“Zenith”, formerly of Celebrity Cruises, Santorini 2007 (WS)

That Spanish company Pullmantur was created in the early 60s as a bus tour operator. Ships Monthly (Jan. 2008) informed: “In 1998 Pullmantur entered the cruise market by chartering Premier Cruises’ “Rembrandt”, formerly “Rotterdam” (1959)”. In April 2000, Pullmantur chartered Premier’s “Seawind Crown”, the former “Infante Dom Henrique” (23,306 gt), built in 1961 for the Cia. Portuguesa de Transportes Maritimos. After the end of her Africa services in 1976 she became a hotel ship, was sold in 1986, refurbished at Piraeus as “Vasco da Gama” for Trans World Cruises, caught fire at Lisbon, collided at Genoa and in 1990 the German tour giant NUR annulled the charter contract. Finally she became the “Seawind Crown” of Seawind Cruise Line, a Greek company, bankrupt around 1991. After Premier’s bankruptcy in 2000, the ship was seized by creditors and went to the scrapyard in 2004.

Pullmantur Cruises changed to buy own ships, in 2000 the nice steamer “Oceanic” (1965/ 38,772 gt, ex “Oceanic” of Home Lines, then “Starship Oceanic” of Premier Cruise Line), in 2002 the “Pacific” (1971/ 20,186 gt, ex “Sea Venture” of Flagship Cruises, “Pacific Princess” of P&O Princess), in 2004 the “Holiday Dream” (1981/ 37,301 gt, ex “Europa” of Hapag-Lloyd, “Superstar Europa”, Superstar Aries” of Star Cruises), “Blue Dream” (2000/ 30,277 gt, ex “R Six” of Renaissance Cruises) and her sister “Nautica” (ex “R Five”, sold in 2005 to Oceania Cruises), followed in 2006 by the other sister “Blue Moon” (ex “R Seven”, “Delphin Renaissance”) and by the “Sky Wonder” (1984/ 46,087 gt, ex “Fairsky” of Sitmar Cruises, “Sky Princess” of P&O Princess, “Pacific Sky” of P&O Australia). This beautiful vessel was the last steam-turbine powered passenger ship ever built.

Pullmantur was a part of Grupo Marsans of Spain, owner of Air Plus Comet, Air Pullmantur and, until 2008, Aerolineas Argentinas. In 2006 Royal Caribbean Cruise Ltd acquired Pullmantur Cruises (together with Pullmantur Air) for the Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American market. Pullmantur Air was sold in 2014, becoming Wamos Air. The two remaining vessels of the “R” series were transferred to Celebrity, while Celebrity’s last 47,000-ton midsize ship, the “Zenith”, changed to Pullmantur Cruises.

“Blue Dream”, ex “R Six”, later becoming “Celebrity Journey”, Piraeus 2005 (WS)	“Sky Wonder”, the former “Fairsky”, then “Sky Princess”, Piraeus 2006 (WS)
“Oceanic II”, the former “Kungsholm” of 1966, Piraeus 2007 (WS)	“Sky Wonder”, Piraeus 2008 (WS)
“Empress”, ex “Empress of the Seas”, Piraeus 2009 (WS)	“Ocean Dream”, the former “Tropicale” of Carnival”, rebuilt as “Costa Tropicale”, Messina 2008 (KvH)

A quite different activity was “The Scholar Ship”, supported by RCCL, carrying students on two 16-week voyages of learning. For this purpose the “Mona Lisa”, the former “Kungsholm” of 1966, was chosen. In 2007 she cruised temporarily as “Oceanic II” for Pullmantur, then as “The Scholar Ship” and in 2008 as “Mona Lisa” for Lord Nelson Seereisen until she became the ‘Peace Boat’.

Pullmantur got a new livery with a red funnel. In 2008 Royal Caribbean’s last midsize ship, the 48,563-ton “Empress of the Seas”, changed to the Spaniards as “Empress”, to be followed by the 73,192-ton “Sovereign of the Seas”, her name shortened to “Sovereign”, the “Ocean Dream” (35,265 gt, ex “Tropicale” of Carnival, “Pacific Star”), acquired from P&O Australia, and in 2009 the “Pacific Dream” (1990/ 47,427 gt, ex “Horizon” of Celebrity, “Island Star”) for the Mexican market. In 2012 the “Ocean Dream” was chartered out to Peace Boat. The old “Pacific” was chartered out to CVC, Brazil’s biggest travel agency, then operating for Quail Cruises of Spain, in 2009 seized by the Italian coast guard. The “Sky Wonder” was renamed “Atlantic Star” for cruises from Lisbon. The former “Monarch of the Seas” (1991/ 73,937 gt) of Royal Caribbean was announced for 2013 as “Monarch” and sister “Majesty of the Seas” for 2015. As long as the fleet consists of second-hand vessels, changes may continue and they are no longer listed here.


“Pacific” of Quail Cruises, Genoa 2013 (Anton Soelch)


“Zenith”, formerly Celebrity Cruises, Corfu 2011 (WS)

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