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Displaying items by tag: Phoenix Reisen

#EndofSeason - Amadea, Phoenix Reisen's Japanese built cruiseship launched in 1991 marks the final cruise call visitor to Cork Harbour this season, having berthed alongside Cobh today, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Its been a busy season with 54 cruise ships calling to the Port of Cork, bringing around 108,000 passengers and 30,000 crew.

Under the command of Captain Morten Hansen, the 29,000 tonnes vessel run by the German operator, had involved a last port of call to Falmouth before she made an Irish landfall.

A view to east side of Cork Harbour can be seen from overlooking her bow by clicking her on board web-cam here. Tomorrow the web-cam will bring another view of the Cork coastline when she is to lay anchor off the secluded surroundings of Glengariff.

Like her fleetmates, Artania and Albratros, they are all vessels which has had previous careers with Amadea having begun cruising as Asuka.

Artania which was in Portsmouth last week started her career as the Royal Princess for Princess Cruises. The same name is given to last year's newbuild (of the same operator) which is to make her debut call of Dun Laoghaire Harbour in May 2015.

The Albratros (to visit Rosslare Harbour in 2015) was formerly an original member of a trio built for Royal Viking Line. As for Amadea she was launched for Japanese interests as their Asuka.

 

Published in Cruise Liners

About Quarter Tonners

The Quarter Ton Class is a sailing class of the International Offshore Rule racing the Quarter Ton Cup between 1967 and 1996 and from 2005 until today.

The class is sailed by smaller keelboats of similar size and is likely the world's most-produced keelboat class.

The Ton, Half, Quarter, etc. 'classes' were each given a 'length' and yacht designers had almost free rein to work the hull shapes and measurements to achieve the best speed for that nominal length.

The Ton Rules produced cranky and tender boats without actual downwind speed. Measurement points created weird, almost square hull shapes with longish overhangs.

They were challenging to sail optimally and lost value very quickly as any new wrinkle (e.g. 'bustles') to take advantage of the rule made older boats very quickly uncompetitive.

Although its heyday was 30 years ago, the boat class continues to make its presence felt by holding its own in terms of popularity against some fern race fleets.