Saw it in BCN before we had booked our first cruise, had been looking at it in the Thomsons brochure - then when we saw it decided definitely not, but again wouldn't do if we all wanted the same. The ship was finally sent to the breakers in 2022. It certainly put me off ever wanting to book a cruise on herWilba. MS Island Escape (Thomson Cruises), Viking Serenade (Royal Caribbean ), MS Stardancer (Royal Admiral Cruises), MS Scandinavia (DFDS Seaways). Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson Cruises) is a British cruise line operated by TUI UK, offering cruise holidays around Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia. Shame Ocean village left us as we enjoyed that one. Island Escape Cruises NZ (Small Cruise Lines), Island Escape cruise ship arrested in Broome WA, unable to restart sailings. 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. As many as 13 cruise ships were reduced to scrap in 2020 more than in the five preceding years combined. Cabin grades number: 13. Here's our running tally of the ship's we've lost in the past few years. Palmys kids club is entertaining and imaginative, offering the best childcare and daily activities. Repeats of the documentary were later shown on Bravo. Black Watch was noted for its wide, open decks, abundance of public areas; and its unique itineraries. Olsen and setting sail as Boudicca in 2005. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The ship was also attractive for families who look for out of Palma de Mallorca fly-cruises from the UK. The vessel was in Denmark and completed its five-year survey with class society DNVGL. 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. Island Escape was drydock-refurbished at Damen Shiprepair Brest (France)/shipyard then renamed "Ocean Gala". In 1985 she was renamed MS Stardancer and in 1990 MS Viking Serenade before being converted to a cruise ship in 1991. There were plans to convert the ship into a private yacht that never came to fruition, and EasyCruise One (then renamed simply, Cruise One) was placed in long-term layup in drydock. 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. outfitting yard. 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. It was, and still is, one of the more sumptuously-decorated FunShips. 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. Carnival Sensation becomes the fifth Fantasy Class ship to be removed from service -- and scrapped. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. 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. [24], "MS Scandinavia (1981)" redirects here. And thereafter, we are arranging the transportation from point A to point B, Chatziginnis said. 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. She became MS Island Escape in 2002 being renamed once more as MS Ocean Gala in 2015. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. 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. 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. When Crown Princess debuted in 1990, it was a game-changer for Princess Cruises. Cruise Critic will update this article as more details become available. But Crown Princess was rendered outdated by the introduction in 1995 of Sun Princess and in 1998 by the huge Grand Princess. Island Escape Cruise Ship | Island Escape Itineraries - CruiseTimetables A few years later she was sold again to Admiral (Royal Admiral) Cruises. 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. Last year she changed her name to Ocean Gala I and was reflagged in St Kitts. It was never a trendsetting ship, however; as years went on it lacked the bells-and-whistles of the newer Norwegian vessels but found a home in Asia operating voyages for Star Cruises. Star Pisces was sold for scrap due to the collapse of Star Cruises' parent company, Genting Hong Kong, in 2022. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Like Black Watch, sister-ship Boudicca also began life with Royal Viking Line, setting sail in 1973 as Royal Viking Sky. Its funny Wilba, we sailed on her whilst the TV series was being made! We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. She was our first initiation into the world of cruising, and now we have the bug, been on 7 cruises now, with many different companies, all Med cruises as we live in Mallorca. ISLAND ESCAPE, Passenger (Cruise) Ship - VesselFinder Other onboard amenities include gift shops, video arcade, internet caf, swimming pool, sports deck, Infirmary/medical center. 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. Ocean Gala Ship Review | CruiseMapper Island Escape - Passenger ship, IMO 8002597, Callsign C6SK4, Flag Bahamas - vesseltracker.com 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. Its removal leaves just two Fantasy Class ships in service with Carnival: Carnival Elation and Carnival Paradise. Homeported from Mobile for the last decade, Carnival Fantasy was due to be replaced by Carnival Fascination in 2022. On March 1, 2021, it was reported that Columbus was headed east after being sold by Seajets for a tidy profit. The car deck was turned into a passenger deck. Horizon managed to avoid the breakfers for two years, but was finally beached in late August 2022. 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). The plans were to berth Ocean gala in Port Harnosand, approx 430 km / 270 mi north of Stockholm. Its whimsical Joe Farcus-designed interiors were wild, bright, and vibrant, and wholly unique from Carnival Fantasy's later sisters. Carnival Cruise Lines announced July 23 that the 1995-built Carnival Imagination would be placed in long-term layup, with no immediate plans for it to re-enter the fleet. 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). We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Cruise Industry News 1996-2022. cookie policy, Sign up to receive all the latest news and special offers for your next cruise holiday, For further details, please read our 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. [8] In November 2010, Thomson was scheduled to spend a further 4 million in refurbishing Island Escape. In August 2016, Ocean Gala was put up for sale for EUR 17,8 million (~USD 20M). The food was awful, but the entertainment was good, and the captain was very funny, but in the whole it was just like a glorified ferry. She became MS Island Escape in 2002 being renamed once more as MV Ocean Gala in 2015. 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. Look for a link at the bottom of this page or in our privacy policy where you can withdraw consent. To avoid increased costs for heating and since Ocean Gala did not comply with Finnish-Swedish Ice Class Rules, the vessel left the port 3 November 2016. Marella Cruises officially withdrew Marella Dream from service on October 1, 2020. 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. Olsen Cruise Lines in 1996 and renamed Black Watch. On August 26, the ship officially embarked on its last journey, sailing from Willemstad, Curacao, to Aliaga, Turkey, where it will be broken up. The ships were initially odered for Overseas National Airways of the United States, and Hugh Hefner was reportedly involved in their design. When it emerged, it boasted a new midsection complete with a new dining room, new bars and lounges, and additional passenger accommodation. 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. The boat had 11 decks, of which 9 were passenger-accessible and 7 with cabins. He has been writing about the cruise industry since 2009 and studying it since 1998. She is headed to India and will arrive at the scrap yard in Alang at the end of the month. Some vendors may process your personal data on the basis of legitimate interest, which you can object to by managing your options below. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. More Pioneering Cruise Ships are Scrapping - The Maritime Executive Horizon was removed from the Celebrity Cruises fleet in 2005 and was passed around to various operators before landing with Pullmantur in 2017. 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. [1] In 2002, she was transferred to the fleet of Royal Caribbean's new subsidiary Island Cruises as MS Island Escape. You would probably be looking at something like $80 per ton, for example, he added. Join Island Time as we share the latest in cruise news. In Turkey, the value is considerably less at $280-300 per ton. I don't think the TV series on her did any favours. 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. Much like a flight on EasyJet, EasyCruise promised "unbundled" pricing, with surcharges for everything from onboard meals to cabin service. In Turkey, the value is considerably less at $280-300 per ton. It was the lead ship in Carnival's eight-vessel strong Fantasy Class that would be introduced from 1990 to 1998, becoming the largest group of passenger ships built to the same specifications at the time. The latter was scrapped in 2017, but Holiday continued to sail on as Magellan for now-defunct Cruise and Maritime Voyages. Island Escape - VARD Restaurants and food bars:Island Restaurant(British and international buffets),Beachcomber Restaurant(24 hours a dayself-service buffets, international theme nights). That vessel also began life as an order for South Africa-based Safmarine. Island Escape yacht current location is at West Australia (coordinates -32.14697 S / 115.76578 E) cruising en route to HENDERSON. "Costa Crociere confirms that the ownership of Costa Victoria has been transferred to a subsidiary of Genoese company San Giorgio del Porto," reads a statement from Costa Cruises sent to Cruise Critic, while not directly confirming the ship's fate. After being rebuilt in the early 1990's, Marco Polo entered service with Orient Line until 2008, before becoming part of the Transocean Tours fleet. While these pioneers had been outclassed by . Thomson Cruises buy Splendour of the Seas ship from Royal Caribbean Island Escape scrapped - Cruise Forum | Latest Cruise News | Cruise.co.uk What Made It Special Cruise & Maritime Voyages' Magellan began life in 1985 as Carnival Cruise Line's Holiday. In 2009, Rhapsody was sold to Israel-based Mano Maritime, and operated cruises from Haifa under the name Golden Iris. MS Island Escape had 3x restaurants, two of them buffet-style. The world's largest cruise ship by passenger capacity is. It was the second newbuild ever for Celebrity Cruises, and was designed for upscale cruising from North American destinations. Island Escape yacht Itinerary, Current Position, Ship Review - CruiseMapper Olsen fleet, Boudicca arrived at the shipbreaking yards in Aliaga, Turkey in May 2021 to be broken up. [20], In February 1988, a chiropractor named Scott Rolston murdered his wife Karen Waltz by strangling her and dumping the body overboard in order to make it look like a drowning. Marella Dream began life in 1986 as Homeric, the last new ship constructed for Home Lines. Sip on some of Napa's best blends at The . Copyright 2023 www.Cruise.co.uk Ltd. All rights reserved. What Made It Special: The sixth vessel in Carnival's Fantasy Class, Carnival Inspiration brought more of the same whimsical Carnival fun to the line, wrapped up in longtime interior designer Joe Farcus' sometimes wacky interior decor. The cruise line has nothing to do anymore with the vessel. The value can depend on various factors, such as the country where the facilities are located or whether the cruise vessel was registered in a EU country. Photos of Scrapped Cruise Ships Reveal a Struggling Industry - Insider Midship on deck 4 is the Wheelhouse/Navigation Bridge. Since 2002, the renamed ship (MS Island Escape) was deployed in the Mediterranean (during summers) and in South America (in the winters). ship designer. On July 23, 2020 Carnival announced that Carnival Fascination would be withdrawn from service and placed in long-term layup. For season 2023, Island Escape Cruises introduced three new itineraries - "Experience the South Pacific" (Tahiti, Cook Islands, Tonga, Fiji), "Experience Papua New Guinea" (Sepik River, Milne Bay, Trobriand Islands, Rabaul), "Experience Tahiti" (April-June/7-night voyage visiting the Leeward Islands in French Polynesia/fly-cruise from Papeete Tahiti to Bora Bora, Tahaa, Raiatea, Huahine). Ships - which sell as scrap at around 6million - are rammed onto muddy beaches at high tide and grounded on the beach so workers can start pulling them apart, often without any specialist. In July 2022, Golden Iris was sold to shipbreaking interests, ending the vessel's 47-year career. On January 15, 2021, Seajets reportedly flipped Magellan, selling it to scrapping interests in India and ending the venerable cruise ship's career. So, ultimately the ownership and responsibility of the vessel would be transferred to the owning entity that would be buying the vessel. Its career with Princess was remarkably short -- just 12 years -- and in 2002 it was renamed A'Rosa Blu. MV Ocean Gala cruise ship was built for Scandinavian World Cruises (DFDS) as "ms Scandinavia". It arrived for scrapping in December 2021, and was beached soon after. 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. Cruise lineIsland Escape Cruises NZ (Small Cruise Lines). At the time of construction, it was the world's largest cruise ferry. It was beached for scrapping in early June, 2022. We are (then) sending the unit to the recycling facility, and the recycling facility has to pay for purchasing the vessel to recycle in accordance with the standards that were going to agree on, he added. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. By the mid-80s DFDS sold her to Sundance Cruise Corp who renamed her Stardancer. The documentary followed the working lives of crew members and gave insight into what it was like to work on a cruise ship. privacy policy, Registered Office: Grosvenor House, Prospect Hill, Redditch, B97 4DL, By using this site you agree to our cookies and privacy policy. She then relocated to Scandinavia and sailed on their flagship route Oslo-Copenhagen. Initially, permission was sought for a 4 year stint 20162020 in the Harbour of Hrnsand. Photo: Peace Boat, Sovereign departing Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, at sunset (Photo: Aaron Saunders/Cruise Critic), SuperStar Aquarius, the ex-Norwegian Wind (Photo: Star Cruises), SuperStar Gemini, the ex-Norwegian Dream (Photo: Star Cruises). So, the vessel could be recycled there, but its a totally different market. 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. Breaking Yard: Alang, India. In 10 episodes, it showed the working lives of some of the crew, giving an insight into what it is like working on a cruise ship. 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. What Made It Special: Originally built as Holland America Line's Noordam before being transferred to Thomson/Marella Cruises in 2005, one thing that remained constant about Marella Celebration was how beloved it was. The vessel was last operated by the Japan-based Peace Boat Organization as the Ocean Dream. 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. MS Island Escape ship was operated and owned by Thomson UK under the Island Cruises brand until December 2015. The ship had a long career with Carnival, serving until 2009 with the line and acting as relief housing during Hurricane Katrina. Sign up. Ocean Gala I (ex-Viking Serenade, Island Escape) To Be Scrapped Following the collapse of Pullmantur in June 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ship was laid up in the Mediterranean. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Pullmantur filed for bankruptcy protection in June as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Carnival Fantasy Carnival Fantasy Debut Date: March 1990 Sailed For:. At the height of the pandemic, however, those values could be as low as $90 for EU-flagged ships. The vessel was ordered to Vard Vung Tau Ltd in December 2019 (when the shipbuilding contract was signed) and its construction officially started in June 2020, with the keel-laying ceremony. The largest accommodations were the Club and Island Suites, having a separate bar and lounge area. Some vendors may process your personal data on the basis of legitimate interest, which you can object to by managing your options below. The ship was the first foray into cruising for low-cost European air carrier EasyJet. In October 2021, Island Escape Cruises Ltd's owner (Peter Bissett) announced that the company will officially start operations in New Zealand in November 2022. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. we would never have taken up cruising. The world's longest-serving cruise ship, Astoria, will be scrapped in the coming weeks or months. "When the pandemic was at its peak - let's say around summer 2020 - and the first cruise ships . Indulging in every whim is what unforgettable vacations are made of. In 2022, the Island Escape yacht charter cost NZD 325000 (~USD 204K / ~GBP 169K). 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. After months off Suez as channel workers floating accommodation and calls at Limassol she finally passed through the canal on 2 May 2017, heading down the Red Sea, it was speculated she was heading to Alang for Scrapping.