Royal Caribbean International will keep the Grandeur of the Seas as part of its fleet, the company confirmed Wednesday. The ship had been due to be transferred to Pullmantur, but the Spanish company filed for bankruptcy in late June, blaming the coronavirus pandemic shut down of the cruise industry.
“With the recent news surrounding Pullmantur, Grandeur of the Seas will remain as a part of our Royal Caribbean International fleet,” the company said in a statement to travel agents. “Once we have more information, we’ll be sure to share the details and look forward to many more memories to be made sailing on her!”
In October 2019, prior to the pandemic, Royal Caribbean issued a statement saying that as it continued to grow its brand and develop new offerings, it would begin retiring more seasoned ships.
“We know this news is bittersweet, but we’re excited that she’ll join our sister brand, Pullmantur Cruises in the spring 2021. Her story isn’t finished yet!”
Grandeur of the Seas will continue to sail for Royal Caribbean
As it turns out, her story with Royal Caribbean is indeed not yet finished and instead of making her final journey for Royal Caribbean on March 26th, 2021, Grandeur of the Seas will continue to sail for Royal Caribbean.
Prior to Wednesday’s announcement, Enchantment of the Seas had been due to return to Baltimore to replace the Grandeur of the Seas.
The Grandeur of the Seas was built at Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Turku, Finland, and made its maiden voyage on December 14, 1996. It was refurbished in May 2012. The ship has a maximum capacity of 2,440 guests and 760 crew.
Madrid -based Pullmantur, fifty-one percent owned by Cruises Investment Holding and 49% by the Royal Caribbean Group filed for bankruptcy in late June under Spanish insolvency laws and sent its three-ship fleet, including the MS Sovereign, once the largest ship in the world, and formerly Royal Caribbean’s Sovereign of the Seas, to be scrapped in Turkey along with the MS Monarch and the MV Horizon.
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What’s happening with the Empress of the Seas?
Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean gas denied rumors that it is selling the Empress of Seas.
“Empress of the Seas has not been sold,” a Royal Caribbean International Public Relations spokesperson told RoyalCaribbeanBlog. “She is on the way to Greece where she will stay for a few months.”
“We are constantly looking for the best places to deploy our ships in order to get all the ship services we require for operations.”
The rumors apparently began after the ship headed to Malta, a possible stop on the way to scrap-yards in Turkey. The Empress is currently anchored off Greece.
Rumors have also circulated regarding the fate of the Majesty of the Seas, which is also headed to Malta.
Majesty is still part of our fleet and we look forward to our healthy return to service,” a Royal Caribbean spokesperson told Cruise Critic.
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