Renaissance Cruises

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Renaissance Cruises, originally founded in 1989, was a cruise line operator that operated year-round cruise itineraries to the Mediterranean, the Greek Isles, Tahiti and the South Pacific, Northern Europe and Scandinavia. The company ceased operations on 25 September, 2001 and accommodated up to 220,000 guests in 2000. While the company had been in poor financial health for quite some time, the economic decline resulting from the September 11th terrorist attacks are credited with the demise of this cruise line.

The Fleet

R-Class

The pride of the fleet were the line's eight brand new 684-passenger R-Class ships named R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8. This ships in this class were built between 1998 and 2001. Because the bankruptcy of Renaissance Cruises, all of the vessels were leased, chartered or sold to other cruise lines, among them Princess and Oceania, and continue to operate to this day.

Current Operations of the former R-class

R One This vessel started service for Renaissance Cruises in 1998. After the bankruptcy of the line in 2001 the vessel was out of operation until 2002. She was then leased by the new company Oceania Cruises and renamed Insignia. In 2006 Oceania Cruises bought the vessels from the owners. R Two This vessel started service for Renaissance Cruises in 1998. After the bankruptcy of the line in 2001 the vessel was out of operation until 2002. She was then leased by the new company Oceania Cruises and renamed Regatta. In 2006 Oceania Cruises bought the vessels from the owners. R Three This vessel started service for Renaissance Cruises in 1999. After the bankruptcy of the line in 2001 the vessel was out of operation until late 2002. In 2002 Princess Cruises was able to secure a lease for this vessel, renaming her Pacific Princess. The lease ended in the end of 2004, at which time the vessels were purchased by Princess Cruises. R Four This vessel started service for Renaissance Cruises in 1999. After the bankruptcy of the line in 2001 the vessel was out of operation until late 2002. In 2002 Princess Cruises was able to secure a lease for this vessel, renaming her Tahitian Princess. The lease ended in the end of 2004, at which time the vessels were purchased by Princess Cruises. R Five This vessel was chartered to Pullmantur Cruises in 2002, and renamed Blue Star. In 2005 Oceania Cruises took over the charter and renamed her Nautica. In 2006 the vessel was bought by Oceania Cruises. R Six R Six was sold to Pullmantur Cruises in 2002, and renamed Blue Dream. In 2007 the company was bought by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and it was announced that the vessel would go to Celebrity Cruises, and renamed Celebrity Journey, but instead it went to the new RCCL subsidiary Azamara Cruises and was re-launched as the Azamara Journey in May 2007. R Seven This vessel was chartered to the German Delphin Seereisen and renamed Delphin Renaissance. In 2005 the vessel was sold to Pullmantur Cruises and renamed Blue Moon. In 2007 the company was bought by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and it was announced that the vessel would go to Celebrity Cruises, and renamed Celebrity Quest, but instead it will go to the new RCCL subsidiary Azamara Cruises and will be renamed Azamara Quest in October 2007. R Eight R Eight was the last vessel to be built in the fleet and was completed in 2000. After the bankruptcy of the line in 2001 the vessel was out of operation until 2003. She then came in service as the Minerva II for Swan Hellenic. Beginning in April 2007, she is operating under the name Royal Princess for Princess Cruises.

Renaissance-class

The company also owned and operated eight "Renaissance" class ships. No longer than 300 feet in length and weighing no more than 4,000 gross registered tons, these yacht-like vessels accommodated 114 passengers. The small, intimately sized vessels used Roman numeral designations as part of their names: Renaissance I through Renaissance VIII. Renaissance ships I through VI were chartered and sold off so the line could concentrate on the larger, newer "R-Class". After the line folded, Renaissance VII and VIII were sold to other interests. Current operators of these vessels include Cruise West, Travel Dynamics International, easyCruise and Hebridean Island Cruises. These are the current names, former names and registries of the Renaissance Class ships: I. LEISURE WORLD 1 a) Renaissance b) Renaissance One c) The Mercury (1989) New Century Cruise Lines, Singapore. (Operated as a gambling ship.) II. EASYCRUISEONE a) Renaissance Two b) The Neptune (1990) easyCruise Ltd., Cyprus. III. GALAPAGOS EXPLORER II a) Renaissance Three (1990) Galapagos Inc., Ecuador. IV. CLELIA II a) Renaissance Four (1990) Hani-Ioannou, Liberia. (Operated by Golden Seas Cruises.) V. SPIRIT OF OCEANUS a) Renaissance Five b) Hanseatic Renaissance c) Renaissance Five d) Sun Viva e) MegaStar Sagittarius (1990) Cruise West, Bahamas. VI. HERBRIDEAN SPIRIT a) Renaissance Six b) Sun Viva 2 c) MegaStar Capricorn (1991) Herbridean Island Cruises, Bahamas. VII. CORINTHIAN II a) Renaissance Seven b) Regina Renaissance c) Renaissance Seven d) Renai 1 e) Sun f) Island Sun (1991) Travel Dynamics, Malta. VIII. ISLAND SKY a) Renaissance Eight b) Renal 2 c) Sky (1992) Noble Caledonia, Liberia.

References

• Cruise Reviews.com Renaissance page

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