MELBOURNE-founded APT Travel Group has christened another brand-new luxury river ship in a traditional ceremony in Rotterdam.
Just weeks after launching MS Estrela, purpose-built for cruising on Portugal’s Douro River, in Porto the 98-year old company celebrated APT Solara, a 156-pax vessel which has already begun its itinerary sailing the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers, from Amsterdam on ANZAC Day.
The ceremony featured speeches from APT Travel Group CEO David Cox, and co-owners Robert McGeary and Lou Tandy, the latter also serving as the ship’s Godmother.
“It’s a true honour to serve as Godmother for a ship that means so much to our team, our guests, and my family,” Ms Tandy said. “The APT Solara celebrates where we’ve come from and marks the exciting future ahead. It’s a tribute to our legacy, but more importantly, it’s a bold step forward in how we design, deliver, and share extraordinary travel experiences. I couldn’t be prouder to christen her today.”
Mr Cox said APT Solara was more than just a new ship; “it sets a new benchmark for how we deliver exceptional experiences on Europe’s rivers.”
The celebration also included contributions from Paul Hecker, one half of the Melbourne-based design duo behind the ship’s architecture, and Monique Lane, Director of Fellow Hospitality, who led the culinary vision across the APT Solara‘s seven dining experiences.
“APT Solara is the result of a true collaboration between world-class Australian creatives and the APT team,” said Rob McGeary. “As a family-owned Australian company, we’ve designed this ship with the Antipodean traveller in mind as it brings together the comforts our guests value most, from elegant lounges and genuinely quality coffee to regionally sourced produce – all in a ship that feels tailored, not templated. That’s what sets APT apart.”
APT operates river cruises on nine ships throughout Europe, in the Balkans, South America, Vietnam and Cambodia, and the Ganges, China and on the Murray.
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