Premier Cruise Line
Encyclopedia
Premier Cruise Line a subsidiary of Premier Cruises
, was a cruise line
that was headquartered in Cape Canaveral
, Florida
. It was at one time licensed as the official cruise line of Walt Disney World
and used the trademark "The Big Red Boat" based on the color scheme of some of its ships. Dolphin Cruise Line, a company that became a part of Premier, was headquartered on Dodge Island
in Miami.
Premier Cruise Line was formed in 1983 by two cruise veterans and later bought by Dial Corporation who owned the Greyhound Bus
Company. The ships typically operated 3-day and 4-day Bahamas trips out of Port Canaveral, Florida. The company earned over $20 million annually on a gross revenue of $100 million during the 1980s. During the mid to late 1990s, Premier Cruise Line was successfully led by Michael Reilly, President and CEO, formerly CEO/President of Royal Cruise Line in San Francisco.
The successful niche that Premier served was the Family cruise line especially attractive to grandparents sailing with their children and grandchildren. Also, all food on The Big Red Boats (1995–1997) was fresh, not frozen.
Premier operated in conjunction with Universal Studios themeparks, after serving as the "official Disney cruise line". Premier did market cruises as part of a land/sea vacation package including visits to the Disney and Universal Studios theme parks in Florida
. Disney decided to start its own cruise line
business and ended its relationship with Premier. Premier then affiliated itself with the Looney Tunes
characters to maintain its family friendly image, and was returned to profitability under the direction of 20-year cruise veteran Jim Naik. Also, the addition of Tom Muldoon as DSM in Florida in 1994 also helped the company become more profitable. The company also had an aging fleet of Italian-designed ships competing with newer and larger liners. Mr. Naik brought Premier to profitability in his first quarter with the company. Premier's parent company, Dial (of Dial Soap) which also owned The Greyhound Bus Company, sold the company after posting profits for 1995, 1996, and 1997. New owners and new leadership followed, with Larry Magnum as President in 1998.
The older ships were designed before the current disability acts. Much later, after 1997, Premier was sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act
for not making accommodations for people with disabilities. As a result of stiff competition from larger and newer fleets by other cruise lines, Premier could not sell tickets at profit, selling below cost every ticket from July, 2000 onward. Some cruises sold tickets for as little as $120 per person, whereas the operating cost for the company averaged $350. Premier Cruises eventually went into bankruptcy
and folded in September, 2000.
Some Premier ships included the Majestic (the former Sun Princess of Princess Cruise Lines), the former Home Lines flagship Oceanic
, the Atlantic (another former Home Lines ship), and the Royale, a former Costa liner known then as the Frederico C. The original four ships had the prefix "Star/Ship" before their names. During Premiers' reorganization in the mid 1990s all but the Oceanic (Big Red Boat I) were sold off. Premier then became an amalgamation of Dolphin and Seawind Cruises. Later, the Rembrandt, formerly the Rotterdam
of Holland America Line was added to the line.
The Oceanic (Big Red Boat I) is still sailing today. On 23 April 2009 she was sold to Japan-based Peace Boat
. The Big Red Boat II, formerly Eugenio Costa, was put up for sale and was laid up in Freeport, Bahamas
. It had no potential buyers and remained there until 2005. It was eventually sold to the breakers and was scrapped in Alang, India in late 2005. The Big Red Boat III, formerly Carnival Cruise Line's Festivale was also sold for scrap. The former Frederico C (called the Seabreeze I) was to be scrapped at India but instead sank in a storm 220 nautical miles (407 km) off the Virginia coast. Lastly, the Rembrandt, formerly the Rotterdam, was purchased by the city of Rotterdam, The Netherlands, to be restored and kept as a historic landmark.
Premier Cruises
Premier Cruises was a cruise line holding company formed in the early 1990s that focused on the family cruise market as well as on developing cruise operations in new geographic markets...
, was a cruise line
Cruise line
A cruise line is a company that operates cruise ships. Cruise lines have a dual character; they are partly in the transportation business, and partly in the leisure entertainment business, a duality that carries down into the ships themselves, which have both a crew headed by the ship's captain,...
that was headquartered in Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral, Florida
Cape Canaveral is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 8,829 at the 2000 census. As of 2008, the estimated population according to the U.S. Census Bureau was 10,147...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It was at one time licensed as the official cruise line of Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
and used the trademark "The Big Red Boat" based on the color scheme of some of its ships. Dolphin Cruise Line, a company that became a part of Premier, was headquartered on Dodge Island
Dodge Island
Dodge Island is an artificial island in downtown Miami, Florida, United States. It contains the neighboorhood of Port of Miami and the port Port of Miami, the largest cruise ship port on earth....
in Miami.
Company history
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
Company. The ships typically operated 3-day and 4-day Bahamas trips out of Port Canaveral, Florida. The company earned over $20 million annually on a gross revenue of $100 million during the 1980s. During the mid to late 1990s, Premier Cruise Line was successfully led by Michael Reilly, President and CEO, formerly CEO/President of Royal Cruise Line in San Francisco.
The successful niche that Premier served was the Family cruise line especially attractive to grandparents sailing with their children and grandchildren. Also, all food on The Big Red Boats (1995–1997) was fresh, not frozen.
Premier operated in conjunction with Universal Studios themeparks, after serving as the "official Disney cruise line". Premier did market cruises as part of a land/sea vacation package including visits to the Disney and Universal Studios theme parks in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Disney decided to start its own cruise line
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line is an American cruise line company owned and operated by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, a division of The Walt Disney Company and is headquartered in Celebration, Florida. The business is run by President Karl Holz. Disney Cruise Line operates the Disney Cruise Line Terminal,...
business and ended its relationship with Premier. Premier then affiliated itself with the Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes
Looney Tunes is a Warner Bros. animated cartoon series. It preceded the Merrie Melodies series and was Warner Bros.'s first animated theatrical series. Since its first official release, 1930's Sinkin' in the Bathtub, the series has become a worldwide media franchise, spawning several television...
characters to maintain its family friendly image, and was returned to profitability under the direction of 20-year cruise veteran Jim Naik. Also, the addition of Tom Muldoon as DSM in Florida in 1994 also helped the company become more profitable. The company also had an aging fleet of Italian-designed ships competing with newer and larger liners. Mr. Naik brought Premier to profitability in his first quarter with the company. Premier's parent company, Dial (of Dial Soap) which also owned The Greyhound Bus Company, sold the company after posting profits for 1995, 1996, and 1997. New owners and new leadership followed, with Larry Magnum as President in 1998.
The older ships were designed before the current disability acts. Much later, after 1997, Premier was sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
for not making accommodations for people with disabilities. As a result of stiff competition from larger and newer fleets by other cruise lines, Premier could not sell tickets at profit, selling below cost every ticket from July, 2000 onward. Some cruises sold tickets for as little as $120 per person, whereas the operating cost for the company averaged $350. Premier Cruises eventually went into bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
and folded in September, 2000.
Some Premier ships included the Majestic (the former Sun Princess of Princess Cruise Lines), the former Home Lines flagship Oceanic
SS Oceanic (1963)
SS Oceanic is a cruise ship owned and operated by Peace Boat. She was built in 1965 by Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico, Monfalcone, Italy for Home Lines. Between 1985 and 2000, she sailed for Premier Cruise Line under the names Starship Oceanic and Big Red Boat I, before being sold to Pullmantur...
, the Atlantic (another former Home Lines ship), and the Royale, a former Costa liner known then as the Frederico C. The original four ships had the prefix "Star/Ship" before their names. During Premiers' reorganization in the mid 1990s all but the Oceanic (Big Red Boat I) were sold off. Premier then became an amalgamation of Dolphin and Seawind Cruises. Later, the Rembrandt, formerly the Rotterdam
SS Rotterdam
The fifth SS Rotterdam, known as "The Grande Dame", was launched by Queen Juliana in a gala ceremony on 13 September 1958, and completed the following summer. The Rotterdam was the last great Dutch "ship of state", employing the finest artisans from the Netherlands in her construction and fitting...
of Holland America Line was added to the line.
The Oceanic (Big Red Boat I) is still sailing today. On 23 April 2009 she was sold to Japan-based Peace Boat
Peace Boat
is a global non-government organization headquartered in Japan established for the purpose of raising awareness and building connections internationally among groups that work for peace, human rights, environmental protection and sustainable development. "Peace Boat" may also refer to one of the...
. The Big Red Boat II, formerly Eugenio Costa, was put up for sale and was laid up in Freeport, Bahamas
Freeport, Bahamas
Freeport is a city, district and free trade zone located on the island of Grand Bahama of the North-west Bahamas. In 1955, Wallace Groves, a Virginian financier with lumber interests in Grand Bahama, was granted 50,000 acres Freeport is a city, district and free trade zone located on the island of...
. It had no potential buyers and remained there until 2005. It was eventually sold to the breakers and was scrapped in Alang, India in late 2005. The Big Red Boat III, formerly Carnival Cruise Line's Festivale was also sold for scrap. The former Frederico C (called the Seabreeze I) was to be scrapped at India but instead sank in a storm 220 nautical miles (407 km) off the Virginia coast. Lastly, the Rembrandt, formerly the Rotterdam, was purchased by the city of Rotterdam, The Netherlands, to be restored and kept as a historic landmark.