The Nation - News from Sept. 4, 1988

A cruise ship that became stuck in Arctic ice a week ago during an educational journey for intellectuals has traveled 30 miles and may not need help from an icebreaker that was sent to aid it, the Coast Guard said. The Society Explorer, with 149 passengers and crew members, reported it was in no danger because of the ice, Coast Guard spokesman Greg Robinson said. The 236-foot ocean liner was caught in Beaufort Sea ice, 50 miles northeast of Point Barrow, Alaska. The liner, bound for the Northwest Passage, en route to Newfoundland, is operated by Society Expeditions Cruises of Seattle, which specializes in journeys to unconventional destinations, including Antarctica, and emphasizes libraries and lectures.