International Cruises, Royal Viking Line

ROYAL VIKING LINE

        Royal Viking Line was a cruise line for the luxury market founded in 1972. Initially it had three almost identical ships, known as the Royal Viking trio. The ships had attractive appearance, high passenger space ratios and excellent facilities. They were designed for the wealthy, elderly passengers. They sailed to many exotic destinations on long voyages. They were the highest-rated ships in the 1980s. Between 1981 and 1983, all the three ships were stretched to increase the length, tonnage and passenger capacity.

        Royal Viking Line was purchased by Kloster Cruise (parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line at that time) in 1986, and then two more luxurious ships were built, Royal Viking Sun and Royal Viking Queen. Later, some of the ships in the fleet were transferred to Norwegian Cruise Line or Royal Cruise Line (another subsidiary of Kloster Cruise). In 1994, the cruise line went into history after being purchased by the parent company of Cunard Line. The ships had been operated by Cunard Line, Star Cruises, Princess Cruises and various small companies. Nowadays, the ships belong to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, Phoenix Reisen, Holland America Line and The Yachts of Seabourn respectively.
 

Former Ship(s)

Royal Viking trio

Ship

Royal Viking Star

Royal Viking Sky

Royal Viking Sea

Entered Service

1972 June 26th

1973 June 5th

1973 November 25th

Builder

Wärtsilä Shipyard, Helsinki (Finland)

Original Cost

US$22.5 million

Registry

Nassau, The Bahamas

Gross Tonnage

28492 tons

28078 tons

28078 tons

Length x Beam x Draft

205.5 x 25.2 x 7.3 (m), 673.9 x 82.7 x 23.9 (ft)

Speed

21 knots

Passenger Decks

8

Number of Cabins (Inside/Oceanview/Balcony)

375 (48, 318, 9)

374 (46, 319, 9)

369 (46, 314, 9)

Passengers
(Standard Occupancy / Full Occupancy)

710 / 710

710 / 752

700 / 710

Passenger Space Ratio
(Standard Occupancy / Full Occupancy)

40.13 / 40.13

39.55 / 37.34

40.11 / 39.55

Total Crew

420, European

Crew to Passenger Ratio
(Standard Occupancy / Full Occupancy)

1.69 / 1.69

1.69 / 1.79

1.67 / 1.69

Navigation Officers

Norwegian

IMO Number, Call Sign

7108930, C6CN2

7218395, C6CN3

7304314, C6CN4

Sister Ships

/

History

1972-1991: Royal Viking Star (Royal Viking Line)
1991-1994: Westward (Norwegian Cruise Line)
1994-1996: Star Odyssey (Royal Cruise Line)
1996- : Black Watch (Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines)

1973-1991: Royal Viking Sky (Royal Viking Line)
1991-1992: Sunward <II> (Norwegian Cruise Line)
1992-1992: Birka Queen <II> (Birka Cruises)
1992-1993: Sunward <II> (Norwegian Cruise Line)
1993-1996: Golden Princess <I> (Princess Cruises)
1996-1997: [laid up]
1997-1998: SuperStar Capricorn (Star Cruises)
1998-2001: Hyundai Keumgang (Hyundai Merchant Marine)
2001-2004: SuperStar Capricorn (Star Cruises)
2004-2005: Grand Latino (Viajes Iberojet)
2005- : Boudicca (Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines)

1973-1991: Royal Viking Sea (Royal Viking Line)
1991-1997: Royal Odyssey <II> (Royal Cruise Line)
1997-1998: Norwegian Star <I> (Norwegian Cruise Line)
1998-2001: Norwegian Star (Norwegian Capricorn Line)
2001-2002: Norwegian Star 1 (Star Cruises)
2002-2004: Crown (Mare Nostrum Cruises)
2004- : Albatros (Phoenix Reisen)
 

 

Ship

Royal Viking Sun

Royal Viking Queen

Entered Service

1988 November 30th

1992 February 29th

Builder

Wärtsilä Shipyard, Turku (Finland)

Schichau Seebeckwerft, Bremerhaven (Germany)

Original Cost

US$125 million

US$87 million

Registry

Nassau, The Bahamas

Nassau, The Bahamas

Gross Tonnage

37848 tons

9975 tons

Length x Beam x Draft

204.0 x 28.9 x 7.1 (m), 669.1 x 94.8 x 23.2 (ft)

134.1 x 19.2 x 5.2 (m), 439.8 x 63.0 x 17.1 (ft)

Speed

21.5 knots

19 knots

Passenger Decks

9

6

Number of Cabins (Inside/Oceanview/Balcony)

370 (20, 200, 150)

106 (0, 100, 6)

Passengers
(Standard Occupancy / Full Occupancy)

740 / 814

212 / 212

Passenger Space Ratio
(Standard Occupancy / Full Occupancy)

51.15 / 46.50

47.05 / 47.05

Total Crew

460, European

135, European

Crew to Passenger Ratio
(Standard Occupancy / Full Occupancy)

1.61 / 1.77

1.57 / 1.57

Navigation Officers

Norwegian

Norwegian

IMO Number, Call Sign

8700280, C6DM3

9008598, C6KO6

Sister Ships

/

Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Spirit
(The Yachts of Seabourn)

History

1988-1994: Royal Viking Sun (Royal Viking Line)
1994-1999: Royal Viking Sun (Cunard Line)
1999-2002: Seabourn Sun (Seabourn Cruise Line)
2002- : Prinsendam (Holland America Line)

1992-1995: Royal Viking Queen (Royal Viking Line)
1995-1996: Queen Odyssey (Royal Cruise Line)
1996- : Seabourn Legend
     (The Yachts of Seabourn)

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