When Happy Cruises ceased trading in September 2011, the chartered fleet was dispersed, with Happy Dolphin (1990/23,287gt) returning to her owner in Greece for lay-up, while the Clipper Group-owned Gemini (1992/19,093gt) and Ocean Pearl (1970/22,945gt) eventually found their way to the London port of Tilbury.
Now the former Happy Cruises fleet is on the move after several months of lay-up. Gemini appears to have been chartered as an accommodation ship for the London Olympic Games, while Happy Dolphin has been chartered to Turkey’s Apex Tur as a replacement for the smaller Ocean Majesty for the 2012 summer season of Eastern Mediterranean cruises.
Ocean Pearl, the oldest member of the fleet, heads further afield as she begins a new life in Far Eastern waters after a major refit that commenced after her delivery in April. Ocean Pearl has had a long and varied career since being delivered as Song of Norway in 1970. Within a decade she had been lengthened. Recently, she has been operated by Caspi Cruises as Festival, but in 2010-11 sailed for Happy Cruises.
