Monday 3 November 2014

Cruise & Maritime takes on 1,250-passenger Magellan as its new flagship



British-based Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) has acquired Grand Holiday which will begin ex-UK operations under the CMV livery in spring 2015.

She will be re-named Magellan and at 46,052grt will carry about 1,250 passengers becoming the new flagship of the CMV ocean fleet operating as an adult-only (16 years plus) ship alongside Marco Polo (800 passengers), Astor (600) and Azores (550). 

The ship originally entered service in 1985 as Holiday, sailing under the Carnival Cruise Line flag, and she still has the trademark Carnival whale-tail funnel - although CMV plan to carry out major surgery as the artists's impression (above) shows. More recently, she sailed for the Spanish operator Iberocruises, and earlier this year was used to provide hotel accommodation at the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Chris Coates, Commercial Director, said: “We are delighted to have secured this excellent addition to our fleet which we believe will be very well suited to our core British market. The introduction of Magellan will increase UK capacity by 40 per cent to 74,000 passengers. Having already sold 65 per cent of capacity for next year we remain confident that Magellan will help satisfy the growing demand for our product”.

Christian Verhounig, CEO and Chairman of CMV added: “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. The CMV brand is now creating much wider recognition and we remain confident that our medium to longer term growth objectives will be achieved”.

A new 2015 special launch edition brochure will be released tomorrow (4 November) detailing Magellan’s inaugural CMV summer 2015 and winter 2015-16 programme. Special introductory fares with savings of up to 50 per cent plus a 25 per cent single supplement deal for the solos market will be on offer to launch the programme. The 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 15 March. She will also be sailing from Newcastle-upon-Tyne.


Other programme changes include an Azores ex-Liverpool summer season and an 11 night Autumn Mediterranean fly cruise series plus a second Marco Polo 34 night Autumn Commemorative voyage to Canada. Magellan will be cruising to the Amazon in winter 2016 while Marco Polo will embark on a new 54 night voyage to Brazil, Argentina & Chile and Tierra del Fuego. 


Subscribe to World of Cruising magazine here          Follow us on Facebook 



Adventure Cruising blog

No comments:

Post a Comment