Hapag-Lloyd's First Luxury Expedition Cruise Ship for English-Speaking Passengers to be Christened in Hamburg

(5:40 p.m. EDT) -- The christening of Hapag-Lloyd's brand-new luxury expedition ship, Hanseatic Inspiration, will take place at the Port of Hamburg on Friday, October 11, 2019.

The christening, which had previously been set two days later in the port of Antwerp, Belgium -- will be attended by invited guests who will take in the naming ceremony from Zodiacs floating around the ship to reflect the ship's expedition nature.

The 230-passenger ship is the second of three new expedition ships on order for Hapag-Lloyd and the first of the trio to be dedicated both to the English and German-speaking markets year-round. The first and third ships in this class, Hanseatic Nature and Hanseatic Spirit, offer voyages solely for German-speaking cruisers.  

"Our ships may travel all over the world, but Hamburg is and will remain our home port," said Karl J. Pojer, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. "It is therefore a very special occasion for us to be naming the Hanseatic Inspiration against the fantastic backdrop of the Port of Hamburg.

Hanseatic Inspiration will carry just 230 passengers (199 in polar regions), served by a crew of 175. Its maiden voyage will take place on October 14, 2019, sailing from Antwerp on a 15-day itinerary that visits the Channel Islands, Spain, Portugal's Algarve, Casablanca and Madeira before concluding in Tenerife.

The ship contains a number of new ecologically-friendly features, including cold ironing and an SCR catalytic converter, an advanced emissions-control technology. From July 2020, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' entire expedition fleet will transition to low-pollutant marine gas fuel oil.

Hanseatic Inspiration joins Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' flagship, Europa 2, in offering year-round sailings dedicated to the English and German-speaking markets.