A company that’s taking over Azamara Cruises from Royal Caribbean, is wasting no time. It’s expanding the three-ship fleet with the addition of a former Love Boat, Pacific Princess.
“Sycamore Partners has purchased the Pacific Princess, a former R-class ship comparable in size to our three sister ships. Just like Azamara Journey, Azamara Quest, and Azamara Pursuit, our newest addition will be able to sail into intimate rivers, visit smaller, as well as less-crowded ports other vessels can’t access,” said Carol Cabezas, Azamara’s chief operating officer, in a letter to guests. “We are thrilled to be expanding our fleet with a fourth ship, allowing us to visit even more regions of the world and better serve our guests.”’
It’s part of a pandemic-led restructuring of cruise fleets. Royal Caribbean Group was looking to reduce its fleet size and it agreed to spin off Azamara at the same time Carnival Corp, which owns Princess Cruises was looking to de-acquisition older ships. Azamara’s takeover by Sycamore is expected to close in March. Orlando Ashford, formerly the president of Holland America Line will be Azamara’s new executive chairman.
Pacific Princess that joined the Love Boat line in 2002 was built in 1999 as the R3 for now-defunct Renaissance Cruises. Like its eight sister ships, it has capacity for 670 passengers.
The actors of the original Love Boat television series, including Gavin MacLeod who played Captain Stubing, was on the bridge as the ship sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge for the first time to begin its inaugural Alaska season from San Francisco in May, 2003. The Love Boat television show was based on a previous Princess ship that was also called Pacific Princess in the 1980s.
A renaming and full renovation of Pacific Princess are planned before it joins Azamara for an inaugural 2022 Europe season, the company says. The new name and itineraries have not yet been announced.
The change will reunite four sister vessels that were built as R ships for Renaissance Cruises. The other four R ships are part of the Oceania Cruises fleet.
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