Valletta Cruise Port – Cruise Liner MSC VIRTUOSA maiden call – 10.11.2021
On Wednesday 10th November, 2021 the 2021 built liner MSC VIRTUOSA entered Grand Harbour, Malta during her maiden call on a dull day passing breakwaters at 0702 hrs berthing at Valletta Cruise Port. MSC VIRTUOSA is a Meraviglia-Plus built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France. She is the second ship in the Meraviglia-Plus class and sister ship to MSC […]
Greek Shipping – Festival Cruises Liner MISTRAL
Festival Cruises (known as First European Cruises or First Choice Cruises in North America) was a Greece based cruise line that operated between 1994 and 2004. It was founded in 1992 by the Greek entrepreneur George Poulides using second-hand ships. The company acquired three newbuilt ships between 1999 and 2002, but was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2004. Festival Cruises acquired their first […]
Palumbo Malta Shipyard – Cruise Liner MSC DIVINA 07.05.2021 – 07.06.2021

Another MSC Crociere cruise liner seen in the second quarter of 2021 was the 2012 built MSC DIVINA. She entered Grand Harbour on Friday 7th May at 1324 hrs coming from Civitavecchia, Italy berthing starboard side alongside at Parlatorio Wharf. MSC DIVINA is the third ship of the four Fantasia class – built in 2012 by […]
Palumbo Malta Shipyard – Cruise Liner MSC MUSICA 08.05.2021 – 27.05.2021

Another MSC Crociere liner that was seen twice in 2021 at Palumbo Malta Shipyards (Leaving on 9th April and 6th May) once again the 15 year old lady MSC MUSICA entered Grand Harbour on 8th May at 0707hrs this time for drydocking inside Dock 6. MSC MUSICA is the leading ship of her class – built […]
Palumbo Malta Shipyard – Cruise Liner MSC MUSICA 09.03.2021 – 09.04.2021.
The second MSC cruise liner to call at Palumbo Malta Shipyard in 2021 was the 294 metre long MSC MUSICA. She entered Grand Harbour, Malta on Tuesday 9th March after the Jack up Oil Rig ATWOOD BEACON was towed out. Her last port of call was Trieste, Italy leaving Friday 5th March, 2021. She was […]
Cruise Liner News – MSC OPERA Captain & Officers to face Jail over 2019 Accident at Venice – February 2021
The criminal case stemming from a 2019 accident in which the cruise liner MSC OPERA collided with the river cruise ship RIVER COUNTESS and the dock while arriving in Venice was concluded with an agreement to limited jail time for the captain and crew blamed for the accident and then under Italian law commuted into […]
Breaking Up – Cruise Liner SOVEREIGN – 23.07.2020

On Wednesday 15th July, 2020 the cruise liner SOVEREIGN left Marsaxlokk Harbour, Malta at 2014 hrs bound to the waiting area during her last voyage. She entered Marsaxlokk Harbour on Sunday 12th July morning after several days drifting outside territorial waters (otw) for stripping and discharging of 800 pallets full of all valuable items including […]
Breaking Up – Cruise Liner MONARCH – 22.07.2020

On Saturday 11th July, 2020 the cruise liner MONARCH left Marsaxlokk Harbour, Malta at 1946 hrs during her last voyage bound to breakers at Aliaga, Turkey. She entered Marsaxlokk Harbour on Friday 10th July morning after several days drifting outside territorial waters (otw) for stripping and discharging of 400 pallets full of all valuable items […]
Valletta Cruise Port – MSC GRANDIOSA maiden call – 26.11.2019

On Tuesday 26th November, 2019 at 0740 hrs the latest addition to the MSC Cruises fleet MSC GRANDIOSA entered Valletta during her maiden call coming from Palermo, Sicily. The 332 metres long liner berthed for the first time at the Valletta Cruise Port Pinto 1 and 2 wharves and she has cabins for more than […]
Vessel Review – SS SHALOM

SS SHALOM was a combined ocean liner/cruise ship built in 1964 by Chantiers de l’Atlantique at St. Nazaire in France for Zim Lines, Israel for transatlantic service from Haifa, Israel to New York, USA. In 1967, SHALOM was sold to the German Atlantic Line becoming their second SS HANSEATIC. Subsequently she served as SS DORIC for Home Lines […]