H.C. Andersen’s New Adventure

Hans Christian Andersen is the name of the ship Jysk Rejsebureau bought last year at a price of more than five million DKK. The 49,5 meter long ship is still waiting for the last preparations before it will take off from the danish city of Grenaa on August 23. Via the Horn of Africa, “Hans Christian Andersen” is supposed to arrive in Thailand 72 days later.
Mogens Birkedal-Jacobsen, Managing Director of Jysk Rejsebureau has dreamt of realizing this idea for a long time.
“It is a big dream coming true. I can not wait sending “Hans Christian Andersen” away on its journey. It has taken a long time to find the right ship for our concept. It has been a big challenge to refurbish the ship, putting in a new engine and get new components and instruments besides finding the right people with the knowledge we have needed. All permissions and papers should be cleared by now. It has taken many ressources but we are ready to go now,” explains Mogens Birkedal-Jacobsen.
“Hans Christian Andersen” contains 20 cabins each with toilet and shower, all cabins have aircondition. There are two large sundecks and the ship has its own diving section. There will be approximately 15 members of staff to take care of the predominantly danish guests. 
Jysk Rejsebureau already has two rebuild fishing boats sailing their guests around in the Gulf of Thailand. more precisely at the east coast where Koh Chang and Koh Kut are the biggest islands. The standard on these boats is oriented towards backpackers and families who care more about what they can experience than they care about comfort.
“With ‘Hans Christian Andersen’ we provide some comfort which is increasingly being demanded but we will still be an alternative to the traditional cruise. We aim to provide comfort on the boat but it should be an informal come-as-you- are style. You do not need to dress up for dinner. It is not a luxury cruise. Another advantage is the size of the ship. With a maximum of forty guests the ship can still board small islands and places less visited by others. Forty people is a relatively small number and it lives up to our ideals of not doing mass tourism,” Mogens Birkedahl-Jacobsen states.
“Hans Christian Andersen” was built in 1972 and destined to become a luxary ship cruising the Caribbean in the danish winter time going back to Denmark in the summer time. The project never took off. Since “Hans Christian Andersen” has been used by maritime schools as schoolship latest by Tvind who was the former owner of the ship. Could be that “the ugly duckling” finally will become what it earlier was destined for – perhaps the “Swan of Siam”.

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