Classic International Cruises Re-Emerging From Bankruptcy.

Classic International Cruises Princess Daphne

 Reports out of Portugal indicate that the Arion, Athena, Funchal and Princess Danae have been sold to Portuguese business man Rui Alegre to settle the debt owed by Classic International Cruises. Alegre intends to operate the ships but exact deployments/charters have not yet been disclosed.

The remaining ship, the Princess Daphne was purchased back by Classic International Cruises from the bank handling the Bankruptcy settlement. It appears the Potamianos brothers, Alex and Emilios will most like charter the Princess Daphne - most-likely to German operators.

There is definitely more to come.

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MSC Cruises To Retire the MSC Melody.

MSC Cruise MSC Melody Reportedly Sold

MSC Cruises has announced that the MSC Melody will be removed from the MSC fleet almost immediately. When I checked the website tonight, the ship has been removed.

The MSC Melody was one of the building blocks for the MSC cruise fleet when she was first introduced in 1997.

Built at  C.N.I.M. in France for $100m, the 35,143gt MSC Melody has capacity for just over 1,000 passengers in 532 cabins.

She began her career as the Atlantic for Home Lines in 1982 and ran many years on the New York to Bermuda run. She later was sold to Premier Cruises and sailed as the Starship Atlantic from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas. In 1997, she joined the MSC Fleet sailing on her maiden voyage on May 1, 1997.


The MSC Melody has faithfully served MSC Cruises but has been outclassed by larger ships, featuring many balcony cabins, atriums and other popular amenities.

MSC Cruises said it will be contacting passengers booked on summer cruises to offer them alternative choices.

 The MSC Melody is reportedly available for sale.

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Queen Elizabeth 2 Reportedly Sold.

Dubai Interests Reported have sold the Queen Elizabeth 2 to Far East Buyers.

 
Reports out of England, indicate that the Queen Elizabeth 2 has been sold to Far East buyers. For more information check out the following story on my sister blog -  Queen Elizabeth 2 Reportedly Sold

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Pacific Sun to Leave P and O Australia Fleet This Month

P&O Cruises Australia's- Pacific Sun To Leave Fleet This Month

P&O Cruises Australia’ Pacific Sun is on its final voyage from Brisbane. The ship has been sold to undisclosed buyers. The 47,000gt ship is being sold as part of P&O Cruises Australia’s continuing fleet renewal.

Since 2004, Pacific Sun has carried more than half a million Australian passengers for P&O Cruises Australia.

The Pacific Sun was originally built in 1986, as Carnival Cruise Lines’ Jubilee. The Pacific Sun was one of the first ships added to the brand and helped build the Australian fleet to 7.

Pacific Sun sailed on Sunday for a South Pacific voyage that will end in Brisbane July 8.

The Pacific Sun will remain in Brisbane while the final P&O Cruises Australia possessions are removed. She is expected to depart Brisbane on July 11 for an unidentified destination.
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Compagnie du Ponant Charters Back Le Diamant for Summer 2012 Northern European Cruises

Based on the Ponant Website it appears the Compagnie du Ponant will continue to operate the Le Diamant for a series of Northern European cruises in July, August and September 2012.

It appears that Quark Expeditions will be utilizing the ship for the fall and winter and the ship will be available for charter during the summer of 2013.

International Shipping Partners (ISP) had arrranged the sale of the Le Diamant to Bahamian Interest earlier in the year and now appears the ship is being chartered back to Ponant for the Summer.

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All Leisure Group Purchases Hebridean Princess

All Leisure group plc ("All Leisure" or "Company") is pleased to announce that the group has signed an agreement with Ernst & Young, acting as administrators for Hebridean International Cruises Ltd. and Leisure and Marine Holdings Ltd., for the acquisition of the cruise ship Hebridean Princess and other related assets for a cash consideration of £1.4m, payable today from the Company's existing resources ("the Acquisition").

All Leisure group plc, which operates Swan Hellenic and Voyages of Discovery is pleased to announce that continue to operate the Hebridean Princess on distinctive cruises around the Scottish Highlands and islands and through the Norwegian fjords. The company will continue to operate from its head office in Skipton.

The Hebridean Princess carries 49 passengers and 37 crew offers luxury cruises from March through to November and operates principally from Oban in Scotland around the Scottish Highlands and Islands and Norwegian Fjords.

In the year to 30 November 2008 the Hebridean Princess generated revenue of c.£7.0m and profit before taxation of c£1.2m. The provisional fair value of net assets being acquired is £4.1m and on this basis management expect the overall contribution to profits in the current financial year to be broadly neutral.

Roger Allard, Group Executive Chairman said "This Acquisition is our first investment of the funds raised on flotation and represents, as promised, a continuation of All Leisure's strategy to acquire established niche destination-led brands. Hebridean Princess justifiably enjoys the exceptionally high levels of both passenger loyalty (historically enjoying over 50% repeat passenger business) and customer support that a product of this quality and profile should demand."

Fred Olsen to Retire Black Prince.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has announced it will retire its vessel Black Prince in October 2009. The 441 passenger ship, which was built for the company by Flender Werft in Lubeck in 1966, will operate a series of four Farewell Cruises starting on 9th September from Liverpool, and ending on 16th October in Southampton.When Black Prince entered service for Fred. Olsen Ltd on 19th October, 1966, it was in the role of a joint passenger/freight ferry operating between the UK and the Canary islands in the winter, and the UK and Norway in the summer.

The ship was converted to a full-time cruise ship in 1987 and from February that year became a key player in the cruising market in the UK.Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines managing director Mike Rodwell said: “This is a very sad announcement for the company to make as Black Prince is one of the best loved ships that caters to the UK market, and many passengers have cruised on her so often that even they have lost track of the number of holidays they have taken. We know that there will be thousands of passengers who have sailed on her who will be very sad on that final day.”Black Prince’s Farewell Season will begin on 9th September 2009 with a ten night Around the UK cruise from Liverpool, then a three night mini cruise from Liverpool to Southampton.

The season continues with a 10 night Historic Home Ports cruise from Southampton back to Southampton; followed by her final cruise of 14 nights to the Canary Islands.

The ship returns to Southampton on Friday 16th October, 2009.Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines currently operates a fleet of five ships mostly from UK ports on worldwide itineraries.

Herbridean International Cruises Announces Sale of Vessel

Hebridean International Cruises have announced that they have sold the larger of their two vessels, the 98 berth Hebridean Spirit. The vessel will be withdrawn ahead of the Summer 2009 season.

Announcing the sale, Managing Director Mike Deegan said “We have made the decision to withdraw from international operations to concentrate on our core product, which is the operation of Hebridean Princess in Scotland”. He added “For some time now we have experienced rising costs of operating Hebridean Spirit in international waters due in part to the deterioration in the £ Sterling against the US Dollar and Euro and we can not continue to absorb these increases, especially when the vessel has been operating in a very aggressive market where heavy discounting is the norm”.

The line is in course of contacting all customers booked on future programmes of the vessel to offer a full refund or a transfer to a cruise aboard Hebridean Princess, the operation of which is not affected. They have also announced a number of redundancies will result from this move,both at Head Office in North Yorkshire and amongst its sea staff.

Mr Deegan added “Clearly we have not taken this decision lightly. I am very aware that the cancellation of an eagerly anticipated holiday is very upsetting and we shall work with all affected customers. That we shall also be losing some good staff, some of whom have seen many years of service with us, is equally upsetting for us”.

Hebridean Spirit was introduced in 2001 and has provided 5 star luxury afloat whilst operating in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean and South America. Sister vessel Hebridean Princess, which was chartered by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for a family holiday in 2006,will continue to offer 5 star holidays throughout the Western Isles of Scotland and is in her 21st season of operation for the Company.