Pullmantur Cruises

Cruise line headquartered in Madrid, Spain

Pullmantur Cruises was a cruise line headquartered in Madrid, Spain. It began operations in the late 1990s as an offshoot of the Madrid based travel agency Pullmantur. In 2006, Pullmantur Cruises, through its parent company, was purchased by U. S. based Royal Caribbean Group, but Royal Caribbean later sold a 51% stake in the cruise line to Spain based investment firm Springwater Capital, retaining a 49% stake. Pullmantur Cruises was the largest Spain based cruise line. The company mainly marketed to Spanish passengers, although cruises were also sold by some travel operators outside the Spanish speaking world. Some of the company's ships operated an "all inclusive" product, where some extras, such as brand alcoholic beverages, were included in the cruise price. Pullmantur under Administration review was hoping to restart some operations with MV Horizon, laid up in Eleusis Bay, and two Celebrity Millennium class cruise ships. By December 2020, a reorganization plan had been developed, to restart some cruises, with financial assistance from Royal Caribbean. Since mid July 2021 it was in process of liquidation.

Pullmantur began cruise operations in the 1990s by initially selling cruises on board , founded by Anastasios Kyriakides (subsequently merged with Premier Cruises), in the Southern Caribbean from Premier Cruises and later also on board Premier Cruises flagship the SS Rembrandt in the Mediterranean. Premier changed its business plan in 1997 and canceled its contracts with operators, such as Pullmantur, and later collapsed in 2000. Pullmantur then acquired SS Big Red Boat 1 and started its own cruise line, Pullmantur Cruises. The Oceanic became very successful, and in 2002, Pullmantur acquired a second ship, MS Pacific, from Princess Cruises, Two more ships followed in 2003 when Pullmantur acquired MS Superstar Aries from Star Cruises and renamed her ,

In 2004, R Five was chartered to Oceania Cruises. The acquisition was expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of the year. In 2008, Pullmantur received Empress of the Seas from Royal Caribbean International and renamed her Also in May, Pullmantur purchased Pacific Star from P&O Cruises Australia and renamed her MS Ocean Dream. In April 2008. Lloyd's List reported that Pullmantur was in the process of purchasing Pride of Aloha from Norwegian Cruise Line's subsidiary NCL America. However, the deal fell through and Pride of Aloha joined Norwegian's fleet. In January 2009, Sky Wonder was renamed Atlantic Star, and in March, Oceanic was sold to Peace Boat. In mid April 2009, Island Star was transferred from Island Cruises to Pullmantur Cruises. In April 2013, Royal Caribbean transferred Monarch of the Seas to Pullmantur. Ocean Dream was chartered to Peace Boat to replace Oceanic and Pacific Dream, which had been renamed Horizon, was transferred to CDF. In 2014, Zenith joined sister ship L'Horizon in the CDF fleet. In 2014 it was announces that the Majesty of the Seas would join the Pullmantur fleet in 2016, but these plans were cancelled in 2015, and Empress was transferred back to Royal Caribbean in early 2016. CDF ceased operations in early 2017, and both ships in the CDF fleet were transferred back to Pullmantur. In July 2019, it was announced Zenith would leave the fleet in early 2020, having been chartered to Peace Boat. Later in 2019, Pullmantur announced Grandeur of the Seas would be transferred from Royal Caribbean to Pullmantur, joining the fleet in April 2021. There plans were cancelled in 2020. During the COVID 19 pandemic, more than half of the crew members onboard Horizon were reported to have tested positive for the coronavirus following the company's suspension of operations. In early June 2020, Pullmantur's fleet had been moved into "cold lay up" due to the company's extended suspension of operations given the pandemic.

On 22 June 2020, Pullmantur's owners announced that, due to the significant economic impact caused by the pandemic, they had filed for reorganization of Pullmantur under Spanish insolvency laws. A December 2020 news item stated that four companies had been declared bankrupt: Pullmantur S. A., Pullmantur Cruises SL, Pullmantur Holdings SL y Pullmantur Maltesas. The plan certainly required reorganization, as the board of directors had acknowledged in June 2020: "Despite the great progress the company made to achieve a turnaround in 2019 and its huge engagement and best efforts of its dedicated employees, the headwinds caused by the pandemic are too strong for Pullmantur to overcome without a reorganization". The December 2020 news item stated that the Royal Caribbean had agreed to provide some funds to allow Pullmantur to move ahead with a "viability plan, and to carry out the reorganization process necessary to adapt the company to the new reality with a new fleet". In the meantime, negotiations were underway with the over 300 employees who were no longer working. In July 2021, however, Pullmantur was completely liquidated.

Ship Built In servicefor Pullmantur Capacity Tonnage1 Status as of 2020 Image MV Horizon 1990 2009 20122017–2020 1,875 Previously Horizon, Island Star, Pacific Dream. Sailed as CDF Horizon from 2012 to 2017. Identical to the Zenith. Scrapped in Aliaga in 2022. 2000 2006–2007 702 Since 2007 MS Azamara Quest with Azamara Cruises 2000 2003–20052005–2007 702 Since 2007 MS Azamara Journey with Azamara Cruises 1990 2008–2016 1,840 Formerly Empress of the Seas for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, transferred back to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines in early 2016. 1981 2004–2008 1,158 Since May 2008 Bleu de France with CDF Croisières de France Plans to transfer her to Pullmantur in 2016 and later 2017 were cancelled in 2015. Ocean Dream 1982 2008–2012 1,412 Formerly Pacific Star for P&O Cruises Australia. The ship was on bare boat charter to Peace Boat from April 2012 onwards. Scrapped in Alang in 2021. 1965 2001–2009 1,800 Previously operated for Peace Boat. Scrapped in 2012. 1966 2007 782 Scrapped at Alang, India in November 2015. 1972 2005–2008 626 Scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey in 2013. 2000 2002–2004 702 Since 2004 MS Nautica with Oceania Cruises 1961 1999—2000 734 Scrapped in China, 2004. SS Sky WonderSS Atlantic Star 1984 2006–20092009–2013 1,250 Scrapped at Aliaga, Turkey in 2013. 1988 2008–2020 2,852 Previously Sovereign of the Seas. Transferred from Royal Caribbean International in November 2008. Scrapped in Turkey in 2020. MV Zenith 1992 2007–20142017–2020 1,774 Previously Zenith. Sailed as CDF Zenith from 2014 to 2017. Identical to the Horizon. The ship is on bare boat charter to Peace Boat, after leaving the fleet early 2020. Scrapped in Alang in 2022. MS Grandeur 1996 never entered service In October 2019 it was announced that the former Grandeur of the Seas would join the fleet in 2021, but it was cancelled in mid 2020. 1May be specified in gross tonnage (GT) or gross register tons (GRT) if built pre 1982.