The final straw for P&O’s Adonia?

Many ships at the moment are either being scrapped or making their way to a new lease of life. So I did a little research on any other ships that could possibly be about to move on.

Here’s what I found…

This week’s announcement that Oceania Cruises is adding to its fleet has sparked speculation over the future of smaller rival Azamara Club Cruises.

Oceania – recently taken over by Norwegian Cruise Line – is buying Ocean Princess for £52m and will spend another £25m updating the former Princess Cruises vessel before it sails its first voyage under the new flag in April 2016.

The 684-passenger ship – one of eight identical R class vessels built for the now-defunct Renaissance Cruises between 1998 and 2001 – joins sister ships Insignia, Nautica and Regatta at Oceania.

Azamara, part of the Royal Caribbean group, operates another two former R-ships and company president Larry Pimentel has made no secret of his ambitions for growth.

But although the remaining two R ships – Pacific Princess and P&O’s Adonia – may also be for sale, insiders believe Azamara may be looking to build a brand new vessel rather than buy second-hand.

So what do I think? Well Adonia entered service with P&O Cruises in 2011 and has been a popular hit, being a smaller ship she can get in to ports that the larger ships can’t giving more appeal to the older generation who have already visited the run of the mill cruise destinations and are looking for something new, hence why Adonia is adult only.

On this basis I really can’t see P&O selling Adonia at this minute, but then the 2016/17 Cruises for her have not been announced yet. She only carries around 700 passengers compared to P&O’s new ship Britannia at 3,600! She really is the other end of the spectrum so I’m not sure how her following will bare up. At this stage I would definitely single out Adonia and Oriana as the two most likely contenders to leave the fleet.

Time will tell!

What are your thoughts on cruise ships being pushed from pillar to post? let me know…

Happy Cruising

Ed x