Black Sea Cruises, which operates the Prince Vladimir on week-long itineraries from Sochi, will not offer a winter cruise program, according to a spokesperson.

Despite a successful first season and hints at a winter program, the company will lay up the 1971-built ship for the winter.

The vessel will then undergo a substantial refurbishment ahead of her first cruise of 2018, which is scheduled for May.

Black Sea Cruises runs under the guidance of Rosmorport, which works to develop Russian maritime infrastructure.

The agency acquired the Royal Iris earlier this year from Mano Maritime and refurbished the ship.

The season went as scheduled, with week-long sailings from Sochi with stops in Yalta, Novorossyisk and Sevastopol.