With 144 pages, the new catalogue for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ international expedition vessel, the HANSEATIC inspiration, presents a total of 46 true expedition routes from November 2020 through to September 2022. The 230-guest HANSEATIC inspiration is one of three ships in the new expedition class from Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. The trio will be completed in May 2021 when the HANSEATIC spirit joins the HANSEATIC nature and HANSEATIC inspiration. The HANSEATIC nature and HANSEATIC spirit are aimed at the German-speaking market, whereas the HANSEATIC inspiration is aimed at the German-speaking and international markets. All of the travel documents supplied before the start of the cruise and the information during the on-board experience (announcements, lectures, menus, to name just a few) will be provided in English. The ship will also be smoke-free from October 2020, which means that smoking will not be allowed in any area of the ship. The small and manoeuvrable expedition ships have the highest ice class for passenger ships (PC6), feature cutting-edge equipment and environmental technology, and travel on exceptional routes to the world’s most remote regions.
The polar destinations are at the heart of the new programme. Guests can choose Antarctic cruises with Cape Horn, or South Georgia, or grand expeditions beyond the Antarctic Circle. The HANSEATIC inspiration will offer a semi-circumnavigation of Antarctica for the first time at the start of 2022. The Northeast Passage is one of the world’s most challenging nautical routes and the HANSEATIC inspiration will sail to this spectacular region of the world in August/September 2022.
The HANSEATIC inspiration will also head for the Great Lakes of North America between September and October 2021, where the combination of stunning nature, isolated villages and interesting cities provides an unforgettable holiday experience. The ship will visit the five Great Lakes, numerous bridges and eight locks with a height difference of around 100 m (328 ft).
The early summer in Europe also heralds routes along Europe’s northern and western coasts and expeditions to the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, the Azores and Madeira. Guests on these expeditions will discover and see for themselves exciting, scenic destinations, which are not typical of the more classic routes traditionally operated in these regions.
The new catalogue also features additional, special cruises as the HANSEATIC inspiration heads to the Russian Far East and Alaska, Asia with Japan and Taiwan, to the South Seas and New Zealand.
The new catalogue also devotes some special expeditions to “Young Explorers” (passengers between 10 and 17 years of age). Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has added individual concepts to its portfolio during school holidays, designed to satisfy a youthful thirst for knowledge. Three new “Voyages for Young Explorers” include following tracks in the wilderness and Zodiac rides in the ice.
In the German-speaking area, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is known to be the leading cruise brand in the luxury and expedition sector. Small, individual, and outstanding in their class: the fleet includes the world's best luxury ships. the EUROPA and the EUROPA 2, which are the only ships to be awarded the top rating of 5-star plus by the Berlitz Cruise Guide, as well as the HANSEATIC nature and the HANSEATIC inspiration, the first two of the new expedition class which consists of three ships. The new HANSEATIC spirit completed the fleet, when she joined in summer 2021, and continues the modernization process of the expedition fleet. The adventure trips on the luxurious ALBERT BALLIN private jet, a particularly exclusive type of travel, complements the portfolio.