April 17 updates: Hapag-Lloyd ships head home, Falmouth and Harlingen offer shelter, France extends ban

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Hapag-Lloyd ships head home

Four of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' five ships are heading for Hamburg. Hanseatic Nature is due to arrive April 20, followed by Hanseatic Inspiration, Europa and Europa 2 on May 2.

Hanseatic Nature, currently in the North Atlantic after picking up crew members from two sister ships in Barbados, will visit Blohm+Voss for repair work together with Hanseatic Inspiration.

In Hamburg Europa will moor at O’Swaldkai and Europa 2 will berth in Altona, while Bremen will continue to remain anchored off Auckland, New Zealand.

Falmouth and Harlingen offer shelter

Cruise Europe member ports of Falmouth in Cornwall, UK, and Cruise Port Harlingen in the Netherlands have lay-by berths available for cruise ships. Falmouth can accommodate ships up to 235mtr length overall whilst Harlingen can accept a maximum of two cruise ships for a longer period of time, each up to a maximum length of 160mtr.

France extends cruise ship ban

The French decree of March 23 prohibiting stopovers of cruise ships with or without crew until April 15 has been extended to May 11.