Cordelia Cruises’ Empress recently celebrated its 35th anniversary after entering service on May 31, 1990.

Currently in service for the India-based company, the ship was originally ordered for Admiral Cruises but spent most of its sailing career with Royal Caribbean International.

Initially poised to be named Future Seas, the 48,563-ton vessel was built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France.

Sold along with its operator to Royal Caribbean while still under construction, the ship underwent significant changes before being completed as the Nordic Empress.

After being christened by actress Gloria Estefan in Miami, the new ship kicked off its maiden season on June 25, 1990.

As the first mainstream cruise ship  designed for the short cruise market, the Nordic Empress initially offered three- and four-night sailings to the Bahamas.

After moving to other itineraries, the vessel gained a new name following an extensive refurbishment in 2005, becoming the Empress of the Seas.

Three years later, the ship was transferred to Royal Caribbean’s Spanish subsidiary, Pullmantur Cruceros.

With its name shortened to Empress, the vessel debuted in new regions, including the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and South America.

The ship continued to sail for the company through 2016 when, in a unique twist, it was brought back to the Royal Caribbean fleet for cruises to Cuba.

Ideally sized for the operation, the Empress of the Seas offered itineraries to Havana before the country was closed to U.S.-based cruise ships again.

As the pandemic brought the world’s cruise fleet to a complete pause, the ship was sold to Cordelia in late 2020.

Following another refurbishment, the Empress debuted in Mumbai for a series of domestic cruises in India in late 2021.

In related news, Cordelia Cruises recently filed for an IPO in India to support the addition of two new ships to its fleet.

Currently in service for Norwegian Cruise Line, the Norwegian Sky and the Norwegian Sun are set to be handed over to the company in late 2026 and late 2027, respectively.