Hanseatic Nature

The new deck tour at the bow offers extraordinarily intensive experiences: when whales jump for joy and polar bears take an icy bath, you will be the first to see these fascinating natural spectacles. 

The glass balcony beneath your feet allows you to hover above the water and reveals the endless expanse and beauty of the ocean. Watch whales and large porpoises as they follow the ship, thrilling you as they leap and swim. Being so close to creation is an indescribable feeling. 

Draw on our experts’ wealth of knowledge during their daily presentations in the HanseAtrium, the new multifunctional lounge with state-of-the-art technology. Visit the lounge to prepare for upcoming excursions and shed more light on impressions gained (so-called precaps and recaps). Discuss your latest discoveries, enjoy fascinating, relaxed film evenings or listen to our experts’ enthralling travel reports. In the evening, the HanseAtrium is transformed into an atmospheric bar where you can see out the day and reflect on your experiences. 

Library
You are welcome to borrow a book on board at any time. Our library is located in the Observation Lounge (Deck 8) and is stocked with a selection of the latest fiction books, travel literature and information about the cruising area.

Post
The Reception staff will post your postcards and letters from all ports where this facility is available. Your onboard account will be debited with the appropriate charges.

Announcements
To create the full expedition experience, commentaries are provided for interesting passages during the cruise and special animal sightings are reported. The ship’s position is reported in the morning on days at sea. We will also announce via the loudspeakers when the local authorities have cleared the ship and we can go ashore. The volume can be controlled individually in each cabin/suite.

Means of payment
The on-board currency is the euro. An account will be set up for you so that you can make cashless payments during the cruise. You can find out your current account balance at any time using the infotainment system in your cabin/suite. You can then settle the entire account at Reception at the end of your cruise. We accept German EC/Maestro cards and the following credit cards: Mastercard, American Express and Visa. You can also pay in cash. Please note that, in general, foreign currencies cannot be changed on board.

reception@hanseatic-nature.com

Feel like getting active? The fitness room and separate course room – both with an ocean view – can be used from morning to night. Our fitness coach will show you what to do and help you with the right movements. He or she will also answer any questions you may have about your health. A wide range of courses – on deck (weather permitting) or in the fitness room – will revive your spirit. Invigorated and relaxed, you are ready for your next adventure.

Wellness and beauty treatments in the spa will ease your muscles and help you relax. From professional partial- and full-body massages to classic cosmetic treatments and moments of indulgence for your hair, hands and feet, you are in the best possible place. Carefully selected natural products with premium plant ingredients and vegan formulas enhance your beauty while helping to preserve the environment. Holistic. Natural. Sustainable.

Thanks to its flexible canopy, the pool area with bar can be enjoyed whatever the weather. Water loungers and a counter-current system offer pure relaxation. 

Earn your sea legs

"Landlubbers" will be made into little "mariners" on board - visit the captain on the bridge and take part in question-and-answer sessions with the officers for exciting insights into seafaring - from reading nautical and bathymetric charts to navigating and using the radar and sonar.

Broaden your horizons

See the raw materials of the sea with your own eyes. For example, research ore that is millions of years old under the microscope as you study geological marine deposits. Studying microfossils under the microscope also provides compelling insights into the history of the oceans.

Enjoy XXL holiday fun

Roll the cameras for the cinema evening - just for kids. With popcorn, of course. Order a pizza with the works during the pizza evening. And if you're a talented scout, you might have a chance at winning the rally through the ship. Full of variety! As holidays should be.

Children up to and including 11 years of age travel for free, and children aged 12 to 15 pay GBP 80 per night. This applies to Categories 2 to 8 if a child is staying in the same cabin together with a fully paying guest, and in Category 9 or 10 if a child is staying in the same suite with two people paying the full price. 

A Grand Suite (Cat. 10) can also be occupied by two children and two people paying the full price. In “Voyages for Young Explorers”, children aged 12 to 17 pay GBP 180 per night – this includes a special on-board programme (www.hl-cruises.com/young-explorers). The age of the child on the date of departure is decisive.

Draw on our experts’ wealth of knowledge during their daily presentations in the HanseAtrium, the new multifunctional lounge with state-of-the-art technology. Visit the lounge to prepare for upcoming excursions and shed more light on impressions gained (so-called precaps and recaps). Discuss your latest discoveries, enjoy fascinating, relaxed film evenings or listen to our experts’ enthralling travel reports. In the evening, the HanseAtrium is transformed into an atmospheric bar where you can see out the day and reflect on your experiences.

A large Study Wall and an interactive Study Poster display the latest fascinating articles and information on disciplines. A separate area with binocular microscopes allows you to discover natural wonders, together with your experts, that cannot be seen with the naked eye. And whenever inquisitiveness takes hold, sit back in a comfortable Study Seat with a swivel touchscreen and immerse yourself in the world of science – away from the presentations and scheduled events. 

On our expeditions, the Zodiacs are often lowered into the water several times a day. These expedition rubber boats can take you ashore whenever there is no harbour. A sense of pure adventure is never far behind. You will discover nature from a unique perspective in small groups and with no long waiting times.

Please note, this is subject to additional charges.

Conquer the polar waters by kayak in small groups of no more than twelve participants. We offer tours with instruction from an experienced kayak guide on selected cruises on our new expedition ships. These excursions are ideal for beginners with previous experience.  

Your experts will accompany the hikes and landings and draw your attention to details that often go unnoticed by an untrained eye. Snowshoe hiking in Antarctica is a very special experience. Not only will you enjoy spectacular views, you will gain deep insights into the wonders of our planet.

Whales up ahead? Disko Bay in sight? About to pass through the Kiel Canal? Expedition highlights are particularly spectacular under an open sky – and your experts will always be present on the many open deck spaces to provide background information and valuable details that you won’t find in any guidebook. Yearning to explore a specific topic? The experts will be delighted to answer your questions – the thirstier you are for knowledge, the better. After all, what would an expedition be without curiosity?

Exciting and informative: our experts are the perfect accompaniment for your expedition and provide you with invaluable knowledge on board and ashore. Benefit from their inexhaustible know-how during Zodiac rides and landings, in fascinating presentations and personal conversations.

Broadening horizons: whenever possible, you will head ashore and out in the Zodiacs with our experts. This reveals exciting background information and trains you to spot extraordinary things that other travellers would miss. Priceless if this fixes your attention to a particular experience just at the right moment.

A new perspective on nature and culture: complex links and scientific research are made understandable with “living” examples. Our experts have visited each destination many times and conducted in-depth studies and research or written about them in books. As a result, they serve as travel companions, field guides and bridges between cultures.

Our expedition ships as a place of learning: as part of short excursions together and on plenty of Zodiac rides with your experts, you will gain exciting insights and learn new information. On board, interesting exhibits turn into exciting research subjects. Examining, discussing and looking under the microscope will quench your thirst for knowledge.

For these great seafarers, the waterways of the world’s oceans were unpredictable routes filled with unknown perils. Today, the uncertainties and hardships of earlier explorers have given way to the many years of experience of the people on board our expedition ships. However, the passion for new destinations has remained and will ensure unforgettable moments during your expeditions.

The 85th line of latitude – 480 km from the North Pole. Thick fields of pack ice cover the water. There seems no way of getting through this untouched landscape of ice with its bizarre floe shapes. But thanks to the long-time experience of the people on board – the captain, officers, expedition leaders and cruise directors – even spectacular routes like the Northeast Passage will be conquered. They know where to find the most beautiful aspects of the polar regions.

On board

SCR catalysts - Special SCR catalysts clean the exhaust gases produced and reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by almost 95 %. Our new expedition ships and the EUROPA 2 are fitted with these devices.

Water management - Freshwater is a precious resource wherever you go, but particularly at sea, which is why we use a special osmosis system to convert seawater into freshwater. Removing the salt from the seawater allows it to be used for these and many other purposes. Biological sewage treatment plants clean the waste water produced on board. Only clear water is pumped back into the ocean; any sewage sludge is appropriately disposed of on shore.

Paint - The underwater paint used on our ships is free from tributyltin compounds (TBT), which can disrupt the hormone balance in various marine organisms.

Energy Management - We are also optimising energy consumption beyond the ships’ engines through smart management and LED lighting, for example.

Cold ironing - With the exception of the EUROPA and BREMEN, our ships are equipped for cold ironing.

Optimised hull - The optimised hull – installed in the EUROPA 2 and the HANSEATIC class while they were still in the shipyard – allows us to use up to 18 % less fuel and reduce emissions.

Optimised rudder - A PROMAS rudder with special propeller improves the efficiency of the drive in our new ships – helping us to consume less fuel and reduce emissions.

The oceans must be protected, not least because they provide us with 70 % of our oxygen – far more than forests, for example. Oxygen is produced by plankton, microbes and above all by algae. Plastic waste is collected separately on board our ships and sent for recycling on land. And yet there is more we can do: we are reducing the unnecessary use of plastic on all cruises, foregoing plastic bags, straws and cocktail stirrers and using alternatives made from wood.

We are using sustainable alternatives to plastic in other areas, too: the kayaks on board our new expedition ships are made from HTP, a particularly high-quality and long-lasting polyethylene. No waste is created when the boat hulls are manufactured – and the manufacturer takes them back free of charge for recycling.

Avoiding top speeds

The less fuel we consume, the fewer emissions enter the air. The ideal ton of fuel is one that goes unused. Luckily, there is a simple formula we have been using for some time: by avoiding top speeds, we save an above-average amount of fuel. Four knots can save no less than 40 %. And guests can relax a little more as they enjoy the wonders along the route.

Efficient route planning

Careful route planning also helps to optimise fuel consumption. Wherever possible, we choose the shortest route between two destinations. Of course, we don’t want our guests to miss out on any highlights: our routes set standards and offer unique experiences and will continue to do so in future.

Foregoing heavy fuel oil

Beautifully untouched, the most remote corners of our world deserve particular protection. When cruising in the Arctic, Antarctic, Kamchatka, Greenland, Alaska and Hawaii, we therefore use low-pollutant marine gas oil and have been consistently foregoing heavy fuel oil in some cruising areas for more than 26 years – despite considerable additional costs and – in some areas - no legal requirements. A responsible attitude to the environment is one of our highest priorities, and so now we are going one step further: from July 2020, our entire fleet will run solely on low-sulphur marine gas oil with a sulphur content of 0.1 % in all cruising areas and for every single nautical mile.

New regulations from January 2020 – in line with IMO

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) does not focus solely on protecting the oceans – it also aims to ensure a significant reduction in air pollution: by 2050 global CO₂ emissions by ships are to be reduced by at least 50 %. Strict limits are already in place in Emission Control Areas (ECAs) – a form of environmental zone – for the sulphur content of fuel and the emission of nitrogen oxides, for example. From 2020, ship emissions both within and outside ECAs may have a maximum sulphur content of 0.5 %. This is significantly lower than the average of 3.5 % in conventional heavy fuel oil. Naturally, we are adjusting the fuel used by our ships in line with this new specification.

Protecting flora and fauna

Our ships use ballast water tanks to help maintain an optimal position in the water at all times - regardless of our fuel levels, the number of guests on board or how many provisions we are carrying. These tanks can be used to take on and get rid of seawater to adjust the weight as necessary. Naturally, the water brought on board will contain smaller organisms such as algae and jellyfish. These would normally travel in the tanks for many nautical miles and then be released in another location the next time the ballast water is exchanged. This runs the risk of introducing them to foreign ecosystems where they could disturb the sensitive balance of flora and fauna. To reliably prevent this from happening, all our ships have a ballast water treatment system, which plays an important role in protecting ecologically sensitive regions. Binding legal standards are expected to be introduced in 2021 - requirements that we are already meeting voluntarily and on principle.

Codes of conduct in protected regions

We plan shore excursions to ensure the protection of local flora and fauna. At the same time, our scientists on board educate guests to adopt a responsible approach to nature. Rules have been established for shore excursions in the polar regions. The German Federal Environment Agency has issued two sets of guidelines for cruises to the Antarctic on particular aspects to be noted; these include avoiding unnecessary noise, maintaining a minimum distance from animals and heeding conservation areas.

CleanUp Svalbard

Whenever we visit Spitsbergen, we get involved in the "Clean Up Svalbard" initiative, joining our guests to collect the rubbish - mainly plastic - that washes up on the coast of Spitsbergen. This allows us to make a direct, personal contribution to preserving the region's unique nature

By taking guests and crew on tours of the engine room, captains and senior officers increase awareness of the environmental protection measures on board. In addition, scientists and experts include recommendations for environmentally conscious behaviour in their presentations, particularly for visits to fragile ecosystems.

Many guests return from their cruise to the Arctic or Antarctic determined to help preserve this unique wilderness – evolving from tourists into environmental ambassadors.

TUI Care Foundation

We want the regions that we and our guests visit to benefit from tourism. To make the greatest possible impact, we bundle all our commitments into the TUI Care Foundation.* This initiates and supports projects that offer new prospects to young people around the world, protect nature and the environment, and promote the sustainable development of holiday destinations. The foundation focuses on the potential of the tourism sector to drive social development, education and prosperity.

Your ship has a modern, well-equipped ship’s hospital (Deck 3) under the supervision of an experienced ship’s doctor. Guests who are being treated for any medical condition should contact the ship’s doctor directly after embarkation. It is important to bring any medications required on board with you in sufficient quantities in your hand luggage. In the case of an accident caused by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises or its staff members either on board or during a shore activity organised by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, treatment is provided free of charge. Treatment for seasickness is subject to a charge if you make use of our medical services. We offer thrombosis prevention medication on board if required (subject to a charge). A fee is charged for medical treatment by a doctor in accordance with the valid German medical fee schedule (GOA). The costs for any treatment or medication will be charged to your on-board account. At the end of the cruise, you will receive a separate invoice to submit to your health insurance provider.

In indoor areas, smoking is only permitted in the Invisible-Lounge (Deck 4). Outdoors, there is a designated smoking area on the portside near the pool. Smoking is not permitted on the private balcony/veranda of your cabin/suite. When on deck, please always use an ashtray and never throw burning cigarettes overboard as they could be blown back by the wind and cause a fire. Please do not smoke pipes, cigarillos or cigars in any places other than the InvisibleLounge.

Important information: The HANSEATIC inspiration is a fully non-smoking ship. This applies to all interior areas as well as on deck, including the private balconies and verandas.

If you suffer from allergies or have special dietary requirements, please let us know in advance so that we can pass this information on to the relevant people.

Email:  salesteam@hl-cruises.com

The atmosphere on board during the day is casual. For the evening, we recommend casual-elegant attire.

Minimum age: six years

Age recommendation for voyages for young discoverers: 10 to 17 years

HANSEATIC nature, HANSEATIC spirit and HANSEATIC inspiration offer a laundry, dry-cleaning and ironing service. Please contact your cabin stewardess. 

Your personal mobile device will give you direct Internet access in your cabin/suite and throughout the ship. If necessary, you are welcome to borrow a tablet from Reception at no charge (limited availability, advance reservation not possible). Internet usage is free of charge for one hour per guest per day.

This service depends on satellites and cannot always be guaranteed due to the weather and the ship’s position, in particular in extremely northerly and southerly cruising areas. In extreme regions, such as the Northeast/Northwest Passage, the Arctic and Antarctica, the Internet, e-mail and telephone service may not be available on a daily basis due to satellite positioning.

The private use of drones is not permitted on board our expedition ships. This applies during the cruise and during lay times in port, as well as at landing points in remote regions. In polar regions like the Arctic and Antarctic, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises places great value on respecting international agreements to protect sensitive natural environments and the animal kingdom in particular. The private use of drones is therefore also strictly prohibited ashore in these regions. In other regions of the world, approval for the use of drones ashore must be explicitly granted by the relevant authorities. These applications must be made by the passengers individually and without any intervention by Hapag-Lloyd Cruises. As well as a drone licence, which users must acquire in their country of origin, the relevant approval must be available for presentation at all times. Please take these instructions seriously, since passengers who are in breach of these regulations and licensing requirements will be liable to prosecution. 

Remember to bring your sunglasses, sun cream, camera equipment and any extra memory storage and charging cables you need (all cabins/suites have a USB connection). If you wear glasses, it is a good idea to bring a second pair (or spare contact lenses). Bathrobes and slippers, bamboo flip-flops, a pair of binoculars, two pairs of Nordic Walking poles, a hairdryer, clothes brush and shoehorn are provided in your cabin/suite. If there is anything else you need, please contact your cabin stewardess.

Expectant mothers who are or will be less than 24 weeks pregnant at the time of embarkation must produce a certificate from an appropriate medical specialist (gynaecologist) confirming that they are fit to travel in the territory covered by the cruise itinerary. We are unable to carry expectant mothers in the 24th week of pregnancy at the time of embarkation or who will enter the 24th week of pregnancy during the cruise.

We request that you contact our sales team in advance if you are considering exotic destinations or cruises where you will be at sea for many days in succession (e.g. transatlantic).

You will also find information on cruising and pregnancy in Clause 14 of our General Terms and Conditions of Business.

The on-board language on EUROPA, HANSEATIC nature and HANSEATIC spirit is German. On EUROPA 2 and HANSEATIC inspiration the on-board language is German and English.

Note: On HANSEATIC inspiration the on board language is German only approx. until end of November. 

Suites

Every ship has one cabin with fully accessible layout and equipment (cabin 404, size approximately 36 m² (387 ft²)).

Walking frames

If you are bringing a walking frame with you, please inform us in advance at salesteam@hl-cruises.com

You will not incur any additional costs. For flights, the walking frame will be considered as hand luggage.

Bringing your own wheelchair

To ensure the smooth processing of your booking, please submit the forms "Bringing your own wheelchair" and "Information and requirements for disabled passengers" (see previous item) together with your booking form.