1990
– French Paquet cruises purchases Ocean Cruise Lines. Paquet now owns three ships, Ocean Princess and Ocean Islander apart from their original vessel, the classic Mermoz.
– Japan Cruise Line, the second Japanese company in the Japanese domestic market starts operations with their Orient Venus.
– Celebrity Cruise starts operations. Owned by Chandris Cruises the company aims at the de luxe market.
1991
– Seawind Cruise Line starts operations. It owns a single vessel, that is known by and marketed under two names, Seawind Crown, but also under it’ s original name of Vasco da Gama.
– NYK introduces Asuka, a ship specifically designed for the Japanese cruising public.
1992
– Admiral Cruises ceases operations, it’ s ships are sold off.
– Chandris Celebrity Cruises forms a partnership with with OSG (Overseas Shipholding Group) in order to obtain the necessary funds for expansion.
– Society Expeditions ceases operations, it’s ships are sold off.
1993
– American Hawaii Cruises goes bankrupt, and is subsequently purchased by Delta Queen Steamboats, a company that owns two classic river boats, two stern wheelers to be exact and operates these on the Mississippi river.
– American Family Cruises starts operations. The company aims at families with children. Costa Cruises’ Costa Riviera is refitted (one entire deck is converted for the use of children) and starts service as American Adventure. Eugenio C is planned to follow as a second ship.
– Festival Cruises founded, today known in the USA as First European Cruises. Operations start with one ship, The Azur.
– Sea Quest Cruises, which operates soft expedition cruises with the Frontier Spirit ceases operations.
1994
– Delta Queen Steamboat Cy. changes it’ s name to American Classic Voyages.
– Cunard Line buys the name Royal Viking Line, together with their largest vessel Royal Viking Sun. Royal Viking Queen is not included in the deal.
– American Family Cruises (just started a year before) closes down, because the level of bookings remained low.
– Fiesta Marina (a Carnival subsidiary operating Fiesta Marina ex Carnivale for the South American market) and Cycladic Cruises (operating in the Greek isles region) both cease operations.
1995
– UK Tour operator Airtours starts operating a new division called Sun Cruises. Two ships are acquired: Nordic Prince from Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and Southward from Norwegian Cruise Lines.
– Regency Cruises collapse. It’s ships are arrested in port and later laid up and auctioned off.
1996
– Royal Cruise Line , part of the Kloster Group, closes down. It’s ships are shifted to parent company Norwegian Cruise Line (Crown Odyssey and Royal Odyssey), or sold off: Star Odyssey becomes Black Watch for Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and Queen Odyssey joins Seabourn Cruise Line.
– Baltic Line ceases operations. One of it’s vessels, Baltica is sold to Arcalia Shipping (Lisbon) and renamed Princess Danae.
– Carnival buys 30% intrest in British tour operator Airtours which owns a cruise division called Sun Cruises catering for the UK-cruise market.
– Kvaerner buys Trafalgar House and becomes the new owner of Cunard Line (owners of the illustrious Queen Elizabeth 2) in the process.
1997
– Carnival & Airtours both purchase all shares of Costa Cruises.
– Cruise Holdings purchases Delphin, Premier and Seawind Cruise Lines and continues operations under the name of Premier Cruises.
– Windstar purchases Club Med I and adds the vessel to its fleet as Windsurf.
– Norwegian Cruise Line buys Crown Majesty which was originally owned by bankrupt Majesty Cruise Line.
– Royal Caribbean Int. purchases Celebrity Cruises, both brands keep their own identity.
– Holland America Line sells Rotterdam to Premier Cruises, who rename her Rembrandt.
– HAPAG sells their famous Europa to Star Cruises, Star also acquires Sun Viking. New names for both ships: Superstar Asia and Superstar Sagittarius respectively.
– P&O sells Canberra after 37 years of service for srap.
– CTC cruises goes bankrupt. CTC was a British firm which chartered Russian cruise ships and offered cruises at moderate prices. However, cheap as they are, these ships cannot compete with the modern tonnage introduced by competitor P&O Cruises for example.
1998
– Cunard Line is sold again, this time to Carnival Cruise Lines, but remains a seperate brand in the Carnival family of cruise lines (Costa, HAL, Windstar, Seabourn, Airtours).
– Work on the Norwegian Sky starts, she is the unfinished hull of the former Costa Olympia ordered by Costa Cruises from Bremer Vulkan shipyard. Alas, during construction the yard went bankrupt.
– Norwegian Capricorn Line a daughter company of NCL is founded. It will operate the Norwegian Star ex Royal Viking Sea from Sydney, Australia
– NCL acquires Orient Cruise Line. This company operates the classic Marco Polo on destination oriented (soft expedition) cruises.
– German Meyer Werft delivers Superstar Leo, Star Cruises first newbuilding.
– Airtours takes over rival British tour/ cruise operator Direct Cruises. Direct remains a seperate brand however.
– Paradise (Carnival Cruise Line) is introduced as the world’ s first non-smoking cruise ship. Passengers caught smoking are fined and asked to leave the ship at the next port of call.
1999
– Voyager of the Seas (Royal Caribbean Cruises Int) is taken into service. She is the largest cruise ship ever built: 137.000 GRT.
– Residensea is not selling as much appartments as was hoped for on their newbuilding The World. It will be the first ship with residents who permanently live on board. As a result the planned vessel is scaled down from 85.000 GRT to 36.000 GRT.
– American Classic Voyages orders two 1900 pax. newbuildings at Ingalls shipyards, the first large passenger ships ordered in the US since many years.
– Sun Vista of Far Eastern Sun Cruises burns and sinks in the Straits of Malacca.
– Norwegian Dream (NCL) collides with container carrier Ever Decent in the English Channel and severely damages her bow.
– Plans are being developed for the largest cruise ship ever, the Queen Mary 2 by Cunard and Carnival.
