Island Escape yacht Itinerary, Current Position, Ship Review
Table Of Content
In 1990, the ship was sold to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and renamed MS Viking Serenade. Between January and June 1991, she was converted into a full-time cruise ship at the former[7] Southwest Marine Shipyard in San Diego, California. The car deck was turned into a passenger deck.[1] In 2002, she was transferred to the fleet of Royal Caribbean's new subsidiary Island Cruises as MS Island Escape. The certified Helideck (deck 4's/topdeck's aft-positioned helipad) is used for landings of helicopters serving the company's heli-transfers between the yacht and homeport. At the end of December 2015, Sweden's migration agency signed a hotel ship deal to house 1260 refugees on the chartered cruise ship Ocean Gala. Island Escape has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 32 guests in 17 suites.
Cruise Destinations & Ports
Midship on deck 3 are positioned both tenders (starboard and portside) each feated with a davit crane. The summer homeporting in Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Spain) offering fly-cruises from the UK made the ship also attractive for families. The boat had 11 decks, of which 9 were passenger-accessible and 7 with cabins. In August 2016, Ocean Gala was put up for sale for EUR 17,8 million (~USD 20M).
Specifications of Island Escape yacht
Fun fact is, that in 2002, Island Escape was featured in a UK TV mini-series documentary. In 10 episodes, it showed the working lives of some of the crew, giving an insight into what it is like working on a cruise ship. Island Escape staterooms (768 total) ranged from Standard Inside and Outside triple and quad cabins (fitted with twin single beds and bunks) to Outside Premier (bigger than standard, with table, chair, sofabed), Outside Deluxe (larger than the Premiers), Balcony (with a mini-fridge).
Balcony Horizon Suite
She is also capable of carrying up to 14 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience. The cruise ship was the last drydock refurbished at the Damen shipyard (Brest France) in December 2015. Then was immediately chartered and deployed in Scandinavia (Kristiansand, Norway) to serve as a floating hotel for social workers involved in the Syrian refugee crisis. When MS Scandinavia was launched in 1982, she was one of the world's largest passenger ships, and cruising out of homeport NYC New York to The Bahamas. Since 2002, the renamed ship (MS Island Escape) was deployed in the Mediterranean (during summers) and in South America (in the winters). Most of the money was owed to customers who prepaid in 2022 for several 12-day Kimberly voyages (scheduled for 2023) which were eventually canceled.
Former Ships
Island Escape cruise ship deck plan shows a total of 17 staterooms (for max 32 passengers) served by 14 staff/crew. The boat has 4 decks (1 crew-only, 3 passenger-accessible, 2 with cabins), Helideck (aft helipad), Marina Deck (aft), 1x outdoor Jacuzzi (spa pool), Navigation Bridge/Wheelhouse, Outdoor Lounge (alfresco dining area/aft), Outdoor Observation Deck (forward), Salon/Lounge, Dining Room/Restaurant, Bar. The 2021-built cruise yacht Island Escape is a 30-passenger ship owned by Seasons Shipping Co Ltd ((Jongno-gu/Seoul, South Korea-based, 2020-founded company registered in Hong Kong China) and operated under demise/bareboat charter by the New Zealand-based company and travel brand Island Escape Cruises Ltd. Bareboat charter is an arrangement for hiring the ship without the crew or provisions included in the deal.
Standard cabins are with either one King-size double bed or two single beds/twins. The Island Escape yacht has a total of 17 staterooms (designed by Tillberg Design of Sweden), all of which are outside and grouped in 5 suite categories - Owners Suite (1), Horizon Suites (6), Solo Suites (2), Ocean Suites (5) and Ocean Twin Suites (3). In April 2022 was announced Island Escape ship's Kimberley Australian deployment (July-September 2022) with the new 12-night "Wild Kimberley Coast" itinerary out of Broome. Prices ranged from NZD pp (Ocean Suite based on twin share) up to NZD (Owners Suite). In October 2021, Island Escape Cruises Ltd's owner (Peter Bissett) announced that the company will officially start operations in New Zealand in November 2022.
ISLAND ESCAPE yacht NOT for charter*
Due to the Coronavirus crisis, the construction process was hampered (lockdowns, restrictions, supply chain disruptions) and the yacht's delivery was delayed ~7 months.
Ahoy, there, NYC! A rare sight as cruise ships rerouted by Hurricane Lee dock off Staten Island on their way - SILive.com
Ahoy, there, NYC! A rare sight as cruise ships rerouted by Hurricane Lee dock off Staten Island on their way.
Posted: Fri, 15 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Local spirits aren't quite up to the standards we are used to at home, but that's what you expect when abroad. The food quality was good and although buffet style, the waiting staff were there to help when needed. Ocean and Solo cabins are on Lower Deck (Ocean Deck/deck 2), while the Owner's and Horizon cabins are on Upper Deck (Horizon Deck/deck 3). Ocean Suites are with either one King-size double bed, two single beds/twins or one single bed.
Ocean Gala - user reviews and comments
The ship was sold to pay back the debtors (financiers and unpaid customers) of Island Escape Cruises NZ who owed them millions of dollars. According to shipping experts, the ultra-luxury vessel was sold for ~AUD 34,5M (USD 23,1M / EUR 21,5M) less than its estimated value. The vessel was last owned by the Miami-based Cruise Holdings Inc and managed by Columbia Cruise Services (CCS) in Hamburg and Limassol. ISLAND ESCAPE current position and history of port calls are received by AIS.
Floating Accommodations claimed that a sale might be necessary to cover losses they would incur if Migrationsverket failed to pay a SEK 54M kronor (USD 6,44M) bill the company had sent to the agency for the costs of running the vessel. Migrationsverket insisted that the agreement to house asylum seekers on Ocean Gala had been null and void since July. MS Island Escape ship was operated and owned by Thomson UK under the “Island Cruises” brand until December 2015. YachtCharterFleet makes it easy to find the yacht charter vacation that is right for you. We combine thousands of yacht listings with local destination information, sample itineraries and experiences to deliver the world's most comprehensive yacht charter website. Island Escape is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks.
Technical specifications, tonnages and management details are derived from VesselFinder database. The data is for informational purposes only and VesselFinder is not responsible for the accuracy and reliability of ISLAND ESCAPE data. The 10-night "Tropical North Queensland" voyage (priced from NZD pp) was scheduled for October 2022. On Main Deck/Ocean Deck are the Salon (starboard Lounge fitted with large sofas) and the Dining Room/Restaurant (portside), both with floor-ceiling windows, comfortable seating and served by the Bar (central-located in-between). The new superyacht Island Escape (VARD Vung Tau yard/hull number 915) was designed by Vard Design (Vard Marine Inc's naval architecture and marine engineering division) and originally planned for delivery in April (postponed for October) 2021.
She was built in 1982 by Dubigeon-Normandie S.A., Nantes, France for Scandinavian World Cruises (a subsidiary of DFDS) as the cruiseferry MS Scandinavia. At the time of her construction, she was the largest cruiseferry in the world.[citation needed] After being withdrawn from Scandinavian World Cruises, she briefly sailed for DFDS Seaways. Between 1985 and 1990, she sailed for Sundance Cruises and Admiral Cruises as MS Stardancer.
In 2008, Royal Caribbean sold its stake in the company to TUI,[3] and the cruise line's only fully owned ship, the Island Escape, was transferred to TUI's Thomson Cruises. The shows were of good standard with Johnny Mac providing humour and an Elvis Tribute a good sound alike and not taking himself too seriously. But it was the ships own entertainment crew which shone with outstanding personal contributions and superb dance routines. The onboard meals are prepared by professional chefs using the freshest ingredients, including local seafood and the guests' daily catch. At the stern (aft on deck 3) there is an Outdoor Lounge (alfresco dining area with two large tables plus couch seating) which is roof-protected by the Helideck above. An outdoor observation deck (forward on deck 3/at the bow) is furnished with bench seats and small coffee tables.
Get the latest current and forecast weather information that may affect your cruise vacation travel plans. Here are a selection of superyachts which are similar to Island Escape yacht which are believed to be available for charter. Ocean and Solo cabins are on Ocean Deck (deck 2), while the Owner's and Horizon cabins are on Horizon Deck (deck 3). All Horizon Deck cabins are with floor-ceiling glass doors opening to private step-out balconies.
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