I just received information from Hapag Lloyd on the 2012/2013 Expedition Cruises, and have the latest on what itineraries the MS Hanseatic and MS Bremen will be sailing. The Hanseatic, the world’s only 5-star expedition ship (184 passengers), and the Bremen, a 4-star expedition ship (164 passengers), will be offering 12 international (English/German) itineraries next season, including travel in Antarctica, the Northwest Passage, Greenland, Spitsbergen, Norway, the Amazon, the South Seas and New Zealand.
There will also be new ports of call in Madagascar and Mozambique, and a maiden voyage through the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia’s Far East.
The line promotes their cruises as an educational experience; consequently, they have a team of onboard experts that include scientists, expedition leaders and specialists who guide landings and offer guests the rare opportunity to observe plant and animal life up close.
Here’s what Hapag-Lloyd has to say about these new itineraries:
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 Islands, natural sanctuaries for songbirds, birds of prey, seals and sea otters.
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.
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.
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.