Built 1984 Yard Waertsila, Helsinki, Finland

Some data as built:

Length 231m

Passengers 1260

Crew 520

Cabins total 600 all outside cabins

BRT 44588

Speed 19 knots

After more than three decades of service, Artania still is a gem of a ship, with her sleek lines, her long tapered bow, and her traditional profile that sets her apart from today’s mega ships with their boxy exterior designs. Although, when she was taken ito service, some commented that aft, resembling an apartment building, she could have been designed with more flowing lines……times change.

When introduced in 1984 at a cost of over 150 mio dollars, she sailed together with the well-known “Love Boat” ships, Island and Pacific Princess, and Sun Princess. Princess Cruises enjoyed good passenger loads on its vessels and extra capacity was badly needed.

She was christened in the port of Southampton and named Royal Princess by Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, Princess Diana, whose portrait graced the Princess Court Lounge on November 15, 1984 in the presence of Finland’s President Mauno Koivisto, being built in Finland at the Wartisla Helsinki shipyard.. The Bishop of Southampton blessed the ship at the start of the ceremony.

Royal Princess introduced a new concept for large cruise ships , AOC, meaning All Outside Cabins and indeed, all of her cabins face the ocean. They all have a large picture window, not an “ordinary” porthole. Since Hitlers Kraft Durch Freude ships, Robert Ley and Wilhelm Gustloff, no significant passenger ships had had all cabins with an outside view

At the start of her career, most of the 600 cabins (ranging from 16 m2 to the Royal Suite of 50m2) are located on the upper decks, far away from noisy machinery and public spaces. in all, 150 cabins had verandah’s: 2 deluxe suites, 12 suites, 52 mini suites and another 84 standard cabins. another first for a cruise ship when Royal Princess entered service in 1984. All cabins had twin beds, convertible to queen-size, individual climate control, telephone, music, television, safe, refrigerator, and a bath tub (!) with shower (robes provided).

The atmosphere on board Royal Princess was a bit more sophisticated than on many other contemporary cruise ships, especially those sailing the shorter 1-week itineraries. Princess positioned her a bit more upmarket than her existing vesels. Her cruises were at the time mostly 10-14 day long, e attracting an older clientele with more time and money to take a longer cruise, mostly well-travelled passengers. Today, sailing for Phoenix Reisen as Artania, this still is the case although she now frequently sails on cruises of longer duration.

Those cruising onboard Royal Princess found themselves in elegant surroundings with soft colours, spacious public rooms where much brass and glass were used. In total, more than 15.000 square feet of windows made this an open ship.

Here is a description of her public spaces I wrote after a ship visit in 1995 in Amsterdam:

“Royal Princess´s interiors are designed by Hirsch & Bedner from Los Angeles. They have succeeded in creating warm, elegant public spaces. In corridors and stairways neutral colours are used, while in bars and lounges brighter colours and brass can be found.

Starting on Sun Deck, Royal Princess‘ top deck, we find the spa, where one can exercise, visit the sauna, indoor whirlpools or massage rooms, all with an ocean-view. Aft on this deck, we enter the Horizon Lounge, an observation lounge by day, a place to dance at night. It reminds one off RCCL’s famous Viking Crown lounges. It seats 200 passengers.

Let us descend to Lido Deck, also an outside oriented deck where we find several circular formed pools. For those who have become thirsty, the Lido Bar and Cafe are nearby…….. Here you can enjoy round the clock dining. Plants and colourful tiles and murals make this a most enjoyable spot.

Downstairs five decks to Riviera deck! On this deck starting forward, we find the International Lounge, where six levels of seats offer good views for watching spectacular Las Vegas style shows. The Princess Boutique, Crown Casino, the Princess (movie) theatre and the game room called The Bridge Lounge are found midships on this deck, as well as the Princess Court Lounge which encircles the top level of the two deck-atrium The Plaza. The Princess Court Lounge is a piano lounge, an ideal place for enjoying cocktails. A portrait of Princess Diana, who christened the ship in 1984 graces this room.

Aft on this deck we enter the cabaret style Riviera Club Bar and the terrace room which is lavishly decorated. It features distinctive red leather furnishings and several pieces of artwork. The art collection aboard Royal Princess was chosen by art consultant Neil Menzies from California.

The Pursers lobby and foyer is situated on Plaza deck, in one of the first small atria aboard a modern cruise vessel. It features a brass staircase leading to the above mentioned Princess Court on Riviera deck. The foyer is dominated by “Spindrift”, a two deck high sculpture featuring bronze seagulls, a fountain and lots of greenery.

Proceeding aft the Continental Dining room is located, a two tiered restaurant with large windows, where splendid food is served, one of the other aspects with which Royal Princess earned an impeccable reputation.”

A reputation she still holds today after over 35 years of service.

After her 2004 season she was transferred to sister company P&O Cruises for further service as the Artemis, catering for a British clientele.

She was renamed Artemis by British actress Prunella Scales in April 2005, and she quickly gained a loyal following amongst P&O passengers. She continued cruising for P&O until 2011. In the meantime, in 2010, Sarah Breton became her captain, and she was only the second woman in command of a large cruise ship, Karin Jahre-Janson being the first woman to command Royal Caribbean’s Monarch of the Seas in 2007.

P&O announced that they had sold Artemis to a firm called Artania Shipping in 2009, but she continued being operated by P&O. Not until 2011 she was taken over by German Phoenix Reisen, who renamed her Artania. But it now became clear that after 25 years of service she could use an upgrade in order to make her more efficient to run. So Artania was sent to Lloyd Werft who refitted her thorougly. Apart from carpeting and furniture upholstery and other interior work being carried out, Artania had her main engines swapped for new Wartsila manufactured ones.

On September 10, disaster struck onboard Artania as her captain, Sergey Klashnikov, suddenly passed away because of a heart attack. He had been in command since June that year. Phoenix passengers had known him since being a staff captain on the Maxim Gorkiy.

Nowadays, Artania is still impeccably maintained, and enjoys a loyal following during her long leisurely voyages. In December 2019, she will depart on a 140-day round-the-world cruise. Amidst the giant cruise lines built today, Artania still stands out, still being  a vessel with her own intimate character.