Russia and Azerbaijan are drawing up plans to put the fossil fuel-rich Caspian Sea to a new use as the next leisure destination.

The Russian-built, 310-passenger cruise ship Peter the Great will make its maiden voyage next year, making calls in ports in the five countries that share the sea: Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran.

The scheme has been personally endorsed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on a recent visit to Aktau, Kazakhstan’s main Caspian port. When appropriate tourism infrastructure is prepared, the region is expected to attract 1 million tourists a year.

The Peter the Great is currently under construction at a shipyard in Astrakhan, Russia’s main Caspian port. Once the Caspian cruises are established the ship will travel upstream on the Volga River to the Don River and then down to the Azov and Black Seas.

https://eurasianet.org/watch-out-caribbean-caspian-cruises-to-set-sail-soon