Facing an uncertain future, the Braemar has just marked its 30th anniversary.
After debuting in 1993, the cruise ship was withdrawn from the fleet of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines in late 2022.
The 25,000-ton vessel is currently sitting in Scotland while looking for a new owner and operator.
Built in Spain in the early 1990s, the Braemar was originally ordered for Crown Cruise Line. The company, however, formed a joint venture with Cunard Line just months before the delivery of the vessel – which was originally named Crown Dynasty.
With Cunard taking over the marketing, sales and reservations for Crown, the ship debuted for the newly formed operator in June 2023 as the Cunard Crown Dynasty.
After leaving the shipyard, the Union Navale de Levante, the newbuild crossed the Atlantic to North America, where it spent its inaugural season.
Starting that July, the Dynasty sailed a full summer program in the Canada and New England region, with a series of itineraries departing from New York City and Montreal.
The 19,000-ton ship was then chartered to Majesty Cruise Line in 1997, becoming the Crown Majesty.
A few months later, however, Majesty merged its operations into Norwegian Cruise Line and the vessel ended up changing hands again.
Now named Norwegian Majesty, the 730-guest ship remained in the fleet of the U.S.-based cruise line until being returned to its original owners in 1999.
Facing financial difficulties, Crown Cruise Line finally sold the Crown Dynasty to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines in 2001.
Before kicking off service for its new owners in the UK, the ship underwent a full refurbishment at Blohm & Voss shipyard in Germany, becoming the Braemar.
In 2008, during a second major refit, the vessel was also enlarged, receiving a new 31-meter hull section that increased its tonnage to the current 25,000 GT. The passenger capacity was also increased to 977.
After almost 20 years sailing for Fred. Olsen, the Braemar entered an operational pause in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While other ships of the fleet resumed service between 2021 and 2022, the vessel remained in lay up before being withdrawn in definitive by the brand last November.