Following a lengthy refit at the Damen shipyard in Brest in northern France, Renaissance of Compagnie Française de Croisières has entered service.

The ship that started life as Maasdam of Holland America Line in 1993 sailed for its first cruise for its new French owner on 29 June from Le Havre. This will take the ship to ports in the British Isles.

The ship was named at a ceremony in Le Havre on 28 June, the company said in a statement.

CFC acquired the vessel from a Greek company called SeaJets that did not operate it. The first cruise had to be postponed as a refit that had started in October lasted longer than what had been originally anticipated.

The 55,575 gross ton ship takes its name from a much smaller vessel of the same name that operated on the French market from the 1960s and the 1970s.