Cruise Talk: ASTORIA arrives in Gibraltar

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»	Cruise Talk » Cruise Ships » ASTORIA arrives in Gibraltar (Page 1)

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Author

Topic: ASTORIA arrives in Gibraltar

ahrpd
First Class Passenger
Member # 6229

posted 06-27-2009 03:36 PM

ASTORIA has just arrived in Gibraltar this evening, having being towed from Barcelona by the tug MED FOS. As I write this, two local tugs are taking over the tow and after being docked at Coaling Island (the name of one of our berths), she is being arrested by the Admiralty Marshal.

Tony

Posts: 948 | From: gibraltar | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

cruiseshipluver
First Class Passenger
Member # 5104

posted 06-27-2009 04:07 PM

Forgive me but why is this?

cruiseshipluver

Posts: 1797 | From: Barbados--cruiseship capital of the Southern Caribbean | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

r.fiebig
First Class Passenger
Member # 5240

posted 06-27-2009 06:13 PM

Tony,

do you by chance know who ordered her to be brought to Gibraltar?

Best,

Raoul

Posts: 775 | From: Paderborn, Germany | Registered: Dec 2004 | IP: Logged

ahrpd
First Class Passenger
Member # 6229

posted 06-28-2009 02:33 AM

Raoul

Her owners are still listed as Club Cruise Entertainment & Travelling Services Europe BV (in ogher words Club Cruises). She arrived with six crew including the Master, but another 20 are scheduled to fly out on Wednesday.

The Admiralty Marshal has arrested the vessel, which has 14 days to pay all outstanding debts against it. Failing this, auction proceedings will begin. I don't know why after all this time in Barcelona, Astoria should have been moved here.

I will be placing some pics on the Gibraltar Port website later.

All the best

Tony

Posts: 948 | From: gibraltar | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

ahrpd
First Class Passenger
Member # 6229

posted 06-28-2009 04:33 AM

I've placed some pics of ASTORIA in the Photo Library of the Gibraltar Port website at:

http://www.gibraltarport.com/photo_library.cfm#top

Semester at Sea's EXPLORER is also in port today for bunkers.

Tony

Posts: 948 | From: gibraltar | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

buddhaJoe
First Class Passenger
Member # 4356

posted 06-28-2009 03:17 PM

hi there

still such a lovely ship

anyone knows in which condition she is?

regards,
Joe

Posts: 366 | From: De Goorn, small village in The Netherlands | Registered: Jan 2004 | IP: Logged

Neil - Ex P & O & PRINCESS CRUISES
First Class Passenger
Member # 5641

posted 06-28-2009 03:21 PM

Email Neil - Ex P & O & PRINCESS CRUISES

She was in dock for some engine repairs when the owners company went into administration.

As she was towed to Gibraltar it may be that the repairs were not completed.

Posts: 2355 | From: Dunstable, Bedfordshire. 30 miles north of London | Registered: May 2005 | IP: Logged

jetwet1
First Class Passenger
Member # 6361

posted 06-28-2009 05:39 PM

I seem to remember reading somewhere that Saga had bought her ?? Did that fall through ?

Posts: 608 | From: Las VEgas | Registered: Mar 2006 | IP: Logged

greybeard
First Class Passenger
Member # 5284

posted 06-28-2009 06:47 PM

quote:
Originally posted by jetwet1:
I seem to remember reading somewhere that Saga had bought her ?? Did that fall through ?

Saga bought her, originally to become Quest for Adventure, until they changed their plans and announced she was going to become Saga Pearl II, to replace Saga Rose. But the deal fell through because of the failure of the company which owned Astoria and the financial complications that resulted. But don't rule out the possibility of Saga eventually becoming owners when Astoria is forcibly sold at auction.

Posts: 587 | From: London | Registered: Dec 2004 | IP: Logged

Galaxy
First Class Passenger
Member # 5160

posted 06-28-2009 07:20 PM

Saga Pearl II is now booked in Rønne and Copenhagen and Alta,Norway....its only few weeks ago they com up on the lists :

Alta,Norway
2010-03-21 14:00 2010-03-23 12:30 MS Saga Pearl II
Copenhagen
17-05-10 08:00 Saga Pearl ll
16-06-10 08:00 Saga Pearl ll
19-09-10 08:00 Saga Pearl ll

Rønne,Denmark
27-05-10 Saga Pearl II
26-06-10 Saga Pearl II

In Rønne havn it say the ship is 20795 brt...can it be Astoria?

Posts: 591 | From: Norway | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

ahrpd
First Class Passenger
Member # 6229

posted 06-29-2009 01:40 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Galaxy:
Saga Pearl II is now booked in Rønne and Copenhagen and Alta,Norway....its only few weeks ago they com up on the lists :
In Rønne havn it say the ship is 20795 brt...can it be Astoria?

Here in Gibraltar, we have three calls booked by SAGA PEARL II in April, October and November and the particulars supplied by the ship's agent are curious in that they do not fit ASTORIA's:

GRT - 20,795
LOA -

Posts: 948 | From: gibraltar | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

ahrpd
First Class Passenger
Member # 6229

posted 06-29-2009 01:45 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Galaxy:
Saga Pearl II is now booked in Rønne and Copenhagen and Alta,Norway....its only few weeks ago they com up on the lists :
In Rønne havn it say the ship is 20795 brt...can it be Astoria?

Here in Gibraltar, we have three calls booked by SAGA PEARL II in April, October and November and the particulars supplied by the ship's agent are curious in that they do not fit ASTORIA's:

GRT - 20,795
LOA - 170m
Beam - 23m
Draft - 6.5m

I'm trying to ascertain the IMO number or call sign which will confirm precisely which ship this is.

The nearest vessel that most closely fits these dimensions is DEUTSCHLAND!!! Now would'nt that be something if Deilmann closed down its deep-sea cruise division on the heels of the closure of the river ships and sold Saga their DEUTSCHLAND!

Tony

Posts: 948 | From: gibraltar | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

Midshipcentury
First Class Passenger
Member # 12190

posted 06-29-2009 02:13 AM

DEUTSCHLAND would be a perfect ship for Saga. Most interesting!

Peter

Posts: 303 | From: USA | Registered: Dec 2007 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 06-29-2009 02:45 AM

She would be super for Saga, but I somehow think she may well be a bit too pricey for them?

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Neil - Ex P & O & PRINCESS CRUISES
First Class Passenger
Member # 5641

posted 06-29-2009 04:27 AM

As the river cruises are being closed at the end of the year, if they are struggling for cash they may accept an offer for her from Saga

Posts: 2355 | From: Dunstable, Bedfordshire. 30 miles north of London | Registered: May 2005 | IP: Logged

Neil - Ex P & O & PRINCESS CRUISES
First Class Passenger
Member # 5641

posted 06-29-2009 04:39 AM

Deutschland is shown on most webites as 22,400 grt so the ship listed as Saga Pearl ll seems a little small to be her.

Posts: 2355 | From: Dunstable, Bedfordshire. 30 miles north of London | Registered: May 2005 | IP: Logged

ahrpd
First Class Passenger
Member # 6229

posted 06-29-2009 05:38 AM

What I forgot to mention in my earlier post is that the booking for SAGA PEARL II is for a 502-pax ship - DEUTSCHLAND carries 520. More single cabins would reduce that capacity.

Tony

Posts: 948 | From: gibraltar | Registered: Feb 2006 | IP: Logged

r.fiebig
First Class Passenger
Member # 5240

posted 06-29-2009 05:55 AM

I don't see Deilmann giving up the "Deutschland", as she is marketed mostly in Germany (in contrast to Deilmann's river cruise operations) and the traditional German market has been weathering the crisis fairly well.

As for the numbers Tony mentioned, "Deutschland" is some six metres longer and 2,000 gt larger than those numbers, while "Astoria" is six metres shorter and 2,000 gt smaller. So it could be either ship or neither of them.

Best,

Raoul

Posts: 775 | From: Paderborn, Germany | Registered: Dec 2004 | IP: Logged

Pascal
First Class Passenger
Member # 5510

posted 06-29-2009 08:41 AM

Saga Pearl II is the Astoria and Saga has asked their port agents to do the berth requests for the 2010 season.
It's likely the ship will have an extensive refit, which may imply exterior changes as well (ducktail ?), explaining why the figures don't match the current Astoria specs.

Posts: 1371 | From: Aix en Provence | Registered: Mar 2005 | IP: Logged

Patrick
First Class Passenger
Member # 364

posted 07-01-2009 09:40 AM

ASTORIA was sold to Columbia Shipmanagement. It's a Cyprus-based company managed by Germans. The same company already manages THOMSON CELEBRATION and various other ships.
It could be that they act as an intermediate and will handle over the ship to Saga, either on charter or purchase-basis or keep the vessel themselves with a charter to another company such as Transocean Tours, etc. But I do not have details yet and do not want to confirm anything about further steps to be taken.

Posts: 1680 | From: OSC Luxembourg | Registered: Nov 98 | IP: Logged

Neil - Ex P & O & PRINCESS CRUISES
First Class Passenger
Member # 5641

posted 07-01-2009 10:31 AM

Is it known if her engine repairs were completed before she arrived in Gibraltar ?

Posts: 2355 | From: Dunstable, Bedfordshire. 30 miles north of London | Registered: May 2005 | IP: Logged

r.fiebig
First Class Passenger
Member # 5240

posted 07-01-2009 02:48 PM

No, they were not.

Best,

Raoul

Posts: 775 | From: Paderborn, Germany | Registered: Dec 2004 | IP: Logged

Karsten
First Class Passenger
Member # 1509

posted 07-01-2009 06:32 PM

If repaired it would make no sense to tow her...

Posts: 875 | From: NRW/Germany | Registered: Aug 2000 | IP: Logged

Patrick
First Class Passenger
Member # 364

posted 07-03-2009 07:32 AM

The vessel has now been handeled over by Columbia to Saga Cruises. New owner is the Cruise Ship Holdings Four Ltd.
ASTORIA should now be cleraed to get her extensive refit done and start under her new name SAGA PEARL II her career for Saga Cruises.

Posts: 1680 | From: OSC Luxembourg | Registered: Nov 98 | IP: Logged

Neil - Ex P & O & PRINCESS CRUISES
First Class Passenger
Member # 5641

posted 07-03-2009 08:25 AM

Karsten

Regarding the towing of the ship, she only had six crew on board when she arrived at Gibraltar which was not enough to work the engines and navigate the ship etc !

This could have been the reason why she was towed, even if the repairs had been completed, as the rest of her crew joined her after she arrived in Gibraltar !

Posts: 2355 | From: Dunstable, Bedfordshire. 30 miles north of London | Registered: May 2005 | IP: Logged

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