Recently, several notable transactions have occurred in the secondhand cruise ship market, highlighting shifts in ownership and purpose across various vessels.
Sirena
- Company: Oceania Cruises
- Capacity: 684 guests
- Tonnage: 30,227
- Year Built: 1999
- Move: Sold to an undisclosed buyer
- Date: July 2026
As part of a strategy to redefine its luxury offerings, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced in late July that it would sell the Sirena. The sale includes a leaseback arrangement that allows the ship to remain operational until spring 2028.
Villa Vie Legacy
- Company: Villa Vie Residences
- Move: To become Villa Vie’s second ship by early 2029
- Date: July 2026
Villa Vie Residences revealed plans for a new vessel, set to debut in early 2029. Though details are sparse, the imagery suggests it could be one of the S-class ships designed for Holland America in the 1990s, notably including the former Veendam, which has been in limbo in Greece since 2020.
American Empress
- Company: American Cruise Lines
- Capacity: 223 guests
- Tonnage: 5,975
- Year Built: 2003
- Move: Being scrapped in Alaska
- Date: November 2025
The American Empress, acquired by American Cruise Lines at auction in 2024, is currently undergoing scrapping in Alaska. This process began in late 2025, and the hull will be repurposed as a floating dock in Wrangell.
Knyaz Vladimir
- Company: Black Sea Cruises/Rosmorport
- Capacity: 765 guests
- Tonnage: 15,000
- Year Built: 1971
- Move: Reportedly sold to Razvitie Goroda LLC
- Date: March 2026
Black Sea Cruises is looking to dispose of the Knyaz Vladimir, a ship with a storied past since its 1971 construction. Reports indicate it has been sold, but confirmation is pending.
Former Viking Sun
- Company: China Merchants Viking Cruises
- Capacity: 930 guests
- Tonnage: 47,000
- Year Built: 2017
- Move: Sold to Tianjin Dingchi Leasing and transferred back to Viking’s fleet
- Date: March 2026
The Viking Sun has returned to the Viking fleet after being sold to Tianjin Dingchi Leasing for approximately $420 million. This follows a five-year stint in Asia, and now the ship is expected to operate in the Mediterranean, catering to the Chinese market.
For more details, check out the Secondhand Market Report.
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