P&O have today announced that announced that it has signed the contracts for the sale of its 45,000 ton ship Artemis to MS Artania Shipping, for an undisclosed sum. The sale will be completed by 6th October 2009 but P&O Cruises will continue to operate Artemis and her series of cruises as published until 12th April 2011.This will mean that she will continue to operate all currently published itineraries, upto and including her 2011 Asian Grand Voyage, from which she will return to Southampton on 12th April 2011. After leaving the P&O Cruises fleet, Artemis will leave British Shores to take up her new home with a tour operator in Continental Europe.
Until then she remains very much a part of the P&O Cruises Fleet. Her itineraries, her officers and crew and the classic P&O experience that she offers will remain unchanged.
So sad news today for all the loyal Artemis fans. I would expect her cruises for 2010 to be in even higher demand now, so if you are thinking of experiencing her for the first time or for one final farewell, get in touch with me and I will check prices and availability for you before its too late!
7 Comments
Gill Taylor
Have to say haven’t been on Artemis as she hadn’t appealed to me previously, but she does have really good itineraries and can get to places other ships can’t go. She does have a lot of fans.
Jo
We have a cruise booked for 2011, I will be interested to see how the ship fares as a chartered ship. We were hoping that it would have had a refurbishment and that will obviously not happen now, but will it’s day to day non essential maintenance be kept to the usual high standard??
David Warwick
Have just returned from 28 day cruise to Mediterranean on board Artemis. Although the ship has now been sold, the quality and excellence of the overall cruise, its facilities, staff, food etc. is still to the high standard expected of P&O.
We had a thouroughly enjoyable time and are sad that Artemis is leaving the P&O Fleet.
Jane
Glad to hear that you enjoyed your cruise on Artemis David. Im sure your comments have reassured a lot of passengers yet to sail on her since the announcement
Jane
David Regan
I have sailed the Amazon and Caribbean on board Artemis and she is a wonderful, intimate and traditional ship, heralding back to the days of the great Canberra. I feel that it is a great loss that she is being sold to a German tour operator and that P&O will loose many of the older, long-time cruising community in selling this ship. The newer and much larger ships just don’t have the same feel to them. Artimis’ staff are friendly and the service on board has always been first class.
I have booked her final Christmas and New Year cruise leaving on December 21st, 2010 and am sure that it will be a cruise to remember.
Eileen Gorman
My husband and I have cruised on the Artemis to the Amazon and also the Baltic Capitals. We had a wonderful time. World cruise Jan 2010 will alas be our final cruise on board. We were saddened to hear it was sold as we had a brillant time and met the nicest people.
Don
Did the maiden voyage on the Royal Princess.
Nice ship.