Augusta Victoria News

The 125 years old German cruise operator, Hapag-Lloyd, has unveiled new branding, along with a modest name change, that will help promote the luxury cruise line to a global audience. Effective immediately, the old Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten name has been changed to Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, in a bid to attract a worldwide audience, rather than just German speaking guests. 125 years after the first Hapag-Lloyd cruise to the Mediterranean from Hamburg aboard the steamer Augusta Victoria, the new branding will help continue the historic legacy of the German cruise line. “We are proud of our long-standing corporate history and we feel even today the innovation and spirit of discovery Albert Ballin joined.

Vacations on a ship – 125 years ago that was considered revolutionary. What many don’t know is that the modern cruises already started in 1891 – on a Hapag ship. On a cold January morning, nearly 125 years ago, nobody could have guessed that the idea would turn into such a success story. In any case, on January 22, 1891, it seemed as if all of Cuxhaven had turned out to marvel at the group of “intrepid travelers” ­ making their way up the gangway of Hapag’s flagship, the “Augusta…