{{Short description|Defunct cruise ship line}} {{Infobox company | name = Island Cruises (rcb) | logo = 250px|Island Cruises logo | caption = | type = Subsidiary | genre = | defunct = 2015 | fate = Discontinued | predecessor = | successor = | founded = 2001 | founder = Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and First Choice | industry = Transportation | parent = TUI Travel | website = {{URL|http://www.thomson.co.uk}} }}
'''Island Cruises''' was a cruise line that was founded as a joint venture between Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and First Choice Travel PLC, each of whom owned 50% of the company.<ref>[http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=654272&highlight=island%20cruises Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. press release: Celebrity Cruises' Horizon Moves to Island Cruises Fleet]{{Dead link|date=September 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, retrieved 29 November 2007</ref> The company operated in Europe, the Caribbean, and South America, aiming its products primarily at markets in the United Kingdom, Brazil and Argentina.<ref name="Berlitz">Ward, Douglas: ''Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2006'', pages 358–359, 363. Berlitz Publishing 2006. {{ISBN|981-246-739-4}}</ref> First Choice was later acquired by TUI Travel.
In 2008, Royal Caribbean sold its stake in the company to TUI,<ref name=RCL>{{cite web |url=http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1206019&highlight= |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120908012928/http://www.rclinvestor.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=103045&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1206019&highlight= |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-09-08 |title=Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. to Sell Its Interest in Island Cruises to First Choice Holidays Ltd. |accessdate=2008-10-07 |date=2008-10-06 |last= |first= |work= |publisher=Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd }}</ref> and the cruise line's only fully owned ship, the ''Island Escape'', was transferred to TUI's Thomson Cruises. Island Cruises was discontinued in 2015.
==History==
Island Cruises was founded in 2001 by Royal Caribbean and First Choice Holidays PLC, and began operations in 2002 with one ship, the ''Island Escape''.<ref name="Berlitz" /><ref>[http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/RCI_VikingSerenadePCs.html#anchor1066120 Simplon Postcards: Island Escape], retrieved 29. 11. 2007</ref> Initially, Island Cruises had planned to operate in Europe during the summer season (Northern Hemisphere), and out of California during the winter. Before the first winter season began however, the decision was made to change the winter schedule to 3- and 4-night cruises out of Brazil.<ref>[http://www.maritimematters.com/shipnews2002b.html Maritime Matters Shipping News 21 July 2002: New Plan For Island Escape], retrieved 29. 11. 2007 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807112342/http://www.maritimematters.com/shipnews2002b.html |date=August 7, 2007 }}</ref> During 2002, the Island Escape was featured in the reality television series Cruise Ship, commissioned by ITV. Island Cruises targeted the British family market, offering casual "totally relaxed" cruising; in South America, the company aimed at a younger audience.<ref name="Berlitz" />
In 2005 a second ship joined the Island fleet, when the {{MV|Island Star||2}} was chartered from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cruisebusiness.com/cbr_old/news.php?u=20081007000153 |title=Royal Caribbean to sell its interest in Island Cruises – to redeploy ''Island Star'' to Pullmantur Cruises |accessdate=2008-10-07 |last= |first= |date=2008-10-06 |work=Cruise Business Review |publisher=Cruise Media Oy Ltd |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708211738/http://www.cruisebusiness.com/cbr_old/news.php?u=20081007000153 |archive-date=2011-07-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/horizon_1990.htm |title=M/S ''Horizon'' (1990) |accessdate=2008-10-07 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120801065309/http://www.faktaomfartyg.nu/horizon_1990.htm |archivedate= 1 August 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
On 6 October 2008 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. sold their share in Island Cruises to TUI Travel PLC, who had previously acquired First Choice Holidays PLC. At the same time the Royal Caribbean announced they would be ending the charter of ''Island Star'' to Island Cruises in April 2009.<ref name=RCL />
Sailings of the ''Island Star'' after April 2009 were cancelled, and the ship was re-deployed to Pullmantur Cruises, another subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd as the MV Pacific Dream. ''Island Escape''{{'}}s sailings were unaffected, but sold under TUI's existing Thomson Cruises brand.<ref name=Thomson>{{cite web |url=http://www.thomsonbeach.co.uk/th/cruise/updateShipAndSeasonCodeForShipDetails.do?shipCode=150006 |title=Ship Details > ''Island Escape'' |accessdate=2008-11-26 |date= |last= |first= |work= |publisher=Thomson Cruises }}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
In October 2015, the Island Cruise brand was discontinued after the sole ship ''Island Escape'' completed her last scheduled cruise with Thomson Cruises, now operating as Marella Cruises.
==Former Ships== {| class="wikitable" ! Ship || Built || Enter service<br>for Island Cruises || Gross Tonnage || Flag || Status as of today || Image |- | ''Island Escape''|| 1982 ||align="Center" | 2002-2015 || align="Center" | {{GT|26,747}} || {{flag|Bahamas|civil}}<ref>{{cite ship register|register=MSI|id=8002597|shipname=Island Escape|access-date=2023-04-10}}</ref>|| Scrapped in Alang in 2018. || 200px |- | ''Island Star''|| 1990 ||align="Center" | 2005-2009 ||align="Center" | {{GT|47,255}} || {{flag|Bahamas|civil}}<ref>{{cite ship register|register=MSI|id=8807088|shipname=Island Star|access-date=2023-04-10}}</ref> || Scrapped in Aliağa in 2022. || 200px |}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Island Cruises}} * [http://www.islandcruises.com/ Island Cruises international website] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20071224043218/http://www.islandcruises.com.br/ Island Cruises Brazilian website]
{{Subsidiaries of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.}} {{TUI}}
Category:Royal Caribbean Group Category:Defunct cruise lines Category:Transport companies established in 2001 Category:Transport companies disestablished in 2015