Italian-based Ligabue Group, the parent company of Hamburg tour operator, Plantours, has reportedly acquired the small cruise ship ‘Hamburg’.
She will undergo a comprehensive modernisation programme next year.
The ship was launched in 1997 for Hapag-Lloyd as ‘C Columbus’. With a length of around 144 m and a capacity for about 400 passengers, she was designed as an expedition and boutique ship.
She was specifically designed to transit the St Lawrence Seaway to access the Great Lakes.
The ship was later sold and became the ‘Hamburg’ on charter to Plantours and embarked upon special itineraries from the Canary Islands to remote regions of the Arctic and Antarctic.
According to German reports, her long stint with Plantours gave the ship a loyal circle of repeat guests who appreciated the family atmosphere and unique travel programmes.
Ligabue is particularly involved in procurement, catering, and facility management, providing services to a wide range of cruise ships, ferry companies, and offshore platforms.
The recent investments in the company’s owned fleet, which began with the construction of the river cruise vessel ‘Lady Diletta’, has continued with the acquisition of the ‘Sans Souci’.
Group owner, Inti Ligabue, reportedly said: “This expansion demonstrates that the company is now directly applying its extensive knowledge and experience in the maritime services sector to the management and design of its own travel experiences.
“The acquisition of the ‘Hamburg’ gives Ligabue full control of the ship and enables a more flexible and efficient implementation of its strategic goals,” he said.
