Could Cordelia be purchasing second ship? Cruise vessel spotted in UAE

The former Celestyal Olympia has been spotted in the UAE on AIS data, docked in the Port of Ras Al Khaimah, following an extensive period in lay-up in Turkey.

The ship was sold by Celestyal Cruises earlier this year and transferred to the Liberian ship registry. She was renamed Bella Fortuna and put in lay-up in Turkey, facing an uncertain future.

Now she has arrived in the UAE this week following a weeks-long repositioning voyage through the Suez Canal, Red Sea and Indian Ocean, with her current ownership and onward plans unknown. 

The 1,402-passenger ship was built in 1982 for Royal Caribbean and has had a busy service life with several owners over the years, including Airtours and Thomson (now Marella Cruises).

One of the oldest cruise ships currently in operational condition, it was expected that Bella Fortuna would be scrapped when Celestyal Cruises put her up for sale, but there may be an operational future for her yet.

Offering a traditional cruise experience, the Bella Fortuna is equipped with a series of public areas and features, including two swimming pools, a casino, several lounges and bars, and a selection of shops.

Cordelia Cruises in India currently operates just one ship, the former Empress of the Seas of Royal Caribbean, which was built just a few years after Bella Fortuna and has been given a new lease on life with a major refit and refurbishment that was conducted in Dubai.

Cordelia Cruises also recently teased a series of new Arabian Gulf sailings from Dubai, suggesting plans to expand capacity and operate a ship in the Gulf and on the coast of India simultaneously. 

None of this has been confirmed by Cordelia and remains pure speculation at this time.

Another cruise line that may be considering bringing the ship into its fleet is AROYA Cruises, the Saudi Arabian cruise line start-up. 

Like Cordelia, AROYA has just one ship at present, Manara, which is due to launch cruises in the Red Sea in December. 

AROYA has confirmed plans to expand its fleet to at least three ships, and operate cruises in the Red Sea, Arabian Gulf, and Mediterranean.

However, at a recent Arabian Travel Market conference in Dubai, a spokesperson for the cruise line said AROYA plans for its next two ships to be newbuilds, and if the cruise line was planning to use the ship, it would likely be headed for a shipyard in Saudi Arabia.