SAGA  PEARL II

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Registered Owner: Enbrook Cruises Ltd. -  Folkestone - United Kingdom  -  Operator: Saga Cruises

UK - 20 April 2011 The Saga Pearl II will be transfered to the Spirit for Adventure brand in May 2012.Saga Holidays has confirmed that Saga Pearl II will be renamed to Quest for Adventure. She will take over the schedule from the Spirit of Adventure from May 2012.

       Purchased by Saga Shipping Ltd. in may 2008
Saga is adding a second ship to its Spirit of Adventure brand having purchased Astoria, currently on charter to Transocean. The Club Cruises’ owned 1981-built ex-Arkona is to be renamed Saga Pearl-II and will undergo a multi-million pound refit at a European yard following her transfer to new ownership in April 2009. The refit will include the creation of balcony cabins, new spa and gym, two swimming pools, a new library and new galleys. The ship will accommodate 450 passengers. Saga Pearl-II maiden cruise from Harwich on July 1, 2009 will go to the Baltic.
Jan.5-2008  Press release from Transocean Tours stating that the "Astoria" will be leaving the company's fleet on April 30th, 2009.  Bremen-based Transocean and Club Cruise Astoria's owners,were unsuccessful in reaching an agreement over the terms of an extension of the current charter, which ends April 30th, 2009. Starting Dec.2008 she will make a 124 day-world cruise as a farewell.This world cruise is cancelled due to serious mainengine damage.
Febr. 20-2009 UK cruise line Saga is continuing with its purchase of Club Cruises’ Astoria, despite the vessel being involved in a forced sale following the collapse of the Dutch cruise line. However, Saga has now stopped selling cruises on the vessel in 2010 until the dispute is resolved. Saga had agreed to pay €30m for the 1981-built vessel before Club Cruise defaulted on loan payments for its fleet and was forced to put the fleet up for sale. The 500 passenger capacity Astoria is currently under arrest in Barcelona, although Saga hopes to start cruises on the vessel from the spring of 2010.
March -4 -2009 Saga Cruises will not be operating the Saga Pearl II this year as planned. The 450-passenger vessel (ex-Astoria) was previously owned by Club Cruise, which has since gone into liquidation. “The ship is currently detained in Spain, so at this point, it would be difficult at best to secure her,” said Grant Laversuch, operations director. Saga is currently looking for a vessel similar in size to the Pearl II to sail by April 2010.

July-7-2009The Astoria has now been handeled over by Columbia Shipmanagement to Saga Cruises. New owner is the Cruise Ship Holdings Four Ltd.
ASTORIA should now be cleared to get her extensive refit done and start under her new name SAGA PEARL II her career for Saga Cruises. Starts operations for Saga March 2010

Former names:  Astor - Arkona - Astoria

Original built for the defunct Astor-Cruises. Sailed for Seetours from 1985 to 2002 as Arkona. Start sailing for German touroperator Transocean in 2002. Aquired by Club -Cruise The Netherlands  from Sovcom in 2007and remain on charter to Transocean until 2009. Club Cruise went for bankrupt in febr. 2009 after Saga aquired the Astoria.

Entered service: 1981- Refit 2002 - 2009/10 - Gross Tonnage: 18.627 -  Passengers cap. lower beds: 446 - All berths: 446 - Passenger decks:6 - Length 164,35 m. - Beam 22,60 m. -  Propulsion: 4-MAN 6cyl. 4 stroke single acting diesel engines type 6L40/45 of 3300 kW. each. Total installed power:13.200 kW.- 2 Controllable Pitch propellers - Built: Howaldtswerke/Deutsche Werft AG - Kiel - Germany - Yard no.:165 - Speed: 20 knots - Flag: Bahamas - Classification: GL. - Last refit Swansea Dockyard - UK.


 ARKONA

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