Visit of the MS Hanseatic Spirit, Boxing Day 2022
Reports and photos from Sean Burns, Kelly Green and Sally Wonner
The cruise ship MS Hanseatic Spirit Arrived at Tristan in the morning of the 26th December 2022. Unfortunately the captain deemed the sea was too choppy for landing passengers, but parties of intrepid islanders were able to visit the ship. Chief Islander James Glass and Administrator Sean Burns went to welcome the Captain. Ladies from the Post Office and Tourism team set up stalls selling Tristan stamps, covers and handicrafts, and the Immigration team endorsed passengers' passports with the sought-after Tristan visa stamp.
If you were on the Hanseatic Spirit, we'd appreciate your feedback using our Visitors' Feedback Form.
The MS Hanseatic Spirit arriving off the settlement (photo: Sally Wonner)
This was the first ship of the new season, and three years to the day since the last meaningful visit of a cruise ship to Tristan - the MS Bremen.
The stalls selling stamps, covers and Tristan handicrafts were popular.
Passengers' postcards home will be in the next mail.
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The stamps, first day covers, postcards and souvenirs on sale on the stalls |
Islanders (right) are shown the Hanseatic Spirit's bridge
Inspector Conrad Glass and the Immigration team stamping passengers' passports
Passengers wave to the Post Office and Tourism staff departing on one of the ship's zodiacs
Sean adds that the captain's call had been spot on. By the time the islanders disembarked at 14:00, although the harbour was fine, the weather had made transfers to the zodiac from the vessel challenging.