MS Crown Iris
MS Crown Iris is a cruise ship operated by the Israeli cruise line Mano Maritime on regional voyages from Israel.
Last updated October 14, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
MS Crown Iris is a cruise ship operated by Mano Maritime, also known through its passenger business as Mano Cruise. The vessel entered service in 1992 after a complicated construction and ownership history that began with an order from Sweden's Birka Line. It was originally intended to be named Birka Queen and to operate short cruises from Stockholm alongside Birka Princess. The shipyard responsible for the construction, Wärtsilä Marine's Turku facility in Finland, experienced financial difficulties and was reorganized under Masa-Yards. The resulting increase in the ship's construction price led Birka Line to decline delivery, after which the contract was transferred to the American operator Majesty Cruise Line. The completed vessel was delivered on 2 July 1992 as Royal Majesty. Its design retained features associated with Baltic service, including a high Finnish-Swedish ice classification that was unusual for a ship principally marketed for warmer-water cruising. After a transatlantic maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in July 1992, the ship began three- and four-night cruises from Florida. In 1994, it added seasonal cruises between Boston and St. George's, Bermuda, while continuing to operate from Florida during the winter. The ship's early career included both high-profile expedition cruising and a serious navigation accident. In August 1996, Royal Majesty took part in a Titanic expedition cruise from Boston, during which passengers spent several days near the wreck site of RMS Titanic. On 10 June 1995, the vessel had grounded on Rose and Crown Shoal east of Nantucket while carrying 1,509 people. No deaths or injuries were reported, but the ship sustained damage and the associated loss of revenue was estimated at approximately seven million dollars in contemporary reporting. Investigators attributed the grounding to bridge officers' failure to respond adequately to visual navigational information and excessive reliance on automated bridge equipment. When Majesty Cruise Line ended operations after the 1997 summer season, the ship was sold to Norwegian Cruise Line and renamed Norwegian Majesty. In 1999, it underwent a technically demanding 33.76-metre lengthening at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany. Ownership was transferred to Star Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line's parent company, in 2004, although the vessel continued to operate in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet. In 2008 it was sold to Louis Cruise Lines and later renamed Louis Majesty. The vessel remained under charter to Norwegian Cruise Line for a period after the sale. The Louis Majesty era included a major maritime casualty. On 3 March 2010, three large waves struck the ship during a Mediterranean cruise, breaking windows in a public lounge area. Two passengers died and others were injured. The ship returned to Barcelona for repairs. In 2012, it was chartered to Thomson Cruises and renamed Thomson Majesty, operating from Corfu in summer and the Canary Islands in winter. During this period, a refit added balcony cabins. On 10 February 2013, five crew members died and three were injured when a lifeboat fell into the water during a drill in Santa Cruz de la Palma. A subsequent Maltese maritime safety alert identified significant corrosion in the lifeboat fall wire and described how the wire had parted near a sheave while the davit was stowed. The vessel joined Celestyal Cruises in 2017 and was operated simply as Majesty. In late 2018, it was sold to Mano Maritime and renamed Crown Iris. A substantial refit was carried out at Chalkis Shipyards in Greece during 2019. The work renovated guest rooms, added five restaurants, installed a basketball court and a yellow waterslide, replaced deck flooring, and refreshed the exterior with blue and turquoise wave graphics. A Crown Iris launching ceremony was held at the Port of Haifa on 11 April 2019. Under Mano Maritime, Crown Iris operates holiday cruises from Haifa and Ashdod to destinations in the eastern and wider Mediterranean, including Cyprus, the Greek islands, France, Croatia, Malta and Italy. The ship has also been used for emergency and repatriation missions. Following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023, it helped bring Israelis home from Cyprus. In October 2024, it rescued three Turkish citizens after their yacht sank near Rhodes. During the 2025 Iran-Israel war, the ship reportedly transported more than 2,000 Israelis from Cyprus back to Israel and carried more than 1,600 tourists from Israel to Cyprus.
History
Crown Iris began as a Birka Line project for a Baltic short-cruise vessel named Birka Queen. Ordered from Wärtsilä Marine in Finland, the ship was affected by the shipyard's bankruptcy and reorganization as Masa-Yards. Birka Line rejected delivery after construction costs rose, and Majesty Cruise Line acquired the contract. The completed vessel entered service as Royal Majesty in July 1992. Its first itinerary was a transatlantic crossing from Southampton to New York, followed by short cruises from Florida. The ship later operated a seasonal Boston-Bermuda service. Its early history included participation in a Titanic wreck expedition in 1996 and a grounding off Nantucket in 1995. The grounding caused no casualties but resulted in vessel damage and significant lost revenue. Investigators found that bridge officers had not acted on visual navigational information and had relied too heavily on automated bridge systems. After Majesty Cruise Line ceased operations in 1997, the ship moved to Norwegian Cruise Line as Norwegian Majesty. In 1999, Lloyd Werft lengthened it by 33.76 metres in Bremerhaven. The project was technically complex because the ship had not originally been designed for lengthening. In 2004, ownership was transferred to Star Cruises, although Norwegian Cruise Line continued operating the vessel. In 2008, Louis Cruise Lines purchased it and adopted the name Louis Majesty, initially chartering the vessel back to Norwegian Cruise Line. The Louis Majesty period was marked by a serious 2010 incident in the Mediterranean. Large waves smashed windows in a public lounge, killing two passengers and injuring others. After repairs in Barcelona, the ship continued in service. It was chartered to Thomson Cruises in 2012 and renamed Thomson Majesty, with seasonal operations from Corfu and the Canary Islands. A refit added balcony cabins. In 2013, a lifeboat accident during a drill in La Palma killed five crew members and injured three. A later Maltese safety alert connected the accident to corrosion in a fall wire. The vessel joined Celestyal Cruises in 2017 as Majesty. Mano Maritime bought it in late 2018 and renamed it Crown Iris. A major 2019 refit at Chalkis Shipyards renovated all guest rooms and added restaurants, a basketball court and a waterslide. The exterior was repainted with wave graphics and the deck flooring was renewed. Mano Maritime subsequently deployed Crown Iris on Mediterranean cruises from Haifa and Ashdod, serving destinations in Cyprus, Greece, France, Croatia, Malta and Italy. In addition to leisure cruising, Crown Iris has been used for emergency passenger movements. It helped return Israelis from Cyprus after the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023, rescued three Turkish citizens near Rhodes in 2024 after their yacht sank, and took part in Israel-Cyprus passenger transport during the 2025 Iran-Israel war. Its reported role in 2025 included carrying more than 2,000 Israelis from Cyprus to Israel and more than 1,600 tourists from Israel to Cyprus.
- 2025
Emergency Israel-Cyprus transport
[1]During the Iran-Israel war, Crown Iris reportedly carried more than 2,000 Israelis from Cyprus to Israel and more than 1,600 tourists from Israel to Cyprus.
- 2024
Rescue near Rhodes
[1]The ship rescued three Turkish citizens whose yacht sank near Rhodes.
- 2023
Repatriation service from Cyprus
[1]Crown Iris helped transport Israelis back from Cyprus after the outbreak of the Gaza war.
- 2019
Major refit and Israeli relaunch
[1]A refit at Chalkis Shipyards renovated cabins, added restaurants and recreational facilities, and refreshed the ship's exterior. A launching ceremony took place in Haifa on 11 April.
- 2018
Acquired by Mano Maritime
[1]Mano Maritime purchased the ship and renamed it Crown Iris.
- 2017
Joined Celestyal Cruises
[1]The vessel entered Celestyal Cruises service under the shortened name Majesty.
- 2013
Lifeboat drill accident
[1]A lifeboat accident in La Palma killed five crew members and injured three during a safety exercise.
- 2012
Chartered to Thomson Cruises
[1]The ship entered Thomson Cruises service as Thomson Majesty on seasonal itineraries from Corfu and the Canary Islands.
- 2010
Mediterranean wave accident
[1]Large waves struck Louis Majesty, causing fatalities, injuries and damage to the saloon area.
- 2008
Sold to Louis Cruise Lines
[1]Louis Cruise Lines acquired the vessel, which was subsequently renamed Louis Majesty.
Products and positioning
A regional Israeli cruise ship positioned for leisure voyages around the Mediterranean, with additional utility as a passenger-repatriation vessel during regional crises.
Cruise service · 2019
Mediterranean cruise voyages
Crown Iris operates regional leisure cruises from Israeli ports, particularly Haifa and Ashdod. Its Mediterranean network has included Cyprus, the Greek islands, France, Croatia, Malta and Italy. The offering combines onboard accommodation and dining with destination-focused itineraries and recreational facilities added or upgraded during the 2019 refit.
Passenger transport · 2023
Emergency passenger transport
Although primarily a cruise ship, Crown Iris has also been used for urgent passenger movements between Israel and Cyprus. Its reported missions include returning Israelis during wartime disruptions and transporting tourists when ordinary travel links were affected.
Brand decisions
2019
Refit for Israeli Mediterranean cruisingStrategyBackground
After acquisition, Mano Maritime repositioned the ship for its home-market cruise operation.
Action taken
The company renovated guest rooms, added five restaurants, a basketball court and a waterslide, replaced deck flooring and applied new exterior graphics.
Aftermath
Crown Iris entered service on holiday itineraries from Haifa and Ashdod.
2018
Acquisition and renaming by Mano MaritimeM&ABackground
The vessel had passed through Louis and Celestyal operations and was available for a new regional operator.
Action taken
Mano Maritime acquired the ship and renamed it Crown Iris.
Aftermath
The vessel became part of Mano Maritime's Israeli cruise offering and was prepared for Mediterranean service from Israel.
1999
Major lengthening at Lloyd WerftGeneration changeBackground
Norwegian Cruise Line pursued additional capacity through a substantial modification of the existing vessel.
Action taken
Lloyd Werft added 33.76 metres to the ship's length in Bremerhaven.
Aftermath
The ship remained in Norwegian Cruise Line service after the technically complex conversion.
1997
Sale to Norwegian Cruise LineM&ABackground
Majesty Cruise Line ended operations after the 1997 summer season, creating a change in operator and brand identity for the vessel.
Action taken
The ship was sold to Norwegian Cruise Line and renamed Norwegian Majesty.
Aftermath
The vessel continued in mainstream cruise service and was later lengthened in 1999.
Recent events
- 2025
Crown Iris supports Israel-Cyprus passenger transport during the Iran-Israel war[1]
Other
During the Iran-Israel war, the vessel was reported to have transported more than 2,000 Israelis from Cyprus to Israel and more than 1,600 tourists from Israel to Cyprus.
- 2024
Crown Iris rescues three Turkish citizens near Rhodes[1]
Other
The ship rescued three Turkish citizens after their yacht sank near the Greek island of Rhodes.
- 2023
Crown Iris assists in returning Israelis from Cyprus during the Gaza war[1]
Other
After the outbreak of the Gaza war, Crown Iris participated in a maritime effort to bring Israelis back to Israel from Cyprus.
- 2013
Lifeboat accident kills five crew members during Thomson Majesty drill[1]
Other
A lifeboat fell into the sea during a safety drill in Santa Cruz de la Palma, killing five crew members and injuring three. A Maltese safety alert later identified significant corrosion in the relevant fall wire.
- 2010
Louis Majesty struck by large waves in the Mediterranean[1]
Other
Three large waves broke windows in a public area of the ship during a Mediterranean cruise. Two passengers died, several others were injured and the vessel returned to Barcelona for repairs.
- 1995
Royal Majesty grounds off Nantucket[1]
Other
The ship grounded on Rose and Crown Shoal while sailing between Bermuda and Boston. There were no reported deaths or injuries, but the vessel suffered damage and investigators criticized bridge officers' navigation practices.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/ms-crown-iris · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled