Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) has revealed the names of its two new ships purchased from P&O Australia – Pacific Dawn and Pacific Aria – which will join the CMV fleet in 2021
Inspired by the intrepid and courageous journeys of past female explorers and adventurers, CMV – along with its loyalty club members and social media followers – has recognised their truly remarkable achievements by naming its two new ships after them.
Pacific Dawn will be renamed Amy Johnson (pictured), which will take over from Columbus as CMV’s new flagship. CMV selected five great names for the vote: Gertrude Bell, Isabella Bird, Amy Johnson, Mary Kingsley, and Lady Hester Stanhope.
Amy Johnson (1903-1941), a pioneering English pilot and the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia, won 41 per cent of the total vote. In 1931, aged just 27, Johnson set off from Croydon, Surrey (UK), to Darwin, Northern Territory (AU).
Her achievements included being the first woman to fly from London to Moscow in one day, setting record flying times from Britain to Japan and Cape Town, being awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Aero Club and, during World War II, joining the Air Transport Auxiliary.
Amy Johnson will be deployed to the UK market in late May 2021, bolstering much needed capacity and cruising year-round alongside Columbus ex-London Tilbury.
Pacific Aria will be renamed Ida Pfeiffer after an Austrian explorer, travel writer and ethnographer who, when aged 45, set off on her own to the Holy Land with the aim of completing a pilgrimage, then funded future trips through her writings.
Ida Pfeiffer will be deployed to the German market under the TransOcean Kreuzfahrten brand with a much-needed increase in capacity, cruising alongside Vasco da Gama during the European summer and replacing the 580 passenger Astor. Astor is being renamed and will be redeployed to the French market in May 2021.
“We are delighted with the chosen names and the opportunity to recognise two outstanding female adventurers and pioneers. Most of all, we are pleased to confirm that Amy Johnson will take over from Columbus as the fleet’s new flagship,” said CMV chief Christian Verhounig.
CMV Australia’s managing director, Dean Brazier, welcomed the selection of Amy Johnson.
“This explorer was known for her solo journey from London to Australia. The name seems poetic as we have become known for our Grand Voyages between London and Australia, and we do love catering for solo travellers!” he said.
What do you think of these name choices? Have you ever sailed with CMV? Would you recommend the cruise line to our members?
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