She operated under Royal Caribbean as the Viking Serenade and was with them for about 10 years. What Made It Special: Debuting in 1993, Celestyal Experience started life as Costa Romantica, and was later renamed Costa neoRomantica to coincide with a sweeping refit of the vessel in November 2021 that added new cabins, additional balconies, and refitted public rooms. MV Ocean Gala cruise ship was built for Scandinavian World Cruises (DFDS) as "ms Scandinavia". All Horizon Deck cabins are with floor-ceiling glass doors opening to private step-out balconies. The ship was to cater to the Indian cruise market with cruises from Mumbai, India and Dubai, UAE, but Jalesh Cruises suspended all operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its because it once contained two ramps so cars could roll-on and roll-off. Chatziginnis said the average scrap value in India is $400 per ton. Royal transferred her to their UK startup, Island Cruises and she enjoyed a successful career there until she was removed from service and put up for sale in 2015. Look for a link at the bottom of this page or in our privacy policy where you can withdraw consent. What Made It Specia: Columbus started life as an order for Sitmar Cruises that was converted into a newbuild for Princess Cruises after the latter swallowed up Sitmar in the late 1980's. If it looks similar to another ship regularly based in the UK, that's because the ship was built to almost mirror the Astor of 1981, which most recently sailed as Saga Pearl II for Saga Cruises. Sovereign of the Seas was transferred to Pullmantur in November of 2008 and embarked on its first voyage for the line in the spring of 2009. TUI Group, which owns Marella, would not comment at the time on whether the ship would be sold to another line or sent to the breakers. The vessel (IMO number 8002597) was last Bahamas-flagged(MMSI 311368000) and registered in Nassau. Between 1993 and 1997, it also sailed for Princess Cruises as Golden Princess. The Asylum hotel plans did not come to fruition and the ship was put back on the market for either sale or charter in August 2016. As many as 13 cruise ships were reduced to scrap in 2020 more than in the five preceding years combined. Ships at the end of their lives are considered hazardous waste and it is. All passenger staterooms (designed by Tillberg Design of Sweden) are stylishly decorated, with premium bedding sets (Egyptian cotton linens, 6 pillows), bedside cabinets, wall-mounted reading lamps, writing desk (direct-dial phone, magnifying mirror, power outlets, USB charger), two armchairs, coffee table, wall-mounted HDTV, modern entertainment systems, large wardrobes, spacious bathrooms (WC-toilet, shower, single-sink vanity), individually/thermostat-controlled air conditioning. It does not store any personal data. Thomson sold Island Cruises to TUI Travel in 2009. Marella Celebration's sister-ship, Marella Spirit (the former Nieuw Amsterdam) was scrapped in 2018. You would probably be looking at something like $80 per ton, for example, he added. Spacious and indulgent, yet intimate . The ship was noted for its small size and angular funnel uptakes, as well as its dark wood-panelled interiors that recalled the grand oceangoing ships of yore. After a four-year stint with Iberocruceros, it was purchased by UK-based Cruise & Maritime Voyages in 2015 and renamed Magellan. [11], In February 2016, Ocean Gala was offered as a floating accommodation facility through the website Floating Accommodations, managed by US Shipmanagers, a Florida company[12] and it was announced that the Swedish Migration Agency have signed a contract to use the Ocean Gala as an asylum hotel for 1790 asylum seekers. Most recently, the ship was based out of San Juan, and was due to replace Carnival Fantasy out of Mobile in 2022 prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. The 2021-built cruise yacht Island Escape is a 30-passenger ship owned by Seasons Shipping Co Ltd ((Jongno-gu/Seoul, South Korea-based, 2020-founded company registered in Hong Kong China) and operated under demise/bareboat charter by the New Zealand-based company and travel brand Island Escape Cruises Ltd. Bareboat charter is an arrangement for hiring the ship without the crew or provisions included in the deal. 7-day round-trip from Palma de Mallorca -Tue Oct 13 (Palma de Mallorca, departing), Thu Oct 15 08:00am to 04:00pm (Olbia), Fri Oct 16 08:00am to 06:00pm (Naples), Sat Oct 17 07:00am to 07:00pm (Civitavecchia (Rome)), Sun Oct 18 08:00am to 05:00pm (Calvi), Mon Oct 19 12:00pm to 07:00pm (Port Mahon), Tue Oct 20 (Palma de Mallorca, arrive). [citation needed] After being withdrawn from Scandinavian World Cruises, she briefly sailed for DFDS Seaways. Other onboard amenities include gift shops, video arcade, internet caf, swimming pool, sports deck, Infirmary/medical center. Much like a flight on EasyJet, EasyCruise promised "unbundled" pricing, with surcharges for everything from onboard meals to cabin service. Built: 2020/2021. He has been writing about the cruise industry since 2009 and studying it since 1998. In October 2021, it was reported the ship was sold for $3.6 million in cash to a buyer out of Dubai. When we boarded we had a letter in our cabin to say that 'due to operational reasons' we wouldn't be doing this. Repeats of the documentary were later shown on Bravo. For other ships with the same name, see, Last edited on 16 February 2023, at 18:52, "Former Southwest Marine shipyard (Los Angeles, California)", "ISLAND ESCAPE cruise vessel 09 July 2012", "Splendour of the Seas Sold to TUI for Thomson Cruises", "Thomson Cruises sells Island Escape to Cruise Holdings", "Floating Accommodations > Our Services > Passenger Vessel > Ocean Gala", "Planerna p asylfartyg gr vidare s vill Hrnsandspolitikerna stoppa etableringen", "Fretaget bakom Ocean Gala: "Finns inget som kan stoppa det", "Kryssningsfartyget p plats och polisanmlt", "Asylbten r framme hamnen polisanmld", "Det blir Ocean Galas nsta hamnstopp Asylbten r framme sydligare breddgrader vntar", A la Casse - Bulletin d'information et d'analyses sur la dmolition des navires n 47, du 1er janvier au 31 mars 2017, "Ocean Gala I (ex-Viking Serenade, Island Escape) To Be Scrapped | CruiseInd", "Death of a Bride of Nine Days a Strange End to an Unusual Courtship", "Man Charged with Strangling Wife Seven Years After Cruise Ship Murder", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MS_Ocean_Gala_1&oldid=1139752900, Car and trailer space converted into cabin space, This page was last edited on 16 February 2023, at 18:52. When CMV collapsed in the summer of 2020, Marco Polo was sold at auction. What Made It Special: Sovereign was built in 1988 as Royal Caribbean's Sovereign of the Seas. MS Island Escape ship was operated and owned by Thomson UK under the Island Cruises brand until December 2015. In 2016 a deal was struck with the Swedish Government to use her as housing for the European refuge crisis. ISLAND ESCAPE The current position of ISLAND ESCAPE is at West Australia reported 3 mins ago by AIS. A few years later she was sold again to Admiral (Royal Admiral) Cruises. [18] Kanesaki was murdered in the same manner as Karen Waltz 18 years earlier. Build a pink sandcastle in Bermuda. Together with Zenith, Horizon was the first-ever newbuild for Celebrity Cruises, and laid the basis for the line's pattern of ship for the next two decades. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Due to the Coronavirus crisis, the construction process was hampered (lockdowns, restrictions, supply chain disruptions) and the yacht's delivery was delayed ~7 months. By continuing to use our website you agree to our The ship -- a one-off with no other direct sister-ships -- was noted for its abundant open deck spaces and windowed public rooms. With that many ships entering the scene, cruise lines have to be wary not to oversupply the market, said VesselsValue, a maritime data provider. Columbia Cruise Services (CCS) was awarded the vessel's Full Management. All Rights Reserved. In late 2016, Ocean Gala was planned for deployment in Central/Latin America and South America. The onboard meals are prepared by professional chefs using the freshest ingredients, including local seafood and the guests' daily catch. She is headed to India and will arrive at the scrap yard in Alang at the end of the month. When MS Scandinavia was launched in 1982, she was one of the world's largest passenger ships, and cruising out of homeport NYC New York to The Bahamas. Sadly, Astor was sold for just $1.7 million at auction, and was beached in Turkey on November 24, 2020 for scrapping. Celebration was preceded by Holiday and Jubilee. In 1990, the ship was sold to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and renamed MS Viking Serenade. [15][16], According to media, the compensation from the Swedish Migration Agency at SEK450/asylum seeker would generate SEK805,500/day if the asylum hotel was operated at full capacity.[17]. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. what it is like working on a cruise ship. Between 1985 and 1990, she sailed for Sundance Cruises and Admiral Cruises as MS Stardancer. That vessel also began life as an order for South Africa-based Safmarine. In May 2022, the ship was confirmed sold for scrap following the bankruptcy of Genting Hong Kong's cruise holdings, which included Star Cruises and luxury brand Crystal Cruises. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Ocean Gala was scrapped in April 2018 in Alang (India), after being laid up for several months in Port Khalifa (Abu Dhabi UAE). Renamed Norwegian Sea in 1997, the ship operated the line's famous "Texaribbean" voyages from Houston for many years in the mid-1990's before being transferred out of the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet in 2005. In 1985 she was renamed MS Stardancer and in 1990 MS Viking Serenade before being converted to a cruise ship in 1991. Ecstasy made headlines in 1998 when a fire broke out in the ship's laundry facilities and the vessel lost power while setting sail from Miami. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Unfortunately, one cruise operator went a wee bit-er-overboard and ordered a giant 9,000-passenger ship that was set to take its maiden voyage early last year. Carnival Sensation becomes the fifth Fantasy Class ship to be removed from service -- and scrapped. Island Escape docked at Ajaccio, Corsica. But Crown Princess was rendered outdated by the introduction in 1995 of Sun Princess and in 1998 by the huge Grand Princess. The ship was a throwback to another era, offering taps for hot, cold and sea water in cabins; a feature which had been abandoned for some time on contemporary Western liners. On January 4, 2021, the ship was confirmed as sold for scrap and was bound for India. Thomson Cruises has operated the Island Escape under their all-inclusive Island Cruises since starting March 2013. Since 2002, the renamed ship (MS Island Escape) was deployed in the Mediterranean (during summers) and in South America (in the winters). The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". On Day 11, from Milford Sound is complimentary provided a helicopter transfer to Queenstown. Some vendors may process your personal data on the basis of legitimate interest, which you can object to by managing your options below. She then relocated to Scandinavia and sailed on their flagship route Oslo-Copenhagen. Designed by Joe Farcus, the ship's interiors recall the grand days of Hollywood, with public rooms like the Beverly Hills Bar named accordingly. Sign up. Built in 1996 at the Bremer Vulkan yards in Germany, it was easily distinguished by its banks of windows at the front of the ship that gave way to a multi-story observation lounge. Dining Rooms: Oasis (waiter service, a la carte, a cover charge applied, reservations required). Vard Design. With COVID-19 halting sailings back in March 2020, most major cruise lines have yet to resume sailing. Cruise line: Double occupancy/max occupancy: 1512 / 1863 Crew: 610 Year built: 1982 Tonnage: 40130 Length overall: 607ft (185m) Beam: 89ft (27m) Draught: 24ft (7.3m) Cruising speed: 18 knots It also features separate female and male saunas. When Crown Princess debuted in 1990, it was a game-changer for Princess Cruises. She's had a rather interesting career. What Made It Special: Costa Victoria was one of Costa's most distinctive vessels. The ship was sold for just under $12 million dollars, and was beached at Alang, India for scrapping on November 30, 2020. The ship's main dining options included The Oasis Restaurant (waiter service, a-la-carte priced menu, cover charge applied, reservations required) and The Island Restaurant (serving British and International buffets, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner). She has been sold for an undisclosed amount of money and will be broken up in Alang. Having always had a passion for the water, after selling his interests in Japanese Shipping Companies, Peter embarked upon designing and building a boutique 24-passenger ship to explore the beautiful waters around New Zealand. You can imagine the uproar on the ship! I doubt that in the last decade, at least, or maybe even more than this, we have seen so many cruise ships being recycled in a year, he added. Island Cruises was a cruise line that was founded as a joint venture between Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and First Choice Travel PLC, each of whom owned 50% of the company. Like its sister, Zenith had a unique layout that included a large oversized reception area and numerous cozy dining and lounge venues that would form the basis for newer, larger Celebrity vessels designed in the late 1990's and early 2000's. cookie policy, Sign up to receive all the latest news and special offers for your next cruise holiday, For further details, please read our The Beachcomber Restaurant provided 24-hour self-service buffets. Tropicale had no direct sister-ships; subsequent newbuilds for Carnival revolved around the similarly-patterned Holiday Class and the Fantasy Class, which all shared some design characteristics but without total commonality. In January 2021, it was confirmed that Costa Victoria would be towed to Aliaga, Turkey to begin the scrapping process. In 2002, she just became too dated for Royals fleet which was being dominated by the Voyager-class at this point. The luxurious boat also features an outdoor spa pool/Jacuzzi. In February 2022, Carnival announced that Ecstasy would take over itineraries from Mobile for Carnival Sensation before being removed from the fleet in October 2022. sector 66 Ships | 141,881 Berths | $42 Billion | View. In 1985 she was renamed MS Stardancer and in 1990 MS Viking Serenade before being converted to a cruise ship in 1991. New company Bissett said Island Escape Cruises (NZ) Limited is a new company that will commence cruising in New Zealand from November until April 2022. Cruise ship stuck offshore as . According to Vagelis Chatziginnis, a senior trader at GMS Leadership (one such company that organizes ship scrapping), most of the vessel scrapping in 2020 took place in Turkey. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Cruise Industry News 1996-2022. In 2016, Thomson cruises replaced Island Escape with Splendour of the Seas. A role of a company like GMS is to organize the entire recycling process. She became MS Island Escape in 2002 being renamed once more as MS Ocean Gala in 2015. A Weekly Round-Up Of Worldwide Cruise Ship News, Allure of the Seas Cruise Ship to Make Oasis-Class Debut in Galveston, Out to Sea: Keeping Tabs on the Global Cruise Fleet, P&O Cruises Restarts Cruising For First Time in 15 Months on Britannia, Another Big Week for Cruising in England as More Ships Set Sail, Arrive For Restart, Karnika, ex Crown Princess of 1990, at the breakers (Photo: Peter Knego), Carnival Ecstasy (Photo: Carnival Cruise Line), Carnival Fantasy (Photo: Carnival Cruise Line), Carnival Fascination (Photo: Carnival Cruise Line), Carnival Imagination (Photo: Carnival Cruise Line), Carnival Inspiration TA Listings Page Image, Carnival Sensation (Photo: Carnival Cruise Line), EasyCruise One (Photo: Wikipedia/Creative Commons), Golden iris (Photo: Jebulon / Wikimedia Creative Commons), Karnika at sea. outfitting yard. Chatziginnis said the average scrap value in India is $400 per ton. The vessel (IMO number 9903994) is currently France-flagged (MMSI 538009093) and registered in Majuro/Marshall Islands. The 1982-built MS Ocean Gala cruise ship (best known as "MS Island Escape") was constructed by Dubigeon Normandie SA (Nantes France) as the world's biggest cruiseferry at the time. And then it went bankrupt. In June 2022, Island Escape Cruises extended the 10-night "Ultimate Fiordland" itinerary program (December-March 2023). The ship was finally sent to the breakers in 2022. Though somewhat angular in appearance, the ship was noted for its superb interiors and unique reception area concept, which featured over-height ceilings and ran along the centerline of the ship. Photos of abandoned, stripped cruise ships show how deeply the cruise industry is sinking. After a stint at layup, Zenith arrived at Alang in September 2022 under the name "Singa", where it will be broken up. Prices ranged from NZD 14950 pp (Ocean Suite based on twin share) up to NZD 20950 (Owners Suite). Stripped of its lavish interiors and refitted with dorm-style accomodations (brightly colored, unsurprisingly, in only white and neon orange), EasyCruise One was billed as the cruise ship for people who hated cruises. Shes had a rather interesting career. In 2022, it was scheduled to take over runs from Mobile, Alabama before Carnival announced in February 2022 that the ship would no longer return to service for the line. Island Escape's inaugural itineraries (planned for season 2021-2022) included Fiordland National Park, Bay of Islands, as well as helicopter golf cruises (leaving roundtrip from Auckland). Cruise & Maritime Voyages purchased Pacific Pearl in 2017 and renamed it Columbus. The government agency was in a race to find new beds before spring when winter contracts signed with hundreds of hotels and campsites to house asylum seekers expire. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. The ship was sold for . Its funny Wilba, we sailed on her whilst the TV series was being made! Cruise & Maritime Voyages acquired the ship in 2010. Once it completes its final voyage in mid-October, it will reposition from Mobile to Miami to discharge crew before being taken across the Atlantic to Aliaga, Turkey to be broken up. In April 2009, the ship joinedThomson UK (now Marella Cruises)as "Island Escape". In Turkey, the value is considerably less at $280-300 per ton. Last year she changed her name to Ocean Gala I and was reflagged in St Kitts. It was beached for scrapping in July 2022. It also sailed with Norwegian Cruise Line for a brief period of time between 1991 and 1993 as its Sunward. The largest new purpose-built cruise ship at the time, Sovereign ushered in the concept of the multi-story atrium flanked with glass elevators that would become a staple of the Royal Caribbean fleet for decades. Ship Data. The vessel was in Denmark and completed its five-year survey with class society DNVGL. The 1982-built MS Ocean Gala cruise ship (best known as "MS Island Escape") was constructed by Dubigeon Normandie SA ( Nantes France) as the world's biggest cruiseferry at the time. The vessel was last owned by the Miami-based Cruise Holdings Inc and managed by Columbia Cruise Services (CCS) in Hamburg and Limassol. It marks the end to one of the most initially optimistic, and then saddest, developments for any vessel over the course of the pandemic. What Made It Special: You may not know the name Karnika very well, but this historic vessel's past names - as Princess Cruises' Crown Princess (1990) and P&O Australia's Pacific Jewel probably ring a few bells. The sale of the Astoria to a European Union-approved shipbreaking yard, most likely the. The ex-Tropicale is another former Carnival Cruise Line ship scrapped in 2021. If the vessel has to be recycled in compliance with a regulation of the European Union, you would probably be looking in Turkey for something like $200 per ton equivalent because of their very limited capacity of the yards, which are compliant with European regulations, Chatziginnis explained. The third ship of the pioneering Royal Viking Line spent many years as a German cruise ship named Albatros and just recently was also sold for scrap. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". She was purchased by Cruise Holdings Inc, a Cypriot shell company with an apparent office in Miami. October 2021. delivered. What Made It Special: Grand Celebration was launched in 1987 as Carnival Cruise Line's Celebration. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Homeported from Mobile for the last decade, Carnival Fantasy was due to be replaced by Carnival Fascination in 2022. Before that could materialize, the ship was sold to Cunard Line, where it took on cruising duties as Cunard Princess. When CMV went bust in the summer of 2020, the ship was sold at auction to ferry operator Seajets, which had purchased a number of secondhand cruise ships during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, from Piraeus in Greece, we put our crew onboard, and we arrange for the unit to go to Turkey. By late-August, the first cuts were being made to Carnival Fantasy's bow, and by early 2021 the ship was gone. MS Island Escape (Thomson Cruises), Viking Serenade (Royal Caribbean ), MS Stardancer (Royal Admiral Cruises), MS Scandinavia (DFDS Seaways). Sip on some of Napa's best blends at The . After several drydock conversions, the vessel was last rebuilt to passenger capacity 1760 (plus 540 crew). Despite that, Ecstasy went on to have a long and profitable career for Carnival, sailing mostly shorter itineraries and weekend cruises. The new superyacht Island Escape (VARD Vung Tau yard/hull number 915) was designed by Vard Design (Vard Marine Inc's naval architecture and marine engineering division) and originally planned for delivery in April (postponed for October) 2021.