Four decades at sea: MS Artania celebrates its 40th anniversary

Bild: wikipedia.de
The MS Artania, once known as the Royal Princess, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Originally christened by Princess Diana in Southampton on November 15, 1984, the ship's history began back in 1982 when construction began at the Wärtsilä shipyard in Helsinki. The official handover to Princess Cruises took place on October 30, 1984, and just a few weeks later she was christened Royal Princess to great acclaim.

After more than two decades in the service of Princess Cruises, during which the ship offered cruises worldwide as Royal Princess, it was taken over by its British sister company P&O Cruises in 2005 and renamed Artemis. The transition to the German market took place in spring 2011, when Phoenix Reisen took over the ship and renamed it MS Artania in Hamburg on May 28, 2011. Since then, it has served as the flagship of Phoenix Reisen's ocean-going fleet and can accommodate up to 1,200 guests.

The MS Artania is used by Phoenix Reisen for a variety of cruise destinations, often sailing in Northern Europe in summer and on worldwide routes in winter. The ship became famous for its role in the docusoap “Verrückt nach Meer” and as an occasional filming location for “ZDF Traumschiff”, although the main role here is played by the MS Amadea.

In order to keep the ship up to date, Phoenix Reisen regularly invests in the modernization of the MS Artania. It is currently undergoing renovation work at the Lloyd shipyard in Bremerhaven, where EUR 20 million is being invested in additional balcony cabins, four new tender boats, a new restaurant and other upgrades. On December 2, 2024, the ship will set sail from Hamburg on its next voyage, which will also be the longest Phoenix world cruise, lasting 162 days in the 2024/25 season.