Purchasing Renaissance Cruise Ships

[walter]

Like Princess Cruise Lines, why doesn't DCL purchase one or two of these ships. I know they are smaller (around 700 passengers), but may be more cost effective to place two on the west coast or for 3-4 day cruise while repositioning one of the existing ships to the west coast. Just a thought.

 

[Michelle]

I think they are way too small, Walter. Princess purchased two of them and I've done a fair amount of research on the Tahitian Princess (a former Renaissance ship) and it does not have a children's play area, or any room for one. I just don't think they are good options for Disney with all the families sailing.

Just my two cents!

 

[Werner Weiss]

I agree with WebmasterMichelle that the the ships of Renaissance Cruises, Inc. were not designed appropriately for the family cruise business.

Renaissance Cruises filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection September 25, 2001 -- just two weeks after the tragic events of September 11. But unlike typical Chapter 11 bankruptcies, where a company continues to do busines under court supervision as they work through their financial problems, for Renaissance the bankruptcy meant the end of the road. Renaissance had 10 ships. Their names were the R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, Renaissance VII, and Renaissance VIII. The R class ships were new 684-passenger ships.

There is still a good write-up about Renaissance, her history and her ships, at http://www.cruisemates.com/articles/shiptour/tours/renaissance.html

Two former Renaissance ships, the R3 and R4, were lease-purchased by Princess Cruises for cruises in the South Pacific. I'm not aware that any of the other R class ships have been acquired by other cruise lines.

Renaissance did not allow children, and the ships were not designed with children in mind. Standard staterooms are 165 square feet (although there are larger staterooms and suites too). The interior space of Disney's cat. 5 throught cat. 10 staterooms is 214 square feet. Even the smallest Disney staterooms (cat. 11 and cat. 12) are 184 square feet. Some space could be reallocated, such has converting the casino into a kids club -- but any R class ships would never meet the expectations that have been set by the Disney Wonder and Magic. And how could these comparatively small ships offer the big Disney production shows?

Before I sailed on DCL, I wondered if there might not be an opportunity for DCL to expand the fleet through acquisition, either from Renaissance or from another cruise line that might have too much capacity. After sailing on DCL, I now realize that the custom-designed Disney ships are a big part of what makes a Disney Cruise a Disney Cruise.

 

[szulu]

The casino area of the Ren ships was really just an open area next to the bar - not at all suitable for a kid's club. The ships were beautiful, but definitely for adults. My secret hope was that Disney would buy them and start an adult only, more exotic destination cruise line. I'm sure that is about as likely as me winning the lottery.

 

[miksicnarf]

The former CEO of Ren, Frank del Rio, and Joe Watters, former president of RVL, Princess and Crystal lines, have joined forces to launch a new line, Oceana Cruises, with 3 of the former Ren ships: R1, R2 and R5. More info here: http://www.jazzseacruz.com/pages/241024/index.htm