MS Regatta

MS "Regatta" is an "R" class cruise ship, owned by Cruiseinvest under charter to Oceania Cruises. She was built in 1998 by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France for Renaissance Cruises as MS "R Two". Between 2002 and 2003 she sailed as MS "Insignia" before receiving her current name.

Concept and construction

Renaissance Cruises had begun operations in 1989, with a series of eight small luxury cruise ships constructed during the course of the next three years. In the mid-90s the company placed an order for eight identical 30,277 gross ton vessels with Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in France. The first ship in the series, MS|R One, was delivered in June 1998,cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/r_one_1998.htm |title=M/S R One (1998) |accessdate=2008-03-19 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |format= |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=in Swedish ] followed by the "R Two" in November of the same year.

ervice history

Following her delivery to Renaissance Cruises in November 1998, the "R Two" was placed on cruise traffic in the Mediterranean. Renaissance Cruises went bankrupt on 25 September 2001, following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, and on 7 October 2001 the "R Two" was arrested in Gibraltar and subsequently laid up. Six of her sisters were also laid up in Gibraltar, with only MS|R Three and MS|R Four absent as they were in the Pacific Ocean at the time of the collapse of Renaissance. [cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/r_three_1999.htm |title=M/S R Three (1999) |accessdate=2008-03-19 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |format= |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=in Swedish ] [cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/r_four_1999.htm |title=M/S R Four (1999) |accessdate=2008-03-19 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |format= |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=in Swedish ] In December 2001 the "R Two" and the other former Renaissance ships laid up in Gibraltar were sold to Cruiseinvest, and subsequently moved to Marseille, France for further layup. [cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/r_five_2000.htm |title=M/S R Five (2000) |accessdate=2008-03-19 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |format= |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=in Swedish ] [cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/r_six_2000.htm |title=M/S R Six (2000) |accessdate=2008-03-19 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |format= |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=in Swedish ] [cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/r_seven_2000.htm |title=M/S R Seven (2000) |accessdate=2008-03-19 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |format= |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=in Swedish ] [cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/r_eight_2001.htm |title=M/S R Eight (2001) |accessdate=2008-03-19 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |format= |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=in Swedish ]

In October 2002 the "R Two" was renamed "Insignia", given a $10 million refit and chartered to Oceania Cruises, a new company founded by Frank Del Rio (the former vice president of Renaissance Cruises) and Joe Watters (the former CEO of Crystal Cruises). [cite web |url=http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/cruiseline.cfm?CruiseLineID=75 |title=Oceania Cruises Reviews |accessdate=2008-03-19 |date=2007-06-12 |work=Cruise Critic |publisher=The Independent Traveler ] Between 19 April and 14 June 2003 the "Insignia" was chartered to the French travel agency TMR, who marketed the ship under the name "Vaisseau Renaissance" (her registered name remained unchanged). On 15 June 2003 the ship returned to Oceania Cruises service, but was renamed "Regatta", as the name "Insignia" had been passed to her sister "R One" that had also been chartered by Oceania.

Design

Exterior design

The "R Two" was built to a somewhat boxy, functional exterior appearance with a large square funnel. In Renaissance Cruises service her hull was painted dark blue, but in Oceania service this was changed to white with a thin blue stripe separating the hull from the superstructure.

Interior design

The interiors of the "Regatta" are decorated in art deco style similar to the ocean liners of the 1920s and 30s with polished dark wood and warm colours,cite web |url=http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/review_page2.cfm?ShipID=287 |title=Regatta Cruise Reviews |accessdate=2008-03-19 |date=2008-03-19 |work=Cruise Critic |publisher=The Independent Traveler ] described by Douglas Ward, author of the "Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships", as being "stunning and elegant". The ship retains most of her interior decorations from her days with Renaissance Cruises, although the lido area on deck 9 was entirely refurbished before she entered service for Oceania Cruises, while smaller changes were carried out in the cabins and restaurants.

Decks

The decks plans provided by Oceania Cruises only include the lay-outs of passenger accessible decks.

# Unknown
# Unknown
# Outside cabins [cite web |url=http://www.oceaniacruises.com/T_MainContentPage.aspx?PageUID=b2a3bc2b-d9cd-45b7-abac-2dc5fa2f3618&DeckUID=43aae173-f5ed-4737-945e-dc7e106d48fc&ShipConfigUID=3b169a9d-0d7c-45b3-8a60-054010d40b67 |title=Deck Plans - Deck 3 |accessdate=2008-03-19 |publisher=Oceania Cruises ]
# Reception, outside and inside cabins [cite web |url=http://www.oceaniacruises.com/T_MainContentPage.aspx?PageUID=b2a3bc2b-d9cd-45b7-abac-2dc5fa2f3618&DeckUID=e956b8cf-ec29-41a4-88e5-a1c1917b2167&ShipConfigUID=3b169a9d-0d7c-45b3-8a60-054010d40b67 |title=Deck Plans - Deck 4 |accessdate=2008-03-19 |publisher=Oceania Cruises ]
# Boutique, casino, bars, main dining room, lounge [cite web |url=http://www.oceaniacruises.com/T_MainContentPage.aspx?PageUID=b2a3bc2b-d9cd-45b7-abac-2dc5fa2f3618&DeckUID=6b77c05b-c8d5-4b0f-9a1b-6857c638cad4&ShipConfigUID=3b169a9d-0d7c-45b3-8a60-054010d40b67 |title=Deck Plans - Deck 5 |accessdate=2008-03-19 |publisher=Oceania Cruises ]
# Suites, outside and inside cabins [cite web |url=http://www.oceaniacruises.com/T_MainContentPage.aspx?PageUID=b2a3bc2b-d9cd-45b7-abac-2dc5fa2f3618&DeckUID=1ce5b54e-4a3e-45f8-85af-b13a95c736be&ShipConfigUID=3b169a9d-0d7c-45b3-8a60-054010d40b67 |title=Deck Plans - Deck 6 |accessdate=2008-03-19 |publisher=Oceania Cruises ]
# Suites, outside and inside cabins [cite web |url=http://www.oceaniacruises.com/T_MainContentPage.aspx?PageUID=b2a3bc2b-d9cd-45b7-abac-2dc5fa2f3618&DeckUID=7cedb6b5-32c0-4efd-9fa6-0ddd59bd7574&ShipConfigUID=3b169a9d-0d7c-45b3-8a60-054010d40b67 |title=Deck Plans - Deck 7 |accessdate=2008-03-19 |publisher=Oceania Cruises ]
# Bridge, suites, outside and inside cabins [cite web |url=http://www.oceaniacruises.com/T_MainContentPage.aspx?PageUID=b2a3bc2b-d9cd-45b7-abac-2dc5fa2f3618&DeckUID=7724140b-5d03-4c10-9e57-a51e97c152c3&ShipConfigUID=3b169a9d-0d7c-45b3-8a60-054010d40b67 |title=Deck Plans - Deck 8 |accessdate=2008-03-19 |publisher=Oceania Cruises ]
# Card room, gym, spa, internet center, swimming pool, beauty salon, cafeteria, bar, sundeck [cite web |url=http://www.oceaniacruises.com/T_MainContentPage.aspx?PageUID=b2a3bc2b-d9cd-45b7-abac-2dc5fa2f3618&DeckUID=5053329c-32f8-4688-ac0a-94731c15a471&ShipConfigUID=3b169a9d-0d7c-45b3-8a60-054010d40b67 |title=Deck Plans - Deck 9 |accessdate=2008-03-19 |publisher=Oceania Cruises ]
# Bar/lounge, library, grill restaurant, Italian restaurant, sundeck [cite web |url=http://www.oceaniacruises.com/T_MainContentPage.aspx?PageUID=b2a3bc2b-d9cd-45b7-abac-2dc5fa2f3618&DeckUID=0e488086-2eae-48a4-975b-527448f93888&ShipConfigUID=3b169a9d-0d7c-45b3-8a60-054010d40b67 |title=Deck Plans - Deck 10 |accessdate=2008-03-19 |publisher=Oceania Cruises ]
# Sundeck [cite web |url=http://www.oceaniacruises.com/T_MainContentPage.aspx?PageUID=b2a3bc2b-d9cd-45b7-abac-2dc5fa2f3618&DeckUID=dcea931e-5920-48af-9a35-beddd6fbb81c&ShipConfigUID=3b169a9d-0d7c-45b3-8a60-054010d40b67 |title=Deck Plans - Deck 11 |accessdate=2008-03-19 |publisher=Oceania Cruises ]

References

External links

* [http://www.oceaniacruises.com/T_Home2.aspx?PageUID=64bba38e-d8cb-466d-8b9a-7dd908f1ff1c Oceania Cruises official website]