The end may be nearing for the Monarch, Sovereign and Horizon as the trio of former Pullmantur ships could be heading for dismantling in Turkey, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Pullmantur filed for reorganization under Spanish insolvency laws in June, with Royal Caribbean Cruises essentially taking the ships back from the Spanish brand at the same time, and telling Cruise Industry News the vessels were being transitioned to cold lay-up.
Crew members aboard the fleet said important items of value have been removed from the vessels, which will now end up in Aliaga, Turkey, a coastal town known for its ship-scrapping business.
A request for further information sent to Royal Caribbean Cruises went unanswered.
The Pullmantur Fleet:
Horizon
Built: 1990
Capacity: 1,828
Notes: Launched as the Celebrity Horizon. Has also spent time under the Island Cruises and CDF umbrellas.
Monarch
Built: 1991
Capacity: 2,850
Notes: Launched as the Monarch of the seas for Royal Caribbean International in 1988; moved to Pullmantur in 2013.
Sovereign
Built: 1988
Capacity: 2,850
Notes: Launched as the Sovereign of the Sea for Royal Caribbean International in 1988, becoming the largest cruise ship in the world at the time. Transferred to Pullmantur in 2008.
