Pullmantur Cruises was a cruise line headquartered in Madrid, Spain.[1] It began operations in the late 1990s as an offshoot of the Madrid-based travel agency Pullmantur. In 2006, Pullmantur Cruises, through its parent company, was purchased by U.S.-based Royal Caribbean Group,[2] but Royal Caribbean later sold a 51% stake in the cruise line to Spain-based investment firm Springwater Capital, retaining a 49% stake.[3]
Pullmantur Cruises was the largest Spain-based cruise line. The company mainly marketed to Spanish passengers, although cruises were also sold by some travel operators outside the Spanish-speaking world. Some of the company's ships operated an "all-inclusive" product, where some extras, such as brand alcoholic beverages, were included in the cruise price.[2] Originally, most Pullmantur ships did not operate cruises for the company during the northern hemisphere winter season. Instead, they were either laid up or under charter to other cruise lines, such as the Brazil-based Viagens CVC.[2]
On 22 June 2020, due to the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Pullmantur's owners announced they had filed for reorganization of Pullmantur under Spanish insolvency laws.[4] Pullmantur under Administration review was hoping to restart some operations with MV Horizon, laid up in Eleusis Bay, and two Celebrity Millennium class cruise ships.[5]
By December 2020, a reorganization plan had been developed, to restart some cruises, with financial assistance from Royal Caribbean.[6] Since mid July 2021 it was in process of liquidation.[7]
History
Monarch (left) and Sovereign (right) beached for scrapping in Aliağa, Turkey in July 2020.
Pullmantur began cruise operations in the 1990s by initially selling cruises on board SSSeaWind Crown, founded by Anastasios Kyriakides (subsequently merged with Premier Cruises), in the Southern Caribbean from Premier Cruises and later also on board Premier Cruises flagship the SS Rembrandt in the Mediterranean. Premier changed its business plan in 1997 and canceled its contracts with operators, such as Pullmantur, and later collapsed in 2000. Pullmantur then acquired SS Big Red Boat 1 and started its own cruise line, Pullmantur Cruises.[2]Big Red Boat 1 reverted to her original name SSOceanic, and began cruising around the Mediterranean from Barcelona in May 2005.[8] The Oceanic became very successful, and in 2002, Pullmantur acquired a second ship, MS Pacific, from Princess Cruises,[2] and chartered the former Renaissance Cruises ship MSR Five from Cruiseinvest. R Five was marketed under the name Blue Dream.[9] Two more ships followed in 2003 when Pullmantur acquired MS Superstar Aries from Star Cruises and renamed her MSHoliday Dream,[2] while R Five's sister ship MSR Six was chartered as Blue Star.[10]
In 2004, R Five was chartered to Oceania Cruises.[9] In 2005, Pullmantur purchased R Six, and renamed her MSBlue Dream after R Five exited the fleet. A third R-class ship followed in 2006 when Pullmantur bought Delphin Renaissance and renamed her MSBlue Moon. Later that year, Pullmantur's fleet grew to six ships when it purchased Pacific Sky from P&O Cruises Australia and renamed her SSSky Wonder. In August 2006, Royal Caribbean Group announced it would purchase Pullmantur, making it Royal Caribbean's first wholly owned European brand.[11] The acquisition was expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of the year.[11]
Following the acquisition by Royal Caribbean, several transfers were carried out between the Pullmantur fleet and those of other Royal Caribbean brands. In 2007, Blue Dream and Blue Moon were transferred to Azamara Club Cruises, while MSOceanic II and Celebrity Cruises' MSZenith joined the Pullmantur fleet in their place.[2]Oceanic II had only spent the 2007 summer season operating for Pullmantur.[12]
In April 2013, Royal Caribbean transferred Monarch of the Seas to Pullmantur.[20]Ocean Dream was chartered to Peace Boat to replace Oceanic and Pacific Dream, which had been renamed Horizon, was transferred to CDF. In 2014, Zenith joined sister ship L'Horizon in the CDF fleet.
In 2014 it was announces that the Majesty of the Seas would join the Pullmantur-fleet in 2016,[21] but these plans were cancelled in 2015,[22] and Empress was transferred back to Royal Caribbean in early 2016.[23]
CDF ceased operations in early 2017, and both ships in the CDF fleet were transferred back to Pullmantur.[24]
In July 2019, it was announced Zenith would leave the fleet in early 2020, having been chartered to Peace Boat.[25] Later in 2019, Pullmantur announced Grandeur of the Seas would be transferred from Royal Caribbean to Pullmantur, joining the fleet in April 2021.[26] There plans were cancelled in 2020.[27]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, more than half of the crew members onboard Horizon were reported to have tested positive for the coronavirus following the company's suspension of operations.[28] In early-June 2020, Pullmantur's fleet had been moved into "cold lay-up" due to the company's extended suspension of operations given the pandemic.[29]
Reorganization plan
On 22 June 2020, Pullmantur's owners announced that, due to the significant economic impact caused by the pandemic, they had filed for reorganization of Pullmantur under Spanish insolvency laws.[4] It was also reported Pullmantur had begun dismantling part of the interiors of MS Sovereign and MS Monarch, with claims that "everything of value" was removed.[30] A December 2020 news item stated that four companies had been declared bankrupt: Pullmantur S. A., Pullmantur Cruises SL, Pullmantur Holdings SL y Pullmantur Maltesas.[6]
Pullmantur Cruises announced a plan to return and restart cruise operations. In a series of questions on Facebook addressed to the customers, Pullmantur had been asking for feedback on what would they like to see when they resume cruises. Among the questions the company asked was if guests are willing to pay 10-15% higher prices than previously offered if it ensured a safer experience for everyone. After the fate of two Pullmantur ships, the Monarch and the Sovereign, was sealed in Aliaga scrapyard in Turkey, the company might try to resume cruises with the Horizon which was in cold lay-up in Greece Elefsinas Bay. The restart would be a tough task for Pullmantur since the company declared bankruptcy in July 2020. They said working together with the bankruptcy administration to introduce a new business plan that involved the return to operation and guaranteed the viability of the company, according the CEO of the company, Richard J. Vogel. Recently, the company has been in the spotlight in the Spanish media saying that Pullmantur left its headquarters in Madrid because of the inability to pay rent. Local media also reported that 127 employees out of 311, working in the headquarters had not received salary for the month of August 2020. Addressing this issue Pullmantur CEO, Richard J. Vogel, sent an email Friday 18.09.2020 to the entire staff, assuring them that the salary would be paid in following days. Regarding the non-payment of rent and the company moving out from the headquarters, Vogel said that they were reviewing different options, but there was no decision made to it. [31]
The plan certainly required reorganization, as the board of directors had acknowledged in June 2020: "Despite the great progress the company made to achieve a turnaround in 2019 and its huge engagement and best efforts of its dedicated employees, the headwinds caused by the pandemic are too strong for Pullmantur to overcome without a reorganization".[32]
The December 2020 news item stated that the Royal Caribbean had agreed to provide some funds to allow Pullmantur to move ahead with a "viability plan, and to carry out the reorganization process necessary to adapt the company to the new reality with a new fleet". In the meantime, negotiations were underway with the over 300 employees who were no longer working.[6][7] In early 2021, Peace Boat returned Zenith to Royal Caribbean after chartering a larger cruise ship.[33] In July 2021, however, Pullmantur was completely liquidated.[34][7]
Horizon and Zenith were sent for scrapping in Turkey and India in August and September 2022, respectively.[35][36]
Formerly Pacific Star for P&O Cruises Australia.[12][40] The ship was on bare-boat charter to Peace Boat from April 2012 onwards. Scrapped in Alang in 2021.[41]
Previously Zenith. Sailed as CDFZenith from 2014 to 2017. Identical to the Horizon. The ship is on bare-boat charter to Peace Boat, after leaving the fleet early 2020. Scrapped in Alang in 2022.
Royal Caribbean International (RCI), formerly Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL), is a cruise line founded in 1968 in Norway and organized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group since 1997.
Celebrity Cruises is a cruise line headquartered in Miami, Florida, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group. Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1988 by the Greece-based Chandris Group, and merged with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line in 1997.
Royal Caribbean Group, formerly known as Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., is a global cruise holding company incorporated in Liberia and based in Miami, Florida. It is the world's second-largest cruise line operator, after Carnival Corporation & plc. As of March 2024, Royal Caribbean Group fully owns three cruise lines: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises with 65 ships in the current fleet and 5 ships on order until 2028. They also hold a 50% stake in TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.
Majesty of the Seas was a Sovereign-class cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. She was built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyards in Saint-Nazaire, France, weighing 73,941 gross tons. She was placed in service on 26 April 1992 offerering 4- and 5-night Caribbean cruises, sailing from Florida. Her Godmother is Queen Sonja of Norway. In December 2020 she was sold to Seajets, renamed Majesty and laid up in Greece. Subsequently renamed Majesty of the Oceans, she is the only remaining Sovereign-class ship, although still out of service in November 2024.
MS Monarch was the second of three Sovereign-class cruise ships owned by Royal Caribbean International. Beginning on April 1, 2013, Monarch was operated by RCCL's Pullmantur Cruises, before being sold for scrap in 2020 following Pullmantur's closure. The ship was built in 1991 at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyards in Saint-Nazaire, France.
Premier Cruise Lines, a subsidiary of Premier Cruises, is a cruise line that is headquartered in Cape Canaveral, Florida. From 1985 to 1993, it is licensed as the official cruise line of Walt Disney World and uses the trademark "The Big Red Boat" based on the color scheme of some of its ships.
Empress is a cruise ship owned by Cordelia Cruises, an Indian cruise line. She is the sole ship of her class. She entered service with then-Royal Caribbean International in 1990, transferred to Pullmantur Cruises in 2008, and then returned to Royal Caribbean International in 2016. In December 2020, she was retired from the Royal Caribbean fleet and sold to Cordelia Cruises.
MS Dreamward was a cruise ship owned and operated by Star Cruises. She was built in 1992 by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France as MS Dreamward for traffic with Norwegian Cruise Line. In 1998 she was lengthened at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany and renamed as Norwegian Dream. In late 2012, she was transferred to the fleet of Star Cruises and renamed SuperStar Gemini.
The MV Horizon was a cruise ship that sailed from 1990-2020, and was the first new build for Celebrity Cruises. She was sent for scrapping in Aliaga in 2022.
MS Sovereign was one of three large cruise ships of the Sovereign class operated by Pullmantur Cruises and formerly by Royal Caribbean International. When she was completed in 1987, Sovereign of the Seas was the world's largest passenger ship. On 24 June 2020, due to economic losses caused by COVID-19 pandemic, Sovereign arrived and was beached at Aliağa, Turkey, where she was dismantled.
Marella Explorer 2, formerly Celebrity Century and SkySea Golden Era, was the lead ship of the Century class of cruise ships for Celebrity Cruises, and the co-flagship of the Celebrity fleet, along with Millennium-class ship Celebrity Constellation, and the newest Solstice class, Celebrity Reflection. Other ships belonging to the Century class include Marella Explorer and Mein Schiff 2 (2011).
The MV Zenith was a cruise ship built in 1992 by Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany for Celebrity Cruises as Zenith. After a career for Pullmantur Cruises and Croisières de France she was sold for scrapping in Alang, India in 2022.
MS Tropicale was a cruise ship that entered service in 1982, and was one of the pioneering cruise ships in the modernization of the cruise industry. She was Carnival Cruises Line's first newly built ship, initially operating mainly in the Mexican Riviera and the Caribbean.
Marella Cruises is a British cruise line operated by TUI UK, offering cruise holidays around Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia.
The MS Windward was a cruise ship that was built in 1993 by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France for Kloster Cruise as Windward. In 1998 she was lengthened at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany and renamed Norwegian Wind. In 2007 she was transferred to the fleet of Star Cruises as SuperStar Aquarius. The ship remained in passenger service for the cruise line until the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown in 2020. The ship was sold for scrap as Arius in 2022 following the liquidation of the cruise line's parent company after filing for bankruptcy, which also led to the demise of Star Cruises.
Blue Sapphire is a cruise ship owned and operated by ANEX Tour. She was originally built in 1981 by Bremer Vulkan of Germany for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises as Europa. In 1999, Europa was sold to Star Cruises and she was renamed SuperStar Europe and a year later, Superstar Aries. In 2004, she was sold to Pullmantur Cruises and renamed Holiday Dream. In May 2008, she was transferred to the fleet of CDF Croisières de France and renamed Bleu de France. In November 2010, she was sold to Saga Cruises, but retained on charter by CDF for a further 12 months. Following an extensive refit in Italy from November 2011 to March 2012, the vessel was renamed Saga Sapphire. Most recently, she was sold to ANEX Tour in June 2020 and renamed Blue Sapphire, scheduled for an official debut in 2021.
MS Black Watch was a Royal Viking Star-class cruise ship. She was built by Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard, Finland for Royal Viking Line as Royal Viking Star, entering service in 1972 as the lines first ship. She has also sailed for Norwegian Cruise Lines as Westward and Royal Cruise Line as Star Odyssey. As of June 18, 2022 she has been beached for scrapping as Odin at Alang, India.
P&O Cruises Australia is a British-American owned cruise line with operational headquarters as part of Carnival Australia, based in Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia.
CDF Croisières de France was a cruise line that catered to the French cruise market, with French as the primary language used on board. CDF was a subsidiary of Pullmantur Cruises, and offered cruises to the Mediterranean operating from mid-March until November. Most CDF cruises were all inclusive. in many, but not all cases, the price included airfare. However, cruises could be purchased without airfare as well. CDF ceased operations in 2017.
Premier Cruises was a cruise line holding company formed in the early 1990s that focused on the family cruise market as well as on developing cruise operations in new geographic markets. The company's business focus was to acquire older cruise vessels, refurbish these vessels in order to offer "traditional cruise experiences", operate the vessels in geographic areas, such as Europe and south/Central America.
References
↑ "Legal NoticeArchived 2015-04-25 at the Wayback Machine ." Pullmantur. Retrieved on 13 May 2015. "Pullmantur, S.A CIF A28261337. Located on, number 2 Mahonia Street, Madrid 28043." and "Pullmantur Cruises S.L. CIF B84581701. Located on, number 2 Mahonia Street, Madrid 28043."
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