Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV), the UK based operator of two cruise ships, has announced plans to enter the Australian cruise market with the opening of a dedicated sales office in Sydney, the three year seasonal charter of the 600 passenger Astor to operate twice yearly ocean voyages between the UK, Australia and South Africa and the launch of a summer season of cruises from Fremantle, Perth commencing 12th December 2013, the company said in a statement.
“The 20,606 gross ton Astor joins the CMV fleet in November 2013 and will operate alongside the 800 passenger flagship Marco Polo and 700 passenger Discovery, both operating ex-UK sailings from eight British ports. Discovery also operates an autumn Mediterranean fly cruise programme. Astor’s inaugural 10,000 capacity programme will increase CMV’s overall 2014 global capacity to almost 62,000 passengers.,” CMV said.
Astor has a fine pedigree and excellent reputation currently operating European summer cruises on the German market. She is managed and marketed by the Munich based Premicon Group that also overlooks a fleet of 22 premium river vessels operating on the Rhine, Main, Moselle and Danube also presenting new marketing opportunities between Premicon and CMV. Astor was originally launched on the British market back in 1987 by the now defunct Astor Cruises that was part of the South African shipping group Safmnarine as a five star luxury ‘soft adventure’ product. However, the venture did not prosper and the ship has been employed on the German market after a brief spell in the UK.
“Since her inception has undergone a number of refits including a recent £14 million upgrade in 2010. She will be positioned as a premium four star product and has 289 cabins including 42 suites with 70% of accommodation comprising an ocean view. There are a wide range of beautifully appointed lounges, seven passenger decks, traditional wooden decks and also an extensive sports deck with a wrap around jogging track and attractive wellness centre with a heated internal pool,’ CMV said.
In announcing the introduction of Astor to the CMV fleet and the launch of a new voyage service to Australia, Chris Coates, Commercial Director commented, "Astor is indeed a beautiful ocean going vessel with a proud heritage and we are delighted that Astor will be part of our international development plans as we establish a strong presence on the Australasian cruise market.
We believe that Astor will become a firm favourite alongside Marco Polo and Discovery and a perfect match for the mid-sized more traditional business model we have developed since CMV’s launch in 2009. Despite the continued growth of mega resort style mass market vessels, the success and growing interest in the CMV product demonstrates that this niche sector has a significant role to play not only in the UK but also in the wider international English speaking markets and global arena. This new initiative also offers the travel industry an exciting new niche premium cruise product that lends itself to packaging opportunities".
The opening of a sales office in Sydney follows the establishment in 2011 of a dedicated North American sales office in Fort Lauderdale. Chris Coates added, "Britain’s historic and cultural ties with both Australia and South Africa and the feedback received and research undertaken has inspired us to introduce interesting voyages between the UK via the Cape to the Antipodes recreating the bygone halcyon days of long distance sea travel as a serious alternative to the aviation option".
A dedicated new CMV Astor Voyages brochure will be released later this month featuring the full programme of southbound & northbound voyages through until 2015 plus a selection of sailings from Fremantle including a splendid 35 night Circumnavigation of Australia and a 24 night Far East sailing.
