Celebrity Gets Ex-Renaissance Ship

[Jason]

Celebrity Gets Ex-Renaissance Cruise Ship for Celebrity Expeditions

Source: The Cruise Ship Report

When Royal Caribbean Cruises completes its acquisition of Spanish cruise line Pullmantur on Nov. 15th, the big winner will be RCI's Celebrity Cruise brand -- which will swap its oldest cruise ship for one of Pullmantur's newest.

Royal Caribbean announced on Oct. 31 that Celebrity's Zenith -- last of its small Horizon-class ships -- will be transferred to Pullmantur in exchange for Pullmantur's Blue Dream.

The Blue Dream, one of two former Renaissance cruise ships owned by Pullmantur (the former R-6 and R-7), will be renamed Celebrity Journey and will become part of the boutique Celebrity Expeditions.

Celebrity Expeditions currently has just one ship, a 100-passenger yacht that sails to the Galapagos Islands, and the 718-passenger Celebrity Journey will enable it to offer other itineraries.

Because cruises are already sold for next year, however, the Celebrity Journey will spend next summer sailing Bermuda itineraries from Bayonne, NJ, originally scheduled for Zenith.

Before switching brands, the R-6 -- which entered service in 2000 -- will undergo a one-month revitalization to incorporate specialty restaurants, expanded spa services, expanded concierge service and additional guest suites.

"Celebrity Journey will be an ideal ship for the Bermuda market," said Celebrity Cruises President Dan Hanrahan. "Its smaller size and upscale style are perfect complements to premium destinations such as St. Georges and Hamilton.

The other Renaissance ship, the Blue Moon, will apparently remain with Pullmantur at least for the time being.

Zenith -- which is eight-years older but almost twice the size of Blue Dream -- will be redeployed to the Pullmantur fleet in June 2007. Once customized, Zenith will sail seven-night Mediterranean cruises between Athens and Venice.

[jacketwatch]

:cool: Is that former Renaissance ship a sister ship of the Pacific and Tahitian Princesses?

[JohnG]

Yes, it is a sister ship to those two and the three Oceania ships, Regatta, Nautica, and Insignia, who were R1,2,3,4,5. This one was R6.

[jacketwatch]

:cool: Thanks John. :cool:

[TheSkipper]

Gonna hate to see the Zenith, Sailed on her Inaugural Voyage and been abord her about three times since.

Grand old gal, we will miss her.

[KeithnRita]

Shortly after we cruised on the Horizon they sold the ship. Now we are getting ready to sail on the Zenith and they are selling this ship. Do we notice a trend here?