Five Years in Service Celebrated by Hanseatic Nature

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises’ Hanseatic Nature recently marked its five-year anniversary. The expedition ship, built by the VARD shipyard, was delivered in late April 2019. After a christening ceremony at the port of Hamburg, Germany, the Hanseatic Nature welcomed its first guests on May 5, 2019. 

For its inaugural voyage, the 230-guest ship embarked on an expedition cruise to remote areas of Scotland. Hapag-Lloyd stated that the itinerary highlighted a “lesser-known part of Europe,” with visits to the Hebrides, Orkney Islands, and Shetland Islands. The one-way journey to Norway concluded in Bergen.

Throughout its first season, the Hanseatic Nature conducted a series of summer expeditions to the Arctic and Northern Europe. The 16,100-ton vessel later repositioned to Antarctica for the 2019-20 winter season expeditions.

As the first of three sister ships, the Hanseatic Nature was the first expedition ship built new for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. Constructed by the VARD shipyard, the luxury vessel includes special features such as a fleet of zodiac boats, an ice-strengthened hull, and advanced green technologies like scrubbers and shore power connections. With an interior design inspired by nature, the Hanseatic Nature boasts three restaurants, a large spa, and a spacious aft marina for water sports. 

In 2024, the ship is scheduled to offer itineraries to Iceland, Greenland, Spitsbergen, and the Canary Islands before heading to Antarctica in November. The Hanseatic Nature will also sail to South Georgia, the Falkland Islands, and South America, providing a winter season in the Antarctic region.

In 2025, the itinerary program includes cruises to the Amazon Rainforest. These expeditions will navigate the Amazon River, visiting remote locations in Brazil, Peru, and Colombia. The vessel will also offer itineraries in Northern Europe, the Atlantic, and the Baltic, visiting places such as the Norwegian Fjords, the Kiel Canal, London, and the Azores in 2025.