Cruceros para festivales

Festival Cruises (conocida como First European Cruises en Norteamérica ) fue una línea de cruceros con sede en Grecia que operó entre 1994 y 2004. Fue fundada en 1992 por el empresario griego George Poulides utilizando barcos de segunda mano. La compañía adquirió tres barcos de nueva construcción entre 1999 y 2002, pero se vio obligada a declararse en bancarrota en 2004. ^{[ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ]}

George Poulides fundó Festival Cruises en 1992. La compañía comenzó a operar en 1994 después de comprar el Azur a Chandris Cruises . ^{[ 2 ]} Al año siguiente, la compañía adquirió el Starward de Norwegian Cruise Line , cambiándole el nombre a Bolero . ^{[ 5 ]} Un tercer barco de segunda mano llegó en 1997, cuando el Southern Cross fue adquirido a CTC Lines y rebautizado como Flamenco para prestar servicio con Festival. ^{[ 6 ]}

Festival Cruises acquired their first newbuilt ship in 1999, when Mistral was delivered from Chantiers de l'Atlantique in France. In 2000 Festival Cruises announced that the company would be merged into P&O, with the Festival Cruises brand being maintained under P&O ownership. The merger plan was abandoned later that year due to low value of cruise line shares at the time. Two additional newbuilt ships based on an enlarged version of the Mistral design were delivered in 2001 and 2002 as European Vision and European Stars, respectively.^[2] Following delivery of the new ships the Bolero and Flamenco were chartered to other operators.^[5][6] Festival Cruises had an option for two more ships of the enlarged Mistral design, but the company decided not to use the option. Two more Mistral class ships were however built for MSC Cruises as MSC Lirica and MSC Opera.^[7]

Festival Cruises went bankrupt in early 2004, with all the company's ships were laid up and subsequently auctioned to other operators; European Stars and European Vision were sold to MSC Cruises,^[2][4]Mistral to a French investor group who chartered her to Iberojet,^[2][8]The Azur to Mano Maritime,^[9]Bolero to Abou Merhi Lines and Flamenco to Cruise Elysia.^[2]