On 1st November the 22,080gt/1965 built Marco Polo managed to run aground again in Norway with 763 passengers aboard. She was manoeuvring to anchor near Leknes in Norway’s northern Lofoten Islands due to adverse wind conditions experienced as it had been decided, in the interest of safety, to go to anchor, but this didn’t go as planned.

Passengers were able to go ashore by tender and, that evening, the ship successfully refloated herself off the mud bank with the assistance of the evening high tide. She then resumed her 14 night voyage to Norway and the Land of the Northern Lights enroute to Alta.

On 3rd November Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) announced the acquisition of a new flagship for 2015. The 46,052gt/1985 built Grand Holiday will come from Costa Crociere having previously been an Iberocruceros vessel. The 1,250 passenger capacity ship will be renamed Magellan and is to operate as an adult only ship alongside the Marco Polo, Astor and Azores.

The introduction of the Magellan will increase UK capacity by 40% thus increasing carryings up to 74,000 passengers. The maiden CMV voyage of the Magellan will be a 12 night cruise to Iceland and the Faroes for the Solar Eclipse and Northern Lights sailing from London Tilbury on Sunday 15th March. She will also be sailing from Newcastle.