#NewFlagship - Columbus, the latest addition to the fleet of Cruise & Maritime Voyages that will also become their new flagship, arrived in Rotterdam just before mid-May for a three week dry dock at the Damen Ship Yard.

A delivery voyage of the Columbus is to take place next month when the 63,000 gross tonnage cruiseship sails to London. At the London Cruise Terminal in Tilbury a naming ceremony is to take place by TV presenter Angela Rippon and a Launch Party on Thursday 8th June. The double event will mark the beginning of Columbus maiden summer season of ex-UK no fly cruises.

As Afloat previously reported, the current flagship Magellan is to call to Dublin early next month. This will be followed by her successor when the 775 passenger Columbus is to make her debut Irish call to the capital but later that same month.

Chris Coates, CMV’s Commercial Director, who visited the ship this week in Rotterdam said, “After over a year of meticulous planning this impressive traditional cruise liner is coming back home to British waters where she was once adored by many passengers and proved a firm favourite with the UK cruise market. The extensive upgrade words are taking shape nicely and we are confident that our passengers will like what they see and the upgrades that we have implemented and Columbus will prove to be a great addition to our fleet”

A lot of the refurbishment and modification works have already taken place during her ballast voyage from Singapore. These ongoing works include re-livery and painting of the ship’s hull and superstructure and the adaptation of the existing child and teenage areas. These areas will be converted to suit CMV’s more mature market. They include a maritime themed Columbus Observation Lounge affording splendid aft ocean views, Trumps & Aces, a spacious Card and Bridge room, a Ship’s Library with a traditional country house style feel and a Crafter’s studio too. The casino has been scaled down and renamed Captain’s Club & Casino while the previously named Captain’s Lounge has been renamed Taverner’s Pub offering a selection of 4 popular draught beers and ales plus 15 other beers and a wide selection of wines and spirits.

After the initial days of welcome onboard events in Tilbury, Columbus will embark on a short three nights cruise 11 June, to Amsterdam and Antwerp, followed by a six nights voyage 14 June to the Norwegian Fjords.

Columbus joins the CMV fleet that includes Magellan, Marco Polo, Astor and Astoria taking CMV’s lower bed ocean fleet capacity to almost 5,000 berths.