Phoenix Reisen
Encyclopedia
Phoenix Reisen is a Germany-based travel agency
that also operates a fleet of cruise ship
s. The company first entered the cruise business in 1988 by chartering the Soviet Union
-owned cruise ship .
Phoenix Reisen first begun operating cruises under its own brand in 1988 when the company chartered the West German-built cruise ship from the Soviet Union
-based Black Sea Shipping Company on a 20-year charter agreement. In 1993 a second ship joined the Phoenix Reisen fleet, when was chartered from V-Ships
. Unlike the Maxim Gorkiy, which retained the colours of her owners in Phoenix service, the Albatros was painted in Phoenix Reisen's own colours with a turquoise funnel displaying the company logo.
Due to numerous mechanical problems, Phoenix Reisen decided to prematurely terminate the charter of the Albatros in December 2003. As a replacement Phoenix quickly chartered MS Crown in January 2004, which was renamed . In 2005 the company fleet expanded to include three ships for the first time when was chartered from V-Ships. A fourth ship followed in 2006 with the charter of , a higher-class vessel compared with the rest of the Phoenix Reisen fleet. In 2008 the first Alexander von Humboldt was replaced by a larger vessel chartered from Club Cruise
, confusingly also named (before entering service the ship was marketed as Alexander von Humboldt II, but she eventually received the same name as the ship she replaced). In late 2008 the charter of the Maxim Gorkiy ended, and due to high fuel prices combined with the high fuel consumption of the ship's steam turbine
s Phoenix Reisen decided not to renew the charter. In May 2009 Phoenix Reisen chartered from Nina SpA.
In April 2011, the company is due to take delivery of MV Artania, currently sailing as MV Artemis
for P&O Cruises.
Travel agency
A travel agency is a retail business that sells travel related products and services to customers on behalf of suppliers such as airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, sightseeing tours and package holidays that combine several products...
that also operates a fleet of cruise ship
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...
s. The company first entered the cruise business in 1988 by chartering the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
-owned cruise ship .
History
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
-based Black Sea Shipping Company on a 20-year charter agreement. In 1993 a second ship joined the Phoenix Reisen fleet, when was chartered from V-Ships
V-Ships
V-ships is one of the world's largest ship management companies. The operation is based in Monaco and is the current operator of the QE2. On behalf of Nakheel, the company will oversee the refit of the ship....
. Unlike the Maxim Gorkiy, which retained the colours of her owners in Phoenix service, the Albatros was painted in Phoenix Reisen's own colours with a turquoise funnel displaying the company logo.
Due to numerous mechanical problems, Phoenix Reisen decided to prematurely terminate the charter of the Albatros in December 2003. As a replacement Phoenix quickly chartered MS Crown in January 2004, which was renamed . In 2005 the company fleet expanded to include three ships for the first time when was chartered from V-Ships. A fourth ship followed in 2006 with the charter of , a higher-class vessel compared with the rest of the Phoenix Reisen fleet. In 2008 the first Alexander von Humboldt was replaced by a larger vessel chartered from Club Cruise
Club Cruise
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...
, confusingly also named (before entering service the ship was marketed as Alexander von Humboldt II, but she eventually received the same name as the ship she replaced). In late 2008 the charter of the Maxim Gorkiy ended, and due to high fuel prices combined with the high fuel consumption of the ship's steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
s Phoenix Reisen decided not to renew the charter. In May 2009 Phoenix Reisen chartered from Nina SpA.
In April 2011, the company is due to take delivery of MV Artania, currently sailing as MV Artemis
MV Artemis
A number of motor vessels have been named Artemis, including-, a bulk carrier, a cruise shipSee also for steamships named Artemis...
for P&O Cruises.
Fleet
| Ship | Built | In service | Chartered from | Tonnage | Flag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 2004 onwards | TSS Albatros |  The Bahamas |
|||
| 1991 | 2006 onwards | Amadea Shipping Company | The Bahamas |
|||
| 1984 | 2011 onwards | Artania Shipping Company | The Bahamas |
Former ships
| Ship | Built | In service | Chartered from | Tonnage | Flag | Status as of 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 1988—2008 | Black Sea Shipping Company Sovcomflot |
The Bahamas |
Scrapped at Alang, India in 2009. | ||
| 1957 | 1993—2003 | V-Ships V-Ships V-ships is one of the world's largest ship management companies. The operation is based in Monaco and is the current operator of the QE2. On behalf of Nakheel, the company will oversee the refit of the ship.... |
The Bahamas |
Scrapped at Alang, India in 2004. | ||
| 1990 | 2005—2008 | V-Ships | The Bahamas |
Since 2008 sailing as Minerva for Swan Hellenic Swan Hellenic Swan Hellenic is a British cruise line specialising in tours of historical or cultural interest aimed at the upper end of the cruise market.-History:... . |
||
| 1990 | 2008-2008 | Club Cruise Club Cruise 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... |
The Bahamas |
|||
| 1948 | 2009-2009 | Nina SpA |