Holland America Line will not disclose the buyers behind two very similar ships, but they both hold striking resemblances to a start-up cruise outfit's future vessel.
The Carnival Corp brand on Thursday confirmed plans to sell four of its 15 ships, as previously reported in TradeWinds.
TradeWinds then reported that, among those vessels, Holland America sold the 1,350-berth Veendam (built 1996) and 1,258-berth Maasdam (built 1993) to undisclosed buyers.
These two vessels look very similar to an artistic rendering of a ship shown on the website of fledgling cruise company Blue World Voyages.
The Veendam has a market value of $36.6m, while the Maasdam is worth $19.9m, according to VesselsValue. Both ships are off Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Holland America declined to comment. Blue World Voyages did not return calls.
Blue World Voyages describes itself as a cruise provider that caters to passengers who prefer healthy, active lifestyles.
"A few years ago an entrepreneur and competitive rower, climber, sports and yoga enthusiast had a ridiculously bold idea", the company says on its website.
"To find people with similar healthy, active lifestyles and combine all the things they love about life into something called a cruise."
Entrepreneur establishes healthy lifestyle cruising
The site lists Miami-based entrepreneur Gene Meehan as founder and chairman, as well as 12 other upper-level employees handling from sales to wellness to chartering.
Fredy Dellis, former chief executive of The World at ResidenSea, is Blue World's CEO and co-founder.
The ship, set to launch next year, will accommodate 525 passengers in 225 passenger suites, and 40 residences that can be bought for about $3m each.
Carnival plans to sell at least 13 ships and delay deliveries of perhaps as many newbuildings as it tries to weather the unprecedented Covid-19 downturn.
Bonheur announced last week that it bought two Holland America ships for its Fred Olsen Cruise Lines for $37m.
TradeWinds identified them as the 1,380-berth Amsterdam (built 2000) and 1,404-berth Rotterdam (built 1997) using Clarksons data.
