The Alang Fleet: These Five Ships Will Be Scrapped in India

Five cruise ships are in the process of being scrapped in India following the COVID-19 pandemic which has accelerated the retirement of cruise ships.

Karnika
Capacity: 1,578
Tonnage: 70,130
Year built: 1990
Last Cruise Line: Jalesh Cruises

A victim of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jalesh Cruises was shut down by its owners in October. As a consequence, Karnika, the company’s sole vessel, was sold for scrap in November.

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Ocean Dream
Capacity: 1,022
Tonnage: 36,674
Year built: 1982
Last Cruise Line: Peace Boat

The Ocean Dream was beached on New Year’s Eve, ending its 38-year seagoing career. Previously operated by the Peace Boat Organization, the vessel was replaced by the newer and larger Pacific World, the former Sun Princess. 

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Marco Polo 
Capacity: 800
Tonnage: 22,080
Year built: 1965
Last Cruise Line: Cruise & Maritime

After Cruise & Maritime Voyages went into administration, the Marco Polo was auctioned in October. The new owners planned to use the ship on charter deals, looking into options that even included transforming it into a permanent hotel. None of the deal materialized.

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Grand Celebration 
Capacity: 1,800
Tonnage: 47,262
Year built: 1987
Last Cruise Line: Bahamas Paradise
Operating for Bahamas Paradise since 2015, the Grand Celebration was sold in November. While the cruise line initially denied the sale, the 1987-built vessel set course to India, arriving in Alang on January 11.   

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Satoshi (ex-Pacific Dawn)
Capacity: 1,590
Tonnage: 70,000
Year built: 1991
Last Cruise Line: P&O Australia

Sold by P&O Australia in October, the former Pacific Dawn was set to become a floating tech hub off the coast of Panama. The plan, however, fell through in December and the ship, now named Satoshi, was sold to Indian breakers.  

The Marco Polo Is Getting Scrapped

The classic Marco Polo is heading to the scrapyard in Alang, India, according to a source familiar with the ship.

"The Marco Polo is headed for the beach," they said.

Other sources said potential charter deals included using the ship as a floating accommodation vessel and even converting it to a permanent hotel. None of the deals materialized, however.

Following the demise of Cruise & Maritime Voyages earlier this year, the classic, 1965-built vessel sold at auction for just $2,770,000.

A former ocean liner, the Marco Polo was built in 1965 as the Aleksandr Pushkin for the Leningrad/Montreal route.

After serving its original purpose until the 1970s, the vessel started to sail as a cruise ship under charter agreements.

In 1991, it was sold to Orient Lines and renamed Marco Polo. In Greece, the vessel was rebuilt as a true cruise ship, also receiving new engines.

Cruise Ship Fleet Headed to Auction Block

CMV Vasco da Gama built originally for Holland America Line.

Five ships from Cruise & Maritime Voyages will be auctioned off via CW Kellock & Co in October as five separate lots.

Up for Auction
- 1993-built Vasco Da Gama (Bid Deadline October 8)
- 1989-built Columbus (Bid Deadline October 12)
- 1985-built Magellan (Bid Deadline October 19)
- 1987-built Astor (Bid Deadline October 15)
- 1965-built Marco Polo (Bid Deadline October 22)

All ships are in Tilbury and can be inspected by arrangement, with the exception of the Marco Polo, which is tied up in Avonmouth and can also be inspected. 

In accordance with various court orders following the insolvency of Cruise & Maritime Voyages, each vessel is to be sold by separate sealed tender, "as is where is" at the time of sale, on the Admiralty Marshal’s Conditions of Sale, with a clean title and free of encumbrances.

"Offers may be submitted in sealed envelopes marked with vessel’s name, or by email, and should be received by the EXCLUSIVE BROKERS, CW Kellock & Co Ltd, latest by 1200 hours midday on the dates indicated above," said a statement from CW Kellock & Co.

Administrators confirm Cruise & Maritime Voyages asset sale

Administrators confirm Cruise & Maritime Voyages asset sale

Christian Verhounig, the former chief executive of Cruise & Maritime Voyages, has bought several assets from the collapsed business.

The Essex-based cruise line entered administration last month after failing to secure additional funding.

Verhounig has established a company called CVI Group Limited (CVI) and plans to restart operations in the future.

A statement on Friday from the administrators confirmed reports of the sale, which completed on August 27.

“Paul Williams, Phil Dakin and Edward Bines of Duff & Phelps, Joint Administrators of Cruise & Maritime Voyages Ltd (CMV), together with sister companies South Quay Travel & Leisure Ltd, Independent Coach Travel (Wholesaling) Ltd and Viceroy Ltd (together with the Companies), are pleased to announce that a sale of certain assets of the Companies to CVI Group Limited (CVI),” said the statement.

The assets include customer databases; computer systems, including websites and booking systems; office furniture and equipment; and information technology infrastructure.

CMV’s administration did not include its fleet of six ships, which included Marco Polo and Columbus.

Verhounig, the owner of CVI, said: “The global pandemic had a devastating impact on CMV’s once-flourishing, expanding and profitable business.

“Having developed a much-loved brand over the past decade and the hugely popular value-based niche no-fly cruise product, we have been simply overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and pleased to re-launch the business.

“This endorsement across the industry and customer base alike has been a rich source of encouragement and together with my previous management team, we are working hard to plug the huge market gap vacated by CMV’s untimely insolvency.

“The acquisition of the UK commercial assets provides a positive first step and we believe demonstrates our firm commitment and optimism to return much stronger and to work alongside our loyal suppliers and creditors to also help mitigate the pandemic impact.”

Paul Williams, a joint administrator at Duff & Phelps, commented: “We have worked hard since being appointed to secure a sale of the business and assets of the companies.

“Regrettably, given the devastating impact of the global pandemic on the entire travel industry, with a focus on the leisure cruise sector, this has not been possible in this instance.

“However, I strongly believe that this asset sale not only represents the best value for the companies’ creditors that was achievable in challenging market conditions, but also provides an opportunity for CVI, through its owner Christian Verhounig, to continue to pursue funding opportunities to potentially relaunch CMV’s unique cruise operations to its dedicated customers at some point in the future.”

Cancelled bookings remain unaffected by the sale and details of how to claim refunds are available on Cruise & Maritime Voyages’ and TransOcean Kreuzfahrten’s local websites.

CMV declines to comment on reports over financing talks

CMV declines to comment on reports over financing talks

Cruise & Maritime Voyages has declined to comment on reports that it is in talks with investor VGO Capital Management over financing to allow it to navigate the shutdown of the cruise sector.

Sky News reported that the talks were critical to a package being agreed, and a CMV spokesman said: “Financing discussions involving several parties are still ongoing and we are not prepared to make any further comment at this time.”

Last month, CMV confirmed it was in talks with a number of financial institutions and banks to secure additional financing “to improve its liquidity position until sailing will resume again” and said it was confident a deal would be reached.

At that point, Sky said talks with private equity firm Novalpina Capital and existing creditors were halted following a decision by Barclays not to offer a £25 million loan under the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

CMV Has Booking Momentum for Baltic and St. Petersburg for 2021

Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) is seeing growing interest in cruise holidays sailing to the Baltic cities and St. Petersburg in 2021, according to a press release.

CMV’s fleet of smaller to medium-sized cruise ships sail from a range of UK ports including London Tilbury, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Harwich to Baltic destinations, according to the company, with a nine-night cruise departing October 17, 2021, from Portsmouth is available from just £699 per person, included in the buy one, get one free offer the company is pushing.

The Baltic cruises include "Hidden Baltic Treasures" sailing from London Tilbury April 11 for 12 nights onboard CMV’s Marco Polo visiting Holland, Denmark, Germany with an option to see Berlin, Lithuania and Poland. 

A number of CMV cruises to the Baltic include an overnight stop in St. Petersburg. The Columbus sails June 5, 2021, from London Tilbury on a 14-night Baltic Cities and St. Petersburg itinerary. This itinerary also includes Copenhagen, Tallinn, Helsinki and Stockholm. Fares are available from £1135pp. The Columbus sails on a similar itinerary on September 16 2021.

Cruise & Maritime Voyages Fleet Scenario for Operations Pause

The Cruise & Maritime Voyages fleet is being recalled to Northern Europe for the company's voluntary pause of operations.

"All six ocean vessels will be heading back to Northern Europe," said Chris Coates, group commercial director, in an email to Cruise Industry News.

The Magellan, Columbus, Vasco da Gama and Astoria are set to stay in Tilbury.

The Marco Polo will lay over in Bristol Avonmouth and the Astor will dock in Bremerhaven.

The present plan is for a vast majority of the crew to remain onboard, Coates said.

The company plans to resumes operations on April 24.

Cruise couple held over suitcase cocaine

A British couple in their 70s have been arrested after cocaine was found in their cruise ship cabin.

Officers found 20-22lb (9-10kg) of the drug "ingeniously concealed" in false compartments in four suitcases, Portuguese police said.

The man and woman, aged 72 and 70, were held on suspicion of drug trafficking when the ship docked at Lisbon.

Operator Cruise and Maritime Voyages said it was "co-operating fully with officials".

The Marco Polo ship had left Tilbury in Essex on 5 November and travelled to the West Indies and the Azores with 610 passengers and 294 crew on board.

The couple were arrested on 4 December following a tip-off from the UK National Crime Agency.

They appeared before a judge and will be held separately while a joint Portuguese and British investigation continues.

A spokesman for the operator said the firm "does not tolerate any criminal activity or anti-social behaviour onboard its ships".

Pensioner rescued after trying to swim to cruise ship

A British pensioner was rescued from the Atlantic after trying to swim to a cruise ship after the vessel left port without her.

Susan Brown, 65, jumped into the water off Madeira after she changed her mind about leaving the Cruise and Maritime Voyages’ ship Marco Polo with her husband.

She was rescued about 500 metres from the shore by fishermen who heard her cries for help.
She had been in the icy water for four hours and was reported to be recovering from hypothermia in hospital in Funchal.

The pensioner and her husband Michael Brown reportedly had a row on Saturday and asked to leave the cruise early and fly back from Madeira to Bristol.

She appears to have changed her mind at the airport and tried to swim out to the ship which had already left the port.

The ship docked in Madeira on Saturday at 8am and was due to depart later the same evening. The couple asked to leave the ship before the end of the 32-night voyage from the West Indies.
Felix Marques, the Funchal port captain, told Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha: “She was 500 metres from the coast when fishermen heard her shouting. When they reached her she was clinging to her handbag.”

Mr Brown is thought to have returned to Madeira to be with his wife.

A local newspaper, the Jornal da Madeira, reported: “It appears a woman failed to return to the ship at 8pm and instead decided to go to the airport to catch a flight.

“When she reached the airport, she saw the ship passing and threw herself into the sea with the aim of getting back on the vessel.”

Cruise and Maritime charters 'classic ship'

By Phil Davies 

A 550-passenger ‘classic cruise ship’ is being chartered by Cruise and Maritime Voyages next year to replace Discovery after it is withdrawn from service.

The vessel Azores, which was re-built in 1994 for $150 million, will operate year round sailings, with its first departure from Bristol Avonmouth on January 26 on a 30-night voyage to the Caribbean.

The Azores has been chartered from Lisbon-based Portuscale Cruises on a long term basis. All crewing and ship management services will be handled directly by CMV.

Full details of the ship’s Azores programme for next year alongside CMV’s and Astor will be unveiled tomorrow (Tuesday)  when a 2015 first edition preview brochure is released featuring more 50 sailings until October 2015.

Eight five per cent of Azores’ 277 cabins have an ocean view and almost 20% are of a de-luxe standard including nine balcony suites. All cabins also have a bath tub and mini bar.

CMV commercial director Chris Coates said: “Azores is an excellent, upgraded addition to our cruise fleet and has been affectionately and very well maintained by her owners.

“We are confident that Azores will prove to be a real winner with our dedicated growing number of loyal customers and will also attract new clients seeking smaller ship alternatives and regional ex-UK no fly cruise options.”

Rui Alegre, CEO of Portuscale Cruises, added: “I’m a strong believer in developing close and long term business partnerships. I’m very pleased to have concluded a charter with CMV and look forward to working closely with their team in successfully establishing Azores on to the British market.

“Azores is a beautiful ship and has been operating very well in achieving high levels of customer satisfaction. I am proud that she will be carrying CMV passengers next year and for many years to come”.