Pullmantur Cruise Ship Postcards

Pullmantur entered the cruise market by chartering the SeaWind Crown from Premier Cruises. Following the failure of Premier, they investigated buying the SeaWind Crown, but settled on fellow Premier fleet member Oceanic, which was in better condition. Other classic cruise ships followed, plus two of the Renaissance ships R Five, R Six and R Seven. In 2006, Pullmantur was acquired by Royal Caribbean. They transferred their Zenith for 2007, and acquired the Pacific Star from Carnival-owned P&O Australia, renamed Ocean Dream. The two remaining Renaissance ships in the fleet, Blue Moon and Blue Star, were transferred out to an new upmarket Celebrity brand (although Blue Moon remains in the fleet until September 2007). The Oceanic II was also chartered for 2007. Two of the last steam cruise liners were in the fleet at this time, Oceanic and Sky Wonder, although the Royal Caribbean takeover means that these fuel-thirsty vessels are not likely to survive long.


Ships on This Page:-
Blue Dream (1) (R Five) - 2002-2005
Blue Dream (2) (R Six) - 2005-2007
Blue Moon (R Seven) - 2006-2007
Blue Star - 2004-2005 - renamed Blue Dream (2)
Empress - 2008-
Holiday Dream - 2004-2008
Horizon - 2010-
Ocean Dream - 2008-
Oceanic - 2001-
Oceanic II - 2007
Pacific - 2003-2007
Pacific Dream - 2009 - renamed Horizon
SeaWind Crown - 19??-2000
Sky Wonder - 2006-
Sovereign - 2008-
Zenith - 2007-

Associated Pages:-
Home Lines
Premier Cruises
Renaissance Cruises
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page
- Simplon Postcards facebook page

References:-

Click on images for more details - www.overviewpress.co.uk - info@overviewpress.co.uk
Search This Website:-
powered by FreeFind Table of Ship Histories
Name Other names Built Empress Nordic Empress, Empress of the Seas 1990 Holiday Dream Europa, SuperStar Europe, Superstar Aries 1981 Oceanic StarShip Oceanic, Big Red Boat I 1965 Oceanic II Kungsholm, Sea Princess, Victoria, Mona Lisa 1966 Pacific Pacific Venture, Pacific Princess 1971 SeaWind Crown Vasco da Gama 1961 Sky Wonder Fairsky, Sky Princess, Pacific Sky 1984 Pullmantur Fleet List SeaWind Crown
(Pullmantur charter: 19??-2000 )

Pullmantur entered the cruise market by chartering the SeaWind Crown from Premier Cruises. Following the failure of Premier, they investigated buying the SeaWind Crown, but settled on fellow Premier fleet member Oceanic, which was in better condition.

Infante Dom Henrique, was built in 1961 by Cockerill-Ougree, Belgium, for Cia Colonial de Navegacao. She was 23306 grt, and carried 1018 passengers. Her lines and funnel design show similarities with the contemporary, but much smaller, Belgian Railways ferries on Ostend-Dover services, which were also supplied by Cockerill. She operated on services to Portugal's colonies (Beira in Mozambique) until 1975, by which time the colonies had gained independence, and liner services were no longer necessary. She then operated as a floating hotel until 1988, when she was brought back into service as a cruise ship under the name Vasco da Gama.

The owners of Vasco da Gama were described as Trans World Cruises, and she was initially chartered to German company Neckermann. By 1991, the owners were listed as Arcalia Shipping (owners of Funchal and Princess Danae, which I believe is the same company as Trans World Cruises) with operator Paradise Cruises. She became the SeaWind Crown in this year, supposedly reverting to Vasco da Gama soon afterwards, now operated by SeaWind Cruise Line. In practice, she carried both names in many photographs. Eventually, the official name became SeaWind Crown again. SeaWind Cruises joined with Dolphin Cruise Line to form an enlarged Premier Cruise Line, and their new dark blue livery was applied. She has survived as one of the least-changed ocean liners still sailing (externally at least), but her future is currently in doubt following the collapse of Premier Cruises. In September 2002 she remained laid up in Barcelona, but was later scrapped.

A complete postcard history of SeaWind Crown is available on this link.


This is Simplon Photographs release isc2008 of SeaWind Crown, issued September 2002.
It shows SeaWind Crown laid up in Barcelona on 2/9/2002.



Official Premier Cruise Line postcard of SeaWind Crown.



Official Premier Cruise Line postcard of SeaWind Crown.



Official Premier Cruise Line postcard of SeaWind Crown.
Oceanic
(Pullmantur: 2001- )

Following the collapse of Premier Cruises, the Oceanic was acquired by Spanish operator Pullmantur. The Oceanic was completed in 1963 by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico, Monfalcone. She was Home Lines first purpose-built ship, designed as a two-class liner to operate in summer on their Canadian route from Cuxhaven, le Havre and Southampton. By the time of her delivery, Home Lines had dropped the Atlantic liner voyages, and Oceanic ran 7-day cruises to Nassau from New York through the summer. In winter she ran longer trips to the Caribbean. She was sold to Premier Cruises in 1985, when replaced by the new Homeric. She was later renamed StarShip Oceanic, but was frequently marketed as the Big Red Boat. This later became her official name. Premier Cruises collapsed in September 2000. Oceanic was acquired by Spanish operator Pullmantur, who had previously chartered the Seawind Crown.

A complete postcard history of Oceanic is available on this link. This is an official Pullmantur postcard of Oceanic. The card is based on an original Home Lines postcard, a scan of which I supplied to Pullmantur to create this card This is an official Pullmantur postcard of Oceanic. This is an official Pullmantur photograph of Oceanic. This is Simplon Photographs release isc2007 of Oceanic, issued September 2002. It shows Oceanic in Barcelona on 2/9/2002. Photograph of Oceanic, Villefranche, November 2003. Photo: © Mike Tedstone. Photograph of Oceanic, Barcelona, October 2003. Photo: © Mike Tedstone. R Five - Blue Dream (1) (Pullmantur: 2002-2004)
Pullmantur chartered the R Five from 2002-2004, giving her the marketing name Blue Dream (1). From 2004 she was chartered to Oceania Cruises as the Nautica. From 2005, Pullmantur took the R Six on charter as the Blue Sky. Blue Sky later became the Blue Dream (2). Official Pullmantur postcard of R 5 Blue Dream (1)/R Five. www.cruising.com.br postcard of R 5 Blue Dream (1)/R Five.Photo: © Daniel R.Carneiro Simplon Photographs issue isc2009 of Blue Dream (1)/R Five in Barcelona. Photo: © Ian Boyle, August 2002. Blue Dream (1)/R Five at Dubrovnik. Photo: © Neven Jerkovic Pacific
(Pullmantur: 2003-2007)

Pacific was originally one of two sisters completed in 1971 for Flagship Cruises as Sea Venture and Island Venture. Flagship Cruises was a Norwegian company set up by established lines Lorentzen, Fearnley & Eger etc. They were sold to P&O, for their recently acquired Princess subsidiary, in 1974. Flagship Cruises then bought the Kungsholm, which was also, in turn, sold to P&O. Sea Venture was renamed Pacific Princess in the Princess fleet, and served with them from 1974-2003. She then entered service Spanish operator Pullmantur and renamed Pacific. Initial Pullmantur operations were on Brazilian coastal cruises in co-operation with Brazilian company CVC, who now own the ship. In summer 2008 she is operating in Europe for new Spanish company Quail Cruises. There is a complete history of Pacific on this link. Official Pullmantur postcard of Pacific. R Six - Blue Star - Blue Dream (2)
(Pullmantur: 2004-2007)
Following the Royal Caribbean takeover, the two Renaissance ships in the fleet, Blue Moon and Blue Star, were transferred out to an new upmarket Celebrity brand (although Blue Moon remains in the fleet until September 2007). R Six - Blue Star at Rhodes in 2005.
Photo: © A.Klem . Blue Star/R Six at Dubrovnik. Photo: © Neven Jerkovic Blue Star/R Six at Dubrovnik with Regatta. Photo:© Miho Radulic, May 2005 Blue Dream (2) at Rhodes, 13th May 2006. She dropped the R Six dual name when becoming Blue Dream (2). Photo: © A.Klem Blue Dream (2) at Dubrovnik, with Golden Princess. Photo: © Ivo Batricevic, 17th June 2006. Blue Dream (2) at Santos, Brazil. Photos: © Marco Antonio Pedro Blue Dream (2) at Santos, Brazil. Photos: © Marco Antonio Pedro Blue Dream (2) at Santos, Brazil on 10th December 2006. Photos: © Marco Antonio Pedro Holiday Dream (Pullmantur: 2004- )
Holiday Dream was previously the Europa (3) of Hapag-Lloyd. Europa (3) was built for Hapag-Lloyd in 1981 by Bremer Vulkan. She weighs 37012grt, is 656ft long and has engines of 28900hp. Europa (3) carried 770 passengers, and cruised worldwide for Hapag-Lloyd until 1999, when she passed to Star Cruises on delivery of Europa (4). In 2000, she is the SuperStar Aries (after being originally renamed SuperStar Europe). In March 2001 it was announced that SuperStar Aries would transfer to the Orient Lines fleet (also owned by Star Cruises) from 2002 as their Ocean Voyager. This transfer did not take place and Orient Lines reverted to a single ship operation with Marco Polo. SuperStar Aries was sold to Pullmantur in 2004 and renamed Holiday Dream. Pullmantur was acquired by Royal Caribbean in 2006, and from May 2008 Holiday Dream will operate for new new French subsidiary CDF Croisières of France as Bleu de France. Complete history of Holiday Dream Photograph of Holiday Dream at Cozumel Photo: © Juan Carlos Lopez, December 2004. Photograph of Holiday Dream at Cozumel Photo: © Juan Carlos Lopez, December 2004. Photograph of Holiday Dream at Cuba, December 2004 Photo: © José Luis Cerdá - cruceromania.net Sky Wonder (Pullmantur: 2006-2009)Atlantic Star (Pullmantur: 2009- ) Each Sky Wonder/Atlantic Star image links to a larger copy
Sky Wonder was built as Fairsky for Sitmar by Chantiers Navales et Industrielies de la M�diterran�e, La Seyne Sur Mer (near Toulon), in 1984. She was yard number 1436. Unusually for a ship this new, she has steam turbine machinery, the last large turbine passenger ship built. She became the Sky Princess in the Princess Cruises fleet. She replaced Fair Princess in the Australian market in 2001, renamed the Pacific Sky. In 2006 Pacific Sky was sold to Pullmantur and renamed Sky Wonder. In 2009 she was renamed Atlantic Star to run a series of cruises from Lisbon. However, she was replaced at Lisbon by Pacific Dream and relocated to South America. Complete history of Fairsky/Sky Wonder Official Pullmantur postcard of Sky Wonder. Scan: Ivo Batricevic Simplon Postcards release sc2165 of Sky Wonder Photo: © Copyright Ian Boyle Photograph of Sky Wonder at Dubrovnik. Photo: © Ivo Batricevic, 21st June 2006. Pullmantur cruise ship Sky Wonder at Dubrovnik Photo: ©2006 Copyright Ian Boyle Sky Wonder at Santos, Brazil on 10th December 2006, with revised hull logos Photos: © Marco Antonio Pedro Sky Wonder at Santos, Brazil on 10th December 2006.Photo: © Marco Antonio Pedro Sky Wonder in 2008 red Pullmantur colours Photo: © William Mayes Atlantic Star at Lisbon, with revised livery Photo: Ian Boyle, Lisbon, 19th April 2009 Atlantic Star at Lisbon Photo: Ian Boyle, Lisbon, 19th April 2009 Atlantic Star at Lisbon Photo: Ian Boyle, Lisbon, 19th April 2009 Atlantic Star at Lisbon Photo: Ian Boyle, Lisbon, 19th April 2009 Atlantic Star at Lisbon Photo: Ian Boyle, Lisbon, 19th April 2009 Atlantic Star at Lisbon Photo: Ian Boyle, Lisbon, 19th April 2009 Blue Moon (Pullmantur: 2006-2007) Each Blue Moon image links to a larger copy
Completed at Saint Nazaire for Renaissance Cruises as the R Seven in 2000. She later became the Delphin Renaissance in 2003 before being sold to Pullmantur under the Maltese flag as the Blue Moon in 2006. Following the Royal Caribbean takeover, the two Renaissance ships in the fleet, Blue Moon and Blue Star, were transferred out to an new upmarket Celebrity brand (although Blue Moon remains in the fleet until September 2007). Blue Moon on the River Seine, 17th September 2006. Photo: © Philippe Brebant Blue Moon on the River Seine, 17th September 2006. Photo: © Philippe Brebant Oceanic II (Pullmantur: 2007) Each Oceanic II image links to a larger copy
Oceanic II was built as Kungsholm (4) by John Brown, Clydebank in 1966, and entered service with Swedish America. She was sold to Flagship Cruises in 1975, retaining her name. The Kungsholm (4) was then bought by P&O in 1979 to replace the aging Arcadia. She was given a major overhaul in Bremen, which ruined her classic liner appearance, and renamed Sea Princess. Initially operated by P&O Cruises in the Australian, then British markets, she was later transferred to the US market and appeared in Princess Cruises colours. She eventually returned to P&O Cruises, and has subsequently been renamed Victoria. In Winter 1999/2000 Victoria operated a cruise on charter to the Union-Castle Line, and received a red/black funnel. It was announced in February 2001 that Victoria would be withdrawn and replaced in the P&O Cruises fleet from November 2002 with the Princess Cruises ship Ocean Princess, which would be renamed Oceana from November 2002. Victoria was sold to Leonardo Shipping, who chartered her to Holiday Kreuzfahrten as Mona Lisa. Holiday Kreuzfahrten failed in 2006, and the owners secured a charter with Pullmantur for 2007. Mona Lisa was renamed Oceanic II. She also had a brief charter with Louis Cruise Lines to replace the lost Sea Diamond. Complete history of Oceanic II Oceanic II at Mykonos 25/05/2007 in Louis service Photo: © Georges Koutsoukis - Scan: www.faktaomfartyg.se Oceanic II at Rodos in Pullmantur service Photo: © Ko Rusman Pullmantur publicity image of Oceanic II The Scholar Ship official postcard of Oceanic II Scan: Michael Kenyon Zenith (Pullmantur: 2007- ) Each Zenith image links to a larger copy
Zenith was transferred from Celebrity by Royal Caribbean after their takeover of Pullmantur in 2006. Pullmantur official postcard of Zenith Scan: © Ivo Batricevic Pullmantur publicity image of Zenith Zenith at Dubrovnik, 16th June 2007 Photo: © Ivo Batricevic Zenith at Dubrovnik, 30th June 2007 Photo: © Ivo Batricevic Zenith at Dubrovnik, 3rd November 2007 with revised hull logo Photo: © Ivo Batricevic Pullmantur official postcard of Zenith in new 2008 colours She eventually received a much smaller hull logo - Scan: © Ivo Batricevic Official Pullmantur postcard of Zenith Scan: Marco Antonio Zenith at Dubrovnik, 15th March 2008 in hybrid livery (red funnel but old logo) Photo: © Ivo Batricevic Zenith at Dubrovnik, 19th March 2008 in hybrid livery (red funnel and unpainted logo) Photo: © Ivo Batricevic Zenith at Dubrovnik, 19th March 2008 in hybrid livery (red funnel and unpainted logo) Photo: © Ivo Batricevic Zenith at Dubrovnik, 29th March 2008 in new livery Photo: © Ivo Batricevic Zenith at Dubrovnik, 2nd April 2008 in new livery Photo: © Ivo Batricevic Zenith at Dubrovnik, May 2008, with final new livery - small hull logo Photo: © Ivo Batricevic Zenith on 8th March 2009 Photo: © Daniel Capella - worldcruises1.blogspot.com Ocean Dream (Pullmantur: 2008- )
Ocean Dream was built as the Tropicale, the first purpose-built Carnival cruise ship, delivered in 1981. She was transferred to subsidiary Costa Lines as Costa Tropicale in 2001, the first of the purpose-built Carnival ships to be transferred. In 2005 Costa Tropicale moved to P&O Australia and was renamed Pacific Star. In 2008 she was due to be based in Singapore. However, in a surprising move, she was sold to Royal Caribbean-owned Pullmantur, for 2008 delivery. The big cruise groups do not usually sell ships to their rivals. She will be renamed Ocean Dream. Official Carnival postcard of Tropicale. Costa Tropicale was the ex-Carnival ship Tropicale which had been transferred. A scan of an official slightly oversized Costa postcard is shown below. Pacific Star on first visit to Sydney with P&O Australia Scan: Michael Kenyon, November 2007 Image of Ocean Dream Photo: � Diogo Kyrillos, 2011 Empress (Pullmantur: 2008- )
The Empress was originally ordered by Admiral Cruises to replace Emerald Seas. She was due to be named Future Seas, but never appeared with this name since Admiral merged with Royal Caribbean before her delivery. She became the Nordic Empress in the Royal Caribbean fleet. Nordic Empress was renamed Empress of the Seas in 2004. She was transferred to Pullmantur as the Empress in 2008. More images of Nordic Empress / Empress of the Seas / Empress Official RCCL postcard of Nordic Empress. Official RCCL postcard of Empress of the Seas Pullmantur official postcard of Empress Pullmantur official postcard of Empress issued for her summer Baltic cruises Empress (Pullmantur) leaving Dover Cruise Terminal Photo: � Ian Boyle, 7th May 2010 Empress (Pullmantur) leaving Dover Photo: � Ian Boyle, 7th May 2010 Empress (Pullmantur) cruising South America Photo: � Daniel Capella, Santos, 27th March 2010 - worldcruises1.blogspot.com Empress (Pullmantur) cruising South America Photo: � Daniel Capella, Santos, 27th March 2010 - worldcruises1.blogspot.com Sovereign (Pullmantur: 2008- )
Sovereign was built as the Sovereign of the Seas in 1987. She is 74000 gross tons, carries 2282 passengers and has a service speed of 16 knots. She was at Alsthom-Atlantique, St Nazaire, between June 1986 - December 1987. Sovereign of the Seas was the largest cruise ship in the world when delivered, and has two sisters, Monarch of the Seas (1991) and Majesty of the Seas (1992). In 2008 she was transferred to Pullmantur as the Sovereign.


Royal Caribbean official postcard, published by Astral Graphics, serial SV673/P36989.
Editions d'Art "Jack" postcard, of Sovereign of the Seas at St Nazaire, posted 1989. Pullmantur official postcard of Sovereign Sovereign on 24th January 2009 Photo: © Daniel Capella - worldcruises1.blogspot.com Sovereign on 24th January 2009 Photo: © Daniel Capella - worldcruises1.blogspot.com Pacific Dream - Horizon (Pullmantur/Bleu de France: 2009- ) Pacific Dream was built as Celebrity's first new ship Horizon in 1990. She mainly operated in the Caribbean and East Coast of USA and Canada until transferred to Royal Caribbean International (RCI) subsidiary Island Cruises as Island Star in the autumn of 2005. RCI divested its interest in Island Cruises in 2009, retaining the Island Star, which they transferred to their other European subsidiary Pullmantur as the Pacific Dream. Initial plans were for her to operate a year-round service from Acapulco from summer 2009, but the economy and swine flu caused the postponement of these plans and she replaced the Atlantic Star on cruises out of Lisbon. For 2010 she is marketed by further RCI subsidiary Croisieres de France under her original name Horizon. Horizon on inaugural call at Santos Photo: ©2011 Daniel Capella - worldcruises1.blogspot.com Horizon on inaugural call at Santos Photo: ©2011 Daniel Capella - worldcruises1.blogspot.com Horizon on inaugural call at Santos Photo: ©2011 Daniel Capella - worldcruises1.blogspot.com Horizon on inaugural call at Santos Photo: ©2011 Daniel Capella - worldcruises1.blogspot.com Horizon on inaugural call at Santos Photo: ©2011 Daniel Capella - worldcruises1.blogspot.com Horizon on inaugural call at Santos Photo: ©2011 Daniel Capella - worldcruises1.blogspot.com Horizon on inaugural call at Santos Photo: ©2011 Daniel Capella - worldcruises1.blogspot.com Home Lines - Premier Cruises - Renaissance Cruises Cruise Ship Postcards - Ocean Liner Postcards - Ferry Postcards Top of Page - Simplon Postcards Recent Updates - Simplon Postcards Home Page

�1999-2009 Copyright Ian Boyle/Simplon Postcards (all pages on web site) All Rights Reserved Free Web Counter Times viewed since 21/07/2007:

Name	Other names	Built
Empress	Nordic Empress, Empress of the Seas	1990
Holiday Dream	Europa, SuperStar Europe, Superstar Aries	1981
Oceanic	StarShip Oceanic, Big Red Boat I	1965
Oceanic II	Kungsholm, Sea Princess, Victoria, Mona Lisa	1966
Pacific	Pacific Venture, Pacific Princess	1971
SeaWind Crown	Vasco da Gama	1961
Sky Wonder	Fairsky, Sky Princess, Pacific Sky	1984