MV Ocean Pearl

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Sundream in Tallinn Harbour, 2001
Career
Name:

1970–1997: Song of Norway
1997–2004: Sundream
2004–2006: Dream Princess
2006–2007: Dream
2007: Clipper Pearl
2008: Clipper Pacific
2009: Festival

2010: Ocean Pearl
Owner: 1970–1997: Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
1997–2004: Airtours Sun Cruises
2004–2006: Tumaco Navigation
2006–2007: Lance Shipping
2007–2009: Pearl Owner Ltd.
2009-present: International Shipping Partners
Operator: 1970–1997: Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
1997–2004: Airtours Sun Cruises
2004–2007: Caspi Cruises
2008: Peace Boat
2009: Caspi Cruises
2010: Quail Cruises
Builder: Wärtsilä Helsinki New Shipyard, Finland
Yard number: 392[1]
Launched: 2 December 1969[1]
Acquired: 5 October 1970[1]
In service: 7 November 1970[1]
Homeport: 1970–1997: Oslo,  Norway
1997–2004: Nassau, 22x20px Bahamas
2004–2006: Limassol,  Cyprus
2006–2009: Nassau, 22x20px Bahamas
2009-: Majuro, 22x20px Marshall Islands[1]
Status: Chartered to Quail Cruises
General characteristics (as built)[1]
Class and type: Cruise ship
Tonnage: 18416 GT
3,202 metric tons deadweight (DWT)
Length: 168.32 m (552.23 ft)
Beam: 23.96 m (78.61 ft)
Draught: 6.70 m (21.98 ft)
Installed power: 4 × 9-cyl, Sulzer-Wärtsilä diesels,
combined 14560 kW
Speed: 20,5 knots
Capacity: 724 passengers
General characteristics (currently)[1]
Class and type: Cruise ship
Tonnage: 23005 GRT
Displacement: 4525 DWT
Length: 194.32 m (637.53 ft)
Beam: 23.96 m (78.61 ft)
Draught: 6.70 m (21.98 ft)
Installed power: 4 × 9-cyl, Sulzer-Wärtsilä diesels,
combined 14560 kW
Speed: 20,5 knots
Capacity: 1196 passengers
Crew: 423[2]

M/V Ocean Pearl (formerly Song of Norway, Sundream, Dream Princess, Dream, Clipper Pearl, MS Clipper Pacific, Festival) is a ship currently operating for International Shipping Partners. She was one of the first modern cruise ships, entering operation in 1970.

Statistics

The vessel originally had a gross tonnage of 18,000 tons, and could carry 724 passengers. Following the 1978 refit, she was lengthened by 85 feet, to provide for 1024 passengers and increasing her size to 23,000 gross tons.

History

The vessel was constructed in Helsinki, Finland in 1970. Named Song of Norway, she was the first ship built for cruise line Royal Caribbean International. The vessel was lengthened in 1978, due to the high demand for cruising, and sailed on seven- and fourteen-day cruises out of Miami.

In 1996, surpassed by the significantly larger ships in the Royal Caribbean International fleet, the ship was sold to Sun Cruises part of the Airtours/MyTravel (which has now merged with Thomas Cook AG), who operated the vesel under the name Sundream.

In October 2004 she was sold, refitted and became MS Dream Princess for Caspi Cruises (Israel) and operated the 2005 season from Haifa.

In November 2007 the ship was sold to Pearl Owner Ltd., a company in the Bahamas-based Clipper Group of Denmark, which put the management of the ship in the hands the Miami, Florida based company International Shipping Partners, Inc. (ISP).[3] After refitting in Turkey and Malta, the ship was chartered to the Peace Boat organization and renamed the Clipper Pacific. The ship was in service touring the world, from Japan to Japan, as part of Peace Boat's mission.[4] After numerous repeated problems with the ship, however, the world tour was broken off in Piraeus, Greece. Afterwards, the ship was sold to ISP and renamed to Festival.[1] She came into service again as a cruise ship, first in 2009 for Caspi Cruises and as of 2010 for Quail Cruises.

2005 refitting

In early 2005 Sundream was being refitted in Piraeus under the name Dream Princess. The ship was sailing on four-night cruises from Haifa to Alanya, Rhodes and Larnaca. Some itineraries also included Marmaris and Santorini. In January 2006 the vessel was used to house students from Tulane University after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.[5]

September 2007 listing

On September 18, 2007, while anchored in the port of Rhodes the cruise ship developed a 10 degrees list. She was immediately evacuated and four officers who where on duty at the time of the incident were detained. The crew was accused of deliberately grounding the vessel to prevent further listing and an ultimate sinking. Divers investigating the incident discovered that hatchways in the hull designed for discharging untreated waste into the ocean, had been crudely plugged with chunks of wood, to prevent the discharge. That kept the waste onboard. Failure to pump the waste in a timely manner, resulted in the listing of the vessel.[6]

The list was eventually corrected but on 18 November 2007, due to strong winds, Dream Princess came loose of her moorings and collided with an adjacent cargo ship causing minor damages in both vessels. The coast guard managed to tow the cruise ship back to the dock using tug-boats.[7]

Dream Princess remained in the port of Rhodes for nearly two months until her seaworthiness was re-established. On November 28, 2007 she was towed to the port of Kusadasi.

July 2008 detainment

On July 16, 2008, the Clipper Pacific was detained in New York by the United States Coast Guard for numerous safety violations including a leaking hull. She remained in New York and was not allowed to leave until repairs were made.[8] Further extensive repairs were made in dry dock in Tampa, Florida, where inspectors found new safety problems.[9][10]

The ship was next detained for a couple of days in August 2008 in Seward, Alaska for significant code violations.[10]

Engine problems

Late 2008 she was laid up in Istanbul, Turkey for engine repairs.

Current status

She was used on Mediterranean voyages, under the name Festival, as a stand in 2009 by the Israeli company Caspi Cruises, whose own advertised voyages on smaller vessels had booked to overcapacity. For the 2010 season, under the name M/V Ocean Pearl, the ship has been chartered by Quail Cruises.[11].

References

Gallery

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