Hanseatic-Spirit

The 'Hanseatic Spirit' with approximately 200 passengers aboard got stuck in the ice on March 30, 2025, after leaving the port of Kemi afterup to 70 centimetres of ice accumulated in the Bothnian Bay. Seven icebreakers are currently in operation to support the merchant ships on their journeys to the Finnish and Swedish ports. Although the "Hanseatic Spirit" also has Polar Class 6 certification for ice navigation, it was unable to cope with the ice barriers off Kemi and Oulu. The Finnish Maritime Administration therefore sent the icebreakers "Kontio" and "Polaris" to the cruise ship, which opened up a channel in the ice and then escorted the "Hanseatic Spirit" southwards out of the ice zone at ten knots. After a transit of about 200 miles, the ice-free part of the Baltic Sea was reached near the port of Lulea. The ship is now on its way back to Hamburg. It is scheduled to pass through the Kiel Canal on April 4, which will also mark the end of Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' last winter cruise of the 2024/2025 season. Report with photos: https://www.cruisehive.com/cruise-ship-rescued-after-getting-stuck-in-the-ice/167582

The HANSEATIC spirit, the third expedition class newbuild for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, which was delivered by the Norwegian VARD shipyard at the end of June, is to be christened on August 24. This time the naming ceremony will take place near the North Sea island of Heligoland as part of a five-day voyage that will start and end in Hamburg. In addition to the christening guests on board, the Heligoland and island guests are invited to attend the naming ceremony. More details: https://www.cruisedeck.de/hanseatic-spirit-hochsee-taufe-vor-helgoland/

Hapag-Lloyd cruises have taken over the HANSEATIC spirit, third expedition class cruise ship, from VARD, Tomrefjord, Norway. Full article: https://www.cruisedeck.de/hanseatic-spirit-abgeliefert/