Empress of the Seas

Last updated

Empress of the Seas in Grand Cayman May 30, 2016.jpg
Empress of the Seas in Grand Cayman on Monday, 30 May 2016.
History
Civil Ensign of the Bahamas.svg Bahamas
Name
  • Originally ordered as: Future Seas (1989–1990)
  • 1990–2004: Nordic Empress
  • 2004–2008: Empress of the Seas
  • 2008–2016: Empress
  • 2016-2020: Empress of the Seas
  • 2020 onwards: Empress
Owner
Operator
Port of registry
Builder Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire, France
Yard numberG29 [1]
Launched25 August 1989 [1]
Sponsored by Gloria Estefan
Acquired31 May 1990 [1]
Maiden voyage25 June 1990
In service2020-present
Homeport Miami, Florida
Identification IMO number:  8716899 [1]
StatusIn Service
General characteristics (as built) [1]
TypeEmpress-class cruise ship [2]
Tonnage
Length210.81 m (691.63 ft)
Beam30.70 m (100.72 ft)
Draught7.10 m (23.29 ft)
Decks9 Passenger Decks
Installed power
Speed19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph)
Capacity1,840
Crew668

Empress (formerly Nordic Empress and Empress of the Seas) is a cruise ship owned by Cordelia Cruises, an Indian cruise line. She is the sole ship of her class. She entered service with then-Royal Caribbean International in 1990, transferred to Pullmantur Cruises in 2008, and then returned to Royal Caribbean International in 2016. In December 2020, she was retired from the Royal Caribbean fleet and sold to Cordelia Cruises. [3]

Contents

History

The ship was ordered by Admiral Cruises and was intended to be called the Future Seas and join the other Admiral ships, the Azure Seas and the Emerald Seas. However, when Royal Caribbean merged with Admiral in 1987, the Admiral brand was dissolved and the newbuild (still under construction) was incorporated into the Royal Caribbean fleet. A few signature Royal Caribbean brand elements were added, including the Viking Crown and Windjammer Cafe.[ citation needed ]

The ship was originally named Nordic Empress and was the final Royal Caribbean ship whose name did not end with "of the Seas" until the name was changed to match the rest of the fleet following an extensive rebuilding that ended on 8 May 2004.[ citation needed ]

Nordic Empress was the first mainstream cruise ship especially designed for the 3 and 4 day cruise market. Her initial itinerary was a short cruise to the Bahamas, which was then combined with 3 and 4 day cruises from San Juan, Puerto Rico. In 1999, following the sale of the Song of America , the Nordic Empress took over the New York City to Bermuda route.[ citation needed ]

In 2000, Royal Caribbean announced that the Nordic Empress would be undertaking a series of cruises in South America. Shortly after these cruises were put on sale, Royal Caribbean decided to replace the Nordic Empress with the Splendour of the Seas on the South American itineraries, leaving the Nordic Empress in the Caribbean.[ citation needed ]

2001 engine room fire

In June 2001 the Nordic Empress suffered extensive engine room fire damage while sailing 140 miles north of Bermuda. Subsequent investigation revealed the cause of the fire was failure of a loose bolt in a fuel line flange assembly that had been improperly repaired. [4] The broken bolt caused the flange assembly to separate, allowing fuel to leak around the engine. Moments after a low fuel pressure alarm sounded in the engine room, the leaking fuel ignited against the hot engine surfaces, causing a large explosion that was visible on the engine room CCTV. [4] The engines were stopped immediately and all fuel pumps switched off. Crew members attempting to enter the engine area to fight to fire with fire hoses were forced to turn back from the intense heat. [4] 6 minutes into the fire, the engine room overhead fire sprinkler system was activated along with the ship's general emergency alarm. The sprinklers appeared to have extinguished the fire after 4 minutes, and crew once again attempted to re-enter the engine area, only to have the residual fuel in the engine area ignite a flash fire that was quickly extinguished with fire hoses. [4] During the subsequent inspection of the engine room and surrounding areas, burning wires were discovered in an adjacent compartment. The space was evacuated before lowering watertight doors and releasing 885 kg of halon and restarting the overhead sprinkler system. [4] 3 hours after the first fire broke out, the incident was logged as resolved. The ship was able to return to Bermuda under reduced power, and was subsequently taken out of service for 2 weeks for repairs. Total expenses and lost revenue related to the fire totaled over $8.8 million. [4]

Actress Tina Fey and then recently married husband Jeff Richmond were reportedly on board at the time. The incident was recounted in Fey's autobiography, Bossypants. [5]

Service under Pullmantur Cruises

On 26 March 2007, it was reported that in March 2008, the Empress of the Seas would be transferred to the fleet of Royal Caribbean's subsidiary Pullmantur Cruises. [6] Her final voyage for Royal Caribbean took place on 7 March 2008, while the maiden voyage as Empress for Pullmantur Cruises took place on 15 March 2008.

In November 2012, Empress was the first of the fleet to receive a brand new logo as well as new hull color scheme. [7]

Service under Royal Caribbean

In 2016, Empress underwent a dry dock refit and returned to Royal Caribbean as Empress of the Seas. [8]

On 21 December 2015, Royal Caribbean started offering 4- and 5-night Empress of the Seas cruises from Miami, originally scheduled to begin 30 March 2016, with the Bahama Islands, Key West, and Grand Cayman among ports to be visited. On 18 March 2016, Royal Caribbean announced that the reintroduction of Empress of the Seas into its fleet would be delayed until 25 April 2016. [9] On 20 April 2016, a further delay to 28 May 2016 was announced to time to completely rebuild the ship's galleys. [10]

On 21 December 2018, Empress of the Seas rescued two fishermen who were without food, fuel or water after having set sail in the Caribbean sea twenty days earlier. [11] [12] Crew members operating the radar system for the Empress of the Seas had noticed an anomaly that turned out to be the small fishing boat. Royal Caribbean lowered one of its lifeboats to rescue the fishermen. [13] [12]

In 2019, the ship was scheduled to take longer and more extended cruises to Cuba. Besides Havana, she was scheduled to visit Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba. These routes have since been suspended, the ship instead substituting other ports in the Caribbean and Bahama Islands for the Cuban ports. [14]

On 15 March 2020 the ship docked in Miami for the final time under Royal Caribbean carrying fare paying passengers.

Sale to Cordelia Cruises

In August 2020, in response to rumors that Empress of the Seas was anchored in Greece to be sold for scrap, Royal Caribbean said that the ship was still part of the fleet and is only staying in Greece for a few months. [15] [16] [17]

In December 2020, Royal Caribbean sold Empress of the Seas to Indian cruise line Cordelia Cruises. [3]

In the novel World War Z , by Max Brooks, the Nordic Empress is found to be heavily infested by zombies and drifting near Dakar, Senegal by the Chinese Type 094 submarine Admiral Zheng He. [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Caribbean International</span> Norwegian–American cruise line

Royal Caribbean International (RCI), previously known as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL), is a cruise line brand founded in 1968 in Norway and organised as a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group since 1997. Based in Miami, Florida, it is the largest cruise line by revenue and second largest by passengers counts. In 2018, Royal Caribbean International controlled 19.2% of the worldwide cruise market by passengers and 14.0% by revenue. As of January 2022, the line operates 26 ships and has four additional ships on order.

Celebrity Cruises is a cruise line headquartered in Miami, Florida and a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Group. Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1988 by the Greece-based Chandris Group, and merged with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line in 1997. Celebrity's signature logo is an "Χ" displayed on the funnel of Celebrity ships, and is the Greek letter chi, for "Chandris".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Caribbean Group</span> Cruise holding company

Royal Caribbean Group, formerly known as Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., is a global cruise holding company incorporated in Liberia and based in Miami, Florida. It is the world's second-largest cruise line operator, after Carnival Corporation & plc. As of January 2021, Royal Caribbean Group fully owns three cruise lines: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises. They hold a 50% stake in TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, also the now-defunct Pullmantur Cruises and CDF Croisières de France.

<i>Majesty of the Seas</i>

Majesty of the Seas is a Sovereign-class cruise ship owned by Seajets and formerly owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. She was built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyards in Saint-Nazaire, France, and placed in service on 26 April 1992. The cruise ship offered guests 4 and 5-night Caribbean getaways. She sailed from Florida. Her Godmother is Queen Sonja of Norway. As of January 2023, she is the only remaining Sovereign-class ship, although laid up since sale to Seajets in December 2020.

MS <i>Monarch</i>

MS Monarch was the second of three Sovereign-class cruise ships owned by Royal Caribbean International. Beginning on April 1, 2013, Monarch was operated by RCCL's Pullmantur Cruises, before being sold for scrap in 2020 following Pullmantur's closure. The ship was built in 1991 at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyards in Saint-Nazaire, France.

USS <i>Hyman</i> Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer

USS Hyman (DD-732), was an Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer of the United States Navy.

MV <i>Horizon</i>

The MV Horizon was a cruise ship that sailed from 1990-2020, and was the first new build for Celebrity Cruises. She was sent for scrapping in Aliaga in 2022.

<i>Grandeur of the Seas</i> Vision-class cruise ship

Grandeur of the Seas is a Vision-class cruise ship owned and operated by Royal Caribbean International. Features include a full-service spa, six whirlpools, an outdoor jogging track and a number of bars and restaurants. It was announced on 16 October 2019 that Grandeur of the Seas will be transferred in the second quarter of 2021 to Pullmantur Cruises, in which Royal Caribbean has a 49% stake. These plans were cancelled in mid-2020.

MS <i>Sovereign</i>

MS Sovereign was one of three large cruise ships of the Sovereign class operated by Pullmantur Cruises and formerly by Royal Caribbean International. When she was completed in 1987, Sovereign of the Seas was the world's largest passenger ship. On 24 June 2020 Sovereign arrived and was beached at Aliağa, Turkey, where she was dismantled.

MV <i>Zenith</i> Horizon-class cruise ship

The MV Zenith was a cruise ship built in 1992 by Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany for Celebrity Cruises as Zenith. After a career for Pullmantur Cruises and Croisières de France she was sold for scrapping in Alang, India in 2022.

MS <i>Tropicale</i> Cruise ship built 1982

MS Tropicale was a cruise ship that entered service in 1982, and was one of the pioneering cruise ships in the modernization of the cruise industry. She was Carnival Cruises Line's first newly built ship, initially operating mainly in the Mexican Rivera and the Caribbean.

Pullmantur Cruises was a cruise line headquartered in Madrid, Spain. It began operations in the late 1990s as an offshoot of the Madrid-based travel agency Pullmantur. In 2006, Pullmantur Cruises, through its parent company, was purchased by U.S.-based Royal Caribbean Group, but Royal Caribbean later sold a 51% stake in the cruise line to Spain-based investment firm Springwater Capital, retaining a 49% stake.

<i>Atlantic Star</i> (cruise ship)

Atlantic Star was a cruise ship built in 1984. She sailed for Sitmar Cruises, Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia, and Pullmantur Cruises. Under ownership of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the ship had been laid up since 2010 before being handed over to STX France in 2013 as a partial payment for the construction of what is now, Harmony of the Seas. She was later sold to a shipbreaker in Aliağa, Turkey, renamed Antic, and scrapped on 14 April 2013.

<i>Azamara Pursuit</i> Cruise ship

Azamara Pursuit is a cruise ship operating for Azamara Club Cruises. The ship was built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique at their shipyard in St. Nazaire, France in 2001.

<i>Azamara Quest</i> Cruise ship

Azamara Quest is an R-class cruise ship that entered service for Azamara Cruises on 24 October 2007. She was built in 2000 for Renaissance Cruises as R Seven. Following the collapse of Renaissance Cruises in 2001 she was laid up for two years, until chartered to the Germany-based Delphin Seereisen as Delphin Renaissance.

<i>Blue Sapphire</i> (ship) Cruise ship operating for ANEX Tour

Blue Sapphire is a cruise ship owned and operated by ANEX Tour. She was originally built in 1981 by Bremer Vulkan of Germany for Hapag-Lloyd Cruises as Europa. In 1999, Europa was sold to Star Cruises and she was renamed SuperStar Europe and a year later, Superstar Aries. In 2004, she was sold to Pullmantur Cruises and renamed Holiday Dream. In May 2008, she was transferred to the fleet of CDF Croisières de France and renamed Bleu de France. In November 2010, she was sold to Saga Cruises, but retained on charter by CDF for a further 12 months. Following an extensive refit in Italy from November 2011 to March 2012, the vessel was renamed Saga Sapphire. Most recently, she was sold to ANEX Tour in June 2020 and renamed Blue Sapphire, scheduled for an official debut in 2021.

CDF Croisières de France was a cruise line that catered to the French cruise market, with French as the primary language used on board. CDF was a subsidiary of Pullmantur Cruises, and offered cruises to the Mediterranean operating from mid-March until November. Most CDF cruises were all inclusive. in many, but not all cases, the price included airfare. However, cruises could be purchased without airfare as well. CDF ceased operations in 2017.

<i>SS Argentina</i> (1958) Ocean liner

SS Argentina was an ocean liner launched at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, United States in 1958. The ship was the last ocean liner to be completed in the United States. Sister ship, Brasil had been launched in December 1957. Both ships operated in Moore-McCormack's South American service serving ports on the east coasts of North and South America.

Admiral Cruises was a cruise line that operated cruises on the Eastern and Western coasts of the United States. It was formed in 1986 as a merger of three small cruise lines and was acquired by Royal Caribbean Cruise Line in 1988. The brand was discontinued in 1992 and its ships were retired and sold.

<i>Icon of the Seas</i> Cruise ship under construction in Finland

Icon of the Seas is a cruise ship built for Royal Caribbean International and will be the lead ship of the Icon class. She is scheduled to enter service in early 2024 out of the Port of Miami in the US. At 250,800 gross tonnage (GT), Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Asklande, Micke. "M/S Nordic Empress (1990)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 2 August 2008.
  2. ↑ "Empress of the Seas" . Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Rebooted Indian Cruise Line Emerges as Buyer of Empress of the Seas". The Maritime Executive. 28 December 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Danieloncarevic (27 May 2013), Lessons learned - Engine Room Fires, archived from the original on 21 December 2021, retrieved 29 April 2016
  5. ↑ "Tina Fey's Honeymoon Ruined By Cruise Ship Fire? : Cruise Law News". 22 April 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  6. ↑ "Royal Caribbean International's Empress of the Seas to Join Pullmantur Fleet" (Press release). Royal Caribbean International. 26 March 2007. Archived from the original on 1 February 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  7. ↑ "Pullmantur Rebranding". 19 November 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "Pullmantur: Another Change of Strategy; Empress Back to Royal". Cruise Industry News. 22 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  9. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Cancels Six Empress of the Seas Cruises". Cruise Critic. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
  10. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Cancels More Empress of the Seas Cruises". Cruise Critic. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
  11. ↑ AM, Ewan Palmer On 12/24/18 at 5:18 (24 December 2018). ""Christmas miracle": Sailors lost at sea for three weeks rescued by cruise ship changing course". Newsweek.
  12. 1 2 Brice-Saddler, Michael. "Lost at sea, their food was running low. Then the Empress of the Seas appeared" – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  13. ↑ "Royal Caribbean cruise ship rescues two men stranded at sea for 20 days". TravelPulse. 22 December 2018.
  14. ↑ "Royal Caribbean Will Sail Longer Cuba Cruises in 2019, Including 3 Cuban Ports of Call". www.cruisecritic.com. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
  15. ↑ "No, Royal Caribbean still has not sold Empress of the Seas". Royal Caribbean Blog. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  16. ↑ "Royal Caribbean rebuffs rumors of Empress of the Seas sale". seatrade-cruise.com. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  17. ↑ Arora, Vijay (18 February 2021). "Empress of the Seas is going on to a new life as Cordelia Cruises". Z Travel News Worldwide. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  18. ↑ Brooks, Max (2006). World War Z . pp.  242–243.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.