Alan E. Lewis, Chairman of Grand Circle Cruise Line today announced that the 89-passenger Clio will begin cruising this summer following a $5 million refit beginning in May. The Clio will operate four European itineraries, including two new itineraries: a Small Ship Cruise Tour along the west coast of England, Wales, and Scotland, and the east coast of Ireland – and later, an itinerary from Lisbon, Portugal to Barcelona, Spain. Grand Circle acquired the small ship, formerly called the Tera Moana, from Paul Gauguin Cruises last year for an undisclosed price.
“American boomers and seniors are increasingly interested in traveling by small ships – and in even smaller groups,” said Lewis. “We define small ships as those with 150 or fewer passengers, and the trend we’re seeing is very different from the industry’s move to bigger and bigger ships. To create even smaller groups of travelers, we assign our local Program Directors to no more than 25 travelers, which creates a more intimate experience and more easily fosters engagement with local people, cultures and their ways of life. We are proud to introduce the Clio – a 4-star experience at a 3-star price and the best value in the industry,”
The ocean-cruising Clio is 328 ft. long and carries 89 passengers in 45 outside-facing cabins. The cabins range in size from between 194 sq. ft. and 205 sq. ft., with a single cabin measuring 161 sq. ft. While the majority of cabins include a window, nine also feature a sliding glass door and balcony. The cabins also have a queen-size bed that can be converted into two twins, closet, flat-screen satellite TV, DVD/CD player, telephone, mini-refrigerator, safe, and a private bathroom with shower. An elevator serves all passenger decks. Common areas include a dining room, lounge and bar area, indoor/outdoor veranda, Sun Deck, Sky Deck with whirlpool, library, and shop. Additionally, complimentary wireless Internet is available throughout the ship – as it is on all GCCL owned river and ocean ships.
Grand Circle Cruise Line will assume operations of the Clio in May and will begin a $5.0 million refit to refurbish the ship to its unique style of small ship cruising designed for American travelers. Grand Circle will operate the ship with its own multi-national nautical and hospitality crews – as it does on all of the ships it owns.
In addition to the Clio and Corinthian, Grand Circle Cruise Line small ships include the Artemis, Arethusa and Athena. These three, 4-star-plus, 50-passenger sister ships operate in the Adriatic and Mediterranean.
