MS Black Watch (1971)

MS Black Watch is a cruise ship serving as accommodation vessel. She was built by Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard, Finland for Royal Viking Line as Royal Viking Star, entering service in 1972. She has also sailed for Norwegian Cruise Lines as Westward and Royal Cruise Line as Star Odyssey.

For other ships with the same name, see List of ships named Black Watch.
"Royal Viking Star" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Viking Star.
"MS Westward" redirects here. For the motor yacht, see MV Westward.

Black Watch in Funchal, Portugal
History
Bahamas
Name:
  • 1972–1991: Royal Viking Star
  • 1991–1994: Westward
  • 1994–1996: Star Odyssey
  • 1996–2020: Black Watch
Operator:
Port of registry:
Builder: Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard,  Finland
Yard number: 395
Laid down: 1 July 1970[4]
Launched: 1 May 1971[4]
Sponsored by: Mrs Thor Heyerdahl[5]
Completed: 1 June 1972[4]
In service: 26 June 1972
Identification:
General characteristics (as built)
Type: Cruise ship
Tonnage:
Length: 177.70 m (583 ft 0 in)
Beam: 25.19 m (82 ft 8 in)
Draught: 7.30 m (23 ft 11 in)
Installed power:
Speed: 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Capacity: 539 passengers
General characteristics (after 1981 refit)
Tonnage:
Length: 205.47 m (674 ft 1 in)[5]
Beam: 25.20 m (82 ft 8 in)[5]
Draught: 7.55 m (24 ft 9 in)[5]
Capacity: 758 passengers
Notes: Otherwise same as built
General characteristics (after 2005 refit)[4]
Tonnage:
Installed power:
  • 4 × MAN 7L32/40
  • 14,000 kW (combined)
Propulsion:
Speed: 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Capacity: 820 passengers
Notes: Otherwise same as after 1981 refit

Design and description

Black Watch has ten decks with eight of them being accessible to passengers.[6]

History

Royal Viking Star
Royal Viking Star in Bermuda in 1989.

Royal Viking Line was established in 1970 as a joint project between the American businessman Warren Titus and three Norwegian shipping companies (including Kloster Cruises,[7] the owner of Norwegian Cruise Line). The aim of the new company was to offer luxury cruises to destinations around the world as an alternative to Caribbean cruising. For this end the company ordered three purpose-built luxury cruise ships from Wärtsilä Helsinki New Shipyard in Finland.[8]

The first of the new ships, named Royal Viking Star, was launched on 12 May 1971 and entered service on 26 June 1972.[9] Her sisters, Royal Viking Sky and Royal Viking Sea, followed in 1973.[10] The Royal Viking Line brand was clearly a success and the elegantly furnished ships were considered to be amongst the five most luxurious cruise ships in the world at the time, alongside Norwegian America Line's Sagafjord and Vistafjord.[8] In 1981 Royal Viking Star was lengthened by 27.77 metres (91 ft 1 in) at Seebeckwerft, Bremerhaven, West Germany.[9]

As the 1980s progressed it became clear that the luxury cruise lines such as Royal Viking could not survive without the support of a larger company, with the operating costs of a handful of luxury ships being too high to be truly profitable.[11] Royal Viking Line was acquired by Kloster Cruises in 1984, but its operations were initially kept separate from those of Norwegian Cruise Line.[10]

Westward / Star Odyssey / Black Watch
Black Watch in Liverpool in 2015.

In April 1991 Royal Viking Star was transferred from the Royal Viking Line to the Norwegian Cruise Line and renamed Westward.[9] With NCL the ship was used for cruising from New York City to Bermuda and on to the Caribbean.[12] In April 1994, the ship was transferred to the fleet of NCL's subsidiary Royal Cruise Line, renamed Star Odyssey and used for cruising around the Mediterranean.[9] Here the ship joined her sister Royal Viking Sea that had sailed as Royal Odyssey since 1991.[13] The career of Star Odyssey was to prove short however, as Norwegian Cruise Line was facing financial difficulties in the mid-1990s and were forced to sell off various assets.[14] In October 1996 the ship was sold to Fred. Olsen.

The ship was renamed Black Watch (a traditional name in Fred. Olsen fleet) and entered service for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines on 15 November 1996. In February 1997 the ship suffered engine problems while outside Marmaris, Turkey, and had to be docked for two weeks at Valletta, Malta for repairs.[9] From April 2005 onwards, the ship was docked for two months at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, Germany. During this time her engines were upgraded and interiors refurbished.[9] In July 2007, the ship was the subject of a Legionnaires' disease outbreak which affected a number of passengers in their seventies and eighties.[15] A norovirus outbreak infected 130 passengers and crew during a cruise to Scandinavia in September 2013.[16]

COVID-19
Further information: COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships

On 13 April 2020, when the cruise ship moored up in the Firth of Forth, eight crew members tested positive for COVID-19.[17]

Sale

On 21 August 2020, Fred. Olsen announced that the Black Watch and her sister ship Boudicca were sold as accommodation ships for workers.[18][19][20]

References
  1. "Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines confirms new ships Bolette and Borealis will take over from classic vessels Boudicca and Black Watch" (Press release). Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  2. "Miray, Black Watch and Boudicca Sold".
  3. "Miray Cruises".
  4. "Black Watch (07819)". DNV GL Vessel Register. Det Norske Veritas. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  5. Ward, Douglas (1995). Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Oxford: Berlitz. ISBN 2-8315-1327-8.
  6. "Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines: deck plans for Black Watch". Retrieved 27 August 2007.
  7. "M/S Royal Viking Sky (1973)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 August 2007.
  8. Ulrich, Kurt. Monarchs of the Sea - the Great Ocean Liners. Tauris Parke. pp. 209–210. ISBN 1-86064-373-6.
  9. "M/S Royal Viking Star (1972)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 September 2007.
  10. "Royal Viking Star". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
  11. Ulrich, Kurt. Monarchs of the Sea - the Great Ocean Liners. Tauris Parke. p. 218. ISBN 1-86064-373-6.
  12. Miller, William H. Jr (1995). Pictorial Encyclopedia of Ocean Liners, 1860-1994. New York: Dover Publications. p. 112. ISBN 0-486-28137-X.
  13. "M/S Royal Viking Sea (1973)". Fakta om Fartyg (in Swedish). Retrieved 27 September 2007.
  14. "Royal Cruise Line". Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 27 September 2007.
  15. Smith, Oliver (17 March 2010). "Cruise line pays out over Legionnaires' disease death". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  16. Sulieman, Carla (20 September 2013). "Sickness bug contracted by 130 passengers on board cruise ship". Daily Record. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  17. "Coronavirus: Eight crew of Black Watch cruise liner test positive". BBC News. 13 April 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  18. "Fred Olsen To Retire Classic Cruise Ships Boudicca and Black Watch". Cruise Industry News. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  19. "Farewell Black Watch & Boudicca". Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  20. "Boudicca & Black Watch Are Heading To Turkey". 25 September 2020.
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