MS HANSEATIC with New Cabins and Featuring the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises Colours

•     Extensive shipyard renovations
•     New cabins with modern design on two decks

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is visually unifying the appearance of its fleet. After a 13-day-ship yard stay at Blohm & Voss in Hamburg/ Germany, the HANSEATIC now features the Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' characteristic colors, an orange and blue band, as well as an orange funnel with the cruise lines logo. The comprehensive shipyard stay consisted of more than 780 items, among them, the renovation and modernization of two cabin decks, the buffet restaurant, and the sauna and pool area. The ship returns into service on June 10, 2011.

"With the charter contract for the HANSEATIC extended until 2018, we opted to add the visual unification of the fleet. Nevertheless, the legendary former logo of the HANSEATIC will be retained as a product logo on board", says Sebastian Ahrens, Managing Director of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, explaining the decision.

More than 400 shipyard employees worked in three shifts in order to implement the comprehensive modernisation plan, which included the fundamental renovation of the cabins on Deck 5 and Deck 6. Plenty of wood, new fabrics, furniture and carpeting helped to create a warm atmosphere, and now present a contemporary design for the HANSEATIC. The buffet restaurant Columbus Lounge also sparkles in a new color design and will now be called the "Bistro Lemaire." Further items include the modernization of the pool and sauna area, with a new steam sauna, as well as a multi-mode shower. In total, more than 11,482 sq. ft. of carpet, 621 gallons of paint and 3,937 sq. ft. of fabric were deployed in the context of the shipyard renovations.

New service options now available on the HANSEATIC include: worldwide mobile phone reception via OnAir, Wi-Fi in all cabins, an extended selection of international newspapers in full editions, as well as headsets for passengers during the excursions for better clarity for the experts to be heard.

Shining in new splendour, the HANSEATIC will set sail on 10 June for a four-day cruise from Hamburg via List/Sylt and Binz/Ruegen to Travemuende/ Germany.

Upcoming 2011 Expedition Cruises on the HANSEATIC:

NORTHWEST PASSAGE– A SHORTER ROUTE:

For the first time ever, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises is offering guests the opportunity to discover the fascination of the Arctic and the Northwest Passage on a shorter, 19-day cruise with MS HANSEATIC. Sailing through a smaller portion of the Northwest Passage, guests will follow the traces of Amundsen and Franklin and explore the ice coast of Greenland as well as the untouched island world in the north of Canada. The short itinerary departs from Kangerlussuaq/Greenland on August 14, 2011 and ends in Reykjavik/Iceland on September 2nd.

MAIDEN CALL – THE INDIAN OCEAN:

Guests will experience the heavenly and exotic island world between the Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius onboard the HANSEATIC in November/December 2011, making a new stop in Nosy Lakandava/Madagascar. This 14-day itinerary departs from Victoria/Mahe on November 22, 2011, and ends in Port Louis/Mauritius on December 5th.

MS HANSEATIC, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' small and beautifully appointed expedition ship, and the world's only 5-star expedition ship according to Berlitz Cruise Guide, was created to provide intensive exploration in the most elegant surroundings for a maximum of 184 passengers. The HANSEATIC is known worldwide for its unsurpassed abilities to navigate and explore difficult waters of the Arctic and Antarctic due to its highest ice class for passenger vessels (E4). The HANSEATIC cruises the world year round, landing in unusual and remote destinations. A shallow draft and high manoeuvrability allow the ship to enter waters larger cruise vessels cannot reach.

Further Information and pictures can be downloaded at www.hl-cruises.com/photos. For bookings, inquiries or to request a brochure, please look for your nearest sales agent in your country at www.hl-cruises.com, link customer service.