Seatrade Cruise given exclusive tour of HANSEATIC spirit in London
Kay Greenway, director, Cruise Britain joined Seatrade Cruise for an exclusive tour of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ HANSEATIC spirit in London, the vessel a striking addition to the River Thames.
It was framed by The Shard, Western Europe’s tallest building, Tower Bridge, and more iconic landmarks.
Referring to the destinations visited by the 2021-built ship, Marcus Puttich, director destinations at Hamburg-based TUI Cruises, told Seatrade Cruise during the visit on October 9, ‘We are much more flexible due to the size of the vessel, which has capacity for 230 guests.’
Puttich explained that with their ice-strengthened hulls, sister ships HANSEATIC spirit, HANSEATIC nature and HANSEATIC inspiration can safely convey passengers to some of the most remote and inhospitable reaches of the globe. ‘With our expedition ships, we sail across the globe, offering a world cruise product, and voyages to the Arctic and Antarctic.’
HANSEATIC spirit in London. (PHOTO: SEATRADE CRUISE)
Bilingual voyages
On board, Puttich revealed that most of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' sailings have German-speaking guests on board, with the exception of two ships. Both HANSEATIC inspiration and luxury ship EUROPA 2 currently operate in two languages – English and German. These are very well received by international guests, with the potential for other ships to follow suit.
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is currently seeing an uplift from the non-German-speaking markets, while voyages to the Great Lakes are a top seller, also attracting passengers from the US and Canada.
Tailored to explorers and adventurers
The coolly lit HanseAtrium – a large space with ample seating filled with LED screens and a well-stocked bar – can be partitioned into two distinct areas via a dividing wall, if needed, allowing lectures to be held simultaneously in two different languages.
As for the onboard menu, a range of international dishes and destination-inspired cuisine can be found, while keeping in mind the preferences of German passengers (i.e. spice tolerance).
17 Zodiacs allow for adventure and discovery in areas off the beaten track. As for time spent aboard the vessel, HANSEATIC spirit is a far cry from the mainstream: beyond talks on marine biology and glaciers is an onboard laboratory filled with geological deep-sea nodules. It contains a large touchscreen display, as well as smaller touchscreens for individual use where passengers can learn about the destinations or participate in science quizzes.
Emma Bond, senior event manager, Seatrade Cruise in the ship's Ocean Academy science lab (PHOTO: SEATRADE CRUISE)
Piano music is performed on a Steinberg.
Alternatively, a large library featuring a bar is at passengers’ disposal.
Key destinations
In an industry first, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises began offering winter cruises to the Baltic three years ago. The innovative concept of the Indian Summer route to Swedish and Finnish Lapland by HANSEATIC spirit in autumn 2021 – a first in expedition cruising – was recognised at the 2022 Seatrade Cruise Awards where the cruise line won the 'Expedition Cruise Initiative of the Year' category. ‘We have found that guests appreciate that, in addition to our Antarctic expeditions in winter, we also have a ship close to home. This allows them to experience the winter and its associated beauties on our ships without long flights,’ Puttich remarked.
The line is offering a number of sailings to the South Pacific, with Antarctic and South Pacific voyages among its most popular.
With more than 32 days at sea, the 'Semi-Circumnavigation Antarctica' is the longest journey where the ship is entirely self-sufficient, traveling from the tip of Tierra del Fuego, across Antarctica, to New Zealand.
Highlights
During the visit, Seatrade Cruise caught up with ship capt. Claas Fischer on the bridge to learn about the intricacies of navigating a vessel through stormy seas, how the composition of ice impacts the efficiency of the ship, wildlife sightings such as whales, penguins, or polar bears, environmental changes in polar regions, and more.
Capt. Claas Fischer with (L-R) Seatrade's Chiara Giorgi, global brand & event director; Victoria Philpot, senior account manager; Emma Bond, senior event manager; Mary Bond, group director; Sheleena Latona, event executive; Upali Tamang, marketing manager; Sofia Rogers, junior sustainability lead. (PHOTO: SEATRADE CRUISE)
Part of the experience additionally involved a look at the ship’s changing areas and outdoor clothing/facilities for passengers visiting terrain by Zodiac, followed by a sneak peek inside the gym and spa areas to observe the effective utilisation of space in the design.
The group then dived into seeing the different categories of cabins and suites available, and the amenities found in each.
A stroll along the pool deck and dining areas were additional highlights, with the Seatrade Cruise team marvelling at the vessel’s retracting glass floor giving passengers the feeling of being suspended over terrain for superb views below.
The event, which kicked off with a glass of champagne, concluded with a mouthwatering three-course meal with wine pairing.
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