Crown Iris

The 1992-built MS Crown Iris cruise ship is currently owned by Mano Maritime Israel, a shipping company and subsidiary of Mano Holdings Group (owned by Moshe Mano). The group also owns container ships. The liner's only fleetmate is the Golden Iris.

The vessel (IMO number 8814744) is currently Panama-flagged (MMSI 370610000) and registered in Colon.

History – construction and ownership

The previous shipowner, Louis Group Plc, leased the vessel to Celestyal Cruises, a Louis Group subsidiary. Originally built as "MS Royal Majesty," the vessel was operated between 2012-2017 under long-term charter by the UK-based Marella Cruises (formerly "Thomson Cruises").

In 2017, Thomson UK ended the charter agreement with Louis Group. The ship left the Thomson fleet in November 2017 and rejoined the Celestyal Cruises fleet, beginning operations in March 2018 under the name "Celestyal Majesty." She was deployed in the Western Mediterranean, offering roundtrips from Greece and Turkey.

In July 2018, Louis Group announced that the Malta-flagged vessel was sold to Mano Cruises (Israel). Renamed "Princess Iris," the ship was laid up in Piraeus-Athens awaiting drydock refurbishment. After the refit, the vessel was renamed "Crown Iris" and began operations on May 25, 2019. The refurbishment included upgraded staterooms and five new restaurants.

The 2,000-passenger ship Crown Iris was originally ordered as "MS Royal Majesty" for Imperial Majesty Cruise Line (1999–defunct in 2009). In 1997, she was sold to NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line. The ship holds the highest Finnish-Swedish ice class for a passenger vessel (1A-Super).

As Norwegian Majesty, the ship was stretched in 1998 with the addition of a 33-m/108-ft midship section. The drydock refit was conducted at Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven GmbH (Bremerhaven, Germany).

Louis Group purchased the ship in 2008.

Decks and Cabins

Crown Iris staterooms (727 total, across 16 grades) include 16 Suites, 477 Oceanviews, 250 Inside cabins, 20 Single cabins, and 4 wheelchair-accessible cabins. Most accommodations are 10 m² (110 ft²/Oceanview). The largest are the two Grand Suites, each measuring 37 m² (400 ft²) including the balcony.

The ship has 11 decks, of which 9 are accessible to passengers and 6 contain staterooms.

Shipboard dining options – Food and Drinks

There are five restaurants onboard Crown Iris. The open-seating Seven Seas Restaurant provides elegant waiter service for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Four Seasons Restaurant is a more intimate venue with the same menu offerings. Le Bistro is an à la carte restaurant with stylish décor and a small cover charge. Cafe Royale offers 24-hour buffet service, including cooked breakfasts and late-night snacks. Piazza San Marco serves casual fare such as pizzas and burgers on the pool deck. Room service is available 24/7. A highlight of the cruise is the weekly Captain's Gala Dinner and Cocktail Party.

Complete list of the cruise ship's restaurants and food venues:

Four Seasons Restaurant (smaller dining room; intimate setting; dinner only; 5-course menu)

Le Bistro Restaurant (French specialty; reservations required; à la carte pricing; vegetarian options available)

Seven Seas Restaurant (main dining room; open-seating; waiter service for all meals; buffet breakfast; hosts Captain's Gala events)

Cafe Royale (small buffet venue; part of The Chef’s Corners Buffets)

The Chef’s Corners (pancakes, waffles, fast food; complimentary food for the pool area; ice cream available for an extra charge)

Piazza San Marco Restaurant (casual Lido buffet; panoramic windows)

Shipboard entertainment options – Fun and Sport

The ship has five bars. The Royal Observatory offers live music and scenic views, while Rendezvous features live performances and cabarets. Polo Club is ideal for pre-dinner drinks, the Coffee Bar is perfect for afternoon beverages, and Topsiders Bar serves the pool area and hosts evening deck parties. The two main lounges are Jubilee Lounge (featuring UK guest acts, game shows, discos) and Royal Fireworks (with cabarets, quizzes, and live music). The Monte Carlo Casino offers slot machines and table games. Frame 52 hosts wellness classes during the day. The ship has two swimming pools.

Complete list of lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues:

Royal Fireworks Lounge (Wi-Fi access; quizzes, bingo, piano music; evening cabarets and live bands)

Browsers' Corner (Library and Internet Café, open 24/7)

Broad Street Shops (duty-free boutiques selling jewelry, clothing, fragrances, liquor, tobacco, branded merchandise)

Photo Gallery & Shop; Card Room; Reading Room; Coffee Bar (Wi-Fi spot)

Polo Club (cocktail bar with grand piano and live music)

Jubilee Lounge (theater-style venue; live music, comedy, cabaret; transforms into disco nightclub; Afternoon Tea on sea days)

Monte Carlo Casino (with its own bar)

Frame 52 Disco (hosts wellness classes such as aerobics, yoga, Pilates – extra charge applies)

Royal Observatory (indoor lounge with panoramic views and Wi-Fi)

Main Pool area (two swimming pools – one with two whirlpools, one adults-only; sunbathing area; served by Pool Bar and Topsiders Bar)

Kids Club (ages 3–11, supervised activities, complimentary); Video Games Arcade; Graffiti’s Teen Area

Sana Wellness Centre (includes Beauty Salon, Gym, 4 treatment rooms, whirlpool room, sauna)

Oceans Spa & Gym (full-service spa, massage, beauty treatments, hair salon, relaxation zone, and aerobic studio)

Itineraries

Crown Iris itineraries are roundtrips from Haifa, Israel to Eastern Mediterranean destinations including ports in Cyprus, Greece (Greek Islands), and Italy.

Voyage durations range from 2 to 12 days.

Mini cruises (2–3 days) visit Larnaca, Cyprus. The longest itineraries include Black Sea ports (Bulgaria, Romania), Aegean Sea ports (Greece, Turkey), and Adriatic Sea ports (Greece, Italy, Croatia, including Sicily).

Note: Celestyal Majesty previously operated 3- and 4-day Eastern Mediterranean cruises from Piraeus-Athens (Greece) and Kusadasi-Ephesus (Turkey). Thomson Majesty offered Mediterranean roundtrips from Greece and from Spain's Canary Islands (Tenerife and Gran Canaria).

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mano Cruises suspended Crown Iris operations for over two years (March 2020 to May 2022), resuming service on May 12, 2022, from Haifa.

The 2023 season began on March 23 with a 3-night voyage from Piraeus to Limassol, Cyprus (overnight stay). Longer Aegean cruises included Greek islands such as Rhodes, Heraklion/Crete, Kefalonia, and Corfu, as well as Dubrovnik and Split (Croatia). Black Sea voyages included Greek ports plus Varna and Burgas in Bulgaria and Constanta in Romania.

For 2024, operations (May to November) began with a 3-night roundtrip from Haifa to Limassol on May 30. Summer itineraries (May–October) ranged from 2 to 7 nights from Haifa to Cyprus (Larnaca) and Greece (Agios Nikolaos/Crete, Rhodes, Mykonos, Patmos, Santorini, Volos, Piraeus-Athens). Longer voyages included an 11-night roundtrip from Israel to Greece (Chania, Kalamata, Katakolon, Argostoli, Corfu), Italy (Brindisi), and Croatia (Dubrovnik, Split).

Crown Iris / Mano Cruises prices 2023

The following table shows the company’s 2023 pricing per passenger per voyage, as listed in the Crown Iris schedule. Prices are in EUR and based on double occupancy.

The vessel was built in 1992 and was originally ordered as "MS Birka Queen" by Birka Cruises. However, she was completed and launched under the name "MS Royal Majesty," with her godmother being Liza Minnelli, the renowned US actress and singer.

The ship debuted as part of Majesty Cruise Line's fleet (which operated between 1992 and 1997 and is now defunct). Since then, the vessel has changed name and ownership three times. Her previous names include "Norwegian Majesty" (under NCL Norwegian Cruise Line) and "Louis Majesty" (under Louis Cruises / Celestyal Cruises). The vessel was sold to NCL in 1997 and was lengthened by 34 m (112 ft) during a drydock refit at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany.

The ship participated in the 1995 "Titanic Cruise" expedition to the RMS Titanic sinking site. Royal Majesty carried survivors of the Titanic disaster while parts of the sunken liner were being salvaged.

Between 2012 and 2017, the ship (then "Louis Majesty") was operated under charter by Thomson UK (Marella Cruises). Thomson implemented a fleetwide refurbishment program to upgrade vessels to the in-house “Platinum Status” (equivalent to a 4-star rating).

The table below shows Thomson Majesty’s final cruise for Thomson/Marella. The 7-night / 8-day itinerary, themed "Spirit of Iberia," was a roundtrip from Spain. Prices started from USD 680 per person (based on double occupancy).

Due to global COVID-related travel restrictions, Mano Cruises canceled Crown Iris’s entire 2020 season (March through December). A total of 32 itineraries departing from her homeport in Haifa, Israel were canceled. Operations were scheduled to resume on March 18, 2021.