Ocean Majesty, one of the oldest vessels in the cruise industry, ended what is likely to be its last passenger cruise on 7 August 2023.
The reputable German website cruisetricks.de revealed that the classic cruise ship is being retired from service, at least for the time being. Ocean Majesty had been operated by Hansa Touristik for a decade before the journey’s end.
On the evening of 7 August Ocean Majesty bade farewell to the port of Hamburg, its future uncertain, following the morning disembarkation of passengers from a Greenland voyage.
Reports suggest that the contracts for the approximately 220 crew members were abruptly terminated just prior to this event.
Speculation suggests Ocean Majesty may soon be repurposed as a floating refugee accommodation, stationed in Amsterdam. However, neither Hansa Touristik nor Greek shipowner Majesty International Cruises have made official statements confirming the ship’s departure from its cruise ship role or its potential new role.
Ocean Majesty made headlines in June 2022 due to significant safety deficiencies that resulted in its temporary detention by Swedish authorities. The cruise scheduled for that time had to be cancelled. These problems were largely attributed to the vessel’s extended period of inactivity from March 2020 to April 2022.
Built in 1966 as Juan March in Valencia, Ocean Majesty initially operated as a ro-ro ferry between mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands. Her career as a liner in the Mediterranean saw her operated as Sol Christina and Kypros Star until 1989.
Greece’s Majestic International Cruises acquired the vessel that year and transformed it into a 535-passenger cruise ship. This transformation also saw the vessel’s adoption of its current name, Ocean Majesty, as it commenced operations for Majesty International Cruises.
