MV Ocean Star Pacific

MV Ocean Star Pacific was a cruise ship owned by PV Enterprises International. She was built in 1971 by Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard, Finland for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and christened as MV Nordic Prince. She subsequently sailed under the monikers Carousel, Aquamarine, and Arielle, prior to being renamed Ocean Star Pacific. IMO number: 7027411

MV Aquamarine anchored off Patmos, July 2008
History
Name: Ocean Star Pacific
Owner: PV Enterprises International
Port of registry: 1971–1995: Oslo,  Norway
1995–2004: Nassau,  Bahamas
2004–2006: Limassol,  Cyprus
2006–2008: Nassau,  Bahamas
2008–2010: Piraeus,  Greece
2010–2014: Panama City,  Panama
2014–2015: Basseterre,  Saint Kitts and Nevis
Builder: Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard, Finland
Yard number: 393
Launched: 9 July 1970
Completed: 8 July 1971
Identification:
Fate: Scrapped in Alang in 2015
General characteristics (as built)
Tonnage: 18,346 GT
Length: 168.3 metres (552 ft)
Beam: 24.01 metres (78.8 ft)
Draught: 6.8 metres (22 ft)
Speed: 21 knots
Capacity: 714 passengers (lower berths)
General characteristics (after 1980 rebuild)
Tonnage: 23,149 GT[1]
Length: 193.65 metres (635.3 ft)
Beam: 24.01 metres (78.8 ft)
Draught: 6.72 metres (22.0 ft)
Speed: 21 knots
Capacity: 1,231 passengers (lower berths)

History

Nordic Prince was the second ship to be built for Royal Caribbean, and one of the first modern purpose-built cruise ships. She was launched on 9 July 1970, and entered service for RCCL on 31 July 1971. Like her older sister, Song of Norway, she was used for cruising on the Caribbean with Miami as the starting port. In June 1980, the ship was lengthened at Wärtsilä Helsinki by 26 meters. When RCCL acquired new tonnage in the late 1980s, Nordic Prince was used for cruising around the world.

The Carousel in September 1995.

Nordic Prince became the first RCCL ship to be supplanted by larger tonnage in March 1995, when she was sold to Sun Cruises. Before the ship entered service for her new owners, the sky lounge around her funnel was removed. Renamed Carousel, the ship began cruising for Sun Cruises on 6 May 1995. During her time with Sun Cruises she spent summers cruising on the Mediterranean but during the winter seasons she returned to the Caribbean. In February 2000, Carousel was grounded near Cancún, Mexico, which led to cancellation of five cruises while she was being repaired. Toward the end of her service with Sun Cruises the ship received MyTravel funnel colours. In the early 2000s, Sun Cruises started pulling out of the cruise business. In July 2004, Carousel was sold to Louis Cruise Lines, Cyprus, but chartered back to Sun Cruises until May 2005. Carousel was the last Sun Cruises ship in service.

The Carousel in May 2003.

Louis Cruise Lines renamed the ship Aquamarine and starting from June 2005, she was used on 7-day cruises around the Mediterranean with Genoa as the starting port. In April 2006, the ship was chartered for five years to Transocean Tours who renamed her Arielle. However, the charter was apparently terminated by early 2008, when the ship returned to Louis fleet and reverted to the name Aquamarine.[2][3]

The Arielle in Kiel in 2007.

In May 2008, Aquamarine was diverted to Milos, an island in the Aegean Sea, after a 1.5-meter gash was found on its hull at about 1.5 m above the water line. The ship's hull was damaged after it scraped against a pier during its departure from the port of Iraklio, in Crete, to the resort island of Santorini. The 872 passengers and the 407 crewmembers on board were safe.

In December 2010, Louis Cruises announced they would be continuing the renewal of their fleet by selling Aquamarine to Mexican operator Ocean Star Cruises, which renamed her Ocean Star Pacific.[4] In March 2011, Ocean Star Pacific was moored at Caracas Bay, on Curaçao, for maintenance. She entered service for Ocean Star Cruises on 10 April 2011.[5] On 15 April 2011 the Ocean Star Pacific was disabled at Huatulco, Mexico, due to a fire in the engine room.[6][7]

She crossed the Mexican riviera after undergoing an extensive repair process in Salina Cruz, Mexico, but suffered another breakdown on 26 July 2011, in her cooling systems and air conditioning. She was planned to sail through 17 April 2012.

PV Enterprises International acquired the vessel in May 2012, and received seaworthiness certification in July 2012,[8] changing the name to Pacific in November 2012.[9] In December 2014, the vessel, sailing under the name Pacific Victory, ran aground in Sarangani Bay, Manila, while en route to Alang, India, for ship breaking.[10][11] In February 2015, Pacific arrived in Alang for decommissioning.[9]

Sister ships

References
  1. "Ocean Star Pacific (7027411)". Equasis. French Ministry for Transport. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  2. "Cruise Ship News: Aegean Shuffle". Maritime Matters. 2008-01-25. Archived from the original on 2007-12-25. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  3. "Cruise Ships". Louis Cruise Lines. Archived from the original on 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  4. "Lloyds Lauds Louis/Adios AQUAMARINE!". Maritime Matters. Retrieved 2010-12-17.
  5. "Maiden Voyage of the Ocean Star Pacific - CNBC". Retrieved 2011-04-12.
  6. "Ocean Star Cruises aclara que no hubo riesgo". sexenio.com.mx. 2011. Retrieved 2011-04-17.
  7. "Noticias de Cruceros.com - Incendio en el Ocean Star Pacific". Retrieved 2011-04-16.
  8. "M/v Ocean Star Pacific Receives Ship Certification". Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  9. "Vessel details for: PACIFIC (General Cargo) Registered in St Kitts Nevis - IMO 7027411, MMSI -7027411, Callsign V4BV3 - AIS Marine Traffic". MarineTraffic.com. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  10. "Updated– Scrapbound Ex NORDIC PRINCE Runs Aground". Maritime Matters. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  11. The Manila Bulletin. "Cruise ship runs aground in Sarangani Bay". mb.com.ph. Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2016.

https://web.archive.org/web/20150715044432/http://www.mb.com.ph/cruise-ship-runs-aground-in-sarangani-bay/

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