Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has said in a statement that their newest ship will enter service at a much later date than originally intended.
The service entry of Hanseatic Nature is now scheduled for May 5 instead of April 13 as was the initial plan. This in turn led to the cancellation of the ship's first two cruises, including what would have been its maiden voyage.
The company has attributed the postponement to delays in construction of the vessel at Vard's shipyard in Norway.
Karl Pojer, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' CEO, has issued a formal apology, saying that he and the rest of the company "deeply regret the inconvenience caused to our guests."
The company's statement added that guests who had booked for the now-cancelled first two cruises are entitled to a full refund and a 50 per cent voucher valid for any Hapag-Lloyd cruise up until September 2021.