Built as a passenger- cargo vessel under yard No D23 by Chantiere de L’Atlantique, St Nazaire for Cie. Francaise de Navigation, Marseille.
11 December 1965 launched under the name RENAISSANCE.
Tonnage 11.724 gross, 6.106 net, 2.884 dwt. Dim. 150.02 x 21.06 x 6.20m. (draught).
Powered by two 6-cyl Atlantique B&W diesels, 13.680 bhp., twin screws, speed 18.5 knots, maximum 20 kn.
Passenger accommodation for 492 in one class. Crew 191.
10 May 1966 delivered to owners.
After delivery used in the liner service between Marseille and Haifa, Israel.
1970 Sold to Nouvelle Compagnie de Paquebots, thereafter used for cruising from the USA.
1977 Sold to Epirotiki Lines S.A., Piraeus, renamed in HOMERIC RENAISSANCE.
1978 Sold to Hellenic Co. Overseas Cruises S.A. (Epirotiki), renamed WORLD RENAISSANCE.
She was chartered by Costa.
1979 Gross tonnage given as 8.665.
1983 Chartered by the de St Helena Shipping Co, and managed by Curnow Shipping Ltd, used in the service between Porthleven, Cornwall, Plymouth, Tenerife, St. Helena to Capetown. Also used for the cruise trade in South African waters.
From 1985 in the cruise trade in the Mediterranean, during the winter in the Caribbean and on the Amazon River
Tonnage in 1989 is given as 8.665 grt., 4.160 net, 2.930 dwt.
1995 Sold to White Oster Nav. Ltd., Panama, renamed AWANI DREAM. (An Indonesian company Awani Modern Group, Djakarta.) After the Awani cruises collapsed she was taken over by Royal Olympic Cruises.
Greek shipping companies are often difficult to follow, but according Marine News was she sold in 1997 by Dynasty Nav. Corp., Panama to Solar Nav. Corp., Greece and renamed WORLD RENAISSANCE.
06 April 2005 by public auction sold for 3.4 million USA Dollar, she was bought by Elysian Cruises Lines, Panama, renamed GRAND VICTORIA.
2005 http://www.equasis.org gives: IMO No 6604834, call sign 3EBD5, registered owners and managed by Pelorus Mtme Inc., Panama.
2007 Chartered by Monarch Classic Cruises and renamed in BLUE MONARCH, registered under Portuguese flag and registry.
Her owner is given by equasis as Blue Monarch Shipping Inc., Panama, and managed by Elysian Ship Management Inc., Coral Cables, USA.
Cayman Islands 1978 5c sg 442, scott 393
Marine News 1996/374. 1998/146, 607