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This website has no connection with any shipping company, cruise line, boat operator or other commercial organisation
- There are no postcards for sale on this website
Festival Cruise Line
These pages are devoted to postcards and photographs of the Festival Cruise Line fleet. Festival started with the ex-
Chandris
ship
The Azur
in 1992. In May 2000, it was announced that Festival Cruises would be bought by P&O, bringing two of their former ships,
The Azur
and
Flamenco
, back into P&O ownership. The Festival brand name would be maintained under P&O ownership. Subsequently, the two companies decided to abandon the merger, due to the low share values of cruise lines in mid-2000.
A new series of cards was issued in 2001, including the new
European Vision
, and these are all included under the relevant titles (
Bolero
was on charter in 2001 and did not have a card released). Festival collapsed at the end of 2003, and the ships were sold off at auction. The newest ships
European Stars
and
European Vision
became the
MSC Sinfonia
and
MSC Armonia
of
MSC Crociere
.
The Azur
was sold for $10.5 million to an unknown operator, being renamed the
Eloise
. However, in 2005 she is sailing for Mano Cruises of Israel as the
Royal Iris
. The
Bolero
became the
Orient Queen
of Orient Queen Shipping, passing to
Louis Cruise Lines
in 2006.
Flamenco
was sold for $12.25 million to Cruise Elysia, being renamed the
New Flamenco
.
Mistral
was sold to Iberojet, becoming the
Grand Mistral
.
The table below
gives links to complete postcard career histories of the various ships. Below the table I have added the
Festival Cruises cards
that I have collected so far.
Ships On This Page:-
The Azur
(1994- )
Bolero
(1994- )
European Vision
(2001- )
European Stars
(2001- )
Flamenco
(1998- )
Mistral
(1999- )
Festival Advertising Postcards
Associated Pages:-
Chandris Lines
MSC Crociere
Norwegian Caribbean Line
Paquet
Princess Cruises
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
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Table of Ship Histories
Name
Other Names
Built
Acquired
The Azur
Eagle, Azur, Eloise, Royal Iris
1971
1992
Bolero
Starward, Orient Queen
1968
1994
European Stars
MSC Sinfonia
2001
2001
European Vision
MSC Armonia
2001
2001
Flamenco
Spirit of London, Sea Princess, New Flamenco
1972
1997
Mistral
1999
1999
Festival Cruises Fleet List
The Azur
(Festival: 1994-2003)
The Azur
originally entered service as
Eagle
for a new cruise ferry service from Southampton-Lisbon-Tangier.
Southern Ferries
were part of the General Steam Navigation Co, who became part of P&O. In 1975,
Eagle
was sold to
Nouvelle Cie. de Paquebots, Marseille (Paquet)
and renamed
Azur
for ferry work and cruising in the Mediterranean. In 1981
Azur
was rebuilt as a fulltime cruise ship, with cabins added in the car decks. In 1987 she was sold to
Chandris Lines
, and re-named
The Azur
, followed by a further sale to Festival Cruises in 1994, with name remaining as
The Azur
. Following the collapse of Festival Cruises,
The Azur
was sold for $10.5 million to an unknown operator, being renamed the
Eloise
. However, in 2005 she is sailing for Mano Cruises of Israel as the
Royal Iris
.
A complete history of this ship is available
on this link
.
Festival Cruises official card of
The Azur
.
Festival Cruises official card of
The Azur
.
Festival Cruises official card of
The Azur
(and
Bolero
).
A more recent Festival official card of
Azur
.
CT Postcards
Serial 055 of The Azur in Festival Cruises colours.
2001 issued Festival official card of
The Azur
.
Bolero
(Festival: 1994-2003)
Bolero
was completed in 1968 by AG Weser of Bremerhaven, as the
Starward
for the Kloster subsidiary
NCL
(Norwegian Caribbean Line, later Norwegian Cruise Line). She operated out of Miami, on seven day cruises to the Caribbean islands. She originally had a stern car door and garage space to take trailers, particularly to Jamaica. This space was later converted to cabins. She is a sister to
Skyward
(later
Leisure World
).
Starward
was sold to Festival Cruises in 1994, their second ship, becoming the
Bolero.
In 2000,
Bolero
is chartered to First Choice Cruises, although it has been announced that the charter will not be renewed for 2001. Following the collapse of Festival Cruises,
Bolero
became the
Orient Queen
of Orient Queen Shipping.
Bolero
details: 12949 Gross Tons, Length: 450ft, Passengers 850, Crew 240, Speed 16 knots, Engines 2 x MAN 12792 Kw
A complete history of this ship is available
on this link
.
Festival official card of
Bolero
.
A later Festival official card of
Bolero
.
In year 2000, Festival chartered the
Bolero
to UK Operator First Choice during the summer.
This is an official First Choice card of
Bolero
. The charter is not to be repeated in 2001.
Ramsey Postcards
(serial no. 90) of
Bolero
.
RMGS postcard of
Bolero
on charter to SCL (Spanish Cruise Line).
Photo: © RMGS.
Flamenco
(Festival: 1998-2003)
Flamenco was to have been a sistership to
Norwegian Caribbean Line's
Southward
, to be named
Seaward
.
Norwegian Caribbean Line
pulled out of the deal after price rises following the Italian builders' nationalization, and the hull was sold to
P&O
. The new ship was named
Spirit of London
, and she was eventually completed in the autumn of 1972. When
P&O
later acquired
Princess Cruises
in 1974,
Spirit of London
was transferred to that fleet, becoming the
Sun Princess
.
Sun Princess
was sold to
Premier Cruises
in 1988, becoming
StarShip Majestic
,
one of their "big red boats", and she retained the red hull when bought by CTC Lines in 1994 as
Southern Cross
. In 1998, she became the third ship in the Festival Cruises fleet as
Flamenco
. Following the collapse of Festival Cruises,
Flamenco
was sold for $12.25 million to Cruise Elysia, being renamed the
New Flamenco
. In 2007 she was sold to Club Cruise for £26 million and renamed
Flamenco I.
In November 2008, Club Cruise defaulted on their payments and she was sold at auction for just $3.4 million.
Flamenco
details: 17042 Gross Tons, Length: 450ft, 700 Passengers, Crew 300, Speed 20.5 knots, Engines 4 x FIAT 133248 Kw
A complete postcard history of this ship is available
on this link
.
Festival official card of
Flamenco
.
A more recent Festival official card of
Flamenco
.
2001 issued Festival official cards of
Flamenco
.
Mistral
(Festival: 1999-2003)
The
Mistral
was completed in 1999 by Chantiers Atlantique for Festival Cruise Line. Her first cruise started 17th July 1999, from Venice to the Greek islands. Winter cruises will be in the Caribbean.
Mistral
briefly visited Southampton, in poor weather, on Sunday 27th June 1999. Following the collapse of Festival Cruises,
Mistral
was sold to Iberojet, retaining her name.
Mistral
details: 47900 Gross Tons, Length: 216m, 1200 Passengers, Crew 450, Speed 19 knots, Engines 4 x Wartsila 31680 Kw
A complete history of
Mistral
is available
on this link
.
Two official Festival Cruises art postcards of
Mistral
.
A commercial postcard of
Mistral
, issued by Editions d'Art Jos le Doare, showing the naming ceremony of
Mistral
at St Nazaire.
The first photographic Festival Cruises postcard of
Mistral
.
A more recent Festival official card of
Mistral
.
Simplon Postcards
serial no. sc2154 of
Mistral
, released May 2000.
Photo by Mike Louagie at Santorini.
2001 issued Festival official card of
Mistral
.
Festival official card of
Mistral
.
European Vision
(Festival: 2001-2003)
The
European Vision
was completed in 2001 by Chantiers Atlantique for Festival Cruise Line. She is a sistership of
European Stars
and an enlarged version of the
Mistral
in 1999.
European Vision
details: 58600 Gross Tons, Length: 251.2m, 1566 Passengers (2163 max), Crew 763
A complete history of
European Vision
is available
on this link
.
Festival official card of
European Vision
.
Festival official card of
European Vision
.
European Stars
(Festival: 2001-2003)
The
European Stars
was completed in 2001 by Chantiers Atlantique for Festival Cruise Line. She is a sistership of
European Vision
and an enlarged version of the
Mistral
in 1999.
European Stars
details: 58600 Gross Tons, Length: 251.2m, 1566 Passengers (2163 max), Crew 763
A complete history of
European Stars
is available
on this link
.
Festival official card of
European Stars
.
Festival Advertising Cards