MS Holiday
Product brand
UnclaimedMS Holiday was a Holiday-class cruise ship that operated successively as Holiday, Grand Holiday and Magellan before being scrapped in India in 2021.
Last updated August 24, 2026
Overview
MS Holiday was a Holiday-class cruise ship built by Aalborg Værft in Aalborg, Denmark, and delivered for Carnival Cruise Lines in 1985. It was the first of three ships in Carnival's Holiday class and entered service on 13 July 1985 under the name Holiday. The vessel represented an early generation of large, purpose-built cruise ships for Carnival and spent much of its original career operating Western Caribbean itineraries from Mobile, Alabama. During its Carnival career, Holiday underwent a substantial renovation in 2003 after concerns about the ship's deteriorating condition. The work was intended to extend the vessel's useful life and maintain its appeal in a competitive cruise market. In 2005, following Hurricane Katrina, Carnival temporarily removed the ship from normal service and used it as accommodation for people affected by the disaster. After that assignment, the vessel received another period of dry-dock work, including new carpeting and plumbing as well as repairs to its propellers. Holiday continued its regular Western Caribbean schedule from Mobile until its retirement from Carnival's fleet in November 2009. It was then transferred within the wider Carnival corporate family to Iberocruceros, where it was renamed Grand Holiday. The ship retained its recognizable Carnival-style funnel, although it was repainted, and it entered Iberocruceros service after a refurbishment completed in April 2010. Grand Holiday began sailing for the Iberian cruise operator on 18 May 2010. In early 2014, the vessel served a temporary accommodation role rather than a conventional cruise itinerary. It operated as a four-star floating hotel in Port Sochi Imeretinskiy during the Winter Olympics from 5 to 24 February. Later that year, Iberocruceros was absorbed into Costa Cruises. Costa had limited interest in continuing the ship's operation, and Grand Holiday was subsequently laid up. A further change of operator was announced on 3 November 2014, when British cruise company Cruise & Maritime Voyages revealed that the ship would join its fleet under the name Magellan. It began Cruise & Maritime Voyages service in spring 2015, sailing from London Tilbury, Newcastle upon Tyne and Dundee, with Hamburg added to its departure network during the same year. The ship underwent a dry-dock period at Damen Shiprepair in Amsterdam in 2018 and began operating from Liverpool Cruise Terminal in 2019. The final phase of the vessel's life followed the collapse of Cruise & Maritime Voyages during the COVID-19 pandemic. South Quay Travel Limited, trading as Cruise & Maritime Voyages, entered administration on 20 July 2020, ending Magellan's commercial operation. The ship was sold at auction on 19 October 2020 to Greek company Seajets, which initially stated that it intended to convert the vessel into a floating hotel in Liverpool for the 2021 Grand National. That plan was abandoned because of operating costs. Resold for demolition, the vessel was renamed Mages and sailed to Alang, India. It reached the Bhavnagar area in January 2021, was beached at Alang on 30 January, and demolition began on 21 June 2021.
History
MS Holiday was constructed by Aalborg Værft in Aalborg, Denmark, as the first vessel of Carnival Cruise Lines' three-ship Holiday class. It entered service on 13 July 1985 as Holiday. Its original commercial role was conventional mass-market cruising, particularly Western Caribbean voyages departing from Mobile, Alabama. The ship remained with Carnival for more than two decades. A major dry-dock renovation in 2003 addressed the vessel's declining condition. In 2005, Carnival temporarily redeployed Holiday as accommodation for people affected by Hurricane Katrina. When that assignment ended, the ship received further work, including replacement carpeting and plumbing and propeller repairs, before returning to cruise service. Holiday continued sailing from Mobile until November 2009, when Carnival retired it from the fleet. The vessel was transferred to Iberocruceros, another company within the Carnival corporate group, and renamed Grand Holiday. Its Carnival-style funnel was preserved but repainted. After a refurbishment in April 2010, it began Iberocruceros operations on 18 May 2010. The ship's uses broadened in 2014. From 5 to 24 February, it was operated as a four-star floating hotel at Port Sochi Imeretinskiy during the Winter Olympics. Later in 2014, Iberocruceros was absorbed into Costa Cruises. Grand Holiday was subsequently laid up because Costa showed little interest in retaining the vessel. On 3 November 2014, Cruise & Maritime Voyages announced that the ship would join its fleet as Magellan in spring 2015. The ship operated from London Tilbury, Newcastle upon Tyne and Dundee, with Hamburg added as a departure port during 2015. A dry-dock period at Damen Shiprepair in Amsterdam took place in 2018, and Liverpool became one of its operating bases in 2019. Magellan's career ended after Cruise & Maritime Voyages ceased operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The operator's trading company entered administration on 20 July 2020. Magellan was auctioned by CW Kellock & Co. on 19 October 2020 and purchased by Seajets. Although Seajets initially proposed converting it into a Liverpool floating hotel for the 2021 Grand National, the company abandoned the plan because of operating costs and resold the vessel for scrap. Renamed Mages, the ship sailed to Alang, India, in January 2021. It was beached on 30 January and scrapping began on 21 June 2021.
- 2021
Scrapping at Alang
[1]Renamed Mages, the former cruise ship was beached at Alang on 30 January; scrapping began on 21 June.
- 2019
Liverpool operations
[1]The ship began cruising from Liverpool Cruise Terminal.
- 2018
Amsterdam dry dock
[1]Magellan underwent dry-dock work at Damen Shiprepair in Amsterdam.
- 2015
Magellan begins Cruise & Maritime Voyages service
[1]The ship entered service as Magellan, operating from British and northern European ports.
- 2014
Sochi Winter Olympics floating hotel
[1]Grand Holiday provided floating-hotel accommodation at Port Sochi Imeretinskiy from 5 to 24 February.
- 2010
Renamed Grand Holiday
[1]After refurbishment, the vessel began Iberocruceros service as Grand Holiday on 18 May.
- 2009
Carnival retirement
[1]Holiday left Carnival's fleet in November after completing its Western Caribbean service from Mobile.
- 2005
Hurricane Katrina accommodation role
[1]The ship was taken out of cruise service and used as temporary housing for people affected by Hurricane Katrina.
- 2003
Major renovation
[1]Holiday underwent a dry-dock renovation intended to address declining condition and extend its operating life.
- 1985
Entry into Carnival service
[1]The ship entered service on 13 July 1985 as Holiday, becoming the first vessel in Carnival's Holiday class.
Products and positioning
A mass-market cruise ship that moved through several operating identities and business models, from Carnival's Western Caribbean cruise fleet to Iberocruceros and Cruise & Maritime Voyages, with temporary use as disaster-relief and event accommodation.
Cruise ship · 1985
Holiday
The vessel's original Carnival Cruise Lines identity from 1985 until its retirement in 2009. Holiday primarily operated Western Caribbean itineraries from Mobile, Alabama and represented the first ship in Carnival's Holiday class.
Cruise ship · 2010
Grand Holiday
The Iberocruceros identity adopted after the ship left Carnival's fleet. Following refurbishment in 2010, Grand Holiday operated cruise voyages and was also used as a floating hotel during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Cruise ship · 2015
Magellan
The name used during the ship's final commercial cruise career with Cruise & Maritime Voyages from 2015 to 2020. It sailed from London Tilbury, Newcastle upon Tyne, Dundee, Hamburg and Liverpool, serving the company's British and northern European market.
Ship-breaking asset · 2021
Mages
The final name assigned after Seajets acquired the former Magellan at auction and resold it for demolition. Under this name, the ship sailed to Alang, India, where it was beached and dismantled in 2021.
Marketing campaigns
- 2014Sochi Winter Olympics floating hotel
Russia · International Olympic visitors
Grand Holiday was converted temporarily into a four-star floating hotel at Port Sochi Imeretinskiy for the Winter Olympics.
Outcome. The temporary accommodation assignment ran from 5 to 24 February 2014, after which the ship returned to fleet and ownership planning within the Carnival group.
- 2005Hurricane Katrina accommodation operation
United States Gulf Coast
Holiday was withdrawn from normal cruise operations and used as temporary accommodation for people affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Outcome. After leaving the region, the ship underwent additional refurbishment and later returned to cruise service.
Brand decisions
2020
Magellan is sold at auctionM&ABackground
Cruise & Maritime Voyages ceased operations and its trading company entered administration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Action taken
CW Kellock & Co. auctioned the ship on 19 October, and Seajets acquired it.
Aftermath
Seajets abandoned a proposed floating-hotel conversion because of operating costs and resold the ship for scrap.
2014
Iberocruceros is absorbed into Costa CruisesStrategyBackground
Iberocruceros was consolidated into Costa Cruises within the Carnival corporate structure.
Action taken
Grand Holiday was laid up as Costa showed limited interest in retaining the vessel.
Aftermath
Cruise & Maritime Voyages later announced plans to operate the ship as Magellan.
2014
Cruise & Maritime Voyages selects Grand Holiday for its fleetStrategyBackground
The ship had been laid up after Iberocruceros was absorbed into Costa Cruises.
Action taken
Cruise & Maritime Voyages announced that the vessel would enter its fleet as Magellan in spring 2015.
Aftermath
Magellan operated from British and northern European ports until the operator's collapse in 2020.
2009
Carnival retires Holiday from its fleetStrategyBackground
After more than two decades of service, Holiday completed its Western Caribbean operations from Mobile.
Action taken
Carnival removed the ship from its fleet and transferred it within the corporate group to Iberocruceros.
Aftermath
The vessel was renamed Grand Holiday and continued operating after refurbishment.
2003
Carnival authorizes a major Holiday renovationGeneration changeBackground
The ship's condition had deteriorated during its long operating career.
Action taken
Holiday was sent to dry dock for a substantial renovation.
Aftermath
The vessel continued operating for Carnival until 2009 and later served other cruise operators.
Recent events
- 2021
Mages is beached at Alang[1]
Other
Renamed Mages, the former cruise ship reached Alang, India, was beached on 30 January 2021, and entered the ship-breaking process later that year.
- 2020
Cruise & Maritime Voyages enters administration[1]
Bankruptcy
South Quay Travel Limited, the company trading as Cruise & Maritime Voyages, entered administration during the COVID-19 pandemic, ending Magellan's service.
- 2020
Magellan is auctioned and later sent for demolition[1]
M&A · Other
The ship was auctioned on 19 October 2020, acquired by Seajets and subsequently resold for scrap after a proposed floating-hotel conversion was abandoned.
- 2014
Grand Holiday operates as a Winter Olympics floating hotel[1]
Other
The vessel provided four-star floating-hotel accommodation at Port Sochi Imeretinskiy during the Winter Olympics from 5 to 24 February.
- 2014
Cruise & Maritime Voyages announces Magellan[1]
Product launch
Cruise & Maritime Voyages announced on 3 November that Grand Holiday would join its fleet as Magellan from spring 2015.
- 2010
Grand Holiday begins Iberocruceros service[1]
Other
Following refurbishment and an internal fleet transfer, the ship began sailing for Iberocruceros as Grand Holiday on 18 May 2010.
- 2009
Holiday retires from the Carnival fleet[1]
Other
The ship completed its Carnival career in November 2009 after operating Western Caribbean cruises from Mobile, Alabama.
- 2005
Holiday is used as temporary accommodation after Hurricane Katrina[1]
Other
Carnival withdrew the ship from regular operations and used it to house people affected by Hurricane Katrina before sending it for additional refurbishment.
- 1985
Holiday enters service for Carnival Cruise Lines[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The first Holiday-class ship entered Carnival service on 13 July 1985 after being built by Aalborg Værft in Denmark.
Sources1 sources
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