International Cruises, Festival Cruises

FESTIVAL CRUISES

        Festival Cruises was a Hellenic cruise line founded in 1993, and it was started to operate in 1994. In the early ages, the fleet consisted of three ships bought from other cruise lines. Starting from 1999, three new ships were built for Festival Cruises. They are collectively known as Mistral Class, derived from the name of the first ship in the class. They later formed the basis of the modern fleet of another cruise line, MSC Cruises. In early 2004, Festival Cruises went into bankruptcy.
 

Former Ship(s)

MISTRAL Class

Ship

European Vision

European Stars

Mistral

Entered Service

2001 June 22nd

2002 April 25th

1999 July

Builder

Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire (France)

Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire (France)

Original Cost

US$245 million

US$245 million

Registry

Genova, Italy

Mata Utu, Wallis and Futuna Islands

Gross Tonnage

58625 tons

47900 tons

Length x Beam x Draft

251.3 x 28.8 x 6.9 (m), 824.3 x 94.5 x 22.6 (ft)

216.0 x 28.8 x 6.9 (m), 708.5 x 94.5 x 22.6 (ft)

Speed

20.8 knots

19 knots

Passenger Decks

10

8

Number of Cabins
(Inside/Oceanview/Balcony)

783 (272, 379, 132)

598 (223, 295, 80)

Passengers
(Standard Occupancy /
Full Occupancy)

1566 / 2223

1196 / 1715

Passenger Space Ratio
(Standard Occupancy /
Full Occupancy)

37.44 / 26.37

40.05 / 27.93

Total Crew

710

470

Crew to Passenger Ratio
(Standard Occupancy /
Full Occupancy)

2.21 / 3.13

2.54 / 3.65

Navigation Officers

European

European

IMO Number, Call Sign

9210141, IBWP

9210153, IBJN

9172777, FNMI

Sister Ships

/

/

History

2001-2004: European Vision (Festival Cruises)
2004- : MSC Armonia (MSC Cruises)

 

2002-2004: European Stars (Festival Cruises)
     [originally named European Dream]
2004- : MSC Sinfonia (MSC Cruises)
 

1999-2004: Mistral (Festival Cruises)
2004-2005: [laid up]
2005-2007: Grand Mistral (Viajes Iberojet)
2007- : Grand Mistral (Ibero Cruceros)

DISCOVERY Class

Ship

Flamenco

Caribe

Entered Service

1972 November

1948 February

Builder

Cantieri Navale Del Tirreno e Riuniti,
Riva Trigoso (Italy)

Götaverken, Gothenburg (Sweden)

Original Cost

unknown

(originally built as a cruiseferry)

Registry

Nassau, The Bahamas

Genova, Italy

Gross Tonnage

17042 tons

15000 tons

Length x Beam x Draft

163.3 x 22.4 x 6.9 (m), 535.6 x 73.5 x 22.6 (ft)

160.1 x 21.0 x 7.6 (m), 525.1 x 68.9 x 24.9 (ft)

Speed

20.5 knots

17 knots

Passenger Decks

7

7

Number of Cabins
(Inside/Oceanview/Balcony)

401 (129, 272, 0)

252 (32, 212, 8)

Passengers
(Standard Occupancy / Full Occupancy)

798 / 987

504 / 620

Passenger Space Ratio
(Standard Occupancy / Full Occupancy)

21.36 / 17.27

29.76 / 24.19

Total Crew

350

280

Crew to Passenger Ratio
(Standard Occupancy / Full Occupancy)

2.28 / 2.82

1.80 / 2.21

Navigation Officers

Greek

Greek

IMO Number, Call Sign

7211517, C6HK9

5383304, ICZU

Sister Ships

Rio (Rio Cruises)

/

History

1972-1972: Seaward <I> (Norwegian Cruise Line)
     [planned but never operated]
1972-1974: Spirit of London (P&O Cruises)
1974-1988: Sun Princess <I> (Princess Cruises)
1988-1995: Star/Ship Majestic (Premier Cruises)
1995-1997: Southern Cross (CTC Cruises)
1997-2004: Flamenco (Festival Cruises)
2004-2004: Elysian Flamenco (Cruise Elysia)
2004-2010: New Flamenco (Travelplan Cruises)
2010-2012: Flamenco I
2012- : Ocean Dream (gambling ship)

1948-1960: Stockholm <IV> (Swedish America Line)
1960-1985: Völkerfreundschaft
     (VEB Deutsche Seereederei / Stena Line)
1985-1986: Volker (Neptunus Rex Enterprises)
1986-1989: Fridtjof Nansen (floating hostel)
1989-1989: Surriento / Positano (StarLauro Cruises)
     [planned but never operated]
1989-1994: [laid up]
1994-1994: Italia I
1994-1995: Italia Prima (Nina Cia. di Navigazione)
1995-1998: Italia Prima (Neckermann Seereisen)
1998-2001: Valtur Prima (Valtur Tourism)
2001-2002: [laid up]
2002-2004: Caribe (Festival Cruises)
2004-2005: [laid up]
2005-2009: Athena (Classic International Cruises)
2009-2009: Athena (Phoenix Reisen)
2009- : Athena (Classic International Cruises)

DISCOVERY Class

Ship

Bolero

The Azur

Entered Service

1968 December

1971 May

Builder

A.G. Weser, Bremerhaven (Germany)

Dubigeon-Normandie S.A., Nantes (France)

Original Cost

unknown

(originally built as a ferry)

Registry

Panama City, Panama

Panama City, Panama

Gross Tonnage

15781 tons

14717 tons

Length x Beam x Draft

160.1 x 22.8 x 6.7 (m), 525.1 x 74.8 x 22.0 (ft)

142.0 x 21.9 x 5.7 (m), 465.8 x 71.8 x 18.7 (ft)

Speed

21 knots

23 knots

Passenger Decks

8

7

Number of Cabins
(Inside/Oceanview/Balcony)

401 (164, 237, 0)

361 (213, 148, 0)

Passengers
(Standard Occupancy / Full Occupancy)

802 / 984

720 / 850

Passenger Space Ratio
(Standard Occupancy / Full Occupancy)

19.68 / 16.04

20.44 / 17.31

Total Crew

330

350

Crew to Passenger Ratio
(Standard Occupancy / Full Occupancy)

2.43 / 2.98

2.06 / 2.43

Navigation Officers

Greek

Greek

IMO Number, Call Sign

6821081, 3FPO5

7032997, 3EPR5

Sister Ships

Leisure World (New Century Cruises)

/

History

1968-1995: Starward (Norwegian Cruise Line)
1995-2001: Bolero (Festival Cruises)
2001-2004: Bolero (Spanish Cruise Line)
2004-2006: Orient Queen (Abou Merhi Lines)
2006- : Orient Queen (Louis Cruise Lines)

1971-1975: Eagle (Southern Ferries)
1975-1987: Azur (Paquet)
1987-1994: The Azur (Chandris Fantasy Cruises)
1994-2004: The Azur (Festival Cruises)
2004- : Royal Iris (Mano Cruises)

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