{{short description|Greece-based cruise line that operated between 1994 and 2004}} {{Infobox company | name = Festival Cruises | logo = Festival cruises logo.svg | fate = Bankruptcy | successor = | founded = 1992 | defunct = 2004 | hq_location = Greece<ref name=Miller>{{cite book |title=Greek Passenger Liners |last=Miller |first=William H. |year=2006 |publisher=Tempus Publishing|location=Stroud |isbn=0-7524-3886-7 |pages=40–41 }}</ref> | industry = Ship transport | key_people = George Poulides | products = Cruises | num_employees = | parent = | subsidiaries = }} [[File:Port of Palma de Mallorca May 2003 (2).jpg|thumb|''European Stars'' in the Port of Palma in May 2003]] '''Festival Cruises''' (known as '''First European Cruises''' in North America) was a Greece-based cruise line that operated between 1994 and 2004. It was founded in 1992 by the Greek entrepreneur George Poulides using second-hand ships. The company acquired three new-built ships between 1999 and 2002, but was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2004.<ref name="Miller" /><ref name="Simplon">{{cite web|url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/FestvalPCs.html |title=Festival Cruise Line|accessdate=2008-09-28|last=Boyle|first=Ian|date=|publisher=Simplon Postcards}}</ref><ref name="CruiseReviews">{{cite web|url=http://www.cruisereviews.com/FestivalCruises/|title=Festival Cruises Cruise Reviews|accessdate=2008-09-28|last=|first=|date=|publisher=CruiseReviews.com|archive-date=2008-10-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002000700/http://www.cruisereviews.com/FestivalCruises/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Ward">{{cite book|title=Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships|last=Ward|first=Douglas|year=2008|publisher=Berlitz|location=Singapore |isbn=978-981-268-240-6|pages=[https://archive.org/details/berlitzcompleteg00ward/page/44 44–45]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/berlitzcompleteg00ward/page/44}}</ref> [[File:Costa victoria-european vision (2459857046).jpg|thumb|The ''Costa Victoria'' and ''European Vision'', in the Port of Palma in 2001]]
==History== George Poulides founded Festival Cruises in 1992. The company begun operations in 1994 after purchasing ''Azur'' from Chandris Cruises.<ref name=Simplon /> The following year the company acquired ''Starward'' from Norwegian Cruise Line, renaming her ''Bolero''.<ref name="FoF Bolero">{{cite web|url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/starward_1968.htm|title=M/S ''Starward'' (1968)|accessdate=2008-09-28|last=Asklander|first=Micke|date=|work=Fakta om Fartyg|publisher=|language=Swedish}}</ref> A third second-hand ship followed in 1997, when ''Southern Cross'' was acquired from CTC Lines and renamed ''Flamenco'' for service with Festival.<ref name="FoF Flamenco">{{cite web|url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/spirit_of_london_1972.htm|title=M/S ''Spirit of London'' (1972)|accessdate=2008-09-28|last=Asklander|first=Micke|date=|work=Fakta om Fartyg|publisher=|language=Swedish}}</ref>
Festival Cruises acquired their first newbuilt ship in 1999, when ''Mistral'' was delivered from Chantiers de l'Atlantique in France. In 2000 Festival Cruises announced that the company would be merged into P&O, with the Festival Cruises brand being maintained under P&O ownership. The merger plan was abandoned later that year due to low value of cruise line shares at the time. Two additional newbuilt ships based on an enlarged version of the ''Mistral'' design were delivered in 2001 and 2002 as ''European Vision'' and ''European Stars'', respectively.<ref name=Simplon /> Following delivery of the new ships the ''Bolero'' and ''Flamenco'' were chartered to other operators.<ref name="FoF Bolero" /><ref name="FoF Flamenco" /> Festival Cruises had an option for two more ships of the enlarged ''Mistral'' design, but the company decided not to use the option. Two more ''Mistral'' class ships were however built for MSC Cruises as ''MSC Lirica'' and ''MSC Opera''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/MSCPCs.html#anchor63706|title=MSC Crociere Italiane > ''MSC Lirica'' (2003– )|accessdate=2008-10-01|last=Boyle|first=Ian|date=|work=Simplon Postcards|publisher=|language=}}</ref>
Festival Cruises went bankrupt in early 2004, with all the company's ships were laid up and subsequently auctioned to other operators; ''European Stars'' and ''European Vision'' were sold to MSC Cruises,<ref name=Simplon /><ref name=Ward /> ''Mistral'' to a French investor group who chartered her to Iberojet,<ref name=Simplon /><ref>Ward (2006). pp. 380–381</ref> ''The Azur'' to Mano Maritime,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/eagle_1971.htm|title=M/S ''Eagle'' (1971)|accessdate=2008-09-28|last=Asklander|first=Micke|date=|work=Fakta om Fartyg|publisher=|language=Swedish}}</ref> ''Bolero'' to Abou Merhi Lines and ''Flamenco'' to Cruise Elysia.<ref name=Simplon />
==Ships==
{| class="wikitable sortable" ! Ship || Built || In service<br>for Festival Cruises || Tonnage || Notes || Image |- | ''Azur'' || 1971 ||align="Center" | 1994–2004 || {{GRT|11,609}} || Since 2017 ''Knyaz Vladimir'' for Black Sea Cruises || 300px |- | ''Bolero'' || 1968 ||align="Center" | 1995–2001 || {{GRT|12,948}} || Sold for scrap in 2018 || 300px |- | ''Caribe'' || 1948 ||align="Center" | 2002–2004 || {{GRT|15,614}} || Built for Swedish America Line as ''Stockholm''. 2015-2021 ''Astoria'' for Cruise & Maritime Voyages, arrived at Ghent for scrapping in 2025. || 300px |- | ''Flamenco'' || 1972 ||align="Center" | 1997–2003 || {{GRT|17,370}} || Originally ordered for Norwegian Cruise Line as ''Seaward''. Capsized and partially sank on 27 February 2016 near Laem Chebang, Thailand || 300px |- | ''Mistral'' || 1999 ||align="Center" | 1999–2004 || {{GT|47,276}} || From 2019 ''AIDAmira'' until 2022 for AIDA Cruises, Since 2022 at Ambassador Cruise Line as ''Ambition''|| 300px |- | ''European Vision'' || 2001 ||align="Center" | 2001–2004 || {{GT|58,174}} || Since 2004 ''Armonia'' for MSC Cruises || 300px |- | ''European Stars'' || 2002 ||align="Center" | 2002–2004 || {{GT|58,625}} || Since 2004 ''Sinfonia'' for MSC Cruises || 300px |}
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Defunct cruise lines Category:Defunct shipping companies Category:Defunct transport companies of Greece Category:Shipping companies of Greece Category:Transport companies established in 1992 Category:Transport companies disestablished in 2004 Category:1992 establishments in Greece Category:2004 disestablishments in Greece