en.Wedoany.com Reported - Corazul, a niche cruise company targeting the Spanish-speaking market, has canceled its summer itineraries originally scheduled to launch in the Mediterranean in July. The company reported that after an in-depth review of market conditions, it has decided not to proceed with the planned cruise program operating from Barcelona through October. Corazul announced plans in early 2026 to restart a dedicated Spanish-language cruise business, a market previously served by tour operator Pullmantur, which was once owned by Royal Caribbean Group but ceased operations during the 2020 pandemic, with its ships sold for scrap. Carnival Corporation was also a partner in another Spanish brand, Iberocruceros, which operated until 2014. Corazul told The Maritime Executive that its market review showed that only 10% of former operators' customers continued to choose cruise vacations after these two cruise lines ceased operations, and its goal is to win back these customers.
Corazul's first ship, originally scheduled to launch in early July under the name Buneavista, had its plans canceled after the company reviewed market conditions. Subsequently, the planned transatlantic crossing from Portugal to Recife, Brazil, for the 2026-2027 season itineraries, as well as the return voyage to Spain in March 2027, have also been adjusted. The company stated it will focus on launching from Brazil, reporting stronger initial demand there. Corazul's website previously showed 30% discounts on July and August cruises departing from Spain, and 50% discounts on September and October sailings.
Details of the company's first ship were never officially confirmed, but it used images of the 1995-built cruise ship Oriana (69,840 gross tons), which served the UK market as the first modern cruise ship of British P&O Cruises. Carnival Corporation sold the ship in 2018 to a Chinese group, which renamed it Piano Land. The ship began operations in 2019 and underwent a major renovation in 2020 to reflect Chinese style, but due to China's post-pandemic restrictions on cruises, it did not resume operations until July 2024. The Oriana was built by Germany's Meyer Werft shipyard, measuring 260 meters (853 feet) in length, with 939 cabins and a maximum capacity of 2,140 passengers. Despite operating in China, its registry remains in Bermuda.
The ship's future remains uncertain. It completed its final voyage in Hong Kong on May 31, with crew reporting they were packing up the vessel, which has been moved to anchorage. The ship's operations earlier this year were consolidated into China's Adora Cruises to streamline the Chinese cruise industry. Adora Cruises still lists the ship as Gulangyu, but given the vessel is 30 years old, Chinese regulations prohibit it from sailing from mainland China. The ship had operated for a period under a charter contract, departing from Malaysia, and most recently from Hong Kong. Unconfirmed reports from China indicate that operator Astro Cruises has begun recruiting replacement crew, and the ship is taking a brief rest, expected to resume sailing soon. Following rumors that Corazul has not yet completed financing for the cruise ship, the company declined to comment on its future ship plans.
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