R Eight
Originally built as the last of eight R-class ships for Renaissance Cruises, Azamara Pursuit was first known as R Eight, and entered service in 2001.[6] After Renaissance ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy in late 2001, the vessel was seized by creditors and laid up in Marseille, France.
Minerva II
In 2003, the vessel re-entered operation, this time as the sole cruise ship in Swan Hellenic's fleet. The vessel was named Minerva II, after both the Roman goddess and the company's previous vessel, Minerva.
Royal Princess
On 7 April 2007, Minerva II completed her final voyage with Swan Hellenic and was transferred by the parent company, Carnival Corporation & plc, to Princess Cruises. She was renamed Royal Princess and debuted for Princess on her maiden voyage on 19 April 2007. Her christening ceremony was on 14 June 2007 in Portofino,[7] with Lorraine Arzt performing the honors.[8]
On 18 June 2009, a major fire broke out in her engine room. Royal Princess was on a 12-day Holy Land voyage and just left Port Said, Egypt. A little while later a serious fire broke out in her engine room, disabling the ship. She waited to dock in Port Said for an assessment of the damage.[9]
Adonia
In 2010, it was announced that Royal Princess was to transfer to the P&O Cruises fleet.[6] The ship entered service with the company on 21 May 2011, and was renamed Adonia.[6] She was the second P&O ship to be named Adonia, succeeding Sea Princess.
On 18 March 2013, two of the ship's passengers were shot in Bridgetown, Barbados, on her 2013 world cruise. P&O Cruises confirmed two of its passengers from the Adonia, which left Southampton on 8 January, believed to be a man in his 70s and a woman in her 50s, were taken to hospital after the incident. The ship's staff and medical team also provided support.[10]
After completing a major refit in 2016,[11]
Farewell Voyage
On 26 September 2017 P&O announced[17] that Adonia would be retired in March 2018 with the last cruise leaving Barbados on 23 February and ending in Barbados on 9 March 2018. She arrived at the Grand Bahama Shipyard on 13 March 2018 and was officially handed over to Azamara the following day.[18] She completed a short drydocking in Grand Bahama (which included hull inspections, along with changing her name and registry) before sailing for Belfast's Harland and Wolff shipyard.
Azamara Pursuit
Her first cruise under Azamara Club Cruises took place on 13 August 2018,[19] when she joined two other R-Class vessels in the fleet, Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest. Her christening ceremony happened in Southampton on 28 August 2018, where she was officially named by Lucy Huxley and Ellen Asmodeo-Giglio, two travel industry executives.[20] Before entering service, the ship underwent a substantial refit at Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast,[21] bringing her decor and image into line with Azamara's other ships.
