DRYDOCKING – Cruise Liner MARELLA SPIRIT – 12.03.2018.
The 1981 built MLT flag cruise liner MARELLA SPIRIT entered Valletta (Grand Harbour), Malta for Palumbo Malta Shipyard Dock 4 on Monday 12th March 2018 assisted by 2 local tugs MARI and SEA SALVOR with 1 pilots aboard while 1 Pilot was assisting the dock master at the Dock.
She was built in France by Chantiers De L’Atlantique in Nantes at Saint Nazaire. as NIEUW AMSTERDAM until November 2000. She was renamed PATRIOT until March 2002 , NIEUW AMSTERDAM until July 2003. Renamed again to SPIRIT until May 2003 and renamed THOMSON SPIRIT until 2018.
She was built in France by Chantiers De L’Atlantique in Nantes at Saint Nazaire. as NIEUW AMSTERDAM until November 2000. She was renamed PATRIOT until March 2002 , NIEUW AMSTERDAM until July 2003. Renamed again to SPIRIT until May 2003 and renamed THOMSON SPIRIT until 2018.
Thomson Cruises has announced during the last quarter of 2017 that the UK’s third largest cruise line will be rebranded as Marella Cruises. The move comes at the same time as Thomson in the UK changes to TUI.
The rebrand will see the cruise line initially rename four ships as MARELLA DREAM; MARELLA CELEBRATION; MARELLA DISCOVERY and MARELLA DISCOVERY 2. New addition, MARELLA EXPLORER starts sailing in summer 2018.
The word Marella, which means ‘shining sea’ in Celtic, was chosen by the company to reflect its spirit of exploration and discovery across the seas.
Vessel was represented in Malta by S.M.S Shipping Agency (http://www.sms.com.mt)
Below are some images of the vessel entering Valletta –
Photos by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
