Pullmantur Horizon No More?

[Plato123]

Apparently RCL has "sold" the Horizon to a UK company that will offer cruises out of Mumbai.  Anyone have more info?

It is now on its way to Mumbai , so I expect our October cruise out of Athens is cancelled.  

[KenC]

Where did you hear this?

[Plato123]

As for the sale, I have not been able to find the article I saw it in and hoped someone could confirm or deny.  Nevertheless as RCL still actually owns the ships 100% themselves it might make sense to sell off older assets and redeploy other ships to Pullmantur.  The captain of the Monarch did tell us earlier this year that Pullmantur did plan of enlarging its fleet up to eight ships but that was before Covid-19.

[Skipper Tim]

I have trawled the travel and cruise industry websites and cannot find a mention of a sale or transfer of the Horizon. There could be other reasons for a trip to Mumbai - a refit, furlough of staff etc.. I would have thought those due to sail on her this Summer (sailings are currently suspended only until July 3rd and Greece is opening to foreign tourism next week) would be the first to hear. 
 

Still if anyone can find any information, please share it here.

[leyla]

Just received (in Spanish) from Pulmantur cruises that all cruises are cancelled as of today until November 15th, 2020.  

 

Edited June 10, 2020 by leyla

[aussie cruzer]

Not looking good for Pullmantur.

 

 

[Plato123]

Since we would otherwise have lost our (smallish) deposit on the cruise that has been cancelled, we are hoping Pullmantur does come back for cruises in 2021 and have asked our  TA can see if he get us a great cabin on the Holy Land cruise in 2021.

Getting a credit towards the cabin cost will be a bonus.

I am not as pessimistic as the YouTube blogger.  Time will tell.

.  

[Skipper Tim]

Plato, Agreed. Bruce's vlog was sensationalistic self-promotion. We are holding bookings for the Horizon repo (Dubai-Athens) in March 2021, also on small deposits. We will wait and see what transpires. 

[KenC]

We were on the cancelled March 2020 Dubai - Athens sailing.  Hoping to do the 2021 sailing if it happens.  In the meantime trying to claim our fare back via VISA as we are not happy with a future cruise voucher (even if they are generously throwing in a $150 obc hahaha) - at the time of cancellation Pullmantur were offering 150% future cruise credit or refund!

 

The Blog below is more considered thoughts about Pullmantur's position through next year than the alarmist tosh copied above.

 

 

[Skipper Tim]

KenC, I would love to read the blog but preview doesn't lead anywhere, no matter what I click. Could you provide a URL please? 

 

You (and any others) may want to join the Roll call for the March 21 repo:

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2712442-pullmantur-horizon-dubai-athens-march-2021-roll-call/

 

Tim.

[KenC]

Hi Tim

 

Guess it's a Facebook link that won't work for you - here's a copy of the text 

 

PULLMANTUR PLANS FOUR SHIP DEPLOYMENT FOR 2021

 

TRAVELS WITH ANTHONY·THURSDAY, 11 JUNE 2020·READING TIME: 3 MINUTES

 

Pullmantur, the Spanish cruise operator that is part of a joint venture with Royal Caribbean International, has announced a broad, provisional outline of it’s deployment intentions for 2021.

With the current fleet of three ships downgraded to a cold layup status as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the line is now looking long term, towards a hopefully brighter 2021.

The as-is, three ship fleet-Horizon, Monarch and Sovereign-will be joined in early 2021 by Royal Caribbean’s current Grandeur of the Seas. Sailing simply as the Grandeur, that ship will debut in the Baltic, sailing Baltic Capitals and Norwegian Fjord itineraries between Trondheim and Warnemunde, and vice versa. Like the rest of the fleet, she will be given the blue hull and white livery that is now the company’s trademark.

One of the major factors in employing Grandeur here-as opposed to the intended employment of Monarch in this role-is that the newer addition has an exhaust gas cleaning system already installed, which allows her to comply with stricter environmental regulations that are already in force across a broad swathe of Scandinavian ports.

While no winter deployment has been announced, it is likely that Grandeur will also sail week long itineraries around the Canary Islands out of Tenerife, after redeploying from Northern Europe in mid September.

Meanwhile, Sovereign-formerly the very popular Sovereign of the Seas- will again be based out of Barcelona for most of the year, offering seven night itineraries that take in the best of the Western Mediterranean, with calls at Livorno, Naples and Villefranche. These cruises will also allow for the additional possibility of embarking at Rome’s port of Civitavecchia, as well as at Marseilles. Likely as not, the ship will then reposition to Brazil for her usual winter charter role of short, three and four day cruises for the local Brazilian market.

Smallest of the fleet, the 46,000 ton Horizon will offer seven night, round trip cruises from Piraeus to Istanbul, Izmir, Mykonos and Santorini for much of the high season. In addition, the ship-which made her debut in 1990 as the first, purpose built ship for Celebrity Cruises-will also offer a brace of seven night, Holy Land sailings that will take in Ashdod, Haifa, Limassol and Patmos, and an additional pair of Adriatic sailings that will showcase calls to Dubrovnik, Katakolon, Kotor, Santorini and Sarande. Again, these will sail round trip from Piraeus.

In the winter, the Horizon is expected to shift to a program of three, four and seven day cruises around the waters of the United Arab Emirates.

Last, but not least, the Monarch-twin sister of the Sovereign-will sail year round in the Caribbean, offering seven night itineraries that allow passengers to embark in both Curacao and Colon. Typical calls en route will include Aruba and Bonaire, in the Netherlands Antilles.

Pullmantur offers all inclusive fares, with drinks and most meals covered in the on board cost. Though the ships are offered predominantly to Spanish passengers, they also cater to British guests as well.

As ever, stay tuned for further updates

[aussie cruzer]

A bit hard to run a cruise line with no ships.

 

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats-for-sale/type-power/class-power-cruise-ship/

 

 

[KenC]

55 minutes ago, aussie cruzer said:

A bit hard to run a cruise line with no ships.

 

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats-for-sale/type-power/class-power-cruise-ship/

 

 

There also at least a dozen newer RCI and Celebrity (including the Millenium Class) ships up for sale plus many from Carnival and HAL.  Not many buyers around though so they sail on.  Pullmantur must have been delighted to sell Zenith to make room for more modern tonnage.

[Skipper Tim]

From my experience in charter yachts, the big operators got very good prices on new boats and put them up for sale at a profit even before they were delivered, only reducing the price after a lifetime of heavy use (generally 5-7 years) when they wanted to replace them. If the cruise ship market is remotely similar, then cruise ships can be on sale for many, many years. We should not read too much into a ship we are hoping to sail on being for sale. Even if a ship is sold, the transfer might not take place for 18 months or so and it may just continue as was under a different legal ownership. 

 

I understand that Pullmantur (49% owned by RCI, 51% by a Spanish investment firm) only leases their ships (currently all from RCI). No doubt if RCi managed to sell the Horizon, RCI would provide a newer/bigger/better replacement to Pullmantur. RCI are saddled with some mega ships of their own that they need to fill over the coming lean years.

[Skipper Tim]

I thought I would put today's daily dose of Pullmantur news/speculation on this thread as it is shorter :-)

 

As I type this the Horizon is about to leave the Suez Canal, re-entering the Mediterranean and en-route to Limasol, Cyprus (according to cruisemapper). The Greeks and Greek Cypriots are great shipping nations. I just wonder if the Horizon has been sold 'as is' rather than for scrap?

 

More oddly, the other two Pullmantur ships, the Sovereign and Monarch, have reportedly been stripped bare in Naples and are practically at a rendevous position, around 100 miles east of Malta, not underway but 'Waiting for Orders' (again according to cruisemapper).

 

The reports were that all three ships were on their way to scrap in Turkey. Is some deal to sell them in the air? 

[Plato123]

The disposition of the Pullmantur fleet is becoming quite a drama.  The Sovereign has now done a 180 away from the Monarch which seems parked.  Both are noted as "waiting orders", and the Horizon is one the way to Cyprus as noted earlier.  Interesting.

[Skipper Tim]

Plato123, precisely! 

 

A very minor update today. 

 

The Sovereign and Monarch appear now to be drifting East of Malta - at least that saves port fees -) But why are they not on their way to the knackers yard?

 

The Horizon was in to Limassol, Cyprus early this morning and left an hour or so ago, again bound for Piraeus, Athens after this minor detour (all according to the usual sources). 

 

I have heard nothing from my cruise agents who promised an update from Pullmantur at the end of this week or early next. I hope it is now early next!

 

The one report that Pullmantur's booked customers will be offered 125% 'future cruise credit' on RCI or Celebrity has not been substantiated from any other source. 

 

I hope for better news next week. 

[Biker19]

11 hours ago, Skipper Tim said:

But why are they not on their way to the knackers yard?

Because that's not a settled issue?

[Biker19]

Interesting to see that Horizon will sail by her former sister Zenith, which is anchored south of Piraeus.

[Skipper Tim]

3 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Interesting to see that Horizon will sail by her former sister Zenith, which is anchored south of Piraeus.

 

Yes indeed. Horizon passed Zenith, anchored off the uninhabited island of Agios Georgios, at a distance of around 8 miles a short time ago. They may just have been able to see other. Horizon should be in Piraeus tonight. 

[Skipper Tim]

The Horizon is now docked at the cruise terminal area of Piraeus - not anchored off. I imagine docking rates are very cheap at the moment but it suggests there is a reason to dock rather than anchor off - like stripping her?

[Biker19]

She's been docked two days now suggesting perhaps more than a just a simple resupply stop.

[trickyoat]

According to Equasis, Horizon's status is " TO BE BROKEN UP" so that's official.

[Biker19]

6 hours ago, trickyoat said:

According to Equasis, Horizon's status is " TO BE BROKEN UP" so that's official.

Unless she leaves the dock soon it may be another month before that happens.

[Skipper Tim]

How sad. I thought Horizon might have escaped that fate and seen out her days in the Greek islands.