Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) has acquired two ships to add to its fleet in 2021 as the line targets 200,000 passengers.
The line will take delivery of P&O Australia’s Pacific Dawn on March 2 and Pacific Aria on May 2, 2021, in Singapore.
Both ships will be officially launched in the summer following a spell in dry dock, undergoing what the line calls “minor upgrade and re-livery works” in Singapore before embarking on repositioning cruises for CMV to northern Europe.
Pacific Dawn, which will carry around 1,400 passengers, will offer year-round cruises from Tilbury alongside the line’s existing ship Columbus.
Pacific Aria will sail under the TransOcean Kreuzfahrten brand in the German market. CMV is the parent company of TransOcean Kreuzfahrten.
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The 1,100-passenger ship will sail alongside Vasco da Gama and replace the line’s Astor vessel which is being renamed Jules Verne and will be re-deployed to the French market.
The new names for Pacific Dawn and Pacific Aria will be revealed in December.
The 2021 summer programme will go on sale during Q1 next year.
CMV chief executive Christian Verhounig said: “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.”
Chris Coates, group commercial director, added: “As the CMV brand continues to evolve, the growing popularity of our traditional product, classic ships and destination focused cruise programs has encouraged us to accelerate plans to add capacity to the two top European cruise markets in the UK and Germany, which represent 85% of our business.
“These two fine cruise ships perfectly complement our existing fleet providing trade partners and consumers alike with much needed extra capacity.
“For 2020, we expect close to 70% of capacity to be sold by the year end, in line with expectations.
“This provides an ideal platform for the early introduction of new tonnage and opportunities for summer 2021 with the focus very much on higher yield business”.