September 15, 2022 - Winner in the Expedition Cruise Initiative of the Year category. IAwarded innovative route to Swedish and Finnish Lapland.
At yesterday's Seatrade Cruise Med award ceremony in Málaga, Spain, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises successfully asserted itself in the category "Expedition Cruise Initiative of the Year". The jury, consisting of experts from the international cruise industry, thus recognized the innovative concept of the Indian Summer route to Swedish and Finnish Lapland on the HANSEATIC spirit in autumn 2021 - a real premiere in expedition cruises.
MS Europe 2 in Kiel
“The award confirms our daily work of exploring new shores and creating special experiences for our guests with our small ships. Our expedition voyages in European waters are unique and show that new territory can be discovered without having to travel long distances. We see great potential for the future here. I would like to thank our crew and my colleagues on land for their unbridled passion and creativity. Only together and with our committed local partners, the ports and destinations, can we offer our guests these extraordinary routes,” says Julian Pfitzner, CEO Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.
The restricted shipping areas during the pandemic challenged the provider of expedition and luxury cruises Hapag-Lloyd Cruises to show its high expertise in routing. Shortly after the HANSEATIC spirit was put into service in the summer of 2021, the third newbuild of the expedition class went on its first expedition to the still undiscovered North Sea of the Baltic Sea. In the Gulf of Bothnia, the small, agile ship continued the pioneering tradition of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and explored the foliage of the "Ruska", the Nordic Indian summer. "Ruska" derives from the Sami word "ruškat" and refers to the Finnish word ruskea, which means brown. It describes the colorful season, which is very popular with Scandinavians and largely unknown. The coasts and forests are colorful and atmospheric during these short weeks. Nature lovers appreciate the tranquility and the play of light that accompany this time.