MS Albatros was a Royal Viking Star-class cruise ship, operated by the Germany-based travel agency Phoenix Reisen until 2020 when she was taken out of service, and scrapped in 2021.

Albatros in 2009
History
Name
  • 1973–1991: Royal Viking Sea
  • 1991–1997: Royal Odyssey
  • 1997–2001: Norwegian Star
  • 2001–2002: Norwegian Star 1
  • 2002–2004: Crown [1]
  • 2004–2021: Albatros
  • 2021: Tros
Operator
Port of registry
BuilderWärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard, Finland
Yard number397
Launched19 January 1973
Completed1973
Acquired16 November 1973
In service25 November 1973
Out of service2020
Identification
FateScrapped in 2021
General characteristics (as built)
Tonnage
Length177.70 m (583 ft 0 in)
Beam25.20 m (82 ft 8 in)
Draught7.30 m (23 ft 11 in)
Installed power
Speed21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Capacity536 passengers
General characteristics (currently)[1]
Tonnage
Length205.46 m (674 ft 1 in)
Beam27.00 m (88 ft 7 in)
Draught7.30 m (23 ft 11 in)
Installed power4 × Wärtsilä 6L38A
PropulsionTwo shafts; controllable pitch propellers
Capacity812 passengers
As Royal Viking Sea in 1986
As Norwegian Star in 2000

History

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She was built in 1973 by Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard, Finland for Royal Viking Line as Royal Viking Sea, and has also sailed under the names Royal Odyssey for Royal Cruise Line, Norwegian Star for Norwegian Cruise Line and Norwegian Capricorn Line, [2] and Crown. She was the second Albatros for Phoenix Reisen as she was the replacement of the original SS Albatros.

Albatros was also known for her Queen Elizabeth 2-esque funnel.

In October 2020 Albatros was sold as a hotel vessel for the Pick Albatros Group in the Middle East, which operates some 15 hotels and resorts in Hurghada region.

However, the project was never initiated, and the ship stayed at Hurghada until sold in 2021 for scrap, after a stop in Jeddah. She was beached in Alang, India, on 27 July 2021.[3] Scrapping on Albatros started on 17 November 2021. According to the NGO Robin des Bois, the Hotel Ship project was a trick to export the ship from Germany to India for scrapping.[4]

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b "Albatros (07937)". Vessel Register for DNV. DNV. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  2. ^ "Norwegian Capricorn Line". Chris Frame Official. 15 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Albatros Sold For Scrap As Hotel Plans Fail". cruiseharbournews. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Bremerhaven, export port of cruise ships towards Alang" (PDF). 23 November 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2022.

Bibliography

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