Blue Sapphire (ship)

This article is about the cruise ship. For other ships named Europa, see MS Europa. For the gemstone, see Sapphire § Blue sapphire.

Blue Sapphire
Blue Sapphire as Saga Sapphire in Kiel, 2018
History
Name
  • 1981–1999: Europa
  • 1999–2000: SuperStar Europe
  • 2000–2004: SuperStar Aries
  • 2004–2008: Holiday Dream
  • 2008–2011: Bleu de France
  • 2011–2020: Saga Sapphire
  • 2020–present: Blue Sapphire
Owner
Operator
Port of registry
Builder
CostUS$120 million[2]
Yard number1001[1]
Laid downApril 1980
Launched22 December 1980[1]
Completed1981[1]
Acquired5 December 1981[1]
Maiden voyage8 January 1982[1]
In service8 January 1982[1]-present
Identification
StatusIn service
General characteristics (as built)[1]
TypeCruise ship
Tonnage37,049 GT;[5] 5,168 DWT
Length199.63 m (654.95 ft)
Beam28.55 m (93.67 ft)
Draught8.30 m (27.23 ft)
Decks12[4]
Installed power
  • 2 × 7-cylinder MAN-Bremer Vulkan diesels
  • combined 21270 kW
Speed21 knots (39 km/h)
Capacity600 passengers[2]
General characteristics (as Bleu de France)[4]
TypeCruise ship
Tonnage37,301 GRT
Decks12 (10 passenger accessible)
Speed19 kn (35 km/h)
Capacity
  • 752 passengers (lower berths)
  • 1,158 (all berths)
Crew406

Blue Sapphire is a cruise ship owned and operated by ANEX Tour. She was originally built in 1981 by Bremer Vulkan of Germany for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises as Europa. In 1999, Europa was sold to Star Cruises and she was renamed SuperStar Europe and a year later, Superstar Aries. In 2004, she was sold to Pullmantur Cruises and renamed Holiday Dream. In May 2008, she was transferred to the fleet of CDF Croisières de France and renamed Bleu de France.[1] In November 2010, she was sold to Saga Cruises, but retained on charter by CDF for a further 12 months. Following an extensive refit in Italy from November 2011 to March 2012, the vessel was renamed Saga Sapphire. Most recently, she was sold to ANEX Tour in June 2020 and renamed Blue Sapphire, scheduled for an official debut in 2021.[6]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Asklander, Micke. "M/S Europa (1981)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  2. ^ a b c Ward, Douglas (2006). Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Singapore: Berlitz. pp. 347–348. ISBN 981-246-739-4.
  3. ^ Equasis, Malta (since 01-04-2006)
  4. ^ a b "Croisières de France 2008 brochure (reprint)". Simplon Postcards (in French). Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  5. ^ GL-Reg-No : 16201 (IMO : 7822457)
  6. ^ "Saga Completes the Sale of the Saga Sapphire to Anex Tour". Cruise Industry News. 18 June 2020.