Name That Ship #5

[tahqa]

Good morning everyone! I hope everyone is having a fantastic week!

 

I'm thinking that today's picture is going to be an easy one as this ship was unique in the Royal Caribbean fleet. But, I think, she is still an interesting one. :)

 

And here we go... Can you name this ship?

 

[rwdnj]

I think it's the Dingy for Oasis.

Did I win? :D

[pcl_cruiser]

I think it's the Dingy for Oasis.

Did I win? :D[/quote

 

Sounds good to me, you have my vote!

[RSWBADGER]

Viking Serenade :)

[EVALUATOR]

MS Island Escape:rolleyes:

[NordicPrince]

Viking Serenade :)

 

Ditto. Only one like it, originally built for Admiral Cruise.

[amickeyfriend]

Sun Viking

[truckmaker]

Song of America

[Druke I]

Well, it is Viking Serenade. Before that it was Stardancer. for Sundance Cruises.

 

It was not built for Admiral Cruises as reported by Nordic Prince. Admiral was a successor to Sundance Cruises.

 

It originally was a ferry, in the Baltic.

[cruisindoggie]

Ditto. Only one like it, originally built for Admiral Cruise.

Actually I believe it was a converted ferry.

[JokerABC]

notice the front of the ship, classic scandinavian blocky design, like the old Volvo cars!

 

check out this info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_Escape

[tahqa]

Viking Serenade :)

 

MS Island Escape:rolleyes:

Both of these are correct. She sailed for Royal as the "Viking Serenade" and in her current incarnation is sailing for Thomson as the "MS Island Escape".

 

 

She was originally built for DFDS as the "Scandinavia" and was built to operate as a car ferry between between New York and Florida. Unfortunately because of the Jones Act she couldn't go directly from New York to Florida so instead she went from New York to Freeport, Bahamas. From Freeport cars and passengers were loaded onto smaller ferries to go to Miami or Port Canaveral. Needless to say she wasn't very successful. :rolleyes:

 

Name:

1982—1985: MS Scandinavia

1985—1990: MS Stardancer

1990—2002: MS Viking Serenade

2002-present: MS Island Escape

 

Owner:

1982—1985: DFDS (Det Forenede Dampskibs-Selskab)

1985—1987: Sundance Cruises

1987—1988: Admiral Cruises

1988—1990: Royal Admiral Cruises

1990—2002: Royal Caribbean International (wiki has this as Wilh. Wilhelmsen, which is believe is incorrect)

2002-present: Island Cruises

 

Operator:

1982—1983: Scandinavian World Cruises

1983—1985: DFDS Seaways

1985—1987: Sundance Cruises

1987—1988: Admiral Cruises

1988—1990: Royal Admiral Cruises

1990—2002: Royal Caribbean International

2002—2009: Island Cruises

2009-present: Thomson Cruises

 

Information from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_Escape) and "MODERN CRUISE SHIPS, 1965-1990" by William H Miller, Jr.

[The Grumpus]

Aerodynamics was not a major factor in the design of this ship.

[JokerABC]

Aerodynamics was not a major factor in the design of this ship.

 

:D yup, they are building ships like they used to build their cars.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Aerodynamics was not a major factor in the design of this ship.

 

No Kidding!

 

They sure have come a long way.

 

###

[maitaiguy]

IMO, the only ugly ship ever to wear the crown and anchor. RC must have believed it too because while they owned her she either had a very, very, very small picture in the brochure or no picture at all.

 

All the other ships in the brochure had great shots of the ships. Viking Serenade.....nope!

 

Went on her once in 2000 doing the M-F cruise from LA to Ensenada. Ugly ship but a great crew with outstanding service. What's not to like????

[Dave85]

Yeah she's definitely not a looker...

 

RC has come a loooooong way!

[Texas Teen]

Has anyone noticed in the "Company History" Section of RCCL's website, that they use pictures of Serenade of the Seas instead of the Viking Serenade? Look at the years 1990 & 1991, LOL!

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/ourCompany/ourHistory.do

[coolsky]

how could i forget? its Vking Serenade

[NordicPrince]

Well, it is Viking Serenade. Before that it was Stardancer. for Sundance Cruises.

 

It was not built for Admiral Cruises as reported by Nordic Prince. Admiral was a successor to Sundance Cruises.

 

It originally was a ferry, in the Baltic.

 

I took a guess; I knew Admiral was somewhere in there; but should have known that the sharp eyed CC-ers would have picked this one off !

[CarpeCerevisi]

From looking at the photos one can see that RC went the same way with the Viking Crown lounge as with the Nordic Empress, i.e. it was built as an extension aft of the funnel attached to the main superstrucure as opposed to girding the funnel. In both cases, I'm not sure which was first, it was probably done due to the shape and dimensions of the funnel prior to RC taking over the ship.

 

I never sailed on the Viking Serenade but did several times on the Nordic Empress, later Empress of the Seas. The Empress originally had a two level VCL with entries from both inside and outside. Later the upper deck of the Empress' VCL was converted into the excersize room.

[PRgymnast]

It seems like it was the inspiration for Norwegian Epic?!?!? :p

[Ocean Boy]

Aerodynamics was not a major factor in the design of this ship.

 

Can't say much for the aesthetics either.:rolleyes: