Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV), celebrating its tenth anniversary, is pleased to announce the launch of a cruise and an exclusive product for the French market, through a new brand and the opening of a new sales office in Marseille.
The Astor, which has been serving the Australian and German cruise markets with summer programs since being acquired by CMV in 2013, is moving to the French market, commencing operations in Le Havre on Saturday, May 1, 2021. Currently operating in the German market, the Astor will run a farewell season for summer 2020 and winter 2021 with a 127-night “Round the World” cruise, returning to Hamburg on April 14, 2021. It will then undertake a special 9-night farewell cruise before undergoing a minor refit and renovation, after which it will join the French market for its new season. Meanwhile, a larger vessel, details of which will be announced shortly, will be dedicated to meeting the growing demand in the German market under the Group’s TransOcean Kreuzfahrten brand.
The Astor will be renamed Jules Verne on Thursday, April 29, 2021, during an evening gala in Le Havre, followed by a second celebratory event in Marseille on Thursday, May 16. The Jules Verne will sail year-round under the Croisières Maritimes et Voyages (CMV) brand, departing from Le Havre and Marseille. Its inaugural season in the French market during 2021-22 will include an 18-cruise program in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Black Sea, a Christmas and New Year's Canary Islands cruise, and a winter season culminating in a 123-night round-the-world cruise departing Marseille on January 8 and returning to Le Havre on May 11, 2022.
The Jules Verne will be dedicated exclusively to the French-speaking premium cruise market, offering a modern and elegant vintage cruise experience for guests seeking attentive and exemplary service, excellent French cuisine, and a more traditional travel experience rich in destinations. It will focus on the adults-only market, apart from family cruises during school holidays.
Chris Coates, Commercial Director of the Group, commented during the presentation to the media in Paris, “We are delighted to enter the French market with the Jules Verne and firmly believe that there is a real gap in the market for our Premium class cruise product, between the largest mega-cruise operators and luxury cruises.
We are confident that Jules Verne and our new French product will be successful in France and other French-speaking markets, and under the leadership and expertise of Clement Mousset, we have assembled a highly skilled management and sales team to launch the program in the new year.”.
The 21,000-gross Jules Verne has a capacity for 500 passengers and 289 well-appointed cabins, including 42 luxury suites, 28 single cabins catering to the growing segment of solo travelers, and nearly 70% of cabins with ocean views. All lounges and public decks will offer a French ambiance, and all suites will be named after famous castles.
Clement Mousset, Managing Director of CMV France, added: “The ship is in excellent condition and perfectly suited to the French market. It is aimed at discerning passengers seeking a more intimate, modern vintage cruise experience, who want to share their adventures with like-minded travelers eager to broaden their cultural horizons, enrich their time on board, and explore magnificent new destinations not always accessible to larger ships.”
The CMV Group has extensive experience in the French cruise market, having operated the 500-passenger Astoria during the summer season since 2016 for the Paris-based cruise and tour operator Rivages du Monde. This agreement ends in September 2020, but over the past four years, the product has received high levels of customer satisfaction.
A new CMV sales office will open in Marseille, near the port, on Thursday, January 2, 2020. A new website with a booking engine will also be launched, along with a special 80-page introductory brochure.
