COVID-19 Claimed These Cruise Brands

Big thanks to https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/ 

With COVID-19 taking its toll on the industry and with some ships and brands still out of service, the lack of income has claimed a handful of smaller cruise brands since the global pandemic started.

Pullmantur Cruceros
June 22

Madrid-based Pullmantur Cruceros was the first cruise line to be claimed by the COVID-19 pandemic. A joint venture between the Royal Caribbean Group and Cruise Investment Holding, the brand filed for reorganization under the terms of Spanish insolvency laws on June 22.

At the time, Pullmantur’s board of directors claimed that the unprecedented impact of the pandemic made the action necessary. While the website of the Spanish cruise line is still online, two of its ships are being scrapped in Turkey. The third was withdrawn from DNV GL's database in August and is anchored off Greece, awaiting its fate.

Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV)
July 20

In the United Kingdom, Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) was placed into administration on July 20. On the same day, all future cruises were cancelled, including those of the sister-brand TransOcean Tours, which was also placed into administration in Germany.

In the weeks prior to the announcement, CMV was reportedly negotiating a rescue financing deal, which did not pan out. The Essex-based brand operated a fleet of six vessels, which were returned to its owners or auctioned off over the last weeks.

FTI
July 28

FTI Cruises was shut down by its owners on July 28. The one-ship cruise brand was part of the German-based FTI Group, which has other assets in the travel and hospitality sector.

Operating for FTI since 2012, the 420-guest Berlin used to offer cruises in the Caribbean, Europe and the Middle East. In September, the FTI Group sold the vessel to new owners, who plan to convert it into a private yacht. 

Blount Small Ship Adventures
August 24

Blount Small Ship Adventures ceased operations in late August. The US-based cruise line operated a fleet of two small 100-passenger coastal ships and was a subsidiary of the shipbuilder Blount Boats.

While a message on the cruise line’s website says it "hopes to be sailing again in 2021," all future cruises were cancelled, and its two vessels were spotted on Blount Boat’s website as available for sale.

Jalesh Cruises
October 9

Jalesh Cruises announced its shut down on October 9. The brand had started operations in 2019, operating the 1,590-guest Karnika. With ambitions to grow, Jalesh targeted the Indian source market, sailing around the country and also in the Middle East.

In a statement, it blamed the future uncertainty for the situation, citing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "The owners of MV Karnika states that it is not in a position to start the operation as the ports in India has not given the date by which cruise ships can start its operations", Jalesh said.