Karl WP Beyer December 16, 2021 - The VASCO DA GAMA 2022/23 program includes classic destinations on the western and northern European coasts as well as on the Canary Islands, the Mediterranean and the Baltic states, but also special travel destinations such as Cape Verde and West Africa. If you want to get a taste of the cruise air and get to know the ship, you will get your money's worth with the short trips along the North and Baltic Sea coasts
VASCO DA GAMA at the Ostseekai
It goes into the distance again: In the footsteps of great seafarers stands out nicko cruises in the 2022/23 season with VASCO DA GAMA in the sea and heads for the most beautiful cities and islands along the European and African coasts. It is not for nothing that the classically beautiful ocean-going ship is named after one of the greatest explorers of all time. The catalog with the new trips is now available online and in printed form and the tours for the 2022/23 season can be found at, for example E-hoi get booked. The Stuttgart cruise expert gave the first glimpses at a digital press conference on Wednesday. In keeping with the Portuguese seafaring tradition, the ocean-going ship, which is designed for only 1.000 guests, travels between October 2022 and October 2023 on exciting routes between the North Cape and Cape Verde. "The special thing about the trips with VASCO DA GAMA 2022/23 are the long lay times. When other cruise ships have long since left, our guests can still enjoy the evening flair in Barcelona, Dublin or on Santorini and stroll through the alleys while the sun slowly sinks into the sea. In some cities like Casablanca, Lisbon or Amsterdam we even lie overnight, "says Guido Laukamp, Managing Director of nicko cruises. Families are particularly welcome on board VASCO DA GAMA. Many travel dates have been coordinated with the German holiday periods. There are also family cabins , an extra drinks package for "kids & teens" and a supervised children's area that extends over two decks. Family excursions also complete the offer on land.
Classic with a new focus: Travel to the Mediterranean
n November 2022 and from March to May 2023, VASCO DA GAMA is on the move in the Mediterranean. The trips take the guests to the beginnings of European history. The western Mediterranean shows itself in spring with its diverse flora and fauna: Picturesque islands such as Menorca or Corsica alternate with picturesque ports and historic cities, for example on a nine-day trip from Mallorca via Melilla, Cartagena, Valencia, Menorca and Porto Empedocle to Malta or on an eight-day trip from Marseille to Barcelona with stops in St. Tropez, Cannes , Nice and two cities in Corsica.
In the eastern Mediterranean, travelers walk in the footsteps of the ancient Greeks. Destinations such as Crete, Santorin or Mykonos, for example, are waiting on an eight-day route from Malta to Athens. Greek gods and their myths accompany guests continuously on the journey and archaeological sites such as Olympia and the Palace of Knossos tell the story of ancient Greece.
The emerald coast of Sardinia, Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera and the Côte d'Azur are on the program on an eight-day trip from Rome via Sardinia, Elba, Livorno, La Spezia and Nice to Marseille. Extended berthing times in all ports from morning to evening offer time for Italian culture, enjoyment, relaxation and shopping. Fascinating cultural treasures between Istanbul and Athens and the highlights of the sun-drenched Aegean Sea, on the other hand, await you on an eleven-day trip via Kepez, Kusadasi, Bodrum, Rhodes, Santorin and Mykonos. The holidaymakers can look forward to ancient sites, imposing churches and monumental palaces.
Full sun instead of dreary winter: island worlds in the Atlantic
Those who prefer to flee to warmer climes in winter can explore the diversity of the island worlds in the Atlantic on board VASCO DA GAMA from November 2022 to February 2023. The flower island Madeira and the Canary Islands welcome their guests with consistently good weather. You can explore the islands of eternal spring in detail, for example on a 17-day cruise with a detour to the Moroccan coast from / to Gran Canaria via La Gomera, Tenerife, Casablanca, Madeira and Lanzarote. In front of Gran Canaria and Lanzarote as well as in the metropolis of Casablanca the ship even lies overnight, which leaves enough space for individual tours. On the African mainland, vacationers see exotic markets and Moroccan architecture.
It's always summer on Cape Verde, too. With extended stays from early morning to evening in Santo Antão, São Vicente, Sal, Boa Vista and Santiago, for example, travelers on a 15-day cruise from / to Gran Canaria have enough time to enjoy the pristine nature and lush vegetation of the archipelago leave. Giraffes and other wild animals can also be seen in their natural habitat near Dakar in the Bandia nature reserve.
On a ten-day trip from Gran Canaria to Mallorca, you will travel from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. Guests can expect a mix of island and coastal hopping, the three most beautiful national parks in the Canary Islands on Tenerife, Lanzarote and La Gomera, oriental flair in Casablanca, Essaouira and Rabat as well as Spanish history in Cádiz, the oldest city in Western Europe.
City trips and natural spectacles: Western Europe, Northern Europe and the Baltic States
In October and November 2022 and from the end of May to October 2023, VASCO DA GAMA is on five routes along the coasts of Western Europe, on three routes to Northern Europe and also on three routes in the Baltic States.
The trips along the Western European coasts are characterized by culture and contrasts between metropolises such as Amsterdam, Edinburgh or Dublin and small port cities such as St. Peter Port or Honfleur. For example, landscapes like in a picture book await holidaymakers on the 17-day trip with comfortable start and finish in Kiel and Bremerhaven via Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Belfast, Liverpool and Portsmouth. Once around the Iberian Peninsula and along the western Atlantic coast to Germany, on the other hand, a 15-day trip from Barcelona via Cádiz, Lisbon, Porto, Saint-Malo, Honfleur and Bruges to Hamburg.
Fjords, glaciers and colorful cities await guests of nicko cruises in northern Europe. Here nature is in the foreground. From Germany beyond the Arctic Circle, for example, there is a 14-day trip from Hamburg to Warnemünde with stops in Bergen, the famous Geirangerfjord, the Lofoten Islands, the North Cape and in Trondheim.
In the Baltic States, for example, vacationers can go on a journey through seven countries at the best travel time during the so-called "White Nights". In 13 days VASCO DA GAMA will travel from Warnemünde to Kiel and will make stops in Riga, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm and Bornholm on the way. The ship also lies overnight in St. Petersburg and Stockholm. The trip through the Stockholm archipelago, which guests experience on the two twelve-day routes from / to Kiel, is a real travel highlight.
To get to know: Trial trips in the North and Baltic Seas
VASCO DA GAMA in front of Bornholm
For all those who want to get to know the classically beautiful ocean-going ship VASCO DA GAMA or who want to escape everyday life for a little break, nicko cruises is offering a five- and four-day taster cruise in the North and Baltic Seas in September 2023.
On the five-day trip from Hamburg to Kiel, guests start their short vacation with the Hamburg Cruise Days with an event highlight. On board VASCO DA GAMA, travelers experience the exit from Hamburg across the Elbe in a convoy with other ships during the Cruise Days Parade. Then it goes to Gothenburg, the second largest city in Sweden. Entering the Gothenburg archipelago is a special experience here.
On the four-day trip from Kiel to Bremerhaven, short vacationers have plenty of time to relax and let themselves be pampered on board: A whole day at sea on VASCO DA GAMA is planned. In addition, a whole day into the evening awaits travelers in Copenhagen. The North Sea coast is convincing on the voyage around Denmark.
Discover the world with long lay times and lots of space
VASCO DA GAMA is not only named after one of the most famous explorers, it also brings its guests under the Portuguese flag to untouched places of longing, always with plenty of space, a manageable number of at most 1.000 guests and away from mass tourism. Nicko cruises has a comprehensive and proven infection control and hygiene concept with a 2G rule plus a rapid antigen test for guests and crew to ensure safe and comfortable travel in the current times.
For the time on board, the spacious indoor and outdoor areas offer space for individual relaxation. Five restaurants with flexible table times, seven bars, a wellness area with sauna, a fitness center and sports areas on the outside decks as well as a show theater and two pools await the guests - one of them is heated and can be used all year round with a sliding glass roof. Around 550 crew members ensure Portuguese hospitality. Those who like it quieter can retreat to their cabin. You can choose from a total of 16 cabin categories between 16 and 107 square meters - from inside cabins to outside cabins with windows or balconies to spacious suites.
VASCO DA GAMA also has an on-board hospital. All trips are accompanied by an experienced on-board doctor and competent medical staff. The trips with VASCO DA GAMA can also be booked for dialysis patients, the ship has a fully equipped dialysis station.
With the classically beautiful ocean-going ship, nicko cruises continues to focus on sustainable and future-oriented travel: VASCO DA GAMA runs on low-sulfur MGO (Marine Gasoil) and has received extensive technical upgrades, with which it not only meets the latest environmental requirements, but also for will meet the regulations in the area of wastewater disposal and emission reduction in the coming years.
