CMV announced earlier this month it had acquired P&O Australia ship Pacific Eden and invited its Columbus Crew members and trade partners to re-name it.
Other choices included Pytheas, Harry Hudson and Amerigo Vespucci but Portugal’s Vasco da Gama, the first European to reach India by sea, as the eventual winner.
The vessel will be delivered in Singapore in April 2019 before a short docking for a livery change, rebrand and other preparatory works.
Christian Verhounig, CMV chief executive and chairman, said: “We are grateful to all those Columbus Club members and trade partners who took the time and trouble to vote. From the thousands received, the winner is Vasco da Gama with 46% of the total vote.”
Vasco da Gama will be deployed in northern Europe to serve the German and Australasian cruise markets.
During the northern summer (May-October), the ship will operate under CMV’s German brand TransOcean Kreuzfahrten from Bremerhaven and Kiel.
And during the Australian summer season (December-March), it will operate from Fremantle in Perth and Adelaide.
The ship’s maiden voyage will depart from Singapore on April 24, 2019, on a 46-night tour taking in south east Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Egypt, Jordan, the Suez Canal, Israel and the Mediterranean before arriving in London ahead of the final leg of the journey to Bremerhaven via Amsterdam.
Details of Vasco da Gama’s first sailing from Europe will be issued in May.
