Adventure Cruising UK

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises announces the arrival of their March 2012 - May 2013 expedition brochure. Their small and beautifully appointed expedition ships, MS HANSEATIC and MS BREMEN, will be offering 12 international (English/German) itineraries next season.

They include travel in Antarctica, the Northwest Passage, Greenland, Spitsbergen, Norway, the Amazon, the South Seas and New Zealand. In addition, the expedition itineraries feature new ports of call in Madagascar and Mozambique and a maiden voyage through theSea of Okhotsk inRussia’s Far East. The HANSEATIC, the world’s only 5-star expedition ship and the BREMEN, a 4-star expedition ship, were created to provide intensive exploration in the most elegant surroundings for a maximum of 184 guests on the HANSEATIC and 164 guests on the BREMEN

Expedition Highlights 2012 – 2013 on the HANSEATIC and BREMEN:

SEA OF OKHOTSK - PREMIER EXPEDITIONS

For the first time, the HANSEATIC sets out to circumnavigate the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia’s Far East, taking guests to volcanoes, geysers and glaciers. Zodiac stops on the Sea of Okhotsk include: Iony, a tiny island populated by sea lions and Shantar Islands and Malminskie Islandsnatural sanctuaries for songbirds, birds of prey, seals and sea otters.

Trip Details from June 13-30, 2012, rates for this itinerary start at EUR 9.007 / GBP 6.310 / USD 10.810 per person/ based on double occupancy for an outside cabin

ISLANDS IN THE INDIAN OCEAN – MAIDEN CALLS:

Guests will experience lemurs in pristine nature, animals in the wild, and wonderful beaches on romantic coasts on the HANSEATIC through Mauritius, Madagascar, Mozambique and South Africa.This tropic 16-day adventure will make stops at six new ports along the route, which include stops in the following ports in Madagascar: Maroantsetra, Nosy Hara, Morondava, Nosy Ve,and Toliara and a first time stop in Mozambique, at the picturesque city of Ilha dos Portugueses.

Trip Details: from December 3-19, 2012, rates for this itinerary start at EUR 6.451 / GBP 4.520 / USD 7.750 per person/ based on double occupancy for an outside cabin

THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE: In 2012, the popular Northwest Passage will be offered onboard the HANSEATIC. It starts in Nome/Alaska amidst impressive testimonies of the Inuit culture before the HANSEATIC sails through the Canadian Arctic, the heart of the Northwest Passage and ends in Reykjavik/Iceland.

Trip Details: from August 14 - September 8, 2012, rates for this 25-day itinerary start at EUR 16.480 / GBP 11.540 / USD 19.780 per person/ based on double occupancy for an outside cabin

ANTARCTICA;Glaciers, icebergs, deep fjords and bays offer the setting for an unforgettable Antarctica expedition. In addition to observing bird colonies, guests will also have the opportunity to explore the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, bath in the hot springs on Deception Island and observe whales in the Antarctic Sound. All departs include round-trip airfare from Buenos Aires/Argentina to Ushuaia/Argentina. Dates and rates for the Antarctica cruises’ in late 2012 and early 2013: Trip Details: November 30 - December 15, 2012, on the BREMEN, rates starting at EUR 7.680 / GBP 5.380 / USD 9.220 per person/ based on double occupancy for an outside cabin

Trip Details: January 3 - 18, 2013, on the BREMEN, rates starting at EUR 8.580 / GBP 6.010 / USD 10.300 per person/ based on double occupancy for an outside cabin.

Trip Details: February 13 - March 3, 2013, on the HANSEATIC, rates starting at EUR 10.628 / GBP 7.440 / USD 12.760 per person/ based on double occupancy for an outside cabin.

Expedition Travel At Its Best:

Both ships are well equipped for travel in difficult waters, holding the highest ice class ranking for passenger vessels (E4). Also shallow drafts and high manoeuvrability allow the ships to enter waters larger cruise vessels cannot reach. Guests explore the world’s best-kept secrets in zodiacs (small motorized boats) with only 10-12 guests. Onboard experts include a team of experienced scientists, expedition leaders and specialists who guide landings and offer guests the rare opportunity to observe plant and animal life up close. However, what makes these expedition adventures standout for guests is the security of knowing that highly experienced captains are guiding the vessels and have together already traveled to the Arctic and Antarctica more than 200 times.

Educational experiences are the ultimate goals of the expedition trips. Thereby also, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is committed to promoting a responsible way of dealing with nature – among other efforts as a co-founder of the Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) and member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). In addition, the HANSEATIC and the BREMEN use low-emission diesel oil rather than heavy fuel oil on cruises to Antarctica, and have been doing so long before the introduction of the current, stricter regulations.

Further Information at http://www.hl-cruises.com/.