Celebrity Cruises ship of the Century class and the “Columbus” of Hapag-Lloyd at Punta de Piedras, Isla Margarita, Venezuela 2002 (WS)

Chandris
In the ‘60s, Antonis Chandris of the Greek ship-owner family Chandris (pronounced Handris) which got famous with Chandris Line, maintained regular North Atlantic and Australian services, while his brother Dimitris Chandris created Chandris Cruises. A pioneering feature was the creation of a “Fly Cruise” concept for Caribbean voyages together with the Dutch airline KLM. In 1974 the brothers united the business under the name Chandris Line/ Chandris Cruises, from 1977 exclusively Chandris Cruises (according to Wikipedia). The Chandris bothers had amassed the most varied collection of beautiful oldtimers. Among the many ships, the most prestigious one was the “America” (1940/26,315 gt) of United States Lines, acquired in 1964, used as “Australis” also for cruises, in 1978 sold to American Cruise Lines, bought back in the same year, rebuilt (with one funnel removed) in 1979 for Mediterranean cruises as “Italis” and sold in 1980. She ended her career as a hotel ship. The “Amerikanis”, transferred from National Hellenic to Caribbean cruises, had been the “Kenya Castle” (1952/16,485 gt) of the Union Castle Line. The most beautiful ships with two funnels were the “Queen Frederica” (1927/16,435 gt, ex “Malolo”, “Matsonia” of Matson Line, “Atlantic “of Home Lines), the Ellinis” (1932/18,565 gt, ex “Lurline” of Matson Line) and the “Britanis” (1932/ now 25,245 gt, ex “Monterey”, “Matsonia” II, “Lurline” III of Matson Line), acquired in 1970 and used for subsidiary Chandris Fantasy Cruises (the acquired Fantasy Cruises), praised during her last years towards the end of the century as world’s oldest passenger steamer in service. The nice “President Roosevelt” of American President Lines (ex “Laguardia”, “Leilani”) was employed from 1971 by Chandris on cruises from U.S. ports as “Atlantis” (18,936 gt) and became in 1972 the “Emerald Seas” (see chapter End of Liners). The “Regina Magna” (1939/32,336 gt), employed in cruising between 1972 and 1976, was the former “Bremen” of Norddeutscher Lloyd, originally the French “Pasteur”.

In 1974, Chandris owned with 13 ships (according to Ulrich) the largest cruise fleet in the world. Their various operation fields were summarized by A.E.Tzamtzis as follows: “Queen Frederica”, “Ellinis” and “Britanis” operated from Europe, Australia and South Africa, “Victoria” from Puerto Rico, “Karina”, “Fantasia”, “Romantica”, “Fiesta, “Fiorita”, “Azur” and “Arian” in the “Mediterranean, “Regina Prima, “Romanza” and “Regina Magna” also in the Caribbean, “Australis” (then “Italis”), “Amerikanis”, “Atlantis” and “Galileo” from New York and Miami. The elegant “Galileo Galilei” (27,907 gt), built for the Lloyd Triestino, was acquired in 1983, becoming the “Galileo”, while the old vessels disappeared one by one. The beautiful “Ellinis”, ex “Lurline” of 1932, was scrapped in 1986. At the end of the century there was some hope that the “Britanis”, sold in 1998, would survive as a resort moored at San Francisco – in vain. She was scrapped around 2000.

“Regina Magna” of Chandris, ex “Bremen”, ex “Pasteur” and (right) “Queen Frederica”, Salamis 1975 (WS)

Sigi, ‘Miss Regina’ aboard the “Regina” (ex “President Hoover”) of Chandris (coll. Sigi Saul)

“Meridian”, ex “Galileo Galilei” (Celebrity Cruises)


Celebrity Cruises
About Chandris’ cruise activities, Wikipedia informed that “during the late 1980s the company operated in the United States market under the brand name Chandris Fantasy Cruises.” In 1988 the Holland America Line withdrew from the Bermuda market and Chandris wanted to enter this market. The report continued: ”In order to gain the Bermuda Government contracts, Chandris created Celebrity Cruises (…). Chandris Fantasy Cruises’ “Galileo” was rebuilt at Lloyd Werft in 1989, re-entering service as “Meridian” (…). As the second ship, “Horizon”, that had been ordered in 1988 as a replacement for “Amerikanis” in the Chandris Fantasy fleet, was transferred to Celebrity Cruises fleet, entering service in May 1990. In late 1990 Celebrity Cruises placed an order for a sister ship of the “Horizon”, delivered in 1992 as “Zenith”.” The innovative 47,000-ton ships were built by the Meyer Werft in Germany. In 1992 the German magazine Schiffahrt international reported: “In October 1992 the Chandris cruise division and the Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) concluded a joint-venture treaty. A financial basis for the future extension of the shipping activities is targeted. To the ‘new’ shipping firm, intended under the designation ‘Celebrity Cruise Lines Inc.’, Chandris contributes 6 cruise ships, while OSG invested 220 million US dollar in cash. Chandris keeps a 51% share in the new company.”

The two 47,000-ton newbuilds were followed between 1995 and 1997 by three 70,000-ton megaships of the Century class, characterized by the glazed Navigator Club dominating the bridge. All these vessels, built by the Meyer Werft, are of a strikingly modernistic appearance. With the traditional label ‘X’ (the Greek letter ‘chi’ for Chandris) decorating the funnel, they became the trademark of Celebrity Cruises and opened its way into future, while the collection of old ships disappeared.


“Century”, before departure at Miami, 2007 (WS)


“Galaxy”, Century class, Piraeus 2008 (WS)

“Millenium”, initial livery, Piraeus 2001 (WS)

“Millenium”, Santorini 2007 (WS)

“The company’s rise to prominence was so rapid and so successful that in 1997 it was courted and acquired by the larger and wealthier Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd”, reported Frommer’s. John Chandris, the son of Anton Chandris, sold Celebrity to Royal Caribbean for $1.3 billion. The Chandris family continued to be participated, the label was preserved, Christina Chandris, John’s wife, chose modern works of art for exhibition on board and award-winner Michel Roux created a high-level cuisine, French-style. The 91,000-ton Millenium class, built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France, was equipped with gas-turbines and 2 Mermaid pods. The ships presented new ‘old’ attractions from Titanic-sister “Olympic”, from the “United States” and an Art Deco bronze sculpture of the original “Normandie”. Then the existing ships’ names got a “Celebrity” prefix.

The 122,000-ton “Celebrity Solstice”, built by Meyer Werft for a speed of 24 knots, pod-driven, with a capacity of 2,850 passengers, completed in 2008, “is leaving convention behind”, as Celebrity’s Web site stated. She is of a completely unconventional appearance, with two purely functional funnels in the rear and a sleek stern, becoming the model for future ships also of other companies. With the avant-garde styled public space, the Aquaspa Solarium, covered by a removable glass roof, and other design features, created by Martin Francis and RTKL Design, the Solstice class is distinguishing Celebrity in the marketplace. Further ameliorations were announced by Celebrity CEO Dan Hanrahan for the fifth and an intended sixth ship of the series. The “Celebrity Reflection” is conceived for a higher capacity with 3,030 passengers. Older newbuilds were transferred to Royal Caribbean subsidiaries.

Ships built from the ‘90s:

First newbuilds
Meyer Werft: “Horizon” (1990/ 46,811gt), “Zenith” (1992/ 47,255gt).

Century class
Meyer Werft: “Century” (1995/ 70,606gt), “Galaxy” (1996/ 76,522gt), “Mercury” (1997/ 76,522gt). Verandah cabins were added between 2006 and 2009.

Millennium class
Chantiers de l’ Atlantique, gas turbines, 2 Mermaid pods: “Millenium” (2000/ 90,228gt), “Infinity” (2001/ 90,228gt),”Summit” (2001/ 90,280gt), “Constellation” (2002/ 90,280gt). The pods reportedly caused problems. On economic reasons, diesel engines were added.

Solstice class (and extension)
Meyer Werft, 2 pods: “Celebrity Solstice” (2008/ 121,878gt), “Celebrity Equinox” (2009), “Celebrity Eclipse” (2010), “Celebrity Silhouette” (2011), “Celebrity Reflection” (2012/ 126,000gt).


“Celebrity Solstice”, Piraeus 2009 (WS)

“Celebrity Solstice”, the Aqua Spa (Celebrity Cruises)

“Azamara Journey”, the former “R Six”, Piraeus 2008 (WS)

Azamara Cruises
In 2007, “Blue Dream” (30,277gt, ex “R Six”, “Blue Star”) and sister “Blue Moon” (ex “R Seven”, “Delphin Renaissance”), transferred from Pullmantur and intended to join Celebrity Expedition, were put in service as “Azamara Journey” and “Azamara Quest”. Another subsidiary has become Celebrity Xpeditions, in 2004 entering the market of exotic cruises.

“Celebrity Reflection” leaving Piraeus, 2014 (WS)



“Celebrity Equinox” after departure from Piraeus, 2012 (WS)

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