MS Serenissima

The 1960-built MS Serenissima cruise ship was constructed in Norway and launched by Hurtigruten as "Harald Jarl". The boat operated on itineraries along Norway's coastline and fjords. Extensively refurbished in 2003 (for US$20+ million), the 95-passenger vessel was renamed "MS Andrea" and chartered exclusively by Noble Caledonia UK (London England-based luxury cruise travel company) for several years.

The vessel (IMO number 5142657) is currently St Vincent Grenadines-flagged (MMSI 376439000) and registered in Kingstown. Its previous flag-state was Liberia (MMSI 636011534).

In 2012, the ship was acquired by Premier Cruises Ltd and renamed "MS Serenissima".

After an extensive drydock refit/thorough renovation and upgrade, Serenissima started passenger shipping operations in April 2013. The boat was last drydock-refurbished in 2018-2019.

With its small size (LOA length 87 m / 285 ft) and low draft (4,9 m / 16 ft), the ship can navigate into shallow waterways and remote harbors inaccessible to larger vessels.

Premier Cruise Line was established in 1984 (by Bjornar K Hermansen and Bruce Nierenberg) under a licensing agreement with The Walt Disney Company (1923-founded) as the direct predecessor to DCL-Disney Cruise Line. In 1992, Disney decided to establish their own cruise brand (DCL) and terminated the agreements with the company. Premier Cruises then entered into a similar licensing agreement with Warner Bros Entertainment Inc (1923-founded) and started to use the popular Looney Tunes characters in order to continue to target the family cruising market. The family-friendly ship travel brand continued to offer cruisetours/land and sea vacation packages inclusive of visits to Florida's theme parks Universal Studios and Disney World Resort.

For Noble Caledonia, Serenissima's current cruise itinerary program is very diverse and includes destinations like the Panama Canal, Portugal's Azores Islands, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Northern Europe (UK-Scotland, Baltic Sea).

Decks and Cabins

MS Serenissima staterooms (59 total) are attractively designed, fully air-conditioned and standard equipped with LCDTV (satellite reception, 13 channels plus a ship video channel for the lectures presented in Andrea Lounge), safety deposit box (in the closet), direct-dial phone, en-suite bathroom (single-sink vanity, WC toilet, shower, towels, toiletries/shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, soaps), hairdryer, robes, slippers. Bottles of sparkling and still water are replenished daily.

Ten different cabin grades are arranged over 5 decks (all with cabins). With the exception of the 3 inside cabins, all staterooms are outside-facing, with either portholes or windows. Because of the ship's older design, cabins vary greatly as sizes (between 7-27 m2 / 75-285 ft2), shapes, and bed and bath configurations, but this only adds to the boat's overall charm.

Serenissima's cabin types and categories are as follows: Inside Single Cabin (cat 1/size 10-12 m2), Standard Stateroom (cat 2/size 10-16 m2), Superior Stateroom (cat 3/size 12-20 m2), Deluxe Stateroom (cat 4/size 15-16 m2), Junior Suite (cat 5/size 21-22 m2), Executive Suite (cat 6/size 26-27 m2), Owners Suite (cat 7/size 23 m2), and Standard Single Cabin (cat 8/size 7-13 m2).

Shipboard facilities

The ship's main facilities are the two bar lounges (Andrea, and Harald/both on deck 5), Venice Restaurant (dining room), Library, Shop (selling branded merchandise).

The larger Andrea Lounge (forward) is spacious and comfortable and the smaller Harald Lounge (aft) is more intimate. The small Library is equipped with an Internet computer.

Outdoor deck spaces include a spacious Observation Deck that allows for 360-degree views of the sea or the passing scenery. From here, guests can step down to the Lido Deck (deck 5) fitted with an outdoor Jacuzzi/Whirlpool, open-air Bar and a small Fitness Room (gym with two treadmills).

Deck 6's covered seating area is ideal for relaxation. All lifejackets are on Deck 6 (stored outside, near the Muster/emergency assembly station).

The Infirmary/hospital is served by a resident physician on 24-hour duty. One elevator/midship lift interconnects decks 3 to 6.

The cruise ship's "open bridge" policy allows tourists to visit the top-deck Navigation Bridge/Wheelhouse (forward on deck 7) and enjoy the company of the Captain and the officers on duty. Reception Desk's guest services are provided between 7 am and 10 pm. During the night, the Reception's phone is switched over to the Wheelhouse.

The Venice Restaurant (midship on Deck 5/positioned between both lounges) is light and airy and with capacity to accommodate all passengers in a single sitting. The dining room features great views from all tables. Breakfast is served buffet-style and offers cooked dishes and eggs to order. Lunch is also buffet-style with cold and hot dishes. Dinner is served a la carte and is 4 courses, except for at Captain's Dinner (6-course affair). There are alfresco dining facilities used weather permitting.

The onboard food is largely based on locally sourced produce (where possible). Included at lunch and dinner is a choice of white or red wine (by the glass), beer and soft drinks. Coffee and tea are served around the clock in the Andrea Lounge.

When dining passengers are able to choose their seating arrangements at their leisure. The dress code is informal except for Captain's Dinner for which guests may choose to dress in smarter attire.

The ship carries its own fleet of Zodiacs (RIBs/rigid inflatable boats) used for near-shore expedition cruising and passenger transportation in destinations without proper docking infrastructure.

Noble Caledonia Serenissima itineraries 2023 schedule

Next are listed Noble Caledonia's itineraries scheduled for MS Serenissima in 2023.

• 11-night "From the Isles of Scilly to the Shetland Islands" (from Portsmouth to Aberdeen, departure May 4), itinerary ports Portsmouth, Channel Islands (Guernsey and Herm), Isles of Scilly (Tresco and St Agnes), Skellig Islands, Valentia Island, Tory Island, Canna and Loch Scavaig, St Kilda (Outer Hebrides), Foula (Shetland Islands), Lerwick, Fair Isle, Aberdeen
• 12-night "Atlantic Island Odyssey" - departures May 31 (Oban to Aberdeen), July 15 (Aberdeen to Oban), itinerary ports Staffa-Iona-Lunga islands, Loch Scavaig, Canna (Inner Hebrides), Isle of Lewis, Shiant Islands, St Kilda (Outer Hebrides), Faroes (Suduroy, Vestmanna/Streymoy, Torshavn), Shetland Islands (Unst and Fetlar), Lerwick, Fair IsleWestray/Orkney Islands, Aberdeen
• 12-night "Midsummer in Iceland" (departures June 12th from Aberdeen to Reykjavik/flight to London, and July 3rd - flight from London to Reykjavik, and Reykjavik to Aberdeen) itinerary ports Foula and Papa Stour (Shetland Islands), Faroes (Klaksvik, Torshavn, Vestmanna/Streymoy), Iceland (Hofn, Neskaupstadur, Mjoifjordur, Husavik, Grimsey Island, Siglufjordur, Saudarkrokur, Drangey Island, Stykkisholmur, Reykjavik)
• 9-night "Circumnavigation of Iceland" (departure June 24, from London flight to Reykjavik, and roundtrip from Reykjavik) itinerary Stykkisholmur, Western Fjords, Grimsey Island, Siglufjordur, Akureyri, Hrisey Island, Husavik, Neskaupstadur, Mjoifjordur, Hofn, Westman Islands, Reykjavik (flight to London)
• 8-night "Kingdom of the Isles" (Oban to Liverpool, departure July 27) itinerary Oban, Staffa-Iona islands, Isle of Skye, Loch Scavaig, Plockton/Loch Carron, Tobermory/Isle of Mull, Argyll/Loch Craignish, Islay (Inner Hebrides), Peel/Isle of Man, Liverpool
• 12-night "Beyond the Wild Atlantic Way" (circumnavigation of Ireland roundtrip from Liverpool, departures August 4, August 16) itinerary Liverpool, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, Waterford, Kilkenny, Kinsale, Cork, Bantry, Garnish Island, Skellig Islands, Kerry, Galway, Aran Islands, Killybegs/Donegal, Magheraroarty/Glenveagh NP, Tory Island, Portrush, Rathlin Island, Belfast, Liverpool
• 8-night "Hidden Isles" (Liverpool to Portsmouth, departure August 28) itinerary Liverpool, Peel/Isle of Man, Holyhead/Anglesey Island, Lundy Island, Isles of Scilly (Tresco, St Martin's, Bryher, St Mary's), Channel Islands (Guernsey and Herm), Portsmouth
• 14-night "Passage South" (Portsmouth to Tarragona, departure September 5) itinerary Portsmouth, Guernsey, Spain (La Coruna, Vilagarcia de Arousa), Portugal (Oporto), Spain (Huelva, Seville), Gibraltar, Spain (Malaga), Algeria (Algiers), Spain (Palma de Mallorca, Tarragona/flight to London)
• 9-night "Art and Culture on the French and Italian Rivieras" (departure September 19/flight London to Barcelona, and cruising from Barcelona to Livorno) itinerary Barcelona, Roses/Costa Brava, France (Vendres, Marseille, La Seyne Sur Mer, Nice), Italy (Genoa, Porto Venere, Viareggio, Livorno/flight to London)
• 9-night "Islands of Italy" (Livorno to Valletta, departure September 28) itinerary flight London to Pisa/Livorno, Elba Island (Portoferraio), Corsica Island (Bonifacio), Sardinia Island (Porto Torres, Alghero, Cagliari), Sicily Island (Trapani, Agrigento, Catania, Taormina, Syracuse), Valletta Malta/flight to London
• 10-night "Treasures of Sicily and Puglia" (flight London to Malta/Valletta to Brindisi, departure October 7) itinerary Valletta, Sicily (Licata, Agrigento, Syracuse, Catania, Taormina), Taranto (Lecce, Otranto, Monopoli, Alberobello), Brindisi (Ostuni), Brindisi/flight to London
• 9-night "Musical Journey along the Adriatic" (flight London to Brindisi and cruising from Brindisi to Split, departure October 17) itinerary Brindisi, Taranto/Lecce, Ancona (Jesi, Pesaro), Ravenna/Bologna, Venice (Venetian Lagoon Islands, Venice City), Croatia (Pula, Rovinj, Rijeka, Split), flight from Split to London

Noble Caledonia's cruise prices varied between GBP 450-460-500 (EUR 510-560) per night, depending on itinerary and departure date.