The Minerva is a cruise ship built in 1989, and originally intended as a Soviet research vessel, the Okean. The deal to purchase her fell through and Swan Hellenic (at the time a subsidiary of P&O Cruises) purchased her in 1996 and renamed her Minerva.
.jpg) Minerva at Krasnodarskiy Kray 8 October 2015.
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Operator | Swan Hellenic |
| Port of registry | Nassau,  Bahamas |
| Laid down | 1989 |
| Launched | 1990 |
| Completed | 1996 |
| Maiden voyage | 1996 |
| In service | 29 April 1996 |
| Identification | IMO number: 9144196 |
| Status | Laid-up |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage | 12,892 GT[1] |
| Length | 436 ft (133 m) |
| Beam | 66.5 ft (20.3 m) |
| Draught | 18.9 ft (5.8 m) |
| Decks | 6 (passenger decks) |
| Speed | 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Capacity | 350 passengers |
| Crew | 160 |
History edit
She sailed with Swan Hellenic until her lease ran out in 2003.[clarification needed] She briefly sailed with Saga Cruises as the Saga Pearl, and was then chartered to Abercrombie & Kent as the Explorer II, making voyages to Antarctica and South America from December to April with up to 198 passengers.[2] From May to November, she sailed for the German-owned travel company Phoenix Reisen as the Alexander von Humboldt.
In July 2007 it was announced that the ship had been acquired by the relaunched Swan Hellenic line and the name would revert to Minerva. In early 2012, Minerva received a multi-million-pound, 83-day refit.[3][4]
In January 2017, Swan Hellenic went into administration and cancelled cruises on Minerva until further notice.[5]
Gallery edit
-
Saga Pearl at Tallinn in 2003 -
Explorer II at Grytviken, South Georgia in 2007 -
Alexander von Humbold after departure from Bremerhaven in 2007 -
Minerva arriving at Tallinn in 2013
References edit
- ^ Leonardo Info, RI 73986
- ^ "Minerva tours". Abercrombie & Kent. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
- ^ "Welcome to nginx". www.sirencomms.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
- ^ "Minerva Enters Lloyd Werft - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News". 7 December 2011.
- ^ "Bosses at collapsed Swan Hellenic cruise firm paid themselves nearly £1m". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021.
Bibliography edit
- Ward, Douglas. Ocean Cruising and Cruise Ships 2005-2007. Berlitz.
External links edit
- "MV Minerva – Facts & Figures". Swan Hellenic. Archived from the original on 30 June 2010.
- Pictures of MV Minerva including visit to Dartmouth, Devon 11 July 2010
- "Swanning Around The Mediterranean" – review by Peter Newall in Maritime Matters of a Mediterranean cruise aboard MV Minerva
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