The new French cruise line CFC (Compagnie Francaise des Crocieres) will name its first ship Renaissance before introducing its debut on the French market in February 2023, company officials announced in a webinar shown on Facebook.
The former HAL-Holland America Line vessel (fka MS Maasdam/1993-built) will be France-flagged and registered in Marseille.
The French company bought ms Maasdam last month from the Greek shipowner SeaJet, which had purchased her after the boat had been made redundant by HAL.
SeaJet Ferries (Greece) had named the vessel "Aegean Myth" and laid it up in Greek waters together with 3 of the boats it had acquired from Carnival Corporation (world's largest cruise shipowner). None of them has reentered service or found a buyer.
Renaissance will sail roundtrip voyages from Port Le Havre (Paris) and Marseille Fos Port, the officials revealed.
Renaissance was also the name of a 12,000 GT-ton ship (1966-built) operated by the now defunct company Paquet.