

Our onboard staff will present a series of informative lectures during the voyage. We plan to provide a lecture series that will cover all features of our expedition and the surrounding environment. These presentations are an integral part of this expedition and are designed to lend greater depth and understanding to your travel experience.

Library

There is a small library on Deck Five with a selection of polar books, reference materials, and general reading material.

Mail

The purser handles the mailing of passengers’ letters and postcards during the voyage. Postage rates will be posted at reception. Mail will be sent when the ship is in port. Please indicate your cabin number and name (if you are sharing a cabin with someone of a different surname) in the corner to be occupied by the stamp. Postage fees will be debited to your shipboard account, payable at the end of the voyage.

Medical Services and Special Needs

Facilities may not be available for the physically challenged traveler. If you have special needs, please contact our office directly. 

A qualified physician will be on board throughout the voyage. Any applicable fees for services rendered on board will be debited to your shipboard account and presented for settlement at the end of the voyage.

Passengers requiring special medications should bring sufficient quantities to last the duration of the expedition. If you are under regular treatment for any ailment or disease, you should bring a summarized medical history as well. It is essential that persons with any medical problems and related dietary restrictions inform us well before departure so we may brief the ship’s staff accordingly.

If you use a hearing aid that might be turned off at night or would otherwise require special assistance in case of an emergency, please advise the reception desk at the time of boarding.

Passports

Passports will be collected upon embarkation and returned at the end of the voyage. Please bring a photocopy of your passport’s information page with you to be used for currency exchange and identification on our landings.

Safety at Sea

Safety at sea is of utmost importance aboard this ship. All officers are trained in emergency procedures, and regular drills are held to instruct the crew in their emergency duties. By international law, passengers must participate in a lifeboat drill within 24 hours of sailing. Upon embarkation, all passengers will be requested to locate their life jacket in their cabin and note their lifeboat and muster station. This mandatory lifeboat drill will be scheduled as soon as is convenient for the expedition leader and captain.

Life preservers are mandatory on Zodiac excursions. All passengers must have their life preserver secured properly before leaving the ship to board the Zodiac.

While the ship is your temporary home, it is also a mobile one, and it is essential that you take certain safety precautions. Here are some basic rules:

Always turn on lights before moving about in a dark cabin.

Walk, never run, aboard the ship, and be extra careful when walking on wet or icy decks.

Wear shoes with slip-resistant soles, especially when walking on deck.

Avoid large, open areas during rough weather, especially outside decks and the bridge. Do not move about unnecessarily.

During particularly rough weather hold on to handrails in stairways, be very careful in the bathroom, never hold a door by its frame in case the ship’s movement causes the door to close on your hand, and secure all baggage in your cabin and any loose items in your bathroom or on shelves, bureaus, or desks.

Ship Statistics

Built: 1981 

Gross Tonnage: 12,288 

Length: 435 feet 

Beam: 87 feet 

Draft: 28 feet 

Number of Guests: 112 

Crew Members: 60 

Crew Nationality: Russian 

Ship’s Registry: Russia 

Shipboard Amenities

Shipboard facilities include a bar, two dining rooms, a small library, lecture room, sauna, saltwater swimming pool, exercise room, infirmary, and gift shop.  

Smoking Policy

Smoking is permitted in designated areas only. Smoking is prohibited inside the ship and on Zodiac and helicopter loading areas.

Tagboard

A tagboard is provided near the gangway, and each passenger must turn his or her own number whenever disembarking the ship. Your compliance with this system assists us in ensuring that passengers are all safely on board before sailing to our next destination.

Valuables

Please try and leave any nonessential valuables at home. Zegrahm Expeditions is not responsible for the loss or theft of any jewelry, cash, etc. 

Viewing Areas

Views are excellent from the large open decks and bridge. Passengers are welcome nearly everywhere on the ship including the bow and stern, conditions permitting. However, the helicopter deck is off limits at all times.

Water

The ship’s water supply provides potable water, but passengers are asked to practice conservation at all times.

Zodiacs

Zodiacs are the favored means of transportation, and the ship has a fleet that will be used for landings in suitable areas. Their flat-bottom design permits these craft to land directly onto beaches. You can expect, nonetheless, to wade through shallow surf to reach the shore during wet landings. 

Zodiacs cruise at an approximate speed of four knots and in windy weather can make for rather splashy rides. We therefore recommend wearing wet-weather gear for Zodiac transfers, and life preservers are absolutely mandatory. You will be given a briefing on the safe use of these boats. Please see the section Proper Use of Zodiacs for further information about procedures during Zodiac landings.

8/10/2008 : High Arctic: Ellesmere, Greenland, and Baffin