CMV Magellan

CMV Magellan cruise ship is a Holiday-class vessel initially operated by Carnival Cruise Line as "MS Holiday". It joined CMV's fleet in Spring 2015. As former Carnival "Fun Ship", Magellan still retains the distinctive funnel shape. Carnival Holiday's sisterships (Holiday-class cruise ships) are Carnival Jubilee (Henna) and Carnival Celebration (now Grand Celebration).

For CMV, the vessel (IMO 8217881) was Madeira-flagged (MMSI number 255803790) and registered in Funchal. The last CMV drydock refurbishment was in 2020 January.

History - construction and ownership

The 1452-passenger ship MS Magellan belongs to the Holiday-class of Carnival cruise ships and was last operated by CMV UK (Cruise and Maritime Voyages, part of Global Maritime Group). The vessel was previously operated by Iberocruceros (another Carnival Corporation subsidiary company) as "MS Grand Holiday".

On July 20, 2020, CMV's parent company SQTL (South Quay Travel & Leisure Ltd) was placed into administration / filed for bankruptcy. The UK-based company traded as "Cruise and Maritime Voyages" (trademarked brand). In June, SQTL-CMV entered into emergency talks with potential investors and lenders. Unfortunately, the company's efforts to secure funding and stay afloat during the Coronavirus crisis failed.

All CMV cruise ships were placed on the secondhand market and open for sale. In October was planned the vessels to be auctioned via the London UK-based company CW Kellock & Co Ltd (Ship Auctioneers, Brokers and Valuers). Biddings (deadline in brackets) opened for Vasco Da Gama (Oct 8), Columbus (Oct 12), Astor (Oct 15), Magellan (Oct 19) and Marco Polo (Oct 22).

• (October 8) The 27-year-old CMV Vasco Da Gama was sold to Mystic Invest (Portugal) for USD 10,187 million.
• (October 12) The 31-year-old CMV Columbus was sold to Seajets Ferries Greece for USD 5,321 million.
• (October 15) The 33-year-old CMV Astor was sold to an undisclosed buyer (sales price USD 1,71 million) who intends to resell it for scrap metal.
• (October 19) The 35-year-old CMV Magellan was sold to Seajets Ferries Greece for USD 3,431 million.
• (October 22) The 55-year-old CMV Marco Polo was sold to an undisclosed buyer/private investors (sales price USD 2,77 million) who first offered the vessel for charter (cruiser or hotel ship) but in December sold it for scrap metal to Alang Shipbreaking India.

On December 9, CMV Magellan arrived in Malta (anchored off Valletta) waiting for orders. After transitting Suez Canal, in December 2020 the ship remained at anchorage off Oman's coast (southwest of Masirah Island). On December 28, the boat docked at Port Duqm (Oman). On January 18, 2021 (under the name "Mages") the vessel left its anchorage heading to India, where is to be beached and scrapped at Alang.

SEAJETS Greece (shipowner, 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) inter-connecting 26 Cyclades Islands (Crete including) with 260 connections.

Cruise itinerary program

MS Magellan itinerary program was based on Western Europe and Baltic Sea cruises, departing from UK ports - Dundee Scotland, Newcastle England, Harwich England. Magellan operated a series of CMV voyages to Norway and the Canary Islands plus a 42-night Transatlantic cruise to Brazil in winter 2017-2018 roundtrip from Tilbury-London.

CMV Magellan cruise program 2020-2021 had scheduled a total of 64x itineraries (between October 5, 2020, and October 16, 2021). Most voyages were roundtrips from the UK to Norway (Norwegian Fjords), Baltic Capitals (Scandinavia and Russia), Canary Islands, British isles, Faroes, Iceland, plus an 84-day CMV World Cruise 2021 themed as "Grand Round South America Amazon Discovery". All these voyages were cancelled when CMV filed for bankruptcy.

Note: For more cruise itinerary details on the cancelled 2020-2021 CMV Magellan program see at the ship's Wiki section.

(new) CMV Mexican cruise brand "Cruceros Maritimos Vacacionales"

On December 19, 2017, CMV announced Magellan cruise ship's 2018-2019 winter deployment to Mexican Riviera (Pacific Mexico). The ship started the new program on February 3 (2019) under a new company brand name - "Cruceros Maritimos Vacacionales" (CMV).

The 7-day cruise itinerary program (February through March 2019) offered roundtrips from both Acapulco and Manzanillo. The roundtrip itinerary departed on Sundays and visited Pacific Mexico's ports Cabo San Lucas (Baja California), Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, with 2 sea days.

Sunday departures allowed passengers to spend overnight in Acapulco (by booking pre- and post-cruise packages combining up to 5-day land stay (hotels and tours) with the 7-day cruise. The average 7-day cruise prices started from USD 700 pp (MXN 14,000 / Mexican pesos).

Maiden season 2019's total passenger capacity was estimated at 12,000. For 2019, the ship had scheduled a total of ten 7-day voyages. CMV had plans to extend season 2020 to 5 months, eventually deploying the liner in Mexico for year-round operations. CMV opened a sales office in Mexico City in April 2018. It was expected that 80-85% of the embarking passengers will be Mexican.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

MS Magellan has 9 passenger decks and a total of 726 staterooms in 15 grades, of which 14x Balcony Suites, 277x Inside and 449x Oceanview staterooms.

Main Dining Rooms include Waldorf Restaurants and Kensington Restaurant, both with open-seating breakfast and lunch and two fixed dinner sittings. Raffle’s Bistro provides more informal experience.

There are no “modern time” amenities on this "old-time" liner, like ice-skating rinks or climbing walls. The ship is a typical adults-only (child-free) cruise vessel for passengers 16-years and above. Onboard Lounges and Bars include a 2-deck Theatre (Main Show Lounge), Neptune Observation Bar, Lido Bar, Eros Bar, Scott’s Nightclub, Hampton’s Lounge Bar, Sinatra’s Lounge Bar, Captain’s Club, Nansen Card Room and Internet Cafe. Other amenities include Jade Wellness Centre (Spa and Beauty), Fitness Centre, 2 swimming pools, 3 jacuzzis (outdoor whirlpool hot tubs), Sun Terrace (sundeck with seating), Casino Royale, Livingstone Library, Shackleton’s Conference Room, Photo Gallery, Shopping Galleria.