On the eve of the premium cruise ship Astor’s departure from London Tilbury to commence her second full Australian summer season, Cruise & Maritime Voyages welcomes a new ship to its fleet.
CMV is excited to announce the addition of Grand Holiday, from the Costa Crociere cruise line, as its new flagship vessel.
The 1250 passenger, 46,052grt ship will be renamed Magellan, after the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, and will operate as an adult only (16 years and over) ship. She becomes the biggest ship in the CMV ocean fleet, joining the 620-passenger Astor, the Marco Polo (800 passenger) and Azores (550 passenger).
Magellan is scheduled to begin operating itineraries out of the UK in 2015.
CMV is enjoying growing demand in all of its ships and the introduction of Magellan will increase UK capacity by 40 per cent, up to 74,000 passengers annually. Already, 65 per cent of CMV’s 2015 UK itineraries have been sold. CMV also operates the European river cruise ships Bellefleur, Bellejour and Belvedere.
“The introduction of Magellan to our growing ocean fleet is another important milestone in the expansion and strategic development of the Group’s presence in the UK and wider international markets which will increase overall capacity to 115,000 passengers,” Christian Verhounig, CEO and Chairman of CMV explained, “The CMV brand is now creating much wider recognition and we remain confident that our medium to longer term growth objectives will be achieved.”
Special introductory fares with savings of up to 50 per cent, plus a single supplement deal for the solo market, are a part of the launch offering. Magellan’s maiden CMV voyage will be a 12-night cruise to Iceland and the Faroes for the Solar Eclipse and Northern Lights, sailing from London Tilbury on Sunday, March 15, 2015. She will also be sailing from Newcastle Tyne.
Magellan will be cruising to the Amazon in winter 2016.
Meanwhile, Astor leaves London Tilbury on Wednesday (November 5) and will sail for 38-nights, via South Africa, Reunion and Mauritius, before arriving into Western Australia on December 13. She will run 17 itineraries from Fremantle, ranging from one night to the 33-night Grand Round Australia Voyage, before departing WA on March 16, 2015, on her Northern Voyage back to London.
CMV has also announced several itinerary changes, such as Azores ex-Liverpool summer season, an 11-night Autumn Mediterranean fly cruise series, plus a second Marco Polo 34-night Autumn Commemorative voyage to Canada. Marco Polo will embark on a new 54-night voyage to Brazil, Argentina and Chile and Tierra del Fuego.
See your travel agent or visit CMV’s new website at: www.cmvaustralia.com
SOURCE: CMV