Aegean Majesty

The 1996-built (as "MS Veendam") cruise ship Aegean Majestic is the 4th and last Statendam (S-class) vessel of HAL-Holland America Line. The sisterships (by design) are the former HAL boats MS Statendam/Vasco da Gama, MS Ryndam/Celestyal Journey, and MS Maasdam/CFC Renaissance.

IMPORTANT (CruiseMapper-emailed content from Taryna Wawn/partially revised, received May 13th, 2024) Victoria Cruises Line [VCL] is an alleged scam cruise company defrauding senior citizens of their hard-earned money. I applied for a refund (US$10,000) in October 2023. My refund was due on January 7th [2024] and I’m still waiting. I have a spreadsheet containing 30+ people who are also overdue with their refund and many more who are now aware it’s a scam but haven’t applied as yet. I am unable to furnish you with anything other than the lawyer letter attached, as all other evidence is currently in the hands of a US Government official. The letter is from Mediterranean Dream Inc (Aegean Majesty’s owner). They [VCL] have zero connection to Aegean Majesty, no right to call it Victoria Majestic, no lease or plan to lease [charter the ship] is in place.

Note: The attached letter (sent July 26, 2023) is from Milto M Papangelis, a partner in PPT Legal (Papapetros, Papangelis, Tatagia & Partners/Athens Greece-based law firm).

Victoria Cruises Line itinerary 2024-2026 (Victoria Majestic)

For 2024-2026, Victoria Cruises Line has scheduled for the Victoria Majestic ship a global itinerary visiting popular islands and port cities - all with multiple overnight stays (up to 6 nighs/7 days).

The voyages are planned to visit destinations on all continents except Antarctica - including in Europe (Mediterranean, Baltic, Atlantic Coast), Africa and the Middle East (Arabian countries), Indian Ocean Islands (Reunion, Mauritius), Asia (India, China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia), Oceania and South Pacific Islands, Australia-New Zealand, Central and South America, the Caribbean, the USA (West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska).

The company's website lists an Around The World Voyage (2,5 years long) scheduled to depart from Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale on July 26, 2024.

The 887-day itinerary visits Bahamas (Nassau), USA (Tampa, New Orleans), Mexico (Veracruz, Cancun), Belize City, Honduras (Roatan), Nicaragua (Puerto Cabezas), Costa Rica (Limon), Columbia (Barranquilla), Aruba, Curacao, Trinidad and Tobago (Port-of-Spain), Guyana (Georgetown), Suriname (Paramaribo), French Guiana (Cayenne), Brazil (Belem, Fortaleza, Natal, Salvador de Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, Santos/Sao Paulo), Uruguay (Montevideo), Argentina (Buenos Aires, Puerto Madryn), Falkland Islands (Stanley), Chile (Punta Arenas, Puerto Montt, Valparaiso/Santiago, Antofagasta), Peru (Callao/Lima), Ecuador (Guayaquil, Galapagos Islands/Puerto Ayora), Panama City, Caribbean Islands (Grand Cayman, Providenciales, Puerto Rico/San Juan, Dominicana/Santo Domingo, Antigua/St John's, Montserat, Martinique/Fort-de-France, Barbados/Bridgetown, St Vincent/Kingstown, Jamaica/Kingston), Panama (Colon), Costa Rica (Puerto Caldera), El Salvador (Acajutla), Mexico (Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, Puerto Vallarta, La Paz), USA (Hawaii/Honolulu, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Anchorage), Canada (Vancouver), Japan (Ishikari/Shapporo, Tokyo, Kobe/Osaka, Naha), Korea (Busan), China (Shanghai, Hong Kong), Taiwan (Taipei), Philippines (Manila, Davao), Palau (Jayapura), Solomon Islands  (Honiara), Vanuatu (Santo), Fiji (Suva), Tonga (Nuku Alofa), New Caledonia (Noumea), Australia (Brisbane, Darwin, Fremantle/Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney), New Zealand (Wellington, Auckland), Indonesia (Surabaya), Malaysia (Kuching), Thailand (Bangkok, Pattaya, Koh Samui, Phuket), Singapore, Bangladesh (Chattogram), India (Visakhapatnam, Mormugao/Goa, Mumbai), Sri Lanka  (Colombo), Pakistan (Karachi), UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi), Qutar (Doha), Kuwait City, Djibouti, Maldives (Addu), Seychelles (Port Victoria), Mauritius (Port Louis), Madagascar (Antalaha), Tanzania (Dar es Salaam), Comoros (Moroni), Mozambique (Nacala, Maputo), South Africa (Cape Town), Namibia (Walvis Bay), Angola (Luanda), Gabon (Libreville), Togo (Lome), Liberia (Monrovia), Bissau-Guinea, Senagal (Dakar), Cape Verde (Praia), Mauritania (Nouakchott), Canary Islands (Tenerife), Madeira (Funchal), Morocco (Agadir, Casablanca, Tangier), Azores (Ponta Delgada, Horta), Portugal (Lisbon, Oporto), Spain (La Coruna, Bilbao, Cadiz, Malaga, Almeria, Cartagena, Valencia, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Ceuta), France (La Rochelle, Brest, Calais, Le Havre/Paris, Cherbourg, Saint-Nazaire, Marseille, Cannes), Ireland (Dublin), UK, Belfast, Liverpool, Cardiff, Plymouth, Tilbury/London, Leith/Edinburgh, Gibraltar), Iceland (Reykjavik), Faroes (Torshavn), Norway (Stavanger, Oslo), Denmark (Copenhagen, Aalborg), Sweden (Stockholm), Finland (Oulu, Helsinki), Estonia (Tallin), Latvia (Riga), Poland (Gdansk), Germany (Rostock, Hamburg), Holland (Rotterdam), Channel Islands (Jersey), Italy (Genoa, Civitavecchia/Rome, Naples, Catania, Bari, Venice, Palermo Sicily, Cagliari Sardinia), Croatia (Split, Dubrovnik), Albania (Dures), Greece (Corfu, Argostoli/Kefalonia, Heraklion Crete, Pireas/Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Limassol Cyprus), Turkey (Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya), Romania (Constanta), Bulgaria (Varna), Israel (Haifa), Egyt (Alexandria/Cairo), Malta (Valletta), Tunisia (Tunis), Algeria (Algiers), and Bermuda (Hamilton), before the arrival back in Port Everglades (Dec 29, 2026).

History - construction and ownership

Aegean Majesty's current owner is Mediterranean Dream Inc (Liberia-based company).

On August 12, 2022, was announced that in 2023 (May) will be inaugurated the new travel brand "Victoria Cruises Line" (website victoria.cruises) with a two-ship fleet - the sisterships Aegean Majesty (VICTORIA MAJESTIC) and Aegean Goddess (VICTORIA AMAZING/now Celestyal Journey).

• The Paralimni Cyprus-based Victoria Cruise Lines company specializes in residential cruise shipping and is led by Olavs Zvinelis (CEO). The adults-only, all-inclusive travel brand provides a residential travel experience by allowing stateroom rentals for long-term occupancy (minimum 6 months).
• Victoria Amazing was scheduled to depart from PortMiami (Florida USA) on February 1, 2023. 
• Victoria Majestic was scheduled to depart from Livorno (Italy), on April 1, 2023.
• Victoria Cruises' cabin rates start at USD 8000 (inside cabin), US$10000 (oceanview), US$16000 (balcony). Travel and rental options are offered only to adults (18 yo or older).
• All interior cabins on both ships were fitted with a 100-cm/40-inch LCD monitor for real-time sea views and sounds provided by 10x HD cameras.

in July 2020, Carnival Corporation (via Holland America Line) sold 4 liners. MS Amsterdam and MS Rotterdam were sold to Fred Olsen Cruise Lines (renamed "MS Bolette" and "MS Borealis"). MS Maasdam and MS Veendam were sold to an undisclosed buyer. In late-August was revealed the new shipowner's name - Eaglepower Shipping Ltd (Seajets Ferries Greece). The Greek ferry company operates the fastest ferries in the Cyclades Islands and starts a cruise shipping division with all 3 liners - Aegean Myth (HAL Maasdam), Aegean Majesty (HAL Veendam) and Oceana (P&O UK). For the vessels was contracted Optimum ShipManagement Services SA (Piraeus-based company) that also manages Celestyal's fleet.

All scheduled for the 4 ships cruises were canceled or assumed by other HAL ships.

A total of 46x Holland America Veendam ship cruises were canceled (November 3, 2020, through October 2, 2021), including 7-14-21-day Western Caribbean and 7-14-21-day Southern Caribbean roundtrips from Tampa Florida (through March 28, 2021), 28-day repositioning Mediterranean to Baltic (Civitavecchia-Rome to Amsterdam), Northern European roundtrips from Amsterdam (14-23-28-37-day Baltic, British Isles, Iceland and Norway Fjords, 2021 June 5 through August 23), 12-26-day repositioning Baltic to Mediterranean (Amsterdam to Civitavecchia), 14-28-day Holy Land roundtrip from Civitavecchia (Italy-Greece-Turkey-Israel-Malta).

Following the vessel's acquisition, Seajets Aegean Majesty was initially docked/moored at Katakolon (Olympia, Greece). As of 2024, Aegean Majesty is permanently docked at Port Aigio (Greece).

For Holland America Line, the vessel was Holland-flagged (MMSI 246506000) and registered in Rotterdam. For Seajets Ferries, the ship is now Bermuda-flagged (MMSI 310801000) and registered in Hamilton.

SEAJETS Greece (1989-founded) is a Cyprus-based shipping company that specializes in passenger and cargo ferry services exclusively in the Eastern Mediterranean (Aegean Sea). Seajets' fleet includes mainly fast-ferries (14x high-speed catamarans, max capacity 2100 passengers + 600 cars) plus 3x conventional Ro-Pax vessels (max capacity 1300 passengers + 400 cars). Seajets operates from homeports Piraeus-Athens, Lavrion and Crete (Heraklion and Rethymno) interconnecting 26 Cyclades Islands (Crete including) with 260 connections.

Decks and Cabins

MS Veendam/Aegean Majesty staterooms (675 total) include 193 Balcony Suites (29%), no Standard Balcony cabins, 344 Oceanviews (including 76x Lanai cabins on Deck 3), 138 Inside, 16 Spa rooms, in total 31 cabin grades. Most staterooms are 175-255-ft2 sized oceanviews. Spa cabins are 16 (12x VQ-Vista Suites and 4x IQ-Inside). Wheelchair-accessible cabins are 18, connecting cabins are 97.

The boat has 13 decks, of which 10 are passenger-accessible and 5 with cabins.

Implemented fleetwide in 2019, "Club Orange" program provides exclusive amenities to Suite passengers booked in categories Neptune and Pinnacle. Bonus perks by this program include:

• priority services (check-in, disembarkation, tendering, dining reservations)
• 24-hour concierge service (assistance, information, reservations)
• exclusive dining venue (serving complimentary Pinnacle Grill breakfast and Dining Room dinner, plus exclusive dishes)
• dedicated Concierge Desk (Guest Services and Tours)
• room service (a la carte breakfast menu with complimentary gourmet dishes - including smoked salmon, steak and eggs)
• sparkling wine (embarkation day), Club Orange tote bag, premium bathrobes (cabin use, available for monogramming and purchasing).
• Club Orange Restaurant is part of the Main Dining Room (designed as separate VIP dining section).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Veendam's restaurants include the Rotterdam Dining Room, the Lido buffet, and the intimate Pinnacle Grill. There is also a casual poolside option for hot dogs and burgers, a coffee bar, and complimentary room service round-the-clock (from hot breakfast choices to dinner selections). The Lido buffet is efficient and has great sea views through its floor-to-ceiling windows. The buffet serves continental breakfast from 6:30 a.m., full breakfast (7-11 a.m.); lunch (11 a.m.-2 p.m.); and dinner (6-7:30 p.m.) Hours are adjusted during embarkation/debarkation and on port days. There are extended hours for ice cream, sandwiches or late-night offerings. Tea and coffee are available at the Lido at all times. The lines are manageable, even at peak times, with lots of available tables.

Follows the complete list of ms Veendam restaurants and food bars.

• Pinnacle Grill (62-seat reservations-only seafood/steakhouse restaurant with fine wines selection; free for passengers under 12 yo). The venue transforms into “An Evening at le Cirque” once per cruise via a partnership with NYC “Le Cirque” French restaurant.
• Rotterdam Restaurant (696-seat, aft Dining Room; features open seating Breakfast and Lunch, two Dinner options – 2 fixed seatings or “Any Time” dining between 5:15 p.m. - 9 p.m.
• Terrace Grill (fast food pool bar; complimentary)
• Lido Restaurant (372-seat complimentary buffet restaurant; offers self-service Breakfast 6:00 a.m. -11 a.m., Lunch 11:30 p.m. - 2 p.m., Afternoon Tea, and Dinner 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
• Canaletto Restaurant (Lido Restaurant annex; operates as an Italian restaurant for Dinner, reservations required)
• Slice (poolside Pizzeria).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The vessel's $2 million art collection retains the overall feeling of stylish and traditional with superb antique Delft, marble busts, armor and paintings of old Holland America vessels on display. Even nightlife - one of Holland America's weak points - has been enhanced by the refurbishment; the open plan of Deck 8 creates a superior vibe in the evenings when the energy of the casino spills over into the bar places, and shoppers in the stores get lured across the walkway to the piano bar when they hear a favorite tune. By day there are trivia games, Bridge, Bingo, Sudoku, movies, cooking demos and mixology classes. Poolside bands play various music on sail-aways and sea days. The New York Times-sponsored Explorations Cafe is ship's active hub throughout the day and evening. It holds more than 2,000 books plus a host of periodicals and DVD library. There are write-on/wipe-off crossword puzzle tables, touch-screen interactive maps and a cubby of puzzles and games. An adjacent card room and computer/Internet stations are also available. Other amenities include: complimentary 24-Hour Room-Service, Supervised Kids Program ("Club Hal"), cruise ship weddings, Internet/WiFi Access, Laundry/Self-Serve Laundromats.

Follows the complete list of ms Veendam lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Atrium (3-deck high midship open-floor area with live performances)
• Promenade Deck, Walking Track (jogging is not permitted)
• The Showroom at Sea (600-seat theatre/main show lounge; also serves Holland America’s enrichment program (via a partnership with BBC Earth)
• Queen’s Room (40-seat meeting room, hosts digital workshops via Microsoft partnership, computer classes, social networks, blogging, photo editing)
• Photo Gallery & Shop; Art Gallery
• Wine Tasting Bar, Gourmet Shops (bottles available for purchasing, wine sampling)
• Wajang Theatre & Culinary Arts Centre (203-seat cinema; offers culinary classes and cooking shows presented in demonstration kitchens)
• Atrium Terrace with boutiques; Atrium Shops (boutiques for duty-free tobaccos and liquor, perfumes, watches, clothing, HAL logo merchandise, souvenirs); Marabella Luxury Shop
• Ocean Bar (121-seat Atrium bar and lounge, with dance floor and stage for live performances)
• Casino (served by Casino Bar and Sports Bar)
• Hudson Room (40-seat meeting room; used as Cards Room)
• Half Moon Room (60-seat meeting room)
• MIX Lounge (has 3 parts, with live music and trivia games)
• Explorations Cafe (88-seat specialty coffee bar and patisserie; also serves as ship’s Library and Online Centre/Internet computers room)
• Explorer’s Lounge & Bar (60-seat lounge with bar; classical concert performances)
• Neptune Lounge (24-seat club venue for Deluxe Suite and Pinnacle guests only)
• Fitness Center (gym with separate Aerobics Room); 2 jacuzzis
• Greenhouse Spa & Salon; Lido Pool area, served by Lido Bar and Terrace Grill; Sea View Pool area served by Sea View Bar
• The Retreat (sun deck area, adults-only)
• Crow’s Nest (250-seat observation lounge; bar and dance floor; becomes disco at night)
• Tennis Court; Basketball Court; Shuffleboard
• Club HAL (kids lounge, complimentary youth programming)
• The Loft (teens club lounge area, with Video Games Arcade, computers, PlayStations; teen disco)
• The Oasis (40-seat teen-only outdoor area).

Itineraries

MS Veendam itinerary program was based on Canada and New England cruises (leaving from Quebec City and Boston MA) in the summer, Mexican Riviera cruises (from California) and Panama Canal transits (on repositioning).

Operated between December 22, 2017, and April 2018, MS Veendam cruises to Cuba were roundtrips from Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale Florida). HAL's 7-, 11-and 12-days long Cuban itineraries also visited other Caribbean call ports. Prices started from USD 900 per person (with double occupancy) for an Inside cabin. Bookings were opened on May 26, 2017.

In the period November 2020 - April 2021, the liner was to be homeported in Tampa Florida. The program had scheduled a total of 18 Caribbean roundtrips plus 2 Transatlantic crossings.