 Amera in theKiel Canal, 2019 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | |
| Yard number | 1296 |
| Launched | May 1988[1] |
| Christened | 8 January 1989[1] |
| Acquired | 26 November 1988[1] |
| In service | 1988–present |
| Identification | |
| Nickname(s) | 2002–2019:Elegant Explorer |
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class & type | Cruise ship |
| Tonnage | 38,848 GT |
| Length | 205.0 m (672.6 ft) |
| Beam | 29.0 m (95.1 ft) |
| Draught | 7.25 m (23.8 ft) |
| Decks | 9 passenger decks |
| Speed |
|
| Capacity | 740 passengers |
| Crew | 460 |
| General characteristics (2002-2019) | |
| Capacity | 835 passengers |
| Crew | 443 |
| General characteristics (as Amera) | |
| Class & type | Lloyd's Registercruise ship |
| Tonnage | 39,051 GT |
| Length | 672.57 ft (205.0 m) |
| Beam | 95.14 ft (29.0 m) |
| Draught | 23.78 ft (7.25 m) |
| Decks | 9 passenger decks |
| Installed power | Wärtsilä-Sulzer, 4 × 7.179 PS |
| Speed |
|
| Capacity | 835 passengers |
| Crew | 440 |
MSAmera (formerlyRoyal Viking Sun,Seabourn Sun andPrinsendam) is a cruise ship operated byPhoenix Reisen. She was launched in 1988 asRoyal Viking Sun forRoyal Viking Line, and began operating forCunard Line under the same name in 1994. She was renamedSeabourn Sun whenSeabourn Cruise Line acquired the ship in 1999. In 2002, Seabourn transferred the ship toHolland America Line, which was renamed asPrinsendam. In 2018,Prinsendam was sold to Phoenix Reisen, debuting in 2019, and rechristenedAmera in Bremerhaven on 16 August 2019.
She was launched in 1988 asRoyal Viking Sun for Royal Viking Line. Christened by godparentsJames Stewart andGloria Stewart,[2][3] and she was the largest ship in the fleet at the time she entered service.[4]
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In 1994, Cunard Line purchasedRoyal Viking Sun and theRoyal Viking brand when Royal Viking Line ceased operations. Cunard continued to operate her under the same name and initially retained the vessel's original livery. Later, Cunard repainted her funnel in their colours but retained the Royal Viking logo.[5] In April 1996, the ship tore a hole in its hull after hitting a reef in theRed Sea about fifteen miles off the coast ofSharm El Sheikh while on its way toAqaba.[6]
In 1999,Carnival Corporation merged Cunard and Seabourn and movedRoyal Viking Sun to Seabourn.[7] After an extensive refit, she was renamedSeabourn Sun.[7][8] Her last cruise for Seabourn was a circumnavigation of South America in 2002.
In 2002,Seabourn Sun was transferred to sister brand Holland America Line, after Seabourn chose to focus on its fleet's smaller vessels.[9] RenamedPrinsendam, she underwent a refit before beginning operations.
On 1 February 2007,Prinsendam was hit by two 12-metre-tall (39 ft)rogue waves nearCape Horn; 40 injuries were reported, with some requiring hospitalisation.[10]
On 22 March 2012,Prinsendam was en route toPortimao when she received a distress call from the Portuguese fishing boatDario, which was sinking with eight people aboard. When the ship arrived,Dario's crew was entering a life raft. The Portuguese Coast Guard directedPrinsendam to pick up the fishermen and stand by for a helicopter to take the eight men to shore.[11]
During her career with Holland America, she had undertaken cruises toAntarctica,[12] and was able to transit theKiel Canal due to her low height above the waterline.[13]
In July 2018, Holland America announced thatPrinsendam had been sold to Phoenix Reisen.[14] However, she was chartered back to Holland America to continue operating her scheduled voyages until 1 July 2019.[14]
On 2 July 2019,Prinsendam began her six-week renovation atBlohm+Voss inHamburg, and left on 12 August 2019 forBremerhaven.[15] She was rechristenedAmera in Bremerhaven on 16 August 2019 by Petra Kaiser, a veteran Phoenix Reisen employee,[16] before sailing toDover for her maiden voyage toAntwerp,Amsterdam, and the Norwegian fjords, where she cruised for her inaugural season.[17][18] She operatedMediterranean cruises beginning in October 2019.[18]
| Current fleet |
|  |
|---|---|---|
| Former ships |
| |
Years indicate year of entry into Seabourn service. | ||
| Current |
|  | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned |
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| Former fleet |
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Years indicate year of entry into service with the Holland America Line. | ||||||||||
