Artemis to leave fleet?

[Captain Rhone]

There is a new report on a French website that says that Artemis was sold to Phoenix Reisen for an undisclosed price and that she is believed to be departing the fleet in Summer 2010. Has anyone heard any other reports?

 

http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=110936

[HeinBloed]

There is a new report on a French website that says that Artemis was sold to Phoenix Reisen for an undisclosed price and that she is believed to be departing the fleet in Summer 2010. Has anyone heard any other reports?

 

http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=110936

 

I am booked for April 2010 and am interested for Asia in February 2011.

 

But heared the same from the same source only.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[tom_uk]

There's a report of a bit clarification from P&O here.

[KarenR_UK]

There's a report of a bit clarification from P&O here.

 

Thanks for that Tom.

 

I'll be sad to see her go - we were interested in trying her sometime (soon) first for a shortie, to see how we liked her, before perhaps an Iceland or Amazon trip.

 

Nothing booked next year, but I think we might be committed with family - If only we could get more time off work!

[HeinBloed]

but I think we might be committed with family -

 

Just to avoid disappointments and as I do not know the age of your family members...

 

The ship is child-free.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[soletread]

There is a new report on a French website that says that Artemis was sold to Phoenix Reisen for an undisclosed price and that she is believed to be departing the fleet in Summer 2010. Has anyone heard any other reports?

 

http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=110936

 

I have not long returned from a short 4 nighter on the Artemis over the Bank Holiday weekend and this rumour was knocking around quit a bit

 

If its the case I'm not very surprised we had a great trip and enjoyed the expereince but having sailed on Arcadia 2 times before P&O's other child free option personally I cannot see why you would choice to cruise on the Artemis rather than Arcadia

 

I know she gets into smaller ports and has a very loyal following due to her size but to me she lacked some real basic facilities that most modern cruise passengers are used to

 

On top of this the open deck areas are looking very tired and I think she is showing her age at 25 years now without major refurbishment and massive investment I feel she is now not right for the image P&O are trying to promote

 

It's sad as it potentially leaves only one child free vessel on the market from the UK being Arcadia I wonder if with the introduction of Azura next year it will lead to one of the other members of the P&O fleet being converted to a second child free option Oriana maybe what does everyone think

 

Soletread

[HeinBloed]

According to a German Cruise Industry Publication:

 

Phoenix denied that they purchased ARTEMIS.

 

One more question: could it be that she will be in a shipyard for refurbishing in April 2010???

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[tom_uk]

I bet Fred Olsen would love to have Artemis. I have no idea if there's actually any interest, but she fits the Fred Olsen demographic perfectly. Also, Fred Olsen don't seem reluctant to spend money on their ships: they re-engined Black Watch & Boudicca, and they stretched Braemar & Balmoral.

[davecttr]

Join the queue Fred!

 

A quick paint in blue and red, add some kids etc etc and it would do just fine for Thomsons ex UK departures in 2011. It would need a refit though to bring it up (down) to Thomsons standards :D

 

Dave

[Twinkle999]

P&O have cancelled the Artemis Christmas and New Year cruises through Panama canal, which is a major disappointment. I booked the Christmas cruise last December, taking the early booking advice from P&O. They have re-scheduled the cruise to a Caribbean one, and I have been there too many times to want to repeat the same islands. P&O have not offered any compensation, just cancel without charge!! How kind. My travel agent has looked for other cruises, but with just three months to go availability is limited and prices very high. I will not be travelling with P&O again after this, so don't care what they do with their ships.

[soletread]

P&O have cancelled the Artemis Christmas and New Year cruises through Panama canal, which is a major disappointment. I booked the Christmas cruise last December, taking the early booking advice from P&O. They have re-scheduled the cruise to a Caribbean one, and I have been there too many times to want to repeat the same islands. P&O have not offered any compensation, just cancel without charge!! How kind. My travel agent has looked for other cruises, but with just three months to go availability is limited and prices very high. I will not be travelling with P&O again after this, so don't care what they do with their ships.

 

Thats Terrible have they given any kind of reasonable explanation

 

This appears to be happening more and more with P&O lately poor or lack of information and last minute changes happening

 

I think P&O need to be very careful having cruised with Celebrity before and now being very interested in trying them again out of Southampton on the new Soltice class ships I fear P&O could be loosing some custom

 

Especially if you do a like for like on price on relative cruises between the Eclipse and the Azura a 16 night on the Eclipse to the Med is far cheaper on the Eclipse in fact for what you are paying on Azura for a Delux Stateroom you can have Mini Suite on the Eclipse

 

I will be trying the Azura on a short break next October but will deff make my next longer scheduled departure from Southampton with Celebrity to give it another go

 

Soletread

[HeinBloed]

The sale has been confirmed:

 

http://www.pocruises.com/Press/Detail.axd?releaseId=416

 

All sailings to April 2011 are confirmed to sail.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[LibraLass41]

You beat me to it:

 

"Please be advised of the following statement released today by P&O Cruises:

 

"P&O Cruises can confirm that it has signed contracts for the sale of its 45,000 ton ship Artemis to MS Artania Shipping, for an undisclosed sum. The sale will be completed on 6 October 2009 but P&O Cruises will continue to operate Artemis and her series of cruises as published until 12 April 2011."

 

So hopefully Oriana will be the next child-free ship to replace the very elderly Artemis in 2011....

She's the next smallest and oldest, what a fantastic ship that would be .

 

Imagine sitting on the aft decks or around the pool with a cocktail or beer with a lovely pool , TOTAL RELAXATION - heaven!

[Twinkle999]

There is a new report on a French website that says that Artemis was sold to Phoenix Reisen for an undisclosed price and that she is believed to be departing the fleet in Summer 2010. Has anyone heard any other reports?

 

http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=110936

Yes, she is going. Here is a letter being sent to all those booked on her

 

Dear

I am writing to let you know that Artemis is in the process of being sold, however, P&O Cruises will continue to operate the ship until she is handed over to her new owners in April 2011.

This will mean that she will continue to operate all currently published itineraries, up to and including her 2011 Asian Grand Voyage, from which she will return to Southampton on 12 April 2011. After leaving the P&O Cruises fleet, Artemis will leave British shores to take up her new home with a tour operator in Continental Europe.

Until then she remains very much a part of our P&O Cruises fleet. As you have a future booking on Artemis I would like to offer my personal assurance that this will not affect your holiday – her itineraries, her officers and crew, and the classic P&O Cruises experience she offers will be unchanged.

This has been a difficult decision to make, especially as Artemis is so well loved and continues to meet our high standards.

[tom_uk]

Apparently she's going to Phoenix Seereisen, so effectively will be leaving the UK market.

 

As has been pointed out on another website, this sounds like good news for Saga and Fred Olsen! Some, at least, of the Artemis regulars may well switch to those lines rather than to a different P&O ship.

[soletread]

Hi Sue

 

I hope P&O do add another child free chip to the fleet as I do feel there is a demand for the option My only concern with Oriana is she only has one deck of Balcony cabins meaning the prices for them would be a prenuim as indeed they are now

 

So it takes me back to my original point why would you not continue to sail on the Arcadia as a child free option ( I know your a big Arcadia fan like myself so will continue to do so anyway)

 

It will be interesting to see how P&O handle this

[jo-b]

It will be interesting to see how well kept Artemis will be as a charter.

 

Personally I would love one of the Princess R class ships to be moved to P&O to get into those smaller ports.

[HeinBloed]

The press release has been updated:

 

http://www.pocruises.com/Press/Detail.axd?releaseId=416

 

She will go to Phoenix - a pure German cruise operator who has currently

 

AMADEA (former ASUKA)

ALBATROS (former ROYAL VIKING SEA)

ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT (former CROWN MONARCH - but currently not under operation due to financial problems of the ship's owner)

ATHENA (former STOCKHOLM - yes... the ship that hit the ANDREA DORIA... as replacement of ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT)

 

So learn German to continue to sail on her...

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[Parsman]

Today's media reports state that the ship has been sold to MS Artania Shipping. They also stated that the although ownership will have changed the ship will perform all the advertised P&O cruises, presumably on some for of charter-back basis. I di not know what contact this company has with the cruise industry so it will be interesting to see where it re-appears.

[CRUISEGUY1970]

I am saddened to hear that P&O is selling the Artemis. My only hope is that she sail on for many more years. I had the pleasure of sailing aboard her twice when she was the Royal Princess. Once in the Caribbean and once to the Baltic. Her stunning lines against some of the most picturesque backdrops made for some fantasic photographs. The crew was always so helpful and dining aboard was such a grand affair.

I still have my pictures of that sailing on my desk at work. My favorite, and the one I get the most comments on is the one of me standing next to the portrait of Princess Diana, the ships God Mother.

Sail on good lady.

[HeinBloed]

Check here:

 

http://www.ipaper.phoenix.coopmedia.de/phoenix_h/user/start.php?sel_path=/Phoenix_2003.TI/Phoenix%20Journal%20Oktober%2009/&hilfe=true

 

to see more of her new life as ARTANIA

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[draquo]

i wrote to p/o she has been sold....when i complained the answer ............we got a good price....your 67 and dont like big ships ? hard luck :mad:

[HeinBloed]

I got my confirmation for my advanced booking on the 2nd sailing of ARTANIA out of Hamburg.

 

No idea how much - no idea where to go.

 

Just book the same cabin I will have on ARTEMIS in April 2010.

 

Totally curious what the Germans will make of her...

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

[tom_uk]

Heinbloed said:

Totally curious what the Germans will make of her...

 

They did good things with Galaxy, IMHO - from the pictures I've seen they turned her into a smart and contemporary ship. Artemis has the advantage of already having balconies.