MS Amera

She was launched in 1988 as Royal Viking Sun for Royal Viking Line. Christened by godparents James Stewart and Gloria Stewart,[2][3]and she was the largest ship in the fleet at the time she entered service.[4]

Royal Viking Sun prior to additional Cunard livery

Amera as Royal Viking Sun

In 1994, Cunard Line purchased Royal Viking Sun and the Royal Viking brand when Royal Viking Line ceased operations. Cunard continued to operate her under the same name and initially retained the vessel's original livery. Later, Cunard repainted her funnel in their colours but retained the Royal Viking logo.[5] In April 1996, the ship tore a hole in its hull after hitting a reef in the Red Sea about fifteen miles off the coast of Sharm El Sheikh while on its way to Aqaba.[6]

In 1999, Carnival Corporation merged Cunard and Seabourn and moved Royal Viking Sun to Seabourn.[7] After an extensive refit, she was renamed Seabourn Sun.[7][8] Her last cruise for Seabourn was a circumnavigation of South America in 2002.

Amera as Prinsendam

In 2002, Seabourn Sun was transferred to sister brand Holland America Line, after Seabourn chose to focus on its fleet's smaller vessels.[9] Renamed Prinsendam, she underwent a refit before beginning operations.

On 1 February 2007, Prinsendam was hit by two 12-metre-tall (39 ft) rogue waves near Cape Horn; 40 injuries were reported, with some requiring hospitalisation.[10]

On 22 March 2012, Prinsendam was en route to Portimao when she received a distress call from the Portuguese fishing boat Dario, which was sinking with eight people aboard. When the ship arrived, Dario's crew was entering a life raft. The Portuguese Coast Guard directed Prinsendam to pick up the fishermen and stand by for a helicopter to take the eight men to shore.[11]

During her career with Holland America, she had undertaken cruises to Antarctica,[12] and was able to transit the Kiel Canal due to her low height above the waterline.[13]

In July 2018, Holland America announced that Prinsendam had been sold to Phoenix Reisen.[14] However, she was chartered back to Holland America to continue operating her scheduled voyages until 1 July 2019.[14]

On 2 July 2019, Prinsendam began her six-week renovation at Blohm+Voss in Hamburg, and left on 12 August 2019 for Bremerhaven.[15] She was rechristened Amera in Bremerhaven on 16 August 2019 by Petra Kaiser, a veteran Phoenix Reisen employee,[16] before sailing to Dover for her maiden voyage to Antwerp, Amsterdam, and the Norwegian fjords, where she cruised for her inaugural season.[17][18] She operated Mediterranean cruises beginning in October 2019.[18]