The Port of Vladivostok in Russia is expecting a big cruise season with 16 ships docking at the Vladivostok Sea Terminal between March and October.

The Albatros, sailing for Phoenix Reisen, will get the season going in March on her world cruise, marking her first call in the Russian city.

The Costa neoRomantica is slated for three calls, while the Costa Serena will make five calls. Transit calls are also slated for the Ocean Dream, Maasdam, Westerdam and Diamond Princess, according to Valery Nagorny, general director of the cruise terminal.

In addition the port is expecting calls from the Spectrum of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas on longer itineraries from China.  Those calls are now possible due to a berth expansion project to take larger vessels.

Cruise lines are eyeing sourcing potential from the Russian Far East as the Costa neoRomantica will homeport in Vladivostok in May, sailing to Japan and Korea with calls in Tokyo, Hakodate, Kobe (Kyoto), Jeju, Kagoshima and Hakone-Fuji.