MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Minerva II opens Montevideo 2008/09 cruise season

Minerva II will be the first cruise call, season 2008/09

The first vessel to call in Montevideo port, Uruguay, this coming 2008/09 cruise season is Minerva II which will be arriving November 21st, according to an official report from local authorities.

"For Montevideo this means a late start, but we will make it up in the rest of the months and it all points to another encouraging cruise season, better than last year's" anticipated a reliable source from the port of Montevideo authorities. From Montevideo, Minerva II sails for Buenos Aires and then to the Falkland Islands arriving November 26 at West Point and the following day is scheduled to call in Stanley. "Minerva II" belonged to the ill fated Renaissance Cruises that went broke as a result of the 9/11 attack on the New York twin towers. It was already facing financial difficulties and the inactivity following the 9/11 2001 attack was the final blow for the company which went into liquidation. Creditor banks took over and recovered all possible assets mainly by the sale to other operators of the eight cruise vessels which were identified as R-1, R-2…R-8. Precisely R-8 now under Swan Hellenic Cruises became Minerva II: it was refurbished, upgraded, re decorated and her traditional black hull changed for other colors. She was originally delivered in 2001, built at Chantier l'Atlantic and operated by Ships Leisure. R-8 is 181 meters long, displaces 30.277 tons, carries 750 passengers with a crew of 300 and cost 150 million US dollars. Minerva II is described as an elegant ship specializing in lecture rich cruises to interesting destinations and features superb décor in the grand public rooms reminiscent of classic liner days. Over sixty percent of the rooms have outside balconies.