The Satoshi, the former bitcoin cruise ship, has been sold to a new startup cruise company, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation speaking to Cruise Industry News.
Having been arrested in Panama late last year, the 1991-built ship was recently released and arrived in Bar City in Montenegro last week, a port that has been commonly used for crew transfers and warm lay ups during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Having sailed for Carnival Corporation’s P&O Australia as the Pacific Dawn, the ship was set to transfer to Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) this year.
With CMV shutting down in 2020, the ship was sold to Ocean Builders, which planned to turn it into a cryptocurrency tech hub off the coast of Panama with apartments aboard up for auction.
Ocean Builders took delivery of the ship in November, hired a vessel management firm, paid for a drydocking and even sailed the ship to Panama, but abandoned the project citing insurance issues.
At that point, the vessel was sold for scrap and at the same time, arrested in Panama.
Now, legal issues aside, the cruise ship may have a new life with a new cruise line, yet to be revealed, starting service later this year.
The ship originally launched service as the Regal Princess in 1991, transferring to P&O Australia in 2007 for year-round service in the Australian market. She was built at Fincantieri and was originally ordered by Sitmar Cruises.