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A somewhat smaller, but cosy, intimate cruise ship with a bit plain but comfortable interiors. That would more or less give you a description of the ms Paloma I.

Built in 1980 in a Polish shipyard as the second vessel of a series of seven ships designed for ferry services, the Dmitry Shostakovich sailed on various ferry routes for owners Black Sea Shipping Company.

In 1985 she was sent to Lloyd Werft where she was rebuilt. She received a new bow in the process. Until 1993 Paloma and her sister Palmira were a familiar sight on the German cruise scene under there former names (Dmitry Shostakovich and Lev Tolstoy respectively), but times changed and they  disappeared from the scene. There main reason for this was that the German cruise public demanded ships with more sophisticated, luxury interiors and facilities.

In 1993/4 Dmitry Shostakovich spent a year on the British market when CTC Cruises chartered her.

                                            Palmira

This charter ended when she was arrested for debts.

For the next six years Israeli Shipowner Mano Maritime used her on the route between Haifa and Odessa. SCL Overseas bought her in 2000 and sent her for refitting and upgrading of her public areas to a Polish yard . This was necessary because the entire Russian shipping scene had run into serious financial difficulties when the communist state collapsed. Blasco (short for Black Sea Shipping Company), owners of the Dmitry Shostakovich, were no exception. Bills were left unpaid, maintenance work to be carried out on the vessels was postponed. In the process of refitting she received an enlarged sun deck, the lido area next to the pool was modernised and a bar was added there. Furthermore several cabins were added and upgraded and on deck 8 a Biergarten was added.

She was renamed Paloma and returned to the German market (sailing under charter for Neckermann and Hansa Kreuzfahrten). Her first Easter cruise for was fully booked, when it became clear that much more work to recondition the vessel was needed. Her technical state was worse than expected.

A year later she passed yet again to new owners, Di Maio & Partner.


               

                                                        Veranda Bar, Upper Deck

As said before, Paloma I is not a luxury vessel, but you feel at home the moment you board. One of the reasons for this are the Ukrainian crew members who have been retained when  she changed hands. They do all they can to make your cruise a success, and the occaisional language barrier kind of adds to their charm.

Paloma spends most of her time in the Mediterranean and the Baltic catering for a Western European clientele. 
                                            

                                                       Restaurant, Upper Deck

The lay out of the Paloma I is straightforward:
She has 9 decks, 6 of which are passenger decks. All cabins on board Paloma I (apart from two suites on Boat Deck) are situated on her lower two decks Middle Deck (Deck 4) and Main Deck (Deck 5) as well as a shop and the reception area.

Deck 6, Upper deck features her restaurant, the Veranda Bar, Salon Hansa and outside her pool and Lido area. Again one deck up, on Deck 7, Boat Deck, Club Bremen is situated. On this deck and Deck 8, Bridge Deck ample deck space can be found for passengers who want to work on their sun tan.
So all the necessary facilities are available. As a result of her last refit, her outmoded, old fashioned soviet-style interiors have been upgraded to a more colourful, friendly but still intimate atmosphere.

Cruising on Paloma I means sailing at a moderate price. Her voyages are marketed at 3 star-prices, but passenger comments on food and service offered are very favourable.

                                                            Salon Hansa, Upper Deck

As I already mentioned, there is an informal, casual atmosphere on board. At night, dressing “leger” is the motto, and only on occaisions like Captains Dinner and Farewell Dinner – this seems to become a trend in cruising as cruise lines one after another switch to more informal shipboard life- festive attire is worn.

Note: D&P Cruises sold her in 2007 to Everis Capital Holdings Ltd. from Kingstown-Saint Vincent & the Grenadines for use as the gambling ship Royale Star. Technical management lies with V Ships Leisure. She operates gambling cruises from Singapore.

                                                            Lido & pool area, Upper Deck

PalomaI, ex Dmitry Shostakovitch was built in 1980 as one of a series of 7 ships, Georg Ots, Dmitry Shostakovitch, Lev Tolstoy, Konstantin Simonov, Mikhail Suslov, Mikhail Sholokov and Konstantin Chernenko.
 

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