Silja Line Finnjet To Louisiana

[paularai]

Captain Slotte of Finnjet told me this information! I would hope a reliable source, anyway the incidents happened before coming into Silja service.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

If the Silja Opera was at one time the Sally Albatross, I seem to recall hearing on the news of a fire or accident or something.

 

For anyone interested in Finnjet at Baton Rouge, here is usage information for LSU medical students and faculty from the LSU Medical Center website: http://www.lsuhsc.edu/ship/ Visitors are not allowed on board at this time.

 

BobK/Orlando

[paularai]

Yes your correct, Silja Opera was Sally Albatross.

 

Sally Line at one time ran out of UK, Ramsgate to Dunkirque I think, I believe Sally Line was in some way linked to Silja possibly same parent company, anyway the trading name sally has been gone for a least 10 years.

 

Personaly the fact she has sank once makes me want to take a trip, dont know why?

 

Thanks for the site address.

 

There are some new photos of Finnjet in Baton Rouge on finnjetweb, also a good one in Freeport.

[lallusi1]

Yes your correct, Silja Opera was Sally Albatross.

 

Sally Line at one time ran out of UK, Ramsgate to Dunkirque I think, I believe Sally Line was in some way linked to Silja.

 

I think there were already in the 1960's mainly two marketing companies for ferry traffic between Finland and Sweden: Silja Line and Viking Line. They were mainly marketing companies, the "real" shipping companies operated the ships, and they painted the ships in marketing company livery (Silja versus Viking). Sally line used "Viking line" marketing company, but operated also own ships, like Sally Albatross. Enemy Silja Line took over Sally Line at some point. Later Silja Line became more like a real shipping company and was sold to Sea Containers. Silja and Viking Line both still operate ferries between Finland and Sweden.

[paularai]

On a recent Ice cruise in the Baltic onboard the Silja Symphony, I was fortunate enogh to be invited onboard Silja Opera, currently laid up in Stockholm pending sale.

 

Kindly the crew aloud a vist to the bridge and engine room.

 

Further to previous posts about her unfortunate history, I found out that she has twice been involved in collisions in the canal leading into St Petersburg within past few years, the second incident almost removed 4 lifeboats when she hit a ship moored in the canal.

 

Apparently there is a passanger video somewhere on the net.

 

Some ships seem to have all the luck.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Hi Paularai.....good seeing you are posting again. The Silja Opera may have a difficult time being sold with such a "sorry" history. Perhaps someone in the third world will purchase her.

 

Just read the latest on our friend the Finnjet. I wonder what they will do when it is time for her to depart Baton Rouge and the Mississippi River is too high to allow passage under the bridges! I would love to visit Freeport for the day if I knew Finnjet was going to be passing through.

 

Saw in the news the other day that the Birka Princess was sold to Louis Cruises. I have to believe that Birka kept her in excellent condition so for Louis it will be their most modern of ships.

 

We're just off the Grandeur of the Seas 5-night sailing from Cozumel and Grand Cayman. Full of spring breakers going crazy....not unlike the Silja Symphony/Serenade departures on Friday evenings! Ciao!

 

BobK/Orlando

[paularai]

Hi

 

Silja Opera to the third world, possibly but seems harsh!

 

Mathias (Finnjetweb) and myself would love to visit Finnjet in Baton Rouge, well actually I would like to do more than visit, ie travel back to Europe, assuming she's coming back this way.

 

Good for you going on another cruise, I am kinding of hoping to come into some good fortune in the near future thens its another transatlantic voyage.

 

Maybe QM2 again.

[paularai]

Just enquiring as to whether any one in US or else where has heard any rumours about the departure date of Finnjet from Baton Rouge? or indeed where shes heading, us on www.finnjetweb.com really have no idea but much speculation.

 

I read in the Guardian newspaper that the parent company is alledgedly pulling completly out of the passanger shipping industry and that negotiations for the sale of Silja Line are in the final stages.

 

Most rumours point to Tallink or Viking Line, however I am told a sale to Viking line may have problems because of a monopoly on the Finland Sweden routes.

 

It is beleived that Finnjet and their only "cruise vessel" Silja Opera are not part of the sale of Silja but are to be marketed seperatly.

 

Look forward to any news.

 

Paul

[dougnewmanatsea]

Paul,

 

I didn't catch that article (I actually read the Guardian online, but didn't see it) but you are correct in that Sea Containers no longer want to be in the ferry business.

 

I have also heard that the Australian investment bank Macquarie may be interested in Silja.

 

FINNJET, SILJA OPERA, and WALRUS (another cruise ship owned by Silja) would probably not be included in the sale though right now there do not seem to be any parties interested in buying any of these ships.

 

WALRUS in particular is a rather nice looking little ship, built in 1990 as the CROWN MONARCH. Recently she has been used on gambling cruises from Hong Kong but it would be nice to see her back in the normal cruise trades again.

[paularai]

Thanks Doug

 

Its all gone a bit quite in the papers here, althoght speculation continues on the scandinavian ferry forums with regard to the potential purchaser.

 

They dont seem to have contemplated the possibility of a company outside the Baltic region (Australia was last time i looked), with Viking Line and Tallink remaining the favorites.

 

look forward to updates.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

The website www.finnjetweb.com reports that all passengers (students) must vacate the ship by this coming Sunday as the charter is supposed to end on June 20th and there is cleaning up to do.

 

No word yet on when the Finnjet will depart Baton Rouge or where she will sail to once she leaves the Mississippi River for open seas. Perhaps she should remain in Louisiana.....the next hurricane season begins June 1st!

 

BobK/Orlando

[paularai]

Hi Bob

 

You beat me to it, i was going to post the same info.

 

Waiting hear with baited breath to see if Sea Containers bring her to the UK, either Falmouth or Tilbury as rumoured. After all these years of interest it would be great to see her in my own country.

 

Incidently the Silja Opera has apparently been moved to Tilbury, Uk.

 

However there is an argument that as there appears to be no prospective purchaser why bring her 5000 miles back to Europe.

 

Bill if she leaves and she stops over somewhere maybe you have contact there that could take some photos? yes i realise the US is a vast country but you will almost certainly know many more ship fans.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Paularai, I am supposed to be visiting Freeport, Bahamas one day in July and if she is permanently docked there I can take photos. If she stops anywhere in Florida I can probably get photos if I have advance notice of the date so that I can plan for it. I'll be watching for anything that you report as you have the connections!

 

BobK/Orlando

[paularai]

Much appreciated, perhaps we will see you in the Baltic one day!

[paularai]

Hi Bob

 

Got some interesting Finnjet news if you could contact me at paultbyrne@hotmail.com

 

Paul

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Paul......I have contacted you with my e-mail address. Let me know what news you have heard.

 

BobK/Orlando

[paularai]

Finnjet departed Baton Rouge 7th June enroute to Freeport Bahamas, ultimate destination still unknown, any photos onroute would be most welcom.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Paul & Readers:

 

The captain of GTS FINNJET has written a thank you note to the students and faculty of the LSU Health Science Center and LSU has posted this on their website: http://www.lsuhsc.edu/no/events/finnjetdeparture.htm

 

The destination is indicated as Freeport, Bahamas. We don't know if she will remain there or move on but I believe the crew will be dispursed at Freeport and she could remain there while she is for sale.

 

BobK/Orlando

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Well, I'll be in Freeport this Friday and will see for myself if the FINNJET is still docked there. If so I'll be taking some pics and post one here as well as at the www.finnjetweb.com site.

 

Rumor has it that the ship has been sold, supposedly for use as a casino ship. Use as a casino ship makes no sense to me however she might make a good replacement ship for the Regal Empress whose years are numbered due to SOLAS regulations. All just rumors though.

 

BobK/Orlando

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Here is a picture of the FINNJET docked at Freeport, Bahamas this past Friday. The line of Sabal Palms would definitely tell you that the FINNJET is no longer in the Baltic. The ship was not included in the recent sale of Silja Line to Tallink and thus the Silja Line markings have been painted over. The ship has not been sold yet and remains owned by Sea Containers, the prior owner of Silja Line. The ship is for sale so put in your bid if your interested!

 

 

BobK/Orlando

[dougnewmanatsea]

Thanks Bob for the photo!

 

I hope she finds a new, worthy owner soon, though somehow I doubt it :( ... Those gas turbines are a big sticking point.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Mathias Saken, the moderator of the finnjetweb.com website reports to me that he has learned that so far there are two parties possibly interested in the GTS FINNJET.

 

I know about two potential buyers interested on the Finnjet: one is Discovery cruises which is trading between Florida and Bahamas, they are interesred for a ship on the route from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau. The other one is a group "SOLO CASINO & RESORT" seems they have big plan and a lot of money to invest. They want to transform the ship in a big floating casino (the ship's garege will became a two storey casino) with many amenitys restaurant, bars, theatre (re-builded on the ship stern), two level disco (on top of deck ) keep the ship anchored 3 miles off Miami. It's a big project that will require at least 9 to 12 months of works but nothing at the moment black on white."

That's the latest information. It's my understanding that the Bahamian government was never in favor of any kind of ferry service between Florida and Nassau. The thinking was that cheap transportation to Florida could kill a lot of local businesses in Nassau which now rely on a generally captive market. As for a permanently-anchored floating casino 3-miles off the Miami coast, I'd initially say that's absurd! But maybe it's a brilliant idea no one has thought of before.

 

BobK/Orlando

[Finnjetweb]

I know about two potential buyers interested on the Finnjet: one is Discovery cruises which is trading between Florida and Bahamas, they are interesred for a ship on the route from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau. The other one is a group "SOLO CASINO & RESORT" seems they have big plan and a lot of money to invest. They want to transform the ship in a big floating casino (the ship's garege will became a two storey casino) with many amenitys restaurant, bars, theatre (re-builded on the ship stern), two level disco (on top of deck ) keep the ship anchored 3 miles off Miami. It's a big project that will require at least 9 to 12 months of works but nothing at the moment black on white."

 

More precisly that quote comes from Finnjet's current Italian captain Luciano Lullia. Moreover someone of http://www.tug-barge.com reported today that Finnjet is sold and the delivery to her new owner is to take place this month. I already contacted the official ship brokers (Galbraiths) about more details and an (un)confirmation of the news but didn't receive any news yet.

 

Mathias (Finnjetweb)

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Hello Mathias......welcome to Cruise Critic.

Be sure to let us know what you hear regarding the possible sale of the FINNJET to a new owner.

 

BobK/Orlando

[Finnjetweb]

The shipbroker's page says now:

 

“Finnjet” and “Seacat Diamant” are committed, and due to deliver shortly.

:rolleyes: