Gemini (L) and Ocean Pearl (R) Docked in Gibraltar Oct. 7, 2011 (click for larger) On my previous post about Happy Cruises I just received the below comment, possibly from a crew member or a former crew member. Obviously there is no way to prove either, but if it is true, its interesting none the [...]
ISP,The Owner of the Ocean Pearl and Gemini, have released a statement in the wake of negative press from crew onboard. They state that the Vessels are alongside Gibraltar. They chartered 2 Airbus a320’s to fly the crew to London to repatriate them there. Someone’s lying here. Nils-Erik Lund, managing director of ISP told Cruise [...]
Alan Lam writes via a Peruvian crewmember Deceno worked in the ship’s restaurant. He is 32 years old and comes form Trujillo. It was also reported that another crewmember wrote to his sister, stating, among others, that the crew had not been fed and there had been a big brawl onboard. Yesterday, El Comercio reported [...]
In the wake of the abrupt end to Happy Cruises, current vacationers and crew members are left in limbo. Some were left at random ports, crew were told to stay onboard for no pay. The whole situation is a mess. Cruise Law has a report via CNNiReport, supposedly from a crewmember o/b the vessel. CruiseBusiness has [...]
International Shipping Partners of Miami, vessel owners, issued the below statement: On Monday, September 26, ISP was unexpectedly informed that Happy Cruises, charterers of the cruise vessels M/V GEMINI and the M/V OCEAN PEARL, would cease operation and cancel all remaining cruises for the 2011 season. Based on this, the GEMINI and the OCEAN PEARL [...]
I say Quasi since they still are pursuing operations to stay afloat (pun intended). Happy Cruises operates 3 ships on time charter from ship owners ISP of Miami. The Spanish line apparently is looking for a large, fast, cash infusion to make ends meet. Given Spain’s current economy being one of the worst hit in [...]
According to their Chairman, Dick West, apparently not. Rumors broke out during the weekend that the troubled small-ship line was sold and all cruises cancelled. Then it was rumored by uber-cruise-site CruiseCritic, that only the Spirit of Oceanus was impacted as she apparently was sold. The 100 guest expedition ship is currently on the longest [...]
News from PR Newswire may suggest that. Ambassadors International, Inc., the parent company of Windstar Cruises, may be on the brink actually. Today Ambassadors sold its Travel and Events division to Lakeview Equity Partners, LLC, a Milwaukee Equity Fund. It appears to me that they are trying to liquidate some slack in the company, and [...]
