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'''Club Cruise''' was a [[Netherlands]]-based [[cruise ship]] company, that chartered vessels to other operators, including [[Transocean Tours]] and [[Phoenix Reisen]]. The company had also operated ships under its own brands, first in 1999 on short cruises from the [[Netherlands]]<ref name=FoF>{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/gruziya_1975.htm|title=M/S ''Gruziya'' (1975) |accessdate=2008-05-08 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish }}</ref> and during 2008 in the [[United Kingdom]] cruise market under the banner of '''Van Gogh Cruises'''.<ref name=NewmanVanGogh>{{cite web |url=http://dougnewmanatsea.wordpress.com/2008/01/21/new-club-cruise-subsidiary-to-market-van-gogh-in-uk/ |title=New Club Cruise Subsidiary to Market ''Van Gogh'' in UK |accessdate=2008-01-27 |date=2008-01-21 |last=Newman |first=Doug |format= |work=At Sea with Doug Newman }}</ref><ref name=NewmanTrouble>{{cite web |url=http://dougnewmanatsea.com/2008/05/07/trouble-at-club-cruise-van-gogh-uk-plans-axed-da-vinci-scrap-rumors-astoria-sale-imminent/ |title=Trouble at Club Cruise? ''Van Gogh'' UK Plans Axed; ''Da Vinci'' Scrap Rumors; ''Astoria'' Sale Imminent? |accessdate=2008-05-08 |date=2008-05-07 |last=Newman |first=Doug |work=At Sea with Doug Newman |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719180306/http://dougnewmanatsea.com/2008/05/07/trouble-at-club-cruise-van-gogh-uk-plans-axed-da-vinci-scrap-rumors-astoria-sale-imminent/ |archive-date=2008-07-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Club Cruise was reportedly seeking to list itself in the [[London Stock Exchange]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=2369 |title=''Van Gogh''{{'}}s 2008/2009 Itineraries Intact |accessdate=2008-01-27 |date=2008-01-23 |format= |publisher=Cruise Critic News }}</ref>

==History==
Club Cruise was founded in 1999 to operate short cruises out of [[Rotterdam]] with one ship, {{MS|Club 1}}. The service was not a success, and the company ceased operations after the 1999 [[northern hemisphere]] summer season. Subsequently, the ''Club 1'' was renamed MS ''Van Gogh'' and chartered to the [[France]]-based [[Nouvelles Frontieres]].<ref name=FoF /> In 2002 the ship was chartered to the [[United Kingdom]] -based [[Travelscope]].<ref name=NewmanVanGogh /> Two additional ships were acquired in 2006. {{MS|Albatros}} was purchased from a [[Bahamas]]-based company and continued under charter to her previous operator, the [[Germany]]-based [[Phoenix Reisen]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/royal_viking_sea_1973.htm |title=M/S ''Royal Viking Sea'' (1973) |accessdate=2008-05-08 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish }}</ref><ref name=AlexH2>{{cite web |url=http://dougnewmanatsea.wordpress.com/2007/09/04/the-new-alexander-von-humboldt/ |title=The New ''Alexander Von Humboldt'' |accessdate=2008-01-27 |date=2007-09-04 |author=Doug Newman |format= |work=At Sea with Doug Newman }}</ref> MS ''Walrus'' was purchased from [[SeaContainers]]. She was renamed {{MS|Jules Verne}} and chartered to the [[Spain]]-based [[Vision Cruises]]. In 2008 she was renamed {{MS|Alexander von Humboldt II}} and also chartered to Phoenix Reisen.<ref name=AlexH2 />

In 2007, Club Cruise acquired {{MS|Astoria}} from [[Sovcomflot]]. Sovcomflot had chartered her to the [[Germany]]-based [[Transocean Tours]], and Club Cruise continued this charter.<ref name=NewmanTrouble /> During the same year Club Cruise were reported to be planning an ambitious new building programme of six {{GT|20,000}} ships.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dougnewmanatsea.wordpress.com/2008/02/01/rumors-club-cruise-fred-olsen-saga-to-order-in-korea/ |title=Rumors: Club Cruise, Fred. Olsen, Saga to Order in Korea? |accessdate=2008-02-02 |date=2008-02-02 |last=Newman |first=Doug  |format= |work=At Sea with Doug Newman }}</ref> In early 2008 the company were reportedly negotiating with a [[South Korea]]n shipyard about ordering three {{GT|20,000}} ships.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dougnewmanatsea.com/2007/08/16/club-cruise-seeks-lse-listing-newbuilds/ |title=Club Cruise Seeks LSE Listing, Newbuilds |date=2007-08-16 |accessdate=2008-05-08 |last=Newman |first=Doug  |format= |work=At Sea with Doug Newman }}</ref> In late 2007, Club Cruise purchased the [[cruiseferry]] GTS ''Finnjet'' from SeaContainers. She was renamed {{GTS|Da Vinci}} with plans to convert her to a cruise ship, but due to higher-than-anticipated costs of the conversion the plan was abandoned and the ship was sold for scrap in May 2008.<ref name=NewmanTrouble /><ref name=HS>{{cite web |url=http://www.hs.fi/kotimaa/artikkeli/Finnjet%20matkalla%20kohti%20romuttamoa/1135236130216 |title=''Finnjet'' matkalla kohti romuttamoa |accessdate=2008-05-07 |last=Tukkimäki |first=Paavo |date=2008-05-06 |language=Finnish |work=HS.fi Kotimaa |publisher=Helsingin Sanomat }}</ref> Around the same time it was reported that Club Cruise were experiencing financial difficulties and as a result were looking to sell the ''Astoria''.<ref name=NewmanTrouble /> This was realised in June 2008, when the ''Astoria'' was sold to [[Saga Cruises]], with delivery in April 2009, following the end of her charter to Transocean Tours.<ref name=NewmanAstoria>{{cite web |url=http://dougnewmanatsea.com/2008/06/30/astoria-goes-on-a-quest-for-adventure-with-saga/ |title=Astoria Goes on a Quest for Adventure with Saga |accessdate=2008-07-02 |date=2008-06-30 |last=Newman |first=Doug  |format= |work=At Sea with Doug Newman }}</ref>

===Van Gogh Cruises===

'''Van Gogh Cruises''' was established in January 2008, following the collapse of [[Travelscope]] who had previously chartered {{MS|Van Gogh}} from Club Cruise. Due to the popularity of the ship in the UK  cruise market, Club Cruise decided to establish a new subsidiary to operate her, staffed mostly by ex-Travelscope employees. Van Gogh Cruises was planned to tale over most of the existing 2008 and 2009 itineraries Travelscope had planned for the ''Van Gogh''.<ref name=NewmanVanGogh /><ref name="MM">{{cite web|url=http://www.maritimematters.com/shipnews.html |title=Club Cruise Paints Brighter Future For ''Van Gogh'' |accessdate=2008-01-27 |date=2008-01-25 |publisher=Maritime Matters |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225103844/http://www.maritimematters.com/shipnews.html |archivedate=2007-12-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://dougnewmanatsea.wordpress.com/2007/08/16/club-cruise-seeks-lse-listing-newbuilds/ |title=Club Cruise Seeks LSE Listing, Newbuilds |accessdate=2008-01-27 |date=2007-08-16 |last=Newman |first=Doug |format= |work=At Sea with Doug Newman }}</ref> Due to difficulties in acquiring membership of the [[Association of British Travel Agents]], the company were unable to sell any cruises. Due to this the company have chartered the ''Van Gogh'' to the Russia-based [[Metropolis Tur]] for the 2008 [[northern hemisphere]] summer season.<ref name=Newman>{{cite web |url=http://dougnewmanatsea.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/van-gogh-cruise-line-cancels-summer-cruises-van-gogh-chartered-to-metropolis-tur/ |title=''Van Gogh'' Cruise Line Cancels Summer Cruises; ''Van Gogh'' Chartered to Metropolis Tur |accessdate=2008-04-01 |date=2008-03-31 |last=Newman |first=Doug |work=At Sea with Doug Newman }}</ref> Originally Van Gogh Cruises planned to restart operations in 2009 after ABTA membership had been acquired, but the company has ceased operations.<ref name=NewmanTrouble />

==Fleet==

===Ships chartered out===
* {{MS|Albatros}} 
* 2006 - 2008
* under charter to [[Phoenix Reisen]].<ref name="AlexH2" />[[File:Albatros in Eckernförde.jpg|thumb]]
* {{MS|Alexander von Humboldt II}}  
* 2008 
* under charter to Phoenix Reisen.<ref name="AlexH2" /> [[File:Alexander von Humboldt (2881088171).jpg|thumb]]
* [[Saga Pearl II|MS Astoria]]
* 2007 - 2009
* under charter to [[Transocean Tours]] until April 2009. Following the end of the charter she will be sold to [[Saga Cruises]].<ref name="NewmanAstoria" />[[File:Astoria Kiel (cropped).jpg|thumb]]
* [[MS Salamis Filoxenia|MS Club 1 / Van Gogh]] 
* 1999 - 2008
* under charter to [[Metropolis Tur]] for the 2008 [[northern hemisphere]] summer season.<ref name="Newman" />[[File:"Club I" - Hoek van Holland, 1999.jpg|thumb|M.S Van Gogh as Club 1.]]

===Former ships===
* {{GTS|Da Vinci}} (2007–2008) – Originally the [[cruiseferry]] ''Finnjet''. Purchased by Club Cruise to be rebuilt into a cruise ship, November 2007,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.finnjetweb.com/en/news/ |title=It's official: ''FINNJET'' is sold! |accessdate=2008-01-27 |author=Mathias Saken |date=2008-01-20 |publisher=Finnjetweb News}}</ref> but sold for scrap in May 2008.<ref name=HS />[[File:Finnjet.jpg|thumb|The (G.T.S) Finnjet as Da Vinci laid up, 2008]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Defunct cruise lines]]