{{Short description|Defunct Greek cruise ship company}} {{Infobox company | name = Royal Cruise Line | founded = 1974 | founder = Pericles Panagopulos | defunct = 1996 | hq_location = Piraeus, Greece | area_served = Worldwide Cruises }} '''Royal Cruise Line''' was a Greek cruise line that operated from 1974 to 1996 and founded by Pericles Panagopulos. The line catered mainly to American passengers looking for an upscale cruise experience and sailed mainly worldwide routes.
== History == [[File:Golden Odyssey at Truman Annex (7164014507).jpg|thumb|''Golden odyssey'', Royal Cruise Line's first ship]] [[File:Crown Odyssey (ship, 1988) (15190850555) (cropped).jpg|thumb|Crown Odyssey, the line's second new build]] Royal Cruise Line was founded in 1974 with its first ship the ''Golden Odyssey'', the first purpose built Greek ship, with an entirely Greek crew.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Concept design of cruise vessel 'Golden Odyssey' |url=https://www.knudehansen.com/reference/golden-odyssey/ |access-date=2022-06-12 |website=KNUD E. HANSEN |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> With success of the Golden Odyssey, the line purchased their second ship from Home Lines, the SS Doric, in 1982.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-02-20 |title=Greek Shipping Miracle - Founding Supporters - MAGNA MARINE INC. |url=https://greekshippingmiracle.org/en/founding-supporters/magna-marine-inc/ |access-date=2022-06-12 |website=Greek Shipping Miracle |language=en-GB}}</ref> The ship was completely refurbished and debuted as the ''Royal Odyssey''. The line ordered its second new build, the ''Crown Odyssey'', in 1986, delivered in 1988.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Crown Odyssey {{!}} Built by MEYER WERFT in 1988 |url=https://www.meyerwerft.de/en/ships/crown_odyssey.jsp |access-date=2022-06-12 |website=MEYER WERFT |language=en}}</ref> The new ship would replace the ''Royal Odyssey'', which would be sold to Regency Cruises.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Peter |first=Bruce |title=Knud E. Hansen A/S : 75 years of ship design |date=2012 |publisher=Ferry Publications |isbn=978-1-906608-66-8 |edition= |location=Isle of man |oclc=841016017}}</ref>
Royal Cruise Line became very successful and renowned as a high standard cruise line. In 1989, owner Panagopulos unexpectedly decided to sell the highly successful and profitable line.<ref name=":0" /> Royal Cruise Line was acquired by Kloster Cruises, the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line for 225 million, with Kloster's intent of gaining a foothold in the upscale European cruise market.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=C. I. N. |date=1989-12-01 |title=Kloster Acquiring Royal Cruise Line |url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/15224-kloster-acquiring-royal-cruise-line.html |access-date=2022-06-12 |website=www.cruiseindustrynews.com |language=en-gb}}</ref>
In 1991, Norwegian transferred the ''Royal Viking Sea'' from their subsidiary Royal Viking Line to Royal Cruise Line, and renamed it ''Royal Odyssey''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=C. I. N. |date=1993-06-30 |title=Fleet Changes |url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/14829-fleet-changes.html |access-date=2022-06-12 |website=www.cruiseindustrynews.com |language=en-gb}}</ref> In 1994, Norwegian transferred her sister ship, which had been sailing as the ''Westward'', to Royal Cruise Line after a 30 million dollar refit and renamed it ''Star Odyssey''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=C. I. N. |date=2020-09-05 |title=A Cruise Ship History: Black Watch |url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23457-a-cruise-ship-history-black-watch.html |access-date=2022-06-12 |website=www.cruiseindustrynews.com |language=en-gb}}</ref> The same year, the line would sell its first ship the ''Golden Odyssey''. [[File:Royal Cruise Line Postcard.jpg|thumb|A postcard for Royal Cruise Line, featuring Golden Odyssey and Royal Odyssey.]] In 1995, the Royal Cruise Line's fleet received a new addition with the ''Queen Odyssey,'' another ship that was transferred from the now former Royal Viking brand''.''
In 1996, parent company Kloster Cruises, was continuing to have financial difficulties, and was forced to reorganize.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=C. I. N. |date=1995-01-17 |title=Battle for Kloster Cruise |url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/14644-battle-for-kloster-cruise.html |access-date=2022-06-12 |website=www.cruiseindustrynews.com |language=en-gb}}</ref> The Royal Cruise Line brand was dissolved that year after 22 years in business. The fleet was transferred or sold, with the ''Crown Odyssey'' and ''Royal Odyssey'' transferred to the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet to become the ''Norwegian Crown and Norwegian Star;'' the ''Queen Odyssey'' sold to Seabourn Cruise Line to become ''Seabourn Legend;'' and the final ship to leave the fleet, the ''Star Odyssey'', which went to Fred Olsen Cruise Line to become the ''Black Watch''.
== Fleet == {| class="wikitable" |+ ! ! !Built !Years in Fleet !Current Status !Notes |- |frameless |''Golden Odyssey'' |1974 |1974-1994 |Gambling ship ''Rex Fortune'' out of Hong Kong | |- |frameless |''Royal Odyssey'' |1964 |1982-1988 |Sank on the way to scrap yard in 2001 | |- |frameless |''Crown Odyssey'' |1988 |1988-1996 |Sailing for Fred Olsen Cruise Lines as the ''Balmoral'' | |- |frameless |''Royal Odyssey'' |1973 |1991-1996 |Ended career as Phoenix Reisen's ''Albatros'', Scrapped in 2021 | |- |frameless |''Star Odyssey'' |1972 |1994-1996 |Ended sailing career with Fred Olsen Cruise Lines as the ''Black Watch.'' Scrapped in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boonzaier (j_boonzaier) |first=Jonathan |date=2022-06-10 |title=Fred Olsen arrests cruise ship ahead of beaching at Alang {{!}} TradeWinds |url=https://www.tradewindsnews.com/cruise-and-ferry/fred-olsen-arrests-cruise-ship-ahead-of-beaching-at-alang/2-1-1235248 |access-date=2022-06-12 |website=TradeWinds {{!}} Latest shipping and maritime news |language=en}}</ref> | |- |frameless |''Queen Odyssey'' |1992 |1995-1996 |Sailing for Windstar Cruises as ''Star Legend'' | |}
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Defunct cruise lines Category:Shipping companies of Greece