Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines breaks record crossing historic Corinth Canal

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ Braemar has broken the record to become the largest ship ever to traverse the 6.4-kilometre-long Corinth Canal in Greece. The 929-guest, 195.82-metre-long, 22.52-metre-wide ship successfully passed the historic canal, measuring 24 metres at its narrowest point.

“They could almost touch the sides”

Clare Ward, director of product and customer service for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines said: “This is such an exciting sailing and tremendous milestone in Fred. Olsen’s 171-year history and we’re thrilled to have been able to share it with our guests.

“At Fred. Olsen, we strive to create memories that last a lifetime, and with guests onboard Braemar able to get so close to the edges of the Corinth Canal that they could almost touch the sides, we know that this will be a holiday that they will never forget.”

The Corinth Canal is a waterway that separates the Greek mainland from the Peloponnese, turning it into an island. It is an important navigational route, which once allowed ships to enter the Aegean Sea. Whilst the Canal is steeped in over two millennia of history, the structure that we now know was completed and used for the first time on 28 October 1893.

Ward concluded: “We have already had an exceptionally high interest in our second Corinth Canal cruise in Spring 2021 and we can’t wait to do it all over again!”