Luxury cruise brand Crystal has announced a partnership with ORCA, a leading marine conservation organisation that works to protect whales, dolphins and porpoises.

ORCA will place wildlife experts onboard two Crystal Symphony sailings – between Anchorage and Vancouver – to train Crystal’s bridge crew in how to collect scientific data about the animals’ behaviour and best conservation practices.

ORCA’s cruise conservationists will also lead Crystal guests through Q&A sessions, wildlife deck watches, interactive data collection and excursions.

Crystal will send data to ORCA as part of the organisation’s OceanWatch programme. 

Crystal’s vice president of land programmes John Stoll said: “We are honoured to join ORCA in its admirable work to monitor and protect the animals and the oceans we sail. The passion of the expert cruise conservationists on their team is truly contagious and will certainly enlighten and inspire our guests.

“Crystal guests are inquisitive travellers who want to experience the world, rather than just see it, and understanding the wildlife and environments of destinations is key to that purpose.”

Crystal hopes to expand the ORCA OceanWatch programme to the rest of its ocean-going fleet in the near future. 

The Crystal Symphony sailings depart 20 and 27 August 2019 and visit Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway – as well as Sitka on the 20 August voyage.

Cruise-only fares for the 27 August departure start from £2,012pp.