MS Island Escape

Last updated
Viking serenade san diego 2 (cropped).jpg
Viking Serenade in San Diego
History
Name
  • 1982–1985: Scandinavia
  • 1985–1990: Stardancer
  • 1990–2002: Viking Serenade
  • 2002–2015: Island Escape [1]
  • 2015–2017: Ocean Gala
  • 2017–2018: Ocean Gala 1
Owner
Operator
Port of registry
Builder Dubigeon-Normandie S.A., Nantes, France [1]
Cost$100 million [3]
Yard number164 [1]
Laid downApril 6, 1981 [1]
LaunchedOctober 16, 1981 [1]
ChristenedSeptember 28, 1982 [1]
Completed1982
AcquiredAugust 20, 1982 [1]
Maiden voyage1982
In serviceOctober 2, 1982 [1] -2015
Identification
FateScrapped at Alang, India in April 2018
General characteristics (as built, 1981) [1]
Type cruiseferry
Tonnage
Length185.25 m (607 ft 9 in)
Beam27.01 m (88 ft 7 in)
Draught6.80 m (22 ft 4 in)
Decks10
Installed power
  • 2 × B&W 9L55GFCA diesels
  • combined 19,850 kW
PropulsionTwin propellers [3]
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Capacity
  • 1,606 passengers
  • 1,606 passenger berths
  • 530 cars
  • 51 trailers
General characteristics (as of 2009) [3]
Type cruise ship
Tonnage40,171  GT [4]
Length623 ft (190 m) [5]
Draught7.20 m (23 ft 7 in)
Decks9 (passenger accessible) [6]
Capacity
  • 1,544 passengers (lower berths) [6]
  • 1,740 passengers (all berths) [5]
  • 768 cabins [6]
Crew540 [6]
NotesCar and trailer space converted into cabin space [1]

MS Island Escape was a cruise ship originally built as the cruiseferry MS Scandinavia in 1981.

Contents

The ship was renamed MS Stardancer in 1985 and Viking Serenade in 1990 before being converted to a cruise ship in 1991. She was renamed again as MS Island Escape in 2002, again as MS Ocean Gala in 2015, and lastly as MS Ocean Gala 1, before being scrapped in 2018.

History

She was built in 1982 by Dubigeon-Normandie S.A., Nantes, France for Scandinavian World Cruises, a subsidiary of DFDS, as the cruiseferry Scandinavia. At the time of her construction, she was the largest cruiseferry in the world.[ citation needed ] After being withdrawn from Scandinavian World Cruises, she briefly sailed for DFDS Seaways. Between 1985 and 1990, she sailed for Sundance Cruises and Admiral Cruises as Stardancer. In 1990, the ship was sold to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and renamed Viking Serenade. 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 car deck was turned into a passenger deck. [1] In 2002, she was transferred to the fleet of Royal Caribbean's new subsidiary Island Cruises as Island Escape.

She joined the fleet of Thomson Cruises in April 2009, but retained her name. [2] Island Escape operated in the Canary Islands and the Western Mediterranean under Thomson Cruises. [8] In November 2010, Thomson was scheduled to spend a further £4 million in refurbishing Island Escape. [9] Thomson Cruises has operated the Island Escape under their all-inclusive Island Cruises since starting March 2013. In 2016, Thomson cruises replaced Island Escape with Splendour of the Seas. [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. [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. Initially, permission was sought for a 4 year stint 2016–2020 in the Harbour of Härnösand. [13] [14]

Ocean Gala arrived at Utansjöverkets hamn at on 14 June 2016. A police report was filed against the owner of Utansjöverkets hamn by Härnösand Municipality, claiming the facility was missing ISPS classification. [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 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.

Since Ocean Gala did not comply with Finnish-Swedish Ice Class Rules, as well as to avoid increased costs for heating, the vessel left the port 3 November 2016. On its way to Esbjerg, a short stop was made in Tallinn to refuel. [18] The vessel was in Denmark and completed its five-year survey with class society DNVGL.

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. [19] The next port turned out to be Khalifa, Abu Dhabi, for continued service.

In March 2018, after spending several months laid up in Khalifa, she set sail for Alang, where she was beached for scrapping on 4 April 2018 at Kaya plot 103. [20]

Accidents and incidents

In February 1988, chiropractor Scott Rolston murdered his wife, Karen Waltz, by strangling her and dumping the body overboard to make it look like a drowning. Karen was either thrown or pushed from the balcony of their cabin and fell straight down into the water below. Rolston was later convicted of her murder. [21]

On May 25, 2006, Micki Kanesaki was murdered by her ex-husband, Lonnie Kocontes, while aboard the Island Escape. Kanesaki was murdered in the same manner as Karen Waltz 18 years earlier. [22] [23]

Island Escape was featured in a mini-series TV documentary which consisted of 10 episodes. The documentary was initially broadcast in the UK during 2002. Repeats of the documentary were later shown on Bravo. The documentary followed the working lives of crew members and gave insight into what it was like to work on a cruise ship. [24]

Related Research Articles

MS <i>Silja Europa</i> Cruiseferry built in 1993

MS Silja Europa is a cruiseferry constructed at Meyer Werft Germany for the Swedish ferry operator Rederi AB Slite, a part of Viking Line. At 59,914 gross tonnage (GT), she is the largest ship commissioned for and to ever operate for Tallink Silja, and is the tenth-largest cruiseferry in the world.

<i>Carnival Paradise</i> Cruise ship built in 1998

Carnival Paradise is a Fantasy-class cruise ship operated by Carnival Cruise Line. Built by Kværner Masa-Yards at its Helsinki New Shipyard in Helsinki, Finland, she was floated out on 29 January 1998, and christened as Paradise by Paula Zahn. During 2007, in common with all of her Fantasy-class sisters, she had the prefix Carnival added to her name.

MS <i>Silja Serenade</i> 1990 ferry

MS Silja Serenade is a cruiseferry owned by the Estonian shipping company Tallink Grupp, operating under their Silja Line brand on a route connecting Helsinki to Stockholm via Mariehamn. She was built in 1990 by Masa-Yards at Turku New Shipyard, Finland. From 26 June 2020, to 13 September 2020, the ship's route was Helsinki–Riga, which got replaced by the cruiseferry MS Baltic Queen.

MS <i>Vana Tallinn</i> 1973 ferry

MS Vana Tallinn was a cruiseferry owned by the Estonian ferry company Tallink and operated on the line between Kapellskär and Paldiski. She was built in 1974 by Aalborg Skibsværft AS, Aalborg, Denmark for DFDS as MS Dana Regina, and has sailed under the names MS Nord Estonia and MS Thor Heyerdahl.

<i>Star Pisces</i>

MS Star Pisces was a cruise ship owned by Star Cruises and did short cruises from Hong Kong. She was originally built as the cruiseferry MS Kalypso in 1990 at Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland for Rederi AB Slite for use in Viking Line traffic. The ship was designed by Per Dockson. Star Pisces had a sister ship, Pearl Seaways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cruiseferry</span> Type of cruise ship

A cruiseferry is a ship that combines the features of a cruise ship and a Ro-Pax ferry. Many passengers travel with the ships for the cruise experience, staying only a few hours at the destination port or not leaving the ship at all, while others use the ships as means of transportation.

MS <i>Moby Dada</i> Cruiseferry

MS Moby Dada is a cruiseferry operated by Moby Lines, under charter from DFDS Seaways. She was built in 1981 as Finlandia for Effoa at Wärtsilä's Perno shipyard in Turku, Finland, and placed in service on Silja Line's Helsinki—Stockholm service. In 1990 she was sold to DFDS Seaways and renamed Queen of Scandinavia. From 2010 until 2016, she operated under the name of Princess Maria for St. Peter Line between Helsinki and St. Petersburg, Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DFDS Seaways</span> Danish shipping company

DFDS Seaways is a Danish shipping company that operates passenger and freight services across northern Europe. Following the acquisition of Norfolkline in 2010, DFDS restructured its other shipping divisions into the previously passenger-only operation of DFDS Seaways.

MS <i>Pearl Seaways</i>

MS Pearl Seaways is a cruiseferry owned by DFDS Seaways and operated on their Copenhagen–Frederikshavn-Oslo service. She was built in 1989 by Wärtsilä Marine, Turku, for Rederi AB Slite as MS Athena for use in Viking Line traffic. Between 1993 and 2001, she sailed as MS Langkapuri Star Aquarius. From 2001 to 2011 she sailed as MS Pearl of Scandinavia.

MS <i>Almariya</i>

MS Almariya is a cruiseferry owned by the shipping company Trasmediterránea on their route connecting Almería, Spain, to Nador, Morocco. She was built in 1981 by AG Weser Seebeckswerft, Bremerhaven, West Germany for Olau Line as MS Olau Hollandia. Between 1989 and 1997 she sailed as MS Nord Gotlandia for Gotlandslinjen, between 1998 and 2013 as MS Nordlandia for Finnish shipping company Eckerö Line and was initially named MS Isabella 1 in Isabella Cruises service.

MS <i>Shota Rustaveli</i>

MS Shota Rustaveli was a cruise ship, built in 1968 by V.E.B. Mathias-Thesen Werft, Wismar, East Germany for the Soviet Union's Black Sea Shipping Company and named after the Georgian poet Shota Rustaveli. After the fall of the Soviet Union she was handed to Ukraine. In 2000, she was sold to Kaalbye Group and renamed MS Assedo. In 2003, she was scrapped at Alang, India.

MS Scandinavia may refer to the following ships:

<i>Belorussiya</i>-class cruiseferry

The Belorussiya-class was a class of cruiseferries that were built by Wärtsilä Turku Shipyard, Finland in 1975–1976 for the Black Sea Shipping Company, Soviet Union. The five ships in the class were originally used in cruiseferry service around the Black Sea. During the 1980s all ships in the class were rebuilt into cruise ships. During the end of the 1990s all ships in the class were sold to other operators. The remaining ships in this class ended service in 2020. All ships as of 2022 have been scrapped except for the Enchanted Capri, which was shipwrecked on the Gulf coast of Mexico and only has partially been dismantled.

MV <i>Kungsholm</i> (1965) Ship

MV Kungsholm was built in 1964/5 by the John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland as a combined ocean liner / cruise ship for the Swedish American Line. She was later rebuilt as a full-time cruise ship, sailing under the names Sea Princess, Victoria, Oceanic II and Mona Lisa. In September 2010 she was retired from service, as she did not fulfill requirements to SOLAS 2010, becoming the floating hotel Veronica, before being scrapped in 2016.

MS <i>Enchanted Capri</i>

MS Enchanted Capri is a wrecked Belorussiya-class cruise ship owned by Demar Instaladora y Constructora, Mexico and operated as an accommodation vessel for oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. She was built in 1975 at Wärtsilä Turku Shipyard in Turku, Finland as the 15,409 GRT MS Azerbaydzhan for the Soviet Union-based Black Sea Shipping Company. She had also sailed under the names MS Arkadia and MS Island Holiday.

MV <i>Black Prince</i> (1966)

Black Prince was a cruise ship, owned and operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. She was built in 1966 by the Lübecker Flender-Werke in Lübeck, West Germany for Fred. Olsen Lines for combined ferry/cruise ship operations. From 1970 until 1983 she sailed the northern hemisphere summer seasons on ferry service for Det Bergenske Dampskibsselskab as Venus, while returning to cruise service with Fred. Olsen for the winter seasons. In 1983 the summer ferry service was taken over by DFDS, and in 1985 it passed to Norway Line. In 1986 Fred. Olsen bought the ship outright and she was converted to a full-time cruise ship, retaining the name Black Prince.

MS <i>GNV Atlas</i>

The GNV Atlas is a Peter Pan-class cruiseferry currently owned and operated by the Italian shipping company SNAV. She was launched on 28 October 1989 by Schichau Seebeckwerft in Bremerhaven, West Germany as Olau Britannia for Olau Line.

MS <i>Italia</i> (1965)

MS Italia was a cruise ship built in Italy in 1967. She sailed in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Pacific under various names and operators, and was scrapped in May 2012.

MS <i>Jupiter</i> Cruiseferry owned and operated by Vietnamese Jupiter Cruises

The MS Jupiter was a cruiseferry owned and operated by Vietnamese Jupiter Cruises. The vessel operated cruises between Sihanoukville and the island of Phú Quốc. It sank November 2017 with 2 deaths, having been moored since 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dormitory ship</span> Boat with living quarters

A dormitory ship is a vessel whose primary function is to serve as floating living quarters. Such craft serve as conventional land-based dormitories in all respects except that the living quarters are aboard a floating vessel, most often moored in place near its host facility. It may be seaworthy or not.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Asklander, Micke. "M/S Scandinavia (1982)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2012-10-06. Retrieved 2008-11-26.
  2. 1 2 "Ship Details > Island Escape". Thomson Cruises. Retrieved 2008-11-26.
  3. 1 2 3 Ward, Douglas (2008). Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships . Singapore: Berlitz. pp.  405–406. ISBN   978-981-268-240-6.
  4. ↑ DNV GL SE. "Equasis View". gl-group.com.
  5. 1 2 "Island Escape Cruise Ship". Virgin Holiday Cruises. Virgin Holidays . Retrieved 2012-04-23.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Island Escape Deck Plans". Thomson Holidays. 2012-04-23. Archived from the original on 2012-12-27.
  7. ↑ "Former Southwest Marine shipyard (Los Angeles, California)".
  8. ↑ "Cruise booking on the Island Escape". Virgin Holidays. Archived from the original on 2018-12-30. Retrieved 2012-04-23.
  9. ↑ "ISLAND ESCAPE cruise vessel 09 July 2012".
  10. ↑ "Splendour of the Seas Sold to TUI for Thomson Cruises". cruiseindustrynews.com. 2 March 2015.
  11. ↑ "Thomson Cruises sells Island Escape to Cruise Holdings". CruiseandFerry.net. Retrieved 2015-12-06.
  12. ↑ "Floating Accommodations > Our Services > Passenger Vessel > Ocean Gala". floatingaccommodations.com. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  13. ↑ "Planerna på asylfartyg går vidare – så vill Härnösandspolitikerna stoppa etableringen". allehanda.se. 16 February 2016. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  14. ↑ "Kryssningsfartyg blir nytt asylboende". Aftonbladet. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  15. ↑ "Företaget bakom Ocean Gala: "Finns inget som kan stoppa det"". 14 June 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  16. ↑ "Kryssningsfartyget på plats – och polisanmält" . Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  17. ↑ Mårtensson, Sebastian (14 June 2016). "Asylbåten är framme – hamnen polisanmäld". SVT Nyheter. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  18. ↑ "Det blir Ocean Galas nästa hamnstopp Asylbåten är framme – sydligare breddgrader väntar". 3 November 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  19. ↑ A la Casse - Bulletin d'information et d'analyses sur la démolition des navires n° 47, du 1er janvier au 31 mars 2017. Robin des Bois, 5 May 2017. Retrieved2017-05-09.
  20. ↑ "Ocean Gala I (ex-Viking Serenade, Island Escape) To Be Scrapped | CruiseInd". www.cruiseind.com. Archived from the original on 2018-03-30.
  21. ↑ "Death of a Bride of Nine Days a Strange End to an Unusual Courtship". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on 2019-07-17.
  22. ↑ "The Lonnie Kocontes Cruise Ship Murder". 11 July 2021.
  23. ↑ "Man Charged with Strangling Wife Seven Years After Cruise Ship Murder".
  24. ↑ "The Cruise Ship". LocateTV.com. Archived from the original on 2011-10-11.
Preceded by World's Largest Cruiseferry
1982–1985		Succeeded by
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.