Commodore Cruise Line

Commodore Cruise Line

Industry	Cruise line
Founded	1966
Defunct	2001
Fate	Bankrupt
Headquarters	Hollywood, Florida, United States
Key people	Sanford Chobol, Edwin Stephan
Parent	1981–1990: Rederi Ab Sally 1990–1995: EffJohn 1995–2001: JeMJ Financial Services
Subsidiaries	1999–2001: Crown Cruise Line
Website	Commodorecruise.com

Commodore Cruise Line operated as a United States-based cruise line from 1968 until its closure in 2001. Established in 1966 by entrepreneurs Sanford Chobol and Edwin Stephan, the company underwent several ownership transitions before ultimately filing for bankruptcy in 2001, influenced by escalating fuel expenses and heightened market competition. Its headquarters were located in Hollywood, Florida.

1966–1981

Launched in 1966 alongside rivals such as Norwegian Caribbean Line, Commodore was founded by hotelier Sanford Chobol together with Edwin Stephan. Prior to this, Chobol had operated the Brazilian ocean liner Princess Leopoldina on cruises originating from Florida in 1962. To strengthen its competitive position, Commodore collaborated with Sweden’s Wallenius Lines, which completed a ferry initially commissioned by Lion Ferry at the Wärtsilä Turku Shipyard in Finland. This vessel was converted into a cruise ship and leased to Commodore under the new name .</ref> On 7 December 1968, the Bohème inaugurated Commodore’s first cruise route from Miami to Saint Thomas, establishing the firm as the pioneer of year-round week-long cruises departing from Florida.

By 1973, Lion Ferry and Fred. Olsen had acquired shares in Commodore, resulting in Lion Ferry's joining the fleet during northern hemisphere winters between 1973 and 1976, while operating as a U.S.–Canada ferry service during summer months. In 1976, the Bolero was succeeded by , which maintained similar operations and was registered in West Germany throughout its service with Commodore.

1981–1995

In 1981, Finland-based Rederi Ab Sally purchased Commodore Cruise Line and also acquired the Bohème from Wallenius Lines. After this acquisition, the Bohème was re-registered under Panama’s flag. That same year, Sally expanded Commodore's fleet by acquiring two vessels: the fire-damaged Navarino, which was ultimately abandoned following a fire and drydock incident during refurbishment, and the former Greek Line ship Olympia, which was retrofitted with diesel engines and relaunched as Caribe I in 1983. The Bohème underwent refurbishment and resumed service in 1984 but was sold to the Church of Scientology in 1986, leaving Commodore with only one active ship.

During the mid-1980s, Rederi Ab Sally encountered financial difficulties and was sold in 1987 to Finnish and Swedish competitors Effoa and Johnson Line. Their passenger divisions merged into EffJohn in 1989. In 1990, EffJohn incorporated the Bermuda Star and Queen of Bermuda into Commodore’s fleet under the names Enchanted Isle and Enchanted Seas. Although announcements were made for two additional vessels planned for delivery in 1992 and 1993, these plans were never realized. The Caribe I was sold to Regal Cruise Line in 1993. In 1994, the Enchanted Isle functioned as a floating hotel in Saint Petersburg before returning to active service with Commodore in 1995.

1995–2001

During the mid-1990s, EffJohn encountered financial challenges which prompted a strategic shift to concentrate on its primary Baltic Sea region. As a result, Commodore Cruise Line was divested in 1995 to JeMJ Financial Services, a firm based in New York. The new proprietors managed the Enchanted Isle and Enchanted Seas until 1996, at which point the latter was sold to World Explorer Lines. In 1998, the MS Island Holiday was chartered and received a new name , with both vessels operating out of New Orleans. By 1999, Commodore augmented its fleet to three ships through the acquisition of .

That same year marked the revival of the Crown Cruise Line brand by Commodore, positioning it as a premium cruise option. Nevertheless, fierce competition from larger cruise operators exerted downward pressure on pricing, leading Commodore to file for bankruptcy protection in January 2001.

Ships

Ship	Built	Service Period with Commodore	Tonnage	Status as of 2022	Photos of the Ships
MS Bohème	1968	1968–1986	Template:GRT	Operating since 1986 as MS Freewinds under the Church of Scientology
MS Bolero	1973	1973–1976 (winter seasons only)	Template:GRT	Dismantled in 2018
MS Caribe	1968	1976–1981 (winter seasons only)	Template:GRT	Scrapped in 2012
MS Navarino	1957	Never commissioned for service	Template:GRT	Sunk in 2001 as MS Sea
MS Caribe I	1953	1983–1993	Template:GRT	Broken up in 2009
SS Enchanted Isle	1958	1990–1994, 1995–2001	Template:GRT	Scrapped in 2003
SS Enchanted Seas	1958	1990–1996	Template:GRT	Scrapped in 2004
MS Enchanted Capri	1975	1998–2001	Template:GRT	Partially dismantled after being wrecked on a Mexican beach since 2020
MS Enchanted Sun	1974	1999–2001	Template:GRT	Since 2006 operating as MS Casino Royale for Royale Prime Co