Hapag-Lloyd Cruises holds spectacular naming ceremony for HANSEATIC inspiration

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has celebrated the arrival of HANSEATIC inspiration, the second of three new expedition ships, with a colourful naming ceremony in the port of Hamburg.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has officially welcomed HANSEATIC inspiration to their fleet of luxury expedition ships with a colourful ceremony on the river Elbe in Hamburg. During the exclusive event some 230 guests boarded rubber boats and launches to witness a naming ceremony perfectly in keeping with expedition cruises.

Guests were treated to a multimedia show which took them on a virtual cruise to the most remote corners of the world, leaving the bustling city behind to visit the Arctic, the Antarctic and the Amazon. Icy landscapes, whales, penguins, green jungle oases, colourful birds and many other landscapes and creatures were projected through 3D mapping onto the outside of the ship, leaving the audience feeling like true explorers.

Godmother Laura Dekker, the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe single-handed, released the mechanism for the traditional champagne bottle from a pontoon placed in the water for the occasion.

Godmother Laura Dekker, Karl J. Pojer, CEO Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and Captain Ulf Wolter during the christening ceremony for HANSEATIC inspiration

“Today’s naming ceremony has given our guests a taste of the expedition cruises which they can experience on the HANSEATIC inspiration from now on. The second ship in our new expedition class is a further milestone in our company’s history. With these three new ships, we are positioning ourselves in the exclusive 5-star expedition segment – as already demonstrated by the HANSEATIC nature”, said Karl J. Pojer, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

Following the naming ceremony Captain Ulf Wolter and his crew set sail for Antwerp (Belgium) from where the HANSEATIC inspiration will begin her maiden voyage. The 15-day route will take the 139 m (456 ft) long and 22 m (72 ft) wide ship to Tenerife with stops in La Coruna, Lisbon, Casablanca and Madeira, among others.

The HANSEATIC inspiration offers 5-star service to a maximum of 230 guests – or just 199 guests on Antarctic cruises and circumnavigations of Spitsbergen. The new ship is 139 m (456 ft) long and 22 m (72 ft) wide and has some 175 crew members on board.

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