Australis will see a 100 percent capacity increase in 2018 as the 198-passenger Ventus Australis debuts on her inaugural sailing on January 2, joining her sister ship, the Stella Australis. The expedition line sails open-jaw voyages between Punta Arenas and Ushuaia.
After operating two ships from 2006 to 2015, the Via Australis was sold to Lindblad, and the company ordered another vessel from ASENAV in Chile, which will be delivered this November.
“It’s going to be the most capacity we’ve ever had,” said Jorge Rodriguez, market manager for North America, which contributes about 40 percent of the company’s passenger sourcing.
The 2017-2018 Cruise Industry News Annual Report will feature updated statistics on the expedition market and growth projections through 2025.
Is there demand for the expansion of the brand and product?”
“We are 98 percent booked this year,” Rodriguez told Cruise Industry News in January. “When we had two ships we were at 90 percent, but that was with a big ship and a small ship, and now we’ll have two big ships.”
About the Annual Report:
The Cruise Industry News Annual Report is the only book of its kind, presenting the worldwide cruise industry through 2027 in 400 pages.
Statistics are independently researched. See a preview of last year’s edition by clicking here.
The report covers everything from new ships on order to supply-and-demand scenarios from 1987 through 2027+. Plus there is a future outlook, complete growth projections for each cruise line, regional market reports, and detailed ship deployment by region and market, covering all the cruise lines.
