Royal Princess
Encyclopedia
MS
Adonia (previously R Eight, Minerva II and Royal Princess) is a cruise ship
of the P&O Cruises
fleet. The ship was built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique
at their shipyard in St. Nazaire, France
. At 30,000 tonnes, Adonia is the smallest of seven ships currently in service with P&O Cruises. She officially entered service with the company in May 2011 and was named by Dame Shirley Bassey.
, Adonia was first known as the R Eight, and entered service in 2001. After Renaissance ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy in late 2001, the vessel was seized by creditors and laid up in Marseille
, France
.
In 2003, the vessel re-entered operation, this time as the sole cruise ship in Swan Hellenic
's fleet. The vessel was named Minerva II, after both the Roman goddess
and the company's previous vessel, Minerva
.
On 7 April 2007, the Minerva II completed her final voyage with Swan Hellenic and was transferred by the parent company, Carnival Corporation & plc
, to Princess Cruises
. She was renamed Royal Princess and entered into service for Princess in April 2007. The first voyage as a Princess Cruises liner was on April 19, 2007. She will be transferred to P&O Cruises
in May 2011 and be renamed the Adonia.
On 18 June 2009, fire broke out in her engine room. The Royal Princess was on a 12-day Holy Land voyage and just left Port Said, Egypt. A little while later a serious fire broke out in her engine room, disabling the ship. She waited to dock in Port Said for an assessment of the damage.
On 9 December 2009, it was announced that Royal Princess was to transfer to the P&O Cruises
fleet. The ship entered service with the company on 21 May 2011, and was renamed Adonia by Dame Shirley Bassey.
Ship prefix
A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship.Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research vessel. Civilian prefixes are often...
Adonia (previously R Eight, Minerva II and Royal Princess) is a cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
of the P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, and operated by Carnival UK. Originally a constituent of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, P&O Cruises is the oldest cruise line in the world, having operated the world's first...
fleet. The ship was built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique
Chantiers de l'Atlantique
Chantiers de l'Atlantique is part of the South Korean STX Shipbuilding Group and one of the world's largest shipyards, based in Saint-Nazaire, France...
at their shipyard in St. Nazaire, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. At 30,000 tonnes, Adonia is the smallest of seven ships currently in service with P&O Cruises. She officially entered service with the company in May 2011 and was named by Dame Shirley Bassey.
Service history
Originally built as the last of eight 'R' class ships for Renaissance CruisesRenaissance Cruises
Renaissance Cruises, originally founded in 1989 owned by Fearnley & Eger Rederi in Oslo - Norway, was a cruise line operator that operated year-round cruise itineraries to the Mediterranean, the Greek Isles, Tahiti and the South Pacific, Northern Europe and Scandinavia. The company ceased...
, Adonia was first known as the R Eight, and entered service in 2001. After Renaissance ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy in late 2001, the vessel was seized by creditors and laid up in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In 2003, the vessel re-entered operation, this time as the sole cruise ship in Swan Hellenic
Swan Hellenic
Swan Hellenic is a British cruise line specialising in tours of historical or cultural interest aimed at the upper end of the cruise market.-History:...
's fleet. The vessel was named Minerva II, after both the Roman goddess
Minerva
Minerva was the Roman goddess whom Romans from the 2nd century BC onwards equated with the Greek goddess Athena. She was the virgin goddess of poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, weaving, crafts, magic...
and the company's previous vessel, Minerva
Minerva (ship)
The first 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 she was purchased by Swan Hellenic in 1996, and renamed Minerva. She is 436 feet long, has a beam of 65.6 feet and measures 12,500 gross tons...
.
On 7 April 2007, the Minerva II completed her final voyage with Swan Hellenic and was transferred by the parent company, Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival Corporation & plc , is a American-British Company, and the world's largest cruise ship operator. It is a dual listed company, with headquarters at Carnival Place in the Miami suburb of Doral, Florida, USA, and at Carnival House in Southampton, England, UK...
, to Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line, based in Santa Clarita, California in the United States. Previously a subsidiary of P&O Princess Cruises PLC, the company is now one of ten cruise ship brands operated by Carnival Corporation & PLC and accounts for approximately 19% share...
. She was renamed Royal Princess and entered into service for Princess in April 2007. The first voyage as a Princess Cruises liner was on April 19, 2007. She will be transferred to P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, and operated by Carnival UK. Originally a constituent of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, P&O Cruises is the oldest cruise line in the world, having operated the world's first...
in May 2011 and be renamed the Adonia.
On 18 June 2009, fire broke out in her engine room. The Royal Princess was on a 12-day Holy Land voyage and just left Port Said, Egypt. A little while later a serious fire broke out in her engine room, disabling the ship. She waited to dock in Port Said for an assessment of the damage.
On 9 December 2009, it was announced that Royal Princess was to transfer to the P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line based at Carnival House in Southampton, England, and operated by Carnival UK. Originally a constituent of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company, P&O Cruises is the oldest cruise line in the world, having operated the world's first...
fleet. The ship entered service with the company on 21 May 2011, and was renamed Adonia by Dame Shirley Bassey.