Cruise Talk: CVC charters inc Sovereign

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»	Cruise Talk » Cruise Lines » CVC charters inc Sovereign - previously of the seas.

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Topic: CVC charters inc Sovereign - previously of the seas.

mike sa
First Class Passenger
Member # 5957

posted 02-12-2008 02:01 AM

"The brazilian tour operator CVC this summer season has chartered the Zenith and Sky Wonder (Pullmantur), Grand Voyager and Grand Mistral (IberoCruises) and Pacific (Pullmantur) Next summer (october 2008 to april 2009), CVC will charter the following ships : - Pullmantur : Zenith, Sovereign (former Sovereign of the Seas), Empress (former Empress of the Seas) and Pacific - IberoCruises : Grand Mistral and Grand Celebration (former Carnival Celebration)(www.cvc.com.br) "

CVC seems to be doing well, I thought they were buying Pacific ?

I would not be surprised to find one of the big boys looking to buy CVC in the near future. Difficult to open in competition so a way into an expanding market.

Posts: 2272 | From: Durban, South Africa | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged

buddhaJoe
First Class Passenger
Member # 4356

posted 02-12-2008 04:14 AM

hi mike

this information is surely wrong
all these ships are doing their mediterranean cruises this summer, i do not know about brazilian summer (wintertime 2008-2009) but then again
we have to see what will happen

CVC did charter Pacific for a few years, that ship seems to operate this summer for Quail Cruises

regards
b. Joe

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

Cunard Fan
First Class Passenger
Member # 7530

posted 02-12-2008 05:03 AM

I believe Mike is refering to summer in the southern hemisphere.

Posts: 2327 | From: Pasadena just north of Queen Mary | Registered: Sep 2006 | IP: Logged

buddhaJoe
First Class Passenger
Member # 4356

posted 02-12-2008 05:26 AM

may-be it's a bit wiser to talk about our wintertime then... as most of CT are based in the northern hemisphere

regards
Joe

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

ahrpd
First Class Passenger
Member # 6229

posted 02-12-2008 06:07 AM

PACIFIC has reportedly been sold to CVC who have chartered her to Quail Cruises for Valencia-based cruises this summer.

I understand Quail has been set up by some disgruntled ex-Pullmantur executives, unhappy with RCI's control.

Tony

See Here: http://www.quailtravel.es/

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

mike sa
First Class Passenger
Member # 5957

posted 02-12-2008 09:24 AM

Yes I was referring to normal summer time, September through April !!

I forgot Quail were chartering from CVC, they are the ones who are bastardising the interiors of a once lovely ship.

Still Brasil is going to have a very busy year in 08/09.

CVC must be a possible takeover / joint venture target for someone.

Iberojet and Pullmantur need to start developing markets for the Euro winter for their own ships, if CVC dumps the charter they will find it hard.

Posts: 2272 | From: Durban, South Africa | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged

cruceromania
First Class Passenger
Member # 5195

posted 02-12-2008 10:08 AM

CVC is a Quail's stockholder.

Posts: 91 | From: Spain | Registered: Nov 2004 | IP: Logged

dougnewman
First Class Passenger
Member # 11349

posted 02-12-2008 06:22 PM

Mike - Where'd you find this? It's certainly an impressive line-up for next year.

Unfortunately, the changes you refer to on PACIFIC are not Quail's fault or CVC's; they happened when she was first chartered by Pullmantur. I saw her in Civitavecchia last year and while she looked decent from a distance, up close you could see she was in pretty bad shape .

Carnival already has a very strong presence in Brazil with Costa, though it is of course interesting that CVC charters ships from both Iberocruceros (Carnival) and Pullmantur (RCCL). But I would see CVC as more of a natural fit for RCCL. However, it is a big tour operator that does lots of things other than cruises, so I would think any involvement from either Carnival or RCCL would be along the lines of the Iberocruceros or TUI Cruises joint ventures... I doubt either company would be interested in actually buying a whole tour operator.

Posts: 2072 | From: Long Island, NY, USA | Registered: Sep 2007 | IP: Logged

mike sa
First Class Passenger
Member # 5957

posted 02-13-2008 12:21 AM

Hi Doug

Reported on cruise community. Hadn't realised it was Pullmantur who trashed Pacifics interiors, they need a good talking to but worse is Quails plans to make the cinema a casino !

Posts: 2272 | From: Durban, South Africa | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged

dougnewman
First Class Passenger
Member # 11349

posted 02-13-2008 03:38 PM

quote:
Originally posted by mike sa:
Reported on cruise community. Hadn't realised it was Pullmantur who trashed Pacifics interiors, they need a good talking to but worse is Quails plans to make the cinema a casino !

The cinema already is a casino.

Posts: 2072 | From: Long Island, NY, USA | Registered: Sep 2007 | IP: Logged

dougnewman
First Class Passenger
Member # 11349

posted 02-13-2008 06:17 PM

A virtual tour of the ship as she was last summer is still up on the Pullmantur site here.

The poor old girl looks quite down at the heels. I understand she was in rather poor condition when Princess sold her, and apparently her subsequent owners have not invested much in her.

A pity, as she is a nice ship, but nevertheless she is now quite elderly, nearing her 40th birthday, as amazing as that seems!

Posts: 2072 | From: Long Island, NY, USA | Registered: Sep 2007 | IP: Logged

gpcruisedude
First Class Passenger
Member # 3533

posted 02-16-2008 09:43 PM

So I wonder what Quail will use after the Pacific charter or maybe they will just charter her again? And will they not run a year round service?

Posts: 865 | From: Grande Prairie,Alberta | Registered: Dec 2002 | IP: Logged

mike sa
First Class Passenger
Member # 5957

posted 02-17-2008 03:28 AM

Thanks for the link Doug.

God she looks awful, the interiors remind me more of a car ferry than a cruise ship. The deck heads appear to hang in some shots and the casino...........well what is there to say, just awful.

Well if there was a design (and a very nice pax friendly design she s too) the current cruise industry can thank for what it is today it is these 2 sisters, what a shame she has been reduced to this state.

Posts: 2272 | From: Durban, South Africa | Registered: Sep 2005 | IP: Logged

dougnewman
First Class Passenger
Member # 11349

posted 02-17-2008 03:54 PM

I agree about the casino, but aside from that, she does not look too drastically changed from the late Princess era. I think the biggest change other than that huge casino must be the reconfiguration of the cabins to have convertible beds.

But the unchanged parts of the ship really do look very tired in those photos. The Starlight Lounge looks particularly awful, with all the old furniture from the theatre in it!

Posts: 2072 | From: Long Island, NY, USA | Registered: Sep 2007 | IP: Logged

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