MS Albatros
The Albatros
Royal Viking Sea ( 1973-91 ) Royal Odyssey ( 1991-98 ) Norwegian Star (1998-2001) Norwegian Star 1 ( 2001-03 ) Crown ( 2002-04 )
IMO no. 7304314
The Albatros is a cruise ship that sails Phoenix Reisen for the German tour operators. It belonged originally as Royal Viking Sea to the Royal Viking Line and replaced at Phoenix in 2004 the eponymous ship Albatros turbine (ex Sylvania ). Its home port is Nassau in the Bahamas.
History
Construction and commissioning
Today's Albatros was given on 1 November 1969 as the third ship of the Royal Viking Star class, which included the two sister ships, Royal Viking Star and Royal Viking Sky, for the Royal Viking Line on the Wärtsilä shipyard in Finland in order. At launch it was - the naming practice of Royal Viking following - the name Royal Viking Sea. After the test drive she left Bergen on January 19, 1974 on her maiden voyage to Newcastle. At this time they surveyed 21,847 GT with a length of 177.70 m and was used on worldwide cruises. From other cruise ships of their time to the ships of the Royal Viking Star class distinguished by a double-decker Kino-/Theatersaal in the forward fuselage area (which exists at the Albatros to date), a high in the ship lying restaurant with large picture windows, a glass enclosed lounge above the bridge (now the Caribbean lounge the albatross ) and a disproportionately high number of suites. In addition, the number of passengers was approximately 550 deliberately kept low in order to appeal to a more affluent audience.
Extension
Given the choice to build a fourth ship or to enlarge the existing, the Royal Viking Line decided early 1980 to increase all three ships of the class. By installing an additional midship section of 93 ft ( 27.77 m) length should be created space for more cars - including the first nine balcony suites - and the restaurant are enlarged to get along despite the additional guests with a dinner meeting. At the Royal Viking Sea of reconstruction was carried out from 11 March to June 5, 1983 at AG Weser in Bremen.
In fact, space for an additional 600 passengers on all three ships had been created together so for a fraction of the cost of a new ship. The visitors, however, the increase came to less well, as this was lost the original, relatively intimate atmosphere on board.
On her first trip around the world after the conversion, the Royal Viking Sea rescued on November 29, 1983 151 survivors of the sunken ferry Indian dojo off the coast of Celebes.
Sale and exchange shipping
As a small luxury cruise line's Royal Viking Line came increasingly in the 80s under financial pressure and was eventually bought in 1986 from Convent group handed over to its subsidiaries, the three sister ships of the Royal Viking Star class gradually. Thus came the Royal Viking Sea to the Royal Cruise Line, was renamed Royal Odyssey and moved its home port from Oslo to Nassau ( Bahamas). At the same time increased the capacity to 850 guests through the conversion of the former officers' quarters on the bridge deck in suites.
However, the financial situation of the monastery deteriorated and in 1994 had the group file for bankruptcy. To attract capital, the Royal Odyssey sold to the investor group Actinor and zurückgechartert for two years. Maybe she suffers from poor maintenance at this time off the west coast of the USA two machines accidents that put them each for about a month out of action: on 2 May 1996 against San Francisco and on 17 July 1996 against Vancouver. It should also be canceled in April 1997, a cruise because 350 passengers suffering from food poisoning.
With the expiry of the initial charter contract then began an odyssey of the ship through the hands of several shipping companies:
- November 1997 to December 1998 as the Norwegian Star for the Norwegian Cruise Line ( Travel area: Caribbean)
- January 1999 to June 2001 to continue as Norwegian Star Norwegian Capricorn Line for the ( single ship of the Company, trading area: Australia and Oceania)
- November 2001 to May 2002 as Norwegian Star 1 for Star Cruises ( Travel area: Caribbean)
- From June 2002 to November 2002 as a casino ship Crown for Crown Investments ( Trading Area: East China Sea )
- November 2002 to February 2003 due to insolvency of Crown Investments launched in Shanghai
- From June 2003 to November 2003 under the label Mare Nostrum (although they officially on Crown called) for Halkion Viajes ( shipping area: Mediterranean Sea )
- November 2003 to February 2004 launched in Genoa
Use at Phoenix Reisen
In early 2004 the ship was sold to the Dutch company Club Cruise, the weitervercharterte it as albatross to the current operator Phoenix Reisen. Phoenix had just his (first) Albatros - the former turbine ship Sylvania (year 1957) of the Cunard Line - lost due to engine trouble and was looking for a replacement as similar as possible. After the first season, she was extensively rebuilt 28 September to 20 December 2005, Blohm Voss in Hamburg, where among other things, replaced the machinery and almost all public areas have been redesigned.
Since the bankruptcy of Cruise Club in November 2008, the Albatros Albatros MS Shipping Ltd.. , Of the charter to Phoenix Reisen heard was not affected by the change of ownership. One of the captains of the ship is since 2006 the Norwegian Morten Hansen. When he took over in 2013 in command of the, also chartered by Phoenix Travel, Artania, changed the rotated on board since 2009 Series Unreal sea with him on the larger ship.
Current routes
In spring and summer, the Albatros is usually in the North and Baltic go. In the autumn she goes to the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea, before they then go through the winter on a trip around the world (or another great trip with more exotic destinations ).
The previous winter trips were / are:
- 2007/ 08 - World travel westward
- 2008/ 09 - Africa circumnavigation
- 2009/10 - World travel westward
- 2010/11 - World travel westward
- 2011/12 - World travel westward
- 2012/13 - Africa circumnavigation
- 2013/14 - South America circumnavigation
Equipment
- Denny Brown fin stabilizers
- Six bars, three lounges and two restaurants, as well as an outdoor pizzeria
- Shopping (perfumery / pharmacy, jewelry, fashion)
- Sports activities (golf tee, fitness center, bocce, shuffleboard, table tennis / football )
- Big cinema (two decks high )
- Nightclub ( disco)
- Library
- Wellness area (sauna, steam bath, whirlpool, solarium, massage)
Others
- Parts of the filming of the Erkan & Stefan film comes Death blatantly took place on the Albatros.
- For the ARD TV documentary series Something turned the Bayerischer Rundfunk in 2009 and 2010 with the production company Exciting times on the Albatros by ocean. Since January 2010, 50 episodes have been broadcast in the ARD. A further 30 episodes were filmed in autumn 2011 and will be sent on October 11, 2012.
Pictures
The Albatross in Magdalenefjord / Spitsbergen
The Albatross in Sognefjord / Norway