Hanseatic Nature

The 2019-built Hanseatic Nature cruise ship is the second of three Hapag-Lloyd vessels with which the company entered the ultra-luxury expedition travel market, together with the sisterships Hanseatic Inspiration (October 2019) and Hanseatic Spirit (June 2021). All three ships share the same design.

The vessel (IMO number 9817133) is currently Malta-flagged (MMSI 215768000) and registered in Valletta.

History - construction and ownership

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (Kreuzfahrten) is a Hamburg-based premium travel brand owned by TUI AG (shipowner) and managed by its subsidiary TUI Cruises. Between 2017 and 2020, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises was fully owned by Hapag-Lloyd AG, a German-Chilean shipping company and one of the world’s oldest, currently ranked as the world’s 5th largest container shipping line by fleet capacity.

TUI AG (based in Hanover, Germany) is a British-German multinational and the world’s largest leisure and travel company. Founded in 1923 (originally "Preussag AG" until 2002), TUI Group operates globally in hospitality and tourism, with a portfolio that includes passenger airlines, cruise shipping, package vacations, hotels and resorts, travel agencies, and retail shops.

The 230-passenger Hanseatic Nature was built by Vard Holdings Ltd (a subsidiary of Fincantieri) at its shipyard in Tulcea, Romania. The vessel has the highest ice class for passenger ships, PC6. She offers five-star service, refined culinary options, generous public spaces, and numerous hidden amenities.

Hapag-Lloyd’s new expedition ship design is based on an ice-strengthened hull and incorporates advanced marine technologies developed specifically for polar operations. Among them is the forward-looking 3D sonar "FarSounder 1000," installed in the bow and integrated into the navigation system. This sonar detects and maps hazards such as icebergs or shallow reefs, improving safety in icy waters.

The ship’s design also includes two extendable glass balconies (glass-bottomed and glass-walled), giving passengers the unique sensation of floating above the water. A retractable navigation bridge wing allows the vessel to pass through narrow rivers and canal locks.

Hanseatic Nature is equipped with modern environmentally friendly technologies. Her hull shape is optimized to reduce fuel consumption, and she has an SCR catalytic converter that lowers NOx emissions by nearly 95%. Propulsion is enhanced with a PROMAS rudder and a specially designed propeller, improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. Additional polar equipment includes ice detectors with infrared thermal imaging. She also supports cold ironing (shore-to-ship power).

Decks and Cabins

MS Hanseatic Nature staterooms (120 total, across 10 categories) accommodate a maximum of 230 passengers (199 on Antarctic cruises).

Cabin categories include Panorama (22 m² / 235 ft²), French Balcony (21–23 m² / 225–250 ft²), and Balcony (28 m² / 300 ft², with private 6 m² / 65 ft² balcony). Standard amenities include separable beds, Nordic walking poles, binoculars, rain shower, complimentary minibar, coffee machine, and a heated bathroom wall for drying parkas and towels.

Junior Suites (43 m² / 465 ft²) feature step-out balconies (6 m² / 65 ft²), butler service, separate living and sleeping areas with panoramic views and HDTVs, dining area, rain shower, dual sinks, steam sauna in the shower, and heated bathroom walls.

Grand Suites (71 m² / 765 ft²) include private terraces (16 m² / 170 ft²) with heaters, exclusive privileges, butler service, separate living and sleeping areas, dining area, daylight bathroom with balcony access, free-standing bath, rain shower, dual sinks, steam sauna, separate toilet, and heated bathroom walls.

Children under 11 travel free, while teens (12–15 years) pay a fixed rate of EUR 60 per night.

The vessel has 9 decks, 7 accessible to passengers, with accommodations on 4 of them.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Meals are served with open seating. Dinner is offered in the main dining room (aft on Deck 4). The ship features 2 bars and 3 restaurants: the Main Restaurant (178 seats), Specialty Restaurant (44 seats), and Bistro Restaurant (Lido Buffet) with 84 indoor seats plus around 100 outdoor seats.

In 2025, the ship introduced the Le Petit Poisson, a new pop-up seafood restaurant. The dining venue is available only on longer voyages (14+ days) and operates for four nights. Seating 35 guests, its seafood menu lists dishes like Lobster Surf and Turf (lobster and steak), Turbot a la Marseille (turbot fish traditionally cooked as part of a bouillabaisse/fish stew), and King Crab.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

MS Hanseatic Nature offers a refined atmosphere combined with exotic destinations. Each voyage features expert lecturers. Wellness and fitness areas complement the aft Marina Platform for water sports. Sixteen onboard Zodiacs (including electric-powered E-Zodiacs) allow landings in remote expedition regions.

• Main Lounge (Deck 4) with advanced technology for presentations, precaps, and recaps; full bar; and a separate Smoking Lounge.
• Observation Lounge (Deck 8).
• Fitness area (100 m² / 1076 ft²) with modern equipment and a separate room for classes.
• Spa area (215 m² / 2314 ft²) with ocean views.
• Pool deck with swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and Pool Bar.
• Spacious Sun Deck with flexible canopy and shaded seating.
• Ocean Academy (Knowledge Studio) – an interactive research hub where passengers can explore scientific and cultural content related to the cruise destinations.

In February 2019, Hapag-Lloyd introduced a groundbreaking digital concept for onboard learning – the “Study Wall,” available on all three Hanseatic ships (Nature, Inspiration, Spirit).

This interactive touchscreen wall (6 x 1.8 m / 20 x 6 ft) allows passengers to research destinations along their itinerary. Developed over 2.5 years in collaboration with two Hamburg-based companies (Intermediate Engineering GmbH and mpg ErlebnisRaumDesign GmbH), the Study Wall presents digital content (articles, biographies, photos, videos) across five categories. Much of the information is provided by GEOMAR (Kiel, Germany), as well as by journalists, scientists, and experts. The Knowledge Studio also features Study Seats (with touchscreens), Study Posters, and a dedicated area for microscope research.

Itineraries

MS Hanseatic Nature operates expedition itineraries to polar destinations (Arctic and Antarctica), as well as tropical routes, including the South Seas and the Amazon.

Cruise ship cabins were prefabricated by the shipbuilder's sister company VARD Accommodation. Staterooms were designed by the Finnish company NIT Design, which also supplied all materials. In addition to the cabins and their balconies, NIT Design also created the Spa, the a la carte restaurant, all staircases, and outdoor deck areas.

The vessel’s steel-cutting ceremony took place on May 9, 2017, when Karl Pojer (Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' CEO) gave the official signal to begin construction at the VARD shipyard in Tulcea, Romania. On June 20, 2017, the keel-laying ceremony was held, during which Karl Pojer placed a lucky coin that was later welded into the steel block. The keel consisted of two steel blocks, each measuring 9 m in length, 11 m in width, 1.5 m in height, and weighing 33 tons.

In November 2017, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises announced that hull design modifications would result in projected fuel savings of over 10% annually for the new expedition vessels. Following an initial assessment, the hull’s efficiency was optimized using a DNV GL-developed form optimization process, which included 10,000 hull design analyses. The main improvements were made to the stern, optimized to enhance passenger comfort by reducing the impact of slamming.

Only the hull (weighing 6500 tons) was constructed in Romania, while the remainder of the ship was completed at the VARD shipyard in Langsten, Norway (near Alesund). The 4000 ml (6450 km) long tow of the hull from Romania to Norway began on July 18 and was completed on August 27.

The liner’s christening ceremony was initially scheduled for April 12, 2019, in Port Hamburg (Germany), with the inaugural cruise planned for April 13. The second vessel of the series, Hanseatic Inspiration, was scheduled to launch six months later, in October 2019. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises opened bookings for both new Hanseatic ships (Nature and Inspiration) on January 23, 2018.

However, on March 29, 2019, Hapag-Lloyd announced the cancellation of Hanseatic Nature’s first two cruises due to delayed delivery. The maiden voyage was rescheduled for May 5, departing from Hamburg. Passengers booked on the canceled sailings received a full refund plus a 50% future cruise credit valid fleetwide through September 2021. Travel agents retained their commissions for the canceled bookings.

The vessel was officially delivered by VARD on May 2, 2019.