The 30,277gt/1999 built Ocean Princess (above) of Princess Cruises will join the Oceania Cruises fleet in 2016 under the name of Sirena. The plans for the 672 passenger ship were announced in November and she will come under the newly expanded fleet of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH). The transfer of ownership will take place in March 2015.

The Ocean Princess was built as the R Four and will join three of her former Renaissance Cruises fleet mates, namely the Insignia, Regatta and Nautica. Renaissance Cruises filed for bankruptcy in 2001 and the R Four became the Tahitian Princess before being renamed again. Sister Pacific Princess remains with Princess Cruises and another sistership, the Adonia, serves P&O Cruises. Upon joining Oceania, the Ocean Princess will undergo a 35-day, $40 million overhaul in dry dock that will be similar to the recent makeover of the 30,277gt/1998 built Insignia. Meanwhile Norwegian Cruise Line completed the acquisition of Prestige Cruises International on 19th November, both in cash and stock, for a total transaction consideration of $3.025 billion, including the assumption of debt. With this acquisition, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. operates a portfolio of brands that span all market segments in the cruise industry, from contemporary to upper-premium and luxury.

On 11th December Oceania’s 30,277gt Insignia caught fire while berthed in Castries, St. Lucia. The fire broke out in the vessel’s engine room and the ship lost power. The crew was able to contain the fire and it was quickly extinguished. However, five persons, crew and contractors, were working in the engine room at the time. All were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation but 2 contractors and 1 crewman perished from their injuries. All the passengers were evacuated off the vessel.