Club Cruise
Encyclopedia
Club Cruise was a Holland-based cruise ship
company, that charterede vessels to other operators, including Transocean Tours
and Phoenix Reisen
. The company had also operated ships under its own brands, first in 1999 on short cruises from the Netherlands
and during 2008 in the United Kingdom
cruise market under the banner of Van Gogh Cruises.
Club Cruise was reportedly seeking to list itself in the London Stock Exchange
.
with one ship, . The service was not a success, and the company ceased operations after the 1999 northern hemisphere
summer season. Subsequently the Club 1 was renamed MS Van Gogh and chartered to the France
-based Nouvelles Frontieres. In 2002 the ship was chartered to the United Kingdom
-based Travelscope. Two additional ships were acquired in 2006. was purchased from a Bahamas-based company and continued under charter to her previous operator, the Germany
-based Phoenix Reisen
. MS Walrus was purchased from SeaContainers. She was renamed and chartered to the Spain
-based Vision Cruises. In 2008 she was renamed and also chartered to Phoenix Reisen.
In 2007, Club Cruise acquired from Sovcomflot. Sovcomflot had chartered her to the Germany
-based Transocean Tours
, and Club Cruise continued this charter. During the same year Club Cruise were reported to be planning an ambitious new building programme of six ships. In early 2008 the company were reportedly negotiating with a South Korea
n shipyard about ordering three ships. In late 2007, Club Cruise purchased the cruiseferry
GTS Finnjet from SeaContainers. She was renamed with plans to convert her to a cruise ship, but due to higher-than-anticipated costs of the conversion the plan was abandoned and the ship was sold for scrap in May 2008. Around the same time it was reported that Club Cruise were experiencing financial difficulties and as a result were looking to sell the Astoria. This was realised in June 2008, when the Astoria was sold to Saga Cruises
, with delivery in April 2009, following the end of her charter to Transocean Tours.
, the company were unable to sell any cruises. Due to this the company have chartered the Van Gogh to the Russia-based Metropolis Tur for the 2008 northern hemisphere
summer season. Originally Van Gogh Cruises planned to re-start operations in 2009 after ABTA membership had been acquired, but the company has ceased operations.
. - under charter to Phoenix Reisen. - under charter to Transocean Tours
until April 2009. Following the end of the charter she will be sold to Saga Cruises
. - under charter to Metropolis Tur for the 2008 northern hemisphere
summer season.
Finnjet. Purchased by Club Cruise to be rebuilt into a cruise ship, November 2007, but sold for scrap in May 2008.
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
company, that charterede vessels to other operators, including Transocean Tours
Transocean Tours
Transocean Tours is a Germany-based cruise line that operates three ocean-going cruise ships on the German and British markets, as well as five river cruise ships on the German market...
and Phoenix Reisen
Phoenix Reisen
Phoenix Reisen is a Germany-based travel agency that also operates a fleet of cruise ships. The company first entered the cruise business in 1988 by chartering the Soviet Union-owned cruise ship .-History:...
. The company had also operated ships under its own brands, first in 1999 on short cruises from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and during 2008 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
cruise market under the banner of Van Gogh Cruises.
Club Cruise was reportedly seeking to list itself in the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
.
History
Club Cruise was founded in 1999 to operate short cruises out of RotterdamRotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
with one ship, . The service was not a success, and the company ceased operations after the 1999 northern hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
summer season. Subsequently the Club 1 was renamed MS Van Gogh and chartered to the France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-based Nouvelles Frontieres. In 2002 the ship was chartered to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-based Travelscope. Two additional ships were acquired in 2006. was purchased from a Bahamas-based company and continued under charter to her previous operator, the Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-based Phoenix Reisen
Phoenix Reisen
Phoenix Reisen is a Germany-based travel agency that also operates a fleet of cruise ships. The company first entered the cruise business in 1988 by chartering the Soviet Union-owned cruise ship .-History:...
. MS Walrus was purchased from SeaContainers. She was renamed and chartered to the Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
-based Vision Cruises. In 2008 she was renamed and also chartered to Phoenix Reisen.
In 2007, Club Cruise acquired from Sovcomflot. Sovcomflot had chartered her to the Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-based Transocean Tours
Transocean Tours
Transocean Tours is a Germany-based cruise line that operates three ocean-going cruise ships on the German and British markets, as well as five river cruise ships on the German market...
, and Club Cruise continued this charter. During the same year Club Cruise were reported to be planning an ambitious new building programme of six ships. In early 2008 the company were reportedly negotiating with a South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n shipyard about ordering three ships. In late 2007, Club Cruise purchased the cruiseferry
Cruiseferry
A cruiseferry is a ship that combines the features of a cruise ship with a Ro-Pax ferry. Many passengers travel with the ships for the cruise experience, staying only a few hours at the destination port or not leaving the ship at all, while others use the ships as means of...
GTS Finnjet from SeaContainers. She was renamed with plans to convert her to a cruise ship, but due to higher-than-anticipated costs of the conversion the plan was abandoned and the ship was sold for scrap in May 2008. Around the same time it was reported that Club Cruise were experiencing financial difficulties and as a result were looking to sell the Astoria. This was realised in June 2008, when the Astoria was sold to Saga Cruises
Saga Cruises
Saga Cruises, also known as Saga Holidays is a British based cruise line, a division of the Saga Group. Only passengers of 50 years of age or older are allowed on board Saga's vessels as they are designed specifically for this demographic's needs....
, with delivery in April 2009, following the end of her charter to Transocean Tours.
Van Gogh Cruises
Van Gogh Cruises was established in January 2008, following the collapse of Travelscope who had previously chartered from Club Cruise. Due to the popularity of the ship in the UK cruise market, Club Cruise decided to establish a new subsidiary to operate her, staffed mostly by ex-Travelscope employees. Van Gogh Cruises was planned to tale over most of the existing 2008 and 2009 itineraries Travelscope had planned for the Van Gogh. Due to difficulties in acquiring membership of the Association of British Travel AgentsAssociation of British Travel Agents
-History:Previously known as Association of British Travel Agents, its name was changed on 1 July 2007 to ABTA, The Travel Association to reflect its wider representation of the travel industry.On 1 July 2008 it merged with the Federation of Tour Operators ....
, the company were unable to sell any cruises. Due to this the company have chartered the Van Gogh to the Russia-based Metropolis Tur for the 2008 northern hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
summer season. Originally Van Gogh Cruises planned to re-start operations in 2009 after ABTA membership had been acquired, but the company has ceased operations.
Ships chartered out
- under charter to Phoenix ReisenPhoenix Reisen
Phoenix Reisen is a Germany-based travel agency that also operates a fleet of cruise ships. The company first entered the cruise business in 1988 by chartering the Soviet Union-owned cruise ship .-History:...
. - under charter to Phoenix Reisen. - under charter to Transocean Tours
Transocean Tours
Transocean Tours is a Germany-based cruise line that operates three ocean-going cruise ships on the German and British markets, as well as five river cruise ships on the German market...
until April 2009. Following the end of the charter she will be sold to Saga Cruises
Saga Cruises
Saga Cruises, also known as Saga Holidays is a British based cruise line, a division of the Saga Group. Only passengers of 50 years of age or older are allowed on board Saga's vessels as they are designed specifically for this demographic's needs....
. - under charter to Metropolis Tur for the 2008 northern hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
summer season.
Former ships
(2007—2008) - Originally the cruiseferryCruiseferry
A cruiseferry is a ship that combines the features of a cruise ship with a Ro-Pax ferry. Many passengers travel with the ships for the cruise experience, staying only a few hours at the destination port or not leaving the ship at all, while others use the ships as means of...
Finnjet. Purchased by Club Cruise to be rebuilt into a cruise ship, November 2007, but sold for scrap in May 2008.