Seamax International

Description

Hapag Lloyd is a German cruise line that offers cruises to the world's more remote regions, following in the footsteps of the great explorers on smaller bilingual cruise ships. A selection of adventure voyages are offered each year with both German and English spoken in commentaries and lectures. Itineraries include Arctic and Antarctic regions and offer magnificent realms, rare encounters and top-of-the-line accommodations for those seeking adventure. Hapag-Lloyd is the result of the merger in 1970 of two of Germany's oldest steam ship companies, Hapag (Hamburg-Amerikanische Packfahrt-Actien-Gesellschaft or Hamburg America Line) and Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL - North German Lloyd). Both companies were founded in the 1840s to carry passengers and freight between what is now Germany and the United States. Hapag was founded in Hamburg, while North German Lloyd served Bremen. After the merger Hapag-Lloyd discontinued its transatlantic passenger service, but in 1982, the line returned to cruising with the launch of Europa, a cruise ship that set the standard for luxury and service in the German market.

Swan Hellenic has been navigating the globe for more than 50 years, and in 1997 was acquired by P&O Cruises. Billed as an enriching experience for both veteran and first-time cruisers, Swan Hellenic offers unique itineraries, academic and expert lecturers, and customized shore excursions led by local guides. Swan Hellenic is a one-ship cruise line which operated the small 300-passenger expedition type vessel MV Minerva, which was replaced in 2003 by the 716-passenger Minerva II, a new cruise ship, focuses almost entirely on ports-of-call - as opposed to onboard frippery. When the ship is at sea, time is often taken up with guest lectures offered by a series of erudite, mostly British, experts in fields ranging from archeology to wine. The usual onboard cruise diversions - casino gambling, bingo, bad hair day lectures and "sun'n'fun" activities poolside don't apply. All voyages aboard Minerva II feature guest speakers who are authorities in such diverse subjects as classics, history, art, botany, archaeology, marine biology, astronomy and music.

On a typical cruise the passenger mix consists of Finns, Swedes and other Europeans with 5-10 percent from the U.S. However, the number of American passengers is likely to increase as more clients experience one of these cruises and begin spreading the good word about the quality service delivered by this company.

Reading the company's and passengers' profiles, it is not very hard to figure out how strict the requirements are when it comes to selecting new employees. Whoever has the qualities and experience needed though, will enjoy the highest salaries, the most prestiges working conditions and the most interesting itineraries in the cruise industry. As the other leaders in the ultra-luxury cruise market (Crystal Cruises, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises and Silversea Cruises), Seabourn Cruise Line is one of the most highly recommended for employment.

The company provides casual, active cruises aboard nineteenth-century clipper replicas sailing ships to unusual destinations in the Caribbean, South Asia and Mediterranean. Among the sailing ships cruise lines, Star Clippers is intended to fit between budget priced Windjammer Barefoot Cruises and pricey Windstar Cruises. Typical passengers are half from the Americas (U.S., Canada, Latin America) and the other half from Europe. They are active travelers, seeking adventure and off-the-beaten-track itineraries, not interested with casinos and night clubs. The man at the helm of Star Clippers is Mikael Krafft, a Swedish entrepreneur who, at the age of 6, landed his first job at a shipyard near his home in the Stockholm archipelago. As a child, Krafft listened to the stories the old seamen told, and his love of sailing was born. When he was 12, he sailed his own 18-foot boat over 20 miles of open seas. Later, he practiced maritime law in Sweden and France. In 1986, Krafft relocated to Brussels where he founded the White Star Group, involved with real estate development. White Star Group is the parent company of White Star Clippers, which commissioned Star Flyer and Star Clipper.

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