MS Bahamas Celebration

Prinsesse Ragnhild in July 2005.
History
Name:
  • 1981–2008: MS Prinsesse Ragnhild
  • 2008–2015: MS Bahamas Celebration
  • 2015: Celebration
Owner:
Operator:
Port of registry:
Builder: HDW, Kiel, West Germany
Yard number: 164[1]
Laid down: 29 February 1980[3]
Launched: 31 July 1980[3]
Completed: 30 January 1982[3]
In service: 1981[1]
Out of service: 2014[4]
Identification: IMO number: 7904891[1]
Fate: Irreparably damaged, replaced with the MS Grand Celebration.[4]
Status: Scrapped 2015[5]
General characteristics (as built, 1980)[1]
Type: Cruiseferry
Tonnage:
Length: 170 m (557 ft 9 in)
Beam: 24 m (78 ft 9 in)
Draught: 5.80 m (19 ft 0 in)
Ice class:

1B

0
Installed power:
Propulsion: 2 Controlable pitch propellors
Speed: 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Capacity:
  • 892 passengers
  • 892 passenger berths
  • 603 cars
General characteristics (as rebuilt, 1992)[3]
Tonnage:
Length: 205.25 m (673 ft 5 in)
Beam: 24 m (78 ft 9 in)
Draught: 6 m (19 ft 8 in)
Depth: 13 m (42 ft 8 in)
Ice class: 1B
Installed power:
  • 4 × Stork-Wärtsilä 9FEDH240 diesels
  • 2 × Stork-Wärtsilä 9FEDH240G
  • 36,356 kW (combined)
Propulsion: Two controllable pitch propellers
Capacity:
  • 1,900 passengers
  • 1,875 passenger berths
  • 700 cars
Notes: Otherwise the same as built

Bahamas Celebration was a mid-size cruise ship formerly operated by Celebration Cruise Line. Between March 2009 and October 2014 she operated two- and three-day cruises from Port Everglades to the Bahamas.[6] In March 2010 she started operating two-day cruises from the Port of Palm Beach.[7]

The ship was built in 1981 by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Kiel, Germany as MS Prinsesse Ragnhild for Jahre Line. In 1990 she was transferred to Color Line. In 1992 she was extensively rebuilt at Astilleros Españoles in Cadiz, Spain. She was withdrawn from service with Color Line on 6 May 2008.[1] She was irreparably damaged after a collision with a submerged object on October 31, 2014 and replaced by the MS Grand Celebration.[4]

Service history

Prinsesse Ragnhild

From 1981 to 2004 MS Prinsesse Ragnhild operated on the Oslo–Kiel route, first for Jahre Line and, from 1990 onwards, for their successor Color Line. In 1992 she was radically rebuilt at Astilleros Españoles, Cadiz, increasing her length by 35.25 meters and passenger capacity by 858.[1] On 8 July 1999, there was a fire in the engine room, resulting in a complete evacuation of the ship.[1] With the Scandinavian Star disaster fresh in mind, a full emergency was called and all ships in the area came to the rescue. Helicopters and firecrews from Norway, Sweden and Denmark all participated in the rescue effort,and the evacuation was described by most passengers as "controlled". However, one woman died after the fire as a result of a heart attack.[8] After repairs at Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, Germany, the ship resumed operations on the third of September. On 1 March 2002, the ship suffered another engine room fire, which was quickly extinguished.[1]

In 2003 Color Line spent 60 mil NOK on upgrading the on-board interior. In 2005 she was transferred to the new Bergen—Stavanger—Hirtshals route, when Color Line introduced the new MS Color Fantasy on the Oslo-Kiel route.[1] On 8 January 2008 Prinsesse Ranghild was moved to Oslo–Hirtshals route, replacing MS Color Festival that was sold to Corsica Ferries.[1][9] In April 2008 Color Line announced that due to "negative financial development" in the service, the Oslo–Hirtshals route was closed down on 6 May 2008, and the Prinsesse Ragnhild was placed for sale.[10] Following closure of the route the Prinsesse Ragnhild was laid up at Sandefjord.[1] On 3 September 2008 Color Line reported the Prinsesse Ragnhild had been sold to the United States-based Celebration Cruise Holdings for €23 million.[11][12] The ship was delivered to her new owners on 1 October 2008, renamed Bahamas Celebration and left Sandefjord on the same date for Grand Bahama Island.[1]

Grounding off Freeport

On October 31st, 2014, Bahamas Celebration struck an unknown object while departing from Freeport, opening up a small hole in the port side. The ship was able to return to the port and all passengers and crew were able to disembark and no injuries were reported. As of 3 November 2014, the hole had been patched, but the ship was still listing by about 10 percent and salvage crews were trying to assess the damage.[13][14][15] In December 2014 it was announced that the ship could not be repaired and would be replaced by the MS Grand Celebration, which would be operated by the newly formed Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line.[4] On January 24, 2015 it was announced by Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line that the ship has been sold for Scrap.[16] The ship arrived at the scrapping yard on October 29 and was gone by the end of 2016.[17]

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Asklander, Micke. "M/S Prinsesse Ragnhild (1981)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  2. ↑ "Celebration Cruise Line". Celebration Cruise Line. Retrieved 2009-03-05.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bahamas Celebration (12433)". DNV GL Portal. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 2008-08-03.
  4. 1 2 3 4 http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/tourism/fl-bahamas-celebration-update-20141224-story.html
  5. ↑ Knego, Peter. "Scrapyard Update". Scrapper’s Delight - November 4, 2015. MaritimeMatter.com. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "Eyewitness Everglades". Maritime Matters. 28 February 2009. Archived from the original on February 19, 2009. Retrieved 1 March 2009.
  7. ↑ Paul Quinlan (22 January 2010). "Cruise ship to move to Port of Palm Beach, offer sails to Bahamas". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
  8. ↑ Boyle, Ian. "Prinsesse Ragnhild". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  9. ↑ (Norwegian) Color Line press release 21. 11. 2007: Color Line selger Color Festival for 400 mill kroner, retrieved 2007-11-21.
  10. ↑ "Color Line to focus on its engagement in cruise and transport". Color Line press release. Color Line. Retrieved 2008-04-22.
  11. ↑ "M/S Prinsesse Ragnhild has been sold". Color Line press release. Color Line. 2008-09-03. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  12. ↑ "Color Line sells Prinsesse Ragnhild to Celebration Cruises for €23 million". Cruise Business Review. Cruise Media Oy Ltd. 2008-09-03. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  13. ↑ "UPDATED: Bahamas Celebration cruise ship runs aground: 'No danger of it sinking'". Tribune242.com. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "Bahamas Celebration cruise ship ‘won’t sail for first two weeks of November’". Tribune242.com. 3 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  15. ↑ "New vessel to resume Celebration cruise service". Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  16. ↑ "Bahamas Celebration Sold For Scrap". cruiseind.com. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  17. ↑ http://maritimematters.com/2015/11/scrappers-delight/

External links

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