Hapag Lloyd’s small fleet of enchanting vessels offer some of the most intriguing itineraries to the four corners of the earth. The standards aboard Europa, Bremen, and Hanseatic are consistently excellent. Indeed, Europa which caries around 450 guests, has over the past few years, been acclaimed as the world’s number one cruise ship by The Berlitz Guide to Cruising with a ‘five star plus’ award. Fantastic onboard delivery is enhanced by outstanding and exciting itineraries.

The Hanseatic and Bremen are both smaller well appointed ships, never carrying more than 184 and 160 guests respectively, giving a feeling of space and calm on board. Both Hanseatic and Bremen are adventure ships, able to explore the last remaining frontiers of the earth owing to their strengthened hulls, manoeuvrability and shallow draught, opening up such areas as the Arctic, the Antarctic and the Amazon basin. Not only are these ships able to discover these remote and beautiful areas, but they do so with the philosophy of any intrepid explorer – to immerse yourself in the natural world and to care and protect all of the wonderment for future generations.

The only negative relating to Hapag Lloyd’s fleet is that in the past it has been unable to offer a true bilingual cruise experience, requiring a minimum number of English speakers on board before bringing this into operation. As a sign of their growing commitment to English speakers and the UK and American markets, Hapag Lloyd have recently introduced lectures, daily programmes, menus and announcements guaranteed to be in English on certain cruises – further enhancing the wonderful cruise experience that is delivered The selection of bilingual cruises has been further extended for 2008 & 2009. It spans the Mediterranean, South America, the Pacific Ocean, Australasia, the Arctic and Antarctica as well as the Baltic

The highlights of the programme are undoubtedly a wonderful 13 night Amazon River itinerary aboard Hanseatic starting in Iquitos on 30th April 2008 and ending in Belem, calling at such ports as Leticia in Columbia, Lago San Paulo, and Manaus in the heart of the rainforest. Hanseatic also boasts a very exciting Greenland and Spitsbergen voyage which departs from Norway’s Tromso on 22nd July 2008 and takes you through the wonderfully remote icy islands of Spitsbergen en route to Greenland. Lasting 15 nights, this is a rare opportunity to explore the region so comprehensively and in so much comfort aboard a traditional and stylish ship offering the highest levels of food and service.

MS Europa undertakes an unusual 13 night South Pacific sailing which encompasses Australia, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, Micronesia and Indonesia in what is sure to be a fascinating investigation of a rarely explored region. She departs on 22nd February 2008 from Cairns, sailing for Manila.

Bremen has some ambitious plans with her bi-lingual programme. Of particular interest is a rare semi-circumnavigation of Antarctica, starting in Bluff in New Zealand on the 14th January 2009 and sailing the path less travelled to Ushuaia over the course of 30 nights. You will make your way through pack ice, visiting various colonies of penguins, albatrosses, seals, sea lions and sea elephants where the ship’s zodiacs will take you close to the action. You will of course learn about the intriguing history of the region in such areas as Cape Adare where the Norwegian, Carsten Borchgrevink was the first person to set foot on the seventh continent in 1895 and Cape Evans and Cape Royds where at Mount Erebus the Scott and Shackleton expeditions had their base camps. Other highlights include the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Snares Island, seeing the Ross Ice Shelf, sailing McMurdo Sound, the South Shetland Islands and visiting the penguins indigenous to Petermann Island.

Obviously all Hapag Lloyd’s itineraries are hugely enhanced by the bi-lingual programme, which enables you not only to enjoy spectacular destinations in reassuring comfort, but also to benefit from an array of English-speaking expert guest lecturers.

For more information and for the full list of guaranteed bi-lingual cruises please call us