In 2016 a deal was struck with the Swedish Government to use her as housing for the European refuge crisis. As the lead ship of the three-vessel strong Holiday class, Holiday would pave the way for Carnival's larger and hugely-successful Fantasy Class that debuted in 1990, much of which was patterned off the basic design for Holiday. Cruise Critic will update this article as more details become available. What Made It Special: Horizon was constructed in 1990 as the first of two nearly identical newbuilds for Celebrity Cruises. Our first cruise was on her sister ship the Island Star which was bigger and a former Celebrity ship. At Island Escape Cruises we are passionate about preserving the beautiful water in which we are travelling. It marks the end to one of the most initially optimistic, and then saddest, developments for any vessel over the course of the pandemic. Marella Cruises officially withdrew Marella Dream from service on October 1, 2020. Rupert Neate. Maintaining cruise ships that aren't in use is very expensive . In 1991, the ship was renamed Marco Polo; an iconic moniker it would keep with it for the next three decades despite changing operators several times. The vessel ISLAND ESCAPE (IMO: 9903994, MMSI 538009093) is a Passenger (Cruise) Ship built in 2021 (2 years old) and currently sailing under the flag of Marshall Islands . So, from Piraeus in Greece, we put our crew onboard, and we arrange for the unit to go to Turkey. On its way to Esbjerg, a short stop was made in Tallinn to refuel. I don't think the TV series on her did any favours. we would never have taken up cruising. Bahamas Paradise confirmed to Cruise Critic that Grand Celebration had been sold. My supervisor did her first cruise on the Escape a few years ago and likewise, she now enjoys cruising. 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. What Made It Special: Few people likely sailed Ocean Dream during the eight years it spent sailing for Japan-based Peace Boat, but more likely know it from its past life as Carnival Cruise Line's trendsetting Tropicale. Indulging in every whim is what unforgettable vacations are made of. 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. MS Island Escape ship was operated and owned by Thomson UK under the Island Cruises brand until December 2015. Sign up. 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 Join the forum today by. 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). Passenger Capacity: 32. The largest accommodations were the Club and Island Suites, having a separate bar and lounge area. Boudicca seemed the more "modern" of the two, thanks to a series of upgrades to the vessel's interiors spaces and passenger cabins that occurred at the Blohm + Voss shipyards in Hamburg in 2018. Cruise ship stuck offshore as . On November 27, 2020 Ocean Dream was reported sold to scrapping interests, and was beached in Aliaga, Turkey in January 2021. We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Carnival Fantasy was sent in early July to Curacao where major fittings and fixtures were removed. She operated under Royal Caribbean as the Viking Serenade and was with them for about 10 years. 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. Marella Celebration's sister-ship, Marella Spirit (the former Nieuw Amsterdam) was scrapped in 2018. The AIS position was reported 7 minutes ago. She then sailed towards northern Europe, however the plan never materialized and she spent the summer of 2016 and into 2017 hopping around Europe going from one layberth to another. Look for a link at the bottom of this page or in our privacy policy where you can withdraw consent. The sale of the Astoria to a European Union-approved shipbreaking yard, most likely the. After a four-year stint with Iberocruceros, it was purchased by UK-based Cruise & Maritime Voyages in 2015 and renamed Magellan. The elimination of single use plastic is our goal. In 2016, Thomson cruises replaced Island Escape with Splendour of the Seas. She became MS Island Escape in 2002 being renamed once more as MV Ocean Gala in 2015. "When the pandemic was at its peak - let's say around summer 2020 - and the first cruise ships . However, the applications of the charter agency for berthing the ship at Harnosand met resistance from local politicians. 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. Monarch, together with older sister Sovereign, were reportedly stripped of their interior fittings and artwork in Genoa. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. "Costa will be informing guests booked on the next Costa Victoria cruises, who will be guaranteed a re-protection in accordance with the applicable legislation.. 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. ship designer. Island Escape SHIP HORN | Cruise ship scrapped Cruises & Travels Crew 16.2K subscribers Subscribe Share 2K views 1 year ago VILLEFRANCHE-SUR-MER The cruise ship Island. It arrived for scrapping in December 2021, and was beached soon after. With that many ships entering the scene, cruise lines have to be wary not to oversupply the market, said VesselsValue, a maritime data provider. 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. What Made It Special: Built for Celebrity Cruises in 1992 as the sister-ship to Horizon, Zenith was famous for its distinctive style. The global health pandemic put a stop to that. 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. Olsen and setting sail as Boudicca in 2005. 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. For 2023 were scheduled voyages along Western Australia's Kimberley Coast (leaving roundtrip from homeport Broome) in the period May-September (2023) as well as itineraries visiting South Pacific Islands and Tahiti. On January 4, 2021, the ship was confirmed as sold for scrap and was bound for India. In August 2016, Ocean Gala was put up for sale for EUR 17,8 million (~USD 20M). Its whimsical Joe Farcus-designed interiors were wild, bright, and vibrant, and wholly unique from Carnival Fantasy's later sisters. 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. Shes had a rather interesting career. So, the vessel could be recycled there, but its a totally different market. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 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). 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. Cruise & Maritime Voyages acquired the ship in 2010. Designed by Joe Farcus, the ship's interiors recall the grand days of Hollywood, with public rooms like the Beverly Hills Bar named accordingly. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics, Which Cruise Ships Will Be Scrapped Or Taken Out of Service? We have seen a couple of units being sold for recycling in India already, but a couple of units is nothing compared to the numbers weve seen in Turkey so far, Chatziginnis told Cruise Industry News. 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. Thenwas immediately chartered and deployed inScandinavia (Kristiansand, Norway) to serve asa floating hotel for social workers involved in the Syrian refugee crisis. The world's largest cruise company reported a loss of $2.9 billion in the quarter ending on Aug. 31 and announced that it would remove 13 of its older, less efficient ships from its global. Rolston was later convicted of her murder. Ocean Suites are with either one King-size double bed, two single beds/twins or one single bed. 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. Island Escape yacht current location is at West Australia (coordinates -32.14697 S / 115.76578 E) cruising en route to HENDERSON. The ship enjoyed short stints with P&O Australia as Pacific Star and with Spanish operator Pullmantur as Ocean Dream before being transferred, but not renamed, to Peace Boat in 2012. Cunard Princess was sold to MSC Cruises in 1995, where it enjoyed a 14-year career with the popular European cruise line as their Rhapsody. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Join Island Time as we share the latest in cruise news. [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. Note: Between 2002-2015, "MS Island Escape" was named the 1982-built cruise liner Scandinavia (IMO 8002597), Alang India-scrapped in 2018 as "MS Ocean Gala". 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. Norwegian Dream sailed for Norwegian Cruise Line until 2008, when it was laid up until its 2012 transfer to Star Cruises. Sip on some of Napa's best blends at The . 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. It was when she was at this point in her service life, 1991, that she went under her final transformation to a single purpose cruise ship and no longer a cruiseferry. 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. MS Viking Serenade was launched as the cruiseferry MS Scandinavia in 1981. She was actually christened in New York in September of 1982 and sailed some Bahamanian cruises out of there. 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). On January 15, 2021, Seajets reportedly flipped Magellan, selling it to scrapping interests in India and ending the venerable cruise ship's career. It was beached for scrapping in July 2022. This is why her stern is so angular and steep. And in that time, we've seen relatively young ships head to the breakers with no chance for a farewell cruise or proper send-off. Cruise lineIsland Escape Cruises NZ (Small Cruise Lines). Like Monarch, it was stripped of all valuable fittings in Genoa in June 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In late July, the ship arrived at the breakers in Aliaga and will be scraped alongside Sovereign. She's had a rather interesting career. The itinerary leaves roundtrip from Cairns QLD and visits the Great Barrier Reef's Escape Reef and Ribbon Reef (Day 2), Lizard Island/Dyiigurra (Day 3), Stanley Island and Cape Melville's Bathurst Bay (Day 4), Forbes Island/Wuthara (Day 5), Thursday Island/Waiben (Day 6), Restoration Island/Maalpiku (Day 7), Davie Cay and Howick Island (Day 8), anchoring at Ribbon Reef 9's lagoon (Day 9), Cooktown/Gangaar and Undine Cay (Day 10), arrival/debarkation in Cairns (Day 11). Prior to the pandemic, the ship's value was in the $95 million range. By the mid-80s DFDS sold her to Sundance Cruise Corp who renamed her Stardancer. It was the second newbuild ever for Celebrity Cruises, and was designed for upscale cruising from North American destinations. Tropicale was in service with Carnival until 2000, when it was transferred to Costa Cruises as Costa Tropicale. 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. 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. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Scrap Values. The third in a trio of newbuilds for Carnival, Celebration was part of the Holiday Class that would later pave the way for the highly successful (and somewhat similarly-designed) Fantasy Class. Both vessels were also notably designed by famed Italian architect Renzo Piano. 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. What Made It Special: SuperStar Libra debuted in 1988 as Norwegian Cruise Line's Seaward. Island Escape staterooms (768 total) ranged from Standard Inside and Outside triple and quad cabins (fitted with twin single beds and bunks) to Outside Premier (bigger than standard, with table, chair, sofabed), Outside Deluxe (larger than the Premiers), Balcony (with a mini-fridge). The ex-Tropicale is another former Carnival Cruise Line ship scrapped in 2021. Some vendors may process your personal data on the basis of legitimate interest, which you can object to by managing your options below. 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 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 After a short reprieve, the ship was beached at Alang in late November 2022. Fun fact is, that in 2002, Island Escape was featured in a UK TV mini-series documentary. The luxurious boat also features an outdoor spa pool/Jacuzzi. The plans were to berth Ocean gala in Port Harnosand, approx 430 km / 270 mi north of Stockholm. At the time of construction, it was the world's largest cruise ferry. Watersports equipment (water toys/kayaks and paddle boards), snorkeling and fishing gear are also provided complimentary. The venue was perfect for light lunches and late-night snacks, and regularly hosted international theme food nights. 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. 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. The car deck was turned into a passenger deck. That vessel also began life as an order for South Africa-based Safmarine. The ship was the first foray into cruising for low-cost European air carrier EasyJet. If it hadn't been for I.E. The ship was sold for just under $12 million dollars, and was beached at Alang, India for scrapping on November 30, 2020. Following the line's collapse, the ship was auctioned off for just $5.3 million to Greek-owned Seajets. [21], On May 25, 2006, Micki Kanesaki was murdered by her ex-husband, Lonnie Kocontes, while aboard the Island Escape. outfitting yard. Chatziginnis said the average scrap value in India is $400 per ton. 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. Our trip we discovered there was an included waiter service area in the MDR that had a special menu, food and service was excellent. Vard Vung Tau. 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. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. 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. 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. On August 26, the ship officially embarked on its last journey, sailing from Willemstad, Curacao, to Aliaga, Turkey, where it will be broken up. 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). Celebration found a new lease on life as Grand Celebration, the lead vessels for Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line. 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. 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. By continuing to use our website you agree to our Like Black Watch, sister-ship Boudicca also began life with Royal Viking Line, setting sail in 1973 as Royal Viking Sky. The 1800-passenger ship Island Escape was sold by Thomson Cruises to Cruise Holdings Inc (a consortium of South Florida-based investors) in December 2015. Other onboard amenities include gift shops, video arcade, internet caf, swimming pool, sports deck, Infirmary/medical center. Marina Deck is accessed from Ocean Deck (deck 2). Photos of abandoned, stripped cruise ships show how deeply the cruise industry is sinking. Island Escape Cruises NZ (Small Cruise Lines), Island Escape cruise ship arrested in Broome WA, unable to restart sailings. Global Dream II, which was designed to hold more than 9,000 . The luxury boat was constructed by VARD Vietnam (at Vung Tau Shipyard) and is also available for private charters. Vard Design. Olsen fleet and sold as an accommodation ship to a third-party buyer, its sailing days are over. [1] The company operated in Europe, the Caribbean, and South America, aiming its products primarily at markets in the United Kingdom, Brazil and Argentina. As of November 24, the ship is en-route to Bhavnagar, India, where it will arrive in early January for demolition. 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. 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. 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. 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. Serving with luxury brand Renaissance until 1998, Renaissance II then served as a casino charter vessel before being aquired by EasyCruise in 2005. The vessel was last owned by the Miami-based Cruise Holdings Inc and managed by Columbia Cruise Services (CCS) in Hamburg and Limassol.