Cruise ship tour: Phoenix Reisen's Artania
If you speak German and would enjoy cruising on a midsize, classic ship with character and charm, then Phoenix Reisen’s Artania could be a perfect fit.
Before this eye-catching vessel hit the scene in 1984 as Princess Cruises' first Royal Princess with no fewer than 152 balcony staterooms, verandas were limited to just a few top-tier suites, if any, on most premium-market cruise ships. Princess Cruises' first newbuild also featured all outside staterooms with picture windows (versus portholes), a full deck of public spaces at the bottom of the ship (which is how most of today’s ships are designed) and more open deck space than any other ship to date. It further had the distinction of being christened by Princess Diana and was even featured in the prime-time television series "The Love Boat."
More: Inside the Princess ships that made cruising history
Having enjoyed two successful incarnations, first in the American cruise market, then as P&O’s Artemis for the British cruise market, the former Royal Princess now caters to a very devoted German-based clientele. Kept in immaculate condition and given a recent mechanical overhaul, the Artania often cruises on long, globe-trotting itineraries. The official language (printed programs, menus and announcements) is German, and that is how the ship is marketed, although many members of the staff and crew speak English.
Scroll through the gallery above to see what the former Royal Princess looks like today.
The Artania photo tour is part of our ongoing series of cruise ship galleries. For an inside look at dozens of other passenger vessels sailing the world's oceans and rivers, click on the links below:
Adventure Canada: Ocean Endeavour
AmaWaterways: AmaViola; AmaCerto
American Cruise Lines: American Constellation
American Queen Steamboat Company: American Queen; American Empress
Azamara Club Cruises: Azamara Quest
Avalon Waterways: Avalon Myanmar; Avalon Visionary; Avalon Passion
Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line: Grand Classica; Grand Celebration
Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Imagination; Carnival Inspiration; Carnival Miracle; early icons of the Carnival fleet; Carnival Vista
Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Solstice
Celestyal Cruises: Celestyal Olympia
Costa Cruises: Costa Diadema; Costa Atlantica; Costa Luminosa
CroisiEurope: Elbe Princesse
Cruise & Maritime Voyages: Astoria
Crystal Cruises: Crystal Symphony; Crystal Mozart; Crystal Mahler
Cunard Line: Queen Mary 2
Disney Cruise Line: Disney Wonder; Disney Fantasy; Disney Magic; Disney Dream, Fantasy compared
Emerald Waterways: Emerald Sky; Emerald Radiance
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises: Europa 2; Bremen
Hebridean Island Cruises: Hebridean Princess
Holland America Line: Amsterdam; Koningsdam; Maasdam; Nieuw Statendam; Oosterdam; Rotterdam; Volendam; Westerdam; Zaandam
Hurtigruten: Midnatsol; Lofoten; Nordstjernen; Fram; Trollfjord
MSC Cruises: MSC Meraviglia; MSC Seaview
Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian Getaway; Norwegian Escape; Norwegian Sky; Norwegian Joy; Norwegian Bliss; Pride of America
Oceania Cruises: Nautica; Sirena; Marina; Insignia
Paul Gauguin Cruises: Paul Gauguin
P&O Cruises: Britannia
Ponant: Le Soleal; Le Boreal
Princess Cruises: Regal Princess; Diamond Princess; early icons of the Princess fleet; Star Princess; Golden Princess
Regent Seven Seas Cruises: Seven Seas Mariner; Seven Seas Explorer; Seven Seas Voyager; Seven Seas Navigator
Royal Caribbean International: Quantum of the Seas; Anthem of the Seas; Freedom of the Seas; Harmony of the Seas; Symphony of the Seas
Scenic Cruises: Scenic Gem; Scenic Sapphire
Seabourn Cruise Line: Seabourn Encore
Silversea: Silver Galapagos; Silver Cloud; Silver Cloud (before 2017 makeover); Silver Muse
Star Clippers: Royal Clipper
Tauck: Inspire; Savor; Emerald
UnCruise Adventures: Safari Endeavour; Safari Voyager
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection: S.S. Maria Theresa; River Countess
Viking River Cruises: Viking Skirnir; Viking Herja; Viking Hild
Viking Ocean Cruises: Viking Star; Viking Sea; Viking Sky; Viking Sun; Viking Orion
Windstar Cruises: Star Pride; Star Breeze; Wind Spirit
Retired and/or preserved ocean liners, cruise ships and yachts: SS Rotterdam; Royal Yacht Britannia; the nuclear-powered Savannah
Theme galleries: 10 cruise ship suites that will blow your mind; the last of the great ocean liners; ship christenings with Queen Elizabeth II; Royal ship christenings through the years; 9 most amazing megaships; 25 most beautiful cruise vessels; the world's 25 biggest cruise ships
Defunct and/or dismantled ships: Cruise & Maritime Voyages' Discovery; Offshore Outpost Expeditions' Pacific Provider