Cruise & Maritime Voyages is expanding its presence in Germany by taking control of the marketing and distribution of a 470-passenger ship.
The strategic alliance with Passat Kreuzfahrten will see CMV promote the Delphin’s 13,000 capacity year-round cruise programme from April 1.
The ship (pictured), which is chartered to Passat Kreuzfahrten, operates in the summer from Kiel and Bremerhaven with year-round destinations including Scandinavia & Russia, the British Isles, Greenland, Iceland and the Arctic Circle, the Mediterranean, South America, Antarctica and Africa.
The deal follows CMV taking over Transocean Kreuzfahrten in Germany and the 600-passenger ship Astor’s 7,000-capacity summer programme from Germany and 17,000-capacity river cruise programme based on four vessels.
Astor is operated in winter in the Australian market under the CMV brand from Fremantle with a programme capacity of 10,000 passengers.
CMV chairman and chief executive Christian Verhounig said: “This important new alliance with two established cruise lines and popular premium brands will provide valuable synergies, enhanced distribution and competitiveness with coordinated and measured sales initiatives.
“We will be retaining the existing Offenbach based sales office and the team will be headed up by the highly respected Klaus Ebner as director of sales & marketing.”
CMV commercial director Chris Coates added: “Germany is now Europe’s fastes growing and highest yield European cruise market and while this expansion has no direct effect on the core and growing 49,000 passenger capacity UK market, this new initiative strengthens the group’s overall international presence in line with strategic development and growth plans.”
CMV is part of the Global Maritime Group and also operates three other ocean vessels, the 800-passenger Marco Polo, 700-passenger Discovery, Astor plus the 160-passenger river vessel Vienna I under the new Signature River brand.
The combined ocean fleet passenger carryings are projected to top 70,000 passengers this year, representing almost 100% growth since 2010.