Amera

The 1988-built (as "MS Prinsendam") MS Amera cruise ship was previously operated by Holland America Line for 17 years (2002–2019). This small-sized vessel was originally built for Royal Viking Line (1972–1998 / defunct) and launched under the name "Royal Viking Sun." She was later acquired by Cunard Line and operated until 1998, before being transferred to Seabourn, where she sailed as Seabourn Sun from 1999 to 2002.

The vessel (IMO number 8700280) is currently registered in the Bahamas (flag of convenience) with MMSI 311000840 and homeported in Nassau.

History – Construction and Ownership

The German cruise tour company Phoenix Reisen (shipowner) began operating cruises under its own brand in 1988, starting with the 20-year charter of the liner TS Maxim Gorkiy (1969–2009, scrapped), owned by the USSR’s Black Sea Shipping Company (later privatized and renamed Sovcomflot). In 1993, Phoenix Reisen added a second vessel—SS Albatros (built 1957 as RMS Sylvania, scrapped in 2004 as SS Genoa), chartered from V-Ships for 10 years (1993–2003). Today, Phoenix Reisen operates a sizable fleet of chartered and owned ocean and river cruise ships.

Amera Cruise Itinerary Program

Phoenix Reisen’s MS Amera itinerary program focuses on European voyages (Baltic, Mediterranean, Black Sea) and an annual World Cruise. In Northern Europe, Amera is homeported in Bremerhaven, Germany. In the Mediterranean, the ship departs from various ports, mainly in Italy and France.

Decks and Cabins

MS Prinsendam/Amera staterooms (419 total) include 67 Suites, 99 Balcony cabins, 31 Inside cabins, and 6 Single cabins, available in 23 categories. Most staterooms (222) are Oceanviews, sized between 150–270 ft² (14–25 m²). The largest on MS Prinsendam was the Pinnacle Suite (860 ft² / 80 m² plus a 335 ft² / 31 m² terrace). On MS Amera, the largest accommodation is the Royal Suite (860 ft² / 80 m² with a balcony).

MS Amera is conditionally accessible for wheelchair users. Cabins #801, 807, 820, 828, 1016, and 1019 (located on the Salon and Jupiter decks) are wheelchair-accessible with wide doorways, threshold-free bathrooms, and showers equipped with grab bars.

The ship has 13 decks, including 9 accessible to passengers and 8 with staterooms.

Shipboard Facilities and Amenities

MS Amera guests enjoy culinary events in the onboard restaurants, offering flexible meal times and open seating. The ship has two main dining venues: "Amera" (buffet breakfast, waiter-served lunch and dinner) and "Ocean" (buffet/waiter-served breakfast; waiter-served lunch and dinner). Additional options include the Lido Buffet Restaurant and Pichler’s Restaurant, a specialty venue for evening dining (reservations required onboard; no extra charge).

Numerous cafes, bars, and lounges are located throughout the ship, both indoors and on deck.

Daytime activities include a wide range of programs, while evening entertainment features live music and stage shows. The onboard boutiques sell perfumes, jewelry, toiletries, cosmetics, souvenirs, sweets, and both men's and women’s clothing. Many shipboard events and shore excursions are documented by a professional photographer and cameraman, with photos available for purchase. Wedding ceremonies and vow renewals are available for voyages lasting 10 days or more, officiated by the onboard chaplain or the captain.

MS Amera features a whirlpool, an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness center, and a spacious SPA area, which includes saunas, steam rooms, a relaxation lounge, massage rooms (services for a fee), and a beauty salon. Reservations for the ship’s SPA & Wellness facilities can be made online about two weeks prior to departure.

MS Amera is equipped with a modern infirmary (ship hospital) operated by a German-speaking doctor. Medical services are not included in the travel contract and incur additional charges. Oxygen devices that operate with ambient air are permitted onboard.

Holland America Prinsendam was the company's smallest and oldest ship. The vessel belonged to the unique Explorer-class and has a rich history, including several previous names, owners, and operators: "MS Royal Viking Sun" (1988–1998, operated by Royal Viking Line and Cunard Line from 1994–1998), "MS Seabourn Sun" (operated by Seabourn, 1998–2002), and "MS Prinsendam" (2002–2019, operated by Holland America Line, a Carnival Corporation brand based in Seattle).

The ship's Maiden Voyage was on November 29, 1988, following a drydock in Turku, Finland. Prinsendam's first World Cruise took place in 1989, a 100-day itinerary departing from San Francisco, CA. Due to her design, smaller size/capacity, and annual world voyages since 1988, Prinsendam earned the nickname "Elegant Explorer" within HAL’s fleet. She was Holland-flagged (MMSI number 244126000). MS Amera was later reflagged to the Bahamas (MMSI 311000840).

In July 2018, the vessel was sold to Phoenix Reisen and began operating for the German travel company on July 1, 2019. Renamed MS Amera, she was officially christened in Port Bremerhaven on August 16. The vessel is owned by Phoenix Reisen and managed by BSM (Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, a 2000-founded subsidiary of Bernhard Schulte GmbH und Co KG). During her 2019 drydock at Blohm+Voss Shipyard (Hamburg), the ship received major technical upgrades.

Prinsendam's cruise program was absorbed by her HAL fleetmates MS Rotterdam, MS Volendam, and MS Veendam (now Aegean Majesty). Prinsendam’s final cruise for Holland America departed on June 3, 2019. The 14-day "British Isles Explorer" itinerary was priced from USD 5400 per person (double occupancy).

Prinsendam/Amera Ship Refurbishments Review

The Prinsendam-Amera ship drydock refurbishment (a 6-week project) was completed at Blohm+Voss Shipyard in Hamburg, Germany.

In addition to general maintenance, all staterooms were renovated, and most public venues were redesigned—either partially or completely—primarily on decks 7 (Boardwalk) and 8 (Salon). The open deck area on Panorama Deck 12 was redesigned to feature a mini-golf course.

MS Amera was also upgraded with mobile business solutions from Resco (a Bratislava, Slovakia-based software provider). The package included PMS (Property Management Software) with eMuster, aPOS (cloud-based Point of Sale), eCheck-in, AVO (real-time cabin staff operations tracking), and eConcierge (mobile applications).

MS Amera’s most recent drydock refurbishment was conducted at Remontowa Shipyard in Gdansk, Poland from September 27 to December 14, 2023 (later extended to January 14, 2024). Managed by BSM Cruise Services, the project included a powerplant upgrade (new diesel engines, gearboxes, alternators, main switchboard), propulsion upgrades (new propellers), technical overhauls (machinery repairs/modifications), and interior renovations (Ocean Restaurant, 232 stateroom bathrooms, Royal Suite redesign, and recarpeting of all public areas).

Phoenix Reisen Amera Inaugural Itineraries 2019

Beginning service with Phoenix Reisen in July 2019, MS Amera was homeported in Bremerhaven, Germany for a series of roundtrip itineraries.

The following table outlines Amera's inaugural cruise for Phoenix Reisen:

Maiden Voyage: 5-day "Premierenreise mit Taufevent"

7-day Norwegian Fjords Inaugural Cruise ("Fjordnorwegen vom Feinsten")

Godspeed!