Following yesterday’s news that P&O Australia will bid farewell to Pacific Dawn and Pacific Aria in 2021, comes news today that the two ships will join the fleet of British-based Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV).
CMV Group will take delivery of P&O Australia’s Pacific Dawn and Pacific Aria in Singapore on 2 March and 2 May 2021 respectively, increasing CMV’s fleet to eight ships. Both ships will be officially re-named in mid-2021, following dry docking in Singapore where some minor upgrades will be completed, and the ships’ livery updated. The vessels will then embark on maiden positioning voyages via the Suez Canal to Northern Europe.
Pacific Dawn (to be renamed) will be deployed to the UK market in late May 2021, bolstering much-needed capacity and cruising year-round alongside Columbus ex-London Tilbury.
Pacific Aria (to be renamed) will be deployed to the German market under the TransOcean Kreuzfahrten brand with a much-needed increase in capacity, cruising alongside Vasco da Gama and replacing the 580 passenger Astor. Astor is being re-named Jules Verne and will be re-deployed to the French market in May 2021.
CEO Christian Verhounig commented, “The introduction of two more ships to the global ocean fleet is the next exciting chapter of our strategic growth objectives. This will enable us to service increasing market demand for our traditional brand of cruising, generated by our expanding international network of in-house sales offices and developing source markets. We have now acquired five cruise ships in just five years and are firmly on course in carrying 200,000 passengers in 2021.”
The inaugural 2021 programs will go on sale via travel trade and CMV’s international sales offices and websites during Q1-2020, with special 2021 launch incentives planned to encourage early bookings.
IMAGE: Pacific Dawn
