MS Viking Serenade was launched as the cruiseferry MS Scandinavia in 1981. The agency feared that the influx of asylum seekers would pick up again in the coming months due to warm weather. What Made It Special: Carnival Fantasy was revolutionary when it first debuted in 1990. The ship is widely expected to head to India for scrapping after being observed underway from its anchorage and waiting for a transit position at the Suez Canal. The certified Helideck (deck 4's/topdeck's aft-positioned helipad) is used for landings of helicopters serving the company's heli-transfers between the yacht and homeport. Sad news here. Island Escape was drydock-refurbished at Damen Shiprepair Brest (France)/shipyard then renamed "Ocean Gala". MS Sovereign (Pullmantur Cruises) The MS Sovereign, which was also part of the Pullmantur Cruises fleet, is being scrapped due to the cruise line filing for bankruptcy in June 2020. 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. After several drydock conversions, the vessel was last rebuilt to passenger capacity 1760 (plus 540 crew). In 1990 when Admiral was merged into Royal Caribbean, she was transferred to Wallenius Wilhelmsen which is owned owned by the Wilhelmsen family who are the largest shareholder in Royal Caribbean and instrumental in their founding. The 10-night "Tropical North Queensland" voyage (priced from NZD 11950 pp) was scheduled for October 2022. Cruise Industry News 1996-2022. On November 30, 2021 the former Costa NeoRomantica was confirmed to be destined for a Pakistani shipbreaker. In 2016, Thomson cruises replaced Island Escape with Splendour of the Seas. An upscale ship, it was one of the most modern cruise vessels in the world when it first set sail, and was lengthened by 91 feet in 1981. The ship operated on round-trips leaving fromPalma de Mallorca (Spain). In February 2016, Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency) announced it was close to signing a deal with US Shipmanagers charter company to bring Ocean Gala to Sweden. After several drydock conversions, the vessel was last rebuilt to passenger capacity 1760 (plus 540 crew). 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. The idea behind her was that she would double as a cruise ship during the off season. Length: 53.5 metres. Island Escape docked at Ajaccio, Corsica. Horizon was removed from the Celebrity Cruises fleet in 2005 and was passed around to various operators before landing with Pullmantur in 2017. The concept wasn't entirely a success, and despite refitting the ship again to tone down the loud doses of orange decor, EasyCruise One was removed from service in 2008. Greg (he/him) is the founder and editor of CruiseInd. We have built a yacht which goes above and beyond the future global standards for emission, but we want to go further. Things when silent and she reappeared in the Middle East late last year and now its been confirmed that she is currently enroute to India. Following the 2015-2016 refit at Damen Brest, Ocean Gala headed to Scandinavia to serve as a floating hotel for workers involved in the refugee crisis. She became MS Island Escape in 2002 being renamed once more as MV Ocean Gala in 2015. In 2009, Rhapsody was sold to Israel-based Mano Maritime, and operated cruises from Haifa under the name Golden Iris. Although destined to be Celestyal's new flagship, the line disposed of the vessel in September 2021, citing "current market conditions resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic". The ship was the first vessel in the Star Cruises fleet to sport hull artwork, and was given a stem-to-stern refit in 2013. She was ordered in 1980 by Dannish ferry operator DFDS as the ms Scandinavia. Take a trip down memory lane to see all of the cruise ships sold or scrapped due to the pandemic in 2020 and so far in 2021. Due to the Coronavirus crisis, the construction process was hampered (lockdowns, restrictions, supply chain disruptions) and the yacht's delivery was delayed ~7 months. The Cruise.co.uk forum is the perfect place to meet and interact with likeminded cruisers to have invaluable conversations. Cafe Brasil (for a cappuccino or afternoon tea, with an interesting book from the library or just browse the Internet), The Mirage Bar (poolside; pampers with al fresco drinks), The Sailaway Bar (to watch the world go by), The Sundowner (the perfect place for live music and pre-dinner drinks), Ocean Theatre (entertainment hub for cabarets, UK comedy acts and West End-style shows), Bounty Lounge (all about game shows and live music), The Lookout Bar (with panoramic view; also offers a late-night disco), The Casino (roulette, Blackjack, poker; a range of slot machines). 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. Why not join the UKs largest cruising forum? It was beached for scrapping in July 2022. The plans were to berth Ocean gala in Port Harnosand, approx 430 km / 270 mi north of Stockholm. [10] On 3 December 2015, it was reported that the vessel had been sold and was on her way to Brest, France for dry-docking, to be renamed Ocean Gala. Shes had a rather interesting career. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Which Cruise Ships Will Be Scrapped Or Taken Out of Service? (2022) The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". On July 23, 2020 Carnival announced that Carnival Fascination would be withdrawn from service and placed in long-term layup. The onboard meals are prepared by professional chefs using the freshest ingredients, including local seafood and the guests' daily catch. In April 2009, the ship joinedThomson UK (now Marella Cruises)as "Island Escape". Island Escape yacht current location is at West Australia (coordinates -32.14697 S / 115.76578 E) cruising en route to HENDERSON. In 2018, the ship was leased as an accommodation vessel to MV Werften to house shipyard workers constructing new cruise ships for Dream Cruises and Crystal. On January 4, 2021, the ship was confirmed as sold for scrap and was bound for India. After a stint at layup, Zenith arrived at Alang in September 2022 under the name "Singa", where it will be broken up. The youngest to be scrapped as of this writing is the 1996-built Costa Victoria, while the oldest vessel to head to the breakers was the beautiful 1965-built Marco Polo (the famed ex-ocean liner previously known as Aleksandr Pushkin). Celebration was preceded by Holiday and Jubilee. 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. March Madness! Ocean Gala Ship Review | CruiseMapper But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Its whimsical Joe Farcus-designed interiors were wild, bright, and vibrant, and wholly unique from Carnival Fantasy's later sisters. Shame Ocean village left us as we enjoyed that one. It arrived for scrapping in December 2021, and was beached soon after. Look at the Marco Polo it is a 55-year-old vessel It has been operating for, like, more than 50 years now And now, all the other major lines are scrapping all the vessels that were built in the 1990s and the 1980s. The vessel was last operated by the Japan-based Peace Boat Organization as the Ocean Dream. At the end of December 2015, Sweden's migration agency signed a hotel ship deal to house 1260 refugees on the chartered cruise ship Ocean Gala. The luxury boat was constructed by VARD Vietnam (at Vung Tau Shipyard) and is also available for private charters. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Hair and Beauty Salon, Gym, pool, Sports deck, 24-hour Room service (extra charge), casino, Ocean Theatre, Palmy's Kids' Club, Teens' club, Video Arcade, gift shops, photoshop. 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. In 2016 a deal was struck with the Swedish Government to use her as housing for the European refuge crisis. The former Royal Caribbean ship formerly known as the Viking Serenade, will officially be scrapped. [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. 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. What Made It Special: The third Fantasy Class cruise ship ordered by Carnival, Sensation debuted in 1993 and served the line for nearly three decades. Cruise lineIsland Escape Cruises NZ (Small Cruise Lines). 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. Floating Accommodations claimed that a sale might be necessary to cover losses they would incur if Migrationsverket failed to pay a SEK 54M kronor (USD 6,44M) bill the company had sent to the agency for the costs of running the vessel. 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. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Position & Voyage Data Track on Map Add Photo Add to fleet A police report was filed against the owner of Utansjverkets hamn by Hrnsand Municipality, claiming the facility was missing ISPS classification. Launched in 1993 as Windward, the midsize vessel underwent a complex stretching operation -- then the largest of its kind -- at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven in 1998. well you can imagine a week with 2 young boys and no chips.never again. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. [24], "MS Scandinavia (1981)" redirects here. Like the rest of the Fantasy Class, its iconic interiors were designed by longtime Carnival architect Joe Farcus, who gave Imagination's public spaces their over-the-top look. This is quite young for the normal industry in cruising in our understanding, said Chatziginnis. Spacious and indulgent, yet intimate . It certainly put me off ever wanting to book a cruise on herWilba. 7-day round-trip from Palma de Mallorca -Tue Oct 20 (Palma de Mallorca, departing), Thu Oct 22 09:00am to 06:00pm (Bastia), Fri Oct 23 07:00am to 07:00pm (La Spezia), Sat Oct 24 07:00am to 05:00pm (Villefranche (Nice)), Sun Oct 25 08:00am to 05:00pm (Toulon), Mon Oct 26 09:00am to 06:00pm (Barcelona), Tue Oct 27 (Palma de Mallorca, arrive). 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). Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. On November 27, 2020 Ocean Dream was reported sold to scrapping interests, and was beached in Aliaga, Turkey in January 2021. The shipowner Island Escape Cruises NZ (2006-founded by Peter Bissett) previously owned and operated the 2007-built catamaran Island Passage (IMO 8745216, 24-passenger boat) which was sold in 2018 to Maple Leaf Adventures (Canada) and renamed Cascadia. When the pandemic was at its peak lets say around summer 2020 and the first cruise ships started being scrapped, some of them were even getting double digits, like hardly $100 per ton, maybe $90, he said. Which Cruise Ships are Being Scrapped or Sold Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic? An outdoor observation deck (forward on deck 3/at the bow) is furnished with bench seats and small coffee tables. So, the vessel could be recycled there, but its a totally different market. The ex-Tropicale is another former Carnival Cruise Line ship scrapped in 2021. Our first two cruises were on it and we thoroughly enjoyed them. 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. With that many ships entering the scene, cruise lines have to be wary not to oversupply the market, said VesselsValue, a maritime data provider. What Made It Special Easily the most venerable and iconic ship on this list, Cruise & Maritime Voyages' Marco Polo was the last of the "grand dame" ocean liners pressed into cruise service, and one of the few remaining passenger vessels from the 1960's still in active cruise passenger service. Copyright 2023 www.Cruise.co.uk Ltd. All rights reserved. Like Black Watch, sister-ship Boudicca also began life with Royal Viking Line, setting sail in 1973 as Royal Viking Sky. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. If it hadn't been for I.E. Between January and June 1991, she was converted into a full-time cruise ship at the former[7] Southwest Marine Shipyard in San Diego, California. 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). Build a pink sandcastle in Bermuda. 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. On August 26, the ship officially embarked on its last journey, sailing from Willemstad, Curacao, to Aliaga, Turkey, where it will be broken up. Some vendors may process your personal data on the basis of legitimate interest, which you can object to by managing your options below. we would never have taken up cruising. Norwegian Dream also had the unfortunate notoriety of being involved in a dramatic collision in 1999 with the cargo ship Ever Decent in the English Channel. She operated under Royal Caribbean as the Viking Serenade and was with them for about 10 years. MS Island Escape had 3x restaurants, two of them buffet-style. Since 2002, the renamed ship (MS Island Escape) was deployed in the Mediterranean (during summers) and in South America (in the winters). Whether you're a veteran cruiser or looking to set sail on the sea for the first time, everyone is welcome on our forum to participate in the hottest conversations in the cruising world. Norwegian Escape is ready to whisk you away to The Caribbean from Miami and Orlando, Canada & New England from New York, and the Mediterranean from Rome. 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. The fully equipped Hair and Beauty Salon offers all of hair, body and beauty treatments. It marks the end to one of the most initially optimistic, and then saddest, developments for any vessel over the course of the pandemic. 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. Look for a link at the bottom of this page or in our privacy policy where you can withdraw consent. 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. 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. However, Chatziginnis said that steel prices globally have increased dramatically over the past few months and residual value has increased by nearly $100 per ton in each of the major ship recycling counties. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. It is what got us into cruising and we had fond memories of our trip on her in spite of the Star being a tired ship. Prior to the pandemic, the ship's value was in the $95 million range. Karen was either thrown or pushed from the balcony oif their cabin and fell straight down into the water below. What Made It Special: Based out of Long Beach in recent years, Carnival Imagination was one of the few Fantasy Class vessels to not have been refitted with additional exterior balcony cabins. 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. Homeported from Mobile for the last decade, Carnival Fantasy was due to be replaced by Carnival Fascination in 2022. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The ship helped to spark a newbuild competition with competitor Royal Caribbean that continued until recently. Other onboard amenities include gift shops, video arcade, internet caf, swimming pool, sports deck, Infirmary/medical center. She was ordered in 1980 by Dannish ferry operator DFDS as the ms Scandinavia. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Homepage - Island Escape Midship on deck 3 are positioned both tenders (starboard and portside) each feated with a davit crane. Cruise Critic will update this article as more details become available. Passenger Capacity: 32. Dismantling will commence shortly. The ship was then renamed Feodor Dostoevskiy for Transocean Tours between 1988 and 1995 before regaining its original name from 1995 onward. History [ edit ] The company had initially entered the cruise market in 1973, but due to rising fuel costs the venture was terminated in 1976.