Festival Cruises

Infobox Defunct Company
company_name = Festival Cruises
company_
fate = Bankruptcy
successor =
foundation = 1992
defunct = 2004
location =
industry = Ship transport
key_people = George Poulides
products = Cruises
num_employees =
parent =
subsid =

Festival Cruises (known as First European Cruises in North America) was an European cruise line that operated between 1994 and 2004. It was founded in 1992 by the Greek entrepreneur George Poulides using second-hand ships. The company acquired three new-built ships between 1999 and 2002, but was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2004.cite web |url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/FestvalPCs.html |title=Festival Cruise Line |accessdate=2008-09-28 |last=Boyle |first=Ian |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher= [http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/ Simplon Postcards] ] cite web |url=http://www.cruisereviews.com/FestivalCruises/ |title=Festival Cruises Cruise Reviews |accessdate=2008-09-28 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher=CruiseReviews.com] cite book |title=Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships |last=Ward |first=Douglas |year=2008 |publisher=Berlitz |location=Singapore |isbn=978-981-268-240-6 |pages=pp. 44–45 ]

History

George Poulides founded Festival Cruises in 1992. The company begun operations in 1994 after purchasing MS|The Azur from Chandris Cruises. The following year the company acquired MS "Starward" from Norwegian Cruise Line, renaming her MS|Bolero|1968|6.cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/starward_1968.htm |title=M/S "Starward" (1968) |accessdate=2008-09-28 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |coauthors= |date= |work=Fakta om Fartyg |publisher= |language=Swedish ] A third second-hand ship followed in 1997, when MS "Southern Cross" was acquired from Premier Cruise Line and renamed MS|Flamenco for service with Festival.cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/spirit_of_london_1972.htm |title=M/S "Spirit of London" (1972) |accessdate=2008-09-28 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |coauthors= |date= |work=Fakta om Fartyg |publisher= |language=Swedish ] Festival Cruises acquired their first newbuilt ship in 1999, when MS|Mistral was delivered from Chantiers de l'Atlantique in France. In 2000 Festival Cruises announced that the company would be merged into Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O), with the Festival Cruises brand being maintained under P&O ownership. The merger plan was abandoned later that year due to low value of cruise line shares at the time. Two additional newbuilt ships based on an enlarged version of the "Mistral" design were delivered in 2001 and 2002 as MS|European Vision and MS|European Stars, respectively. Following delivery of the new ships the "Bolero" and "Flamenco" were chartered to other opeators. Festival Cruises had an option for two more ships of the enlarged "Mistral" design, but the company decided not to use the option. Two more "Mistral" class ships were however built for MSC Cruises as "MSC Lirica" and "MSC Opera". [cite web |url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/MSCPCs.html#anchor63706 |title=MSC Crociere Italiane > "MSC Lirica" (2003– ) |accessdate=2008-10-01 |last=Boyle |first=Ian |coauthors= |date= |work=Simplon Postcards |publisher= |language= ]

Festival Cruises went bankrupt in early 2004, with all the company's ships were laid up and subseuqently auctioned to other operators; "European Stars" and "European Vision" were sold to MSC Cruises, "Mistral" to a French investor group who chartered her to Iberojet, [Ward (2006). pp. 380–381] "The Azur" to Mano Maritime, [cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/eagle_1971.htm |title=M/S "Eagle" (1971) |accessdate=2008-09-28 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |coauthors= |date= |work=Fakta om Fartyg |publisher= |language=Swedish ] "Bolero" to Orient Queen Shipping and "Flamenco" to Cruise Elysia.

hips

References