Where Is the Astoria Cruise Ship Now?

By Anna Duncan

The Astoria cruise ship has a long and storied history. It was built in the early 1950s for the Italian Line by Ansaldo Shipyards in Genoa, Italy.

It was originally named the Leonardo Da Vinci, but was renamed the Astoria upon its purchase by Sitmar Lines in 1965. The Astoria was then transferred to P&O Cruises in 1988, where it served for more than 20 years as a floating hotel and leisure facility.

The Astoria was renowned for its elegance and comfort, with its art deco interiors that transported passengers back to a bygone era of cruise travel. Its facilities included two restaurants, four bars, two swimming pools, a gymnasium, casino, theater and more.

It also offered luxurious staterooms with private balconies and state-of-the-art entertainment systems. The Astoria provided passengers with an unforgettable cruising experience that they would never forget.

However, after years of service to P&O Cruises, the Astoria was sold to Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) in 2009. CMV then set about re-fitting the ship to make it suitable for modern day cruising standards.

The deck plans were reconfigured and new cabin categories were created to accommodate different budget levels of travelers. The ship also underwent an extensive interior renovation that saw all cabins being redecorated and fitted with flat screen TVs and other modern amenities.

Since joining CMV’s fleet in 2010, the Astoria has become one of their most popular vessels – sailing on various itineraries around Europe such as Scandinavia & Russia as well as full world cruises from Australia or London roundtrip voyages around Africa or South America. Sadly though due to economic reasons the CMV ceased operations at the end of 2020 which led to the sale of their remaining ships including the Astoria which is now owned by Russian company Far East Shipping Company Ltd (FESCO).

It is unclear what will become of the beloved vessel but there are rumors circulating that FESCO may be converting it into a luxury floating hotel in St Petersburg or even scrapping it altogether – though no official announcement has been made yet so only time will tell what will happen with this beloved vessel once loved by thousands worldwide over its many decades at sea.

Conclusion

The Astoria cruise ship has had a long and illustrious history since it first set sail in 1951 under Italian Line ownership till its sale to Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) in 2009 until their ceasing operations at the end of 2020 when it was bought by Russian company Far East Shipping Company Ltd (FESCO). There are rumors circulating about what will become of this beloved vessel but no official announcements have been made as yet so we’ll have to wait and see where this majestic vessel ends up.