Norwegian Capricorn Line
Encyclopedia
The Norwegian Capricorn Line was a cruise line
and was founded by some of Australia's foremost cruise professionals, (including Sarina Bratton who went on to found the expedition style cruise line Orion Expedition Cruises
in 2004) in partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line
. The 1997 launch of Norwegian Capricorn Line brought something entirely new to the Asia-Pacific region -- a four star cruise ship based in Australia offering some 35 cruises throughout the year in the waters of Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. NCL operated the vessel originally named Royal Viking Sea as the Norwegian Star on several affordable itineraries that included many Queensland
ports of call.
When the major partner in Norwegian Capricorn Line, Norwegian Cruise Lines was taken over by Malaysian owned Star Cruises
in 2000/2001 the Australian partnership was dissolved and the vessel Norwegian Star became part of Star Cruises fleet and Norwegian Capricorn Line ceased to exist.
The collapse of the company is the subject of the academic paper The Short, Unhappy Life of an Australia-Based Cruise Line
in 1994. Royal Odyssey was transferred into the main Norwegian Cruise Line fleet in 1996 as Norwegian Star and in 1997/98 she was transferred to the then newly formed Norwegian Capricorn Line. With Norwegian Capricorn Line, the Norwegian Star carried a maximum of 848 passengers in 424 suites/staterooms. In 2001 she became part of the Star Cruises fleet. After a period laid up, she was placed on weekly cruises from Valencia
as Crown Mare Nostrum for Spanish Cruise Line. From 2005 she was running as the MS Albatros
(II) for German tour company Phoenix Reisen.
The name Norwegian Star
was transferred to a new build ship, originally planned to be named SuperStar Libra, that was still part of the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet in 2006.
Cruise line
A cruise line is a company that operates cruise ships. Cruise lines have a dual character; they are partly in the transportation business, and partly in the leisure entertainment business, a duality that carries down into the ships themselves, which have both a crew headed by the ship's captain,...
and was founded by some of Australia's foremost cruise professionals, (including Sarina Bratton who went on to found the expedition style cruise line Orion Expedition Cruises
Orion Expedition Cruises
Orion Expedition Cruises is an Australian-based luxury expedition cruise line that was formed in 2004. It currently operates a single vessel, the German-built 103 m, 4000 gross tonne MV Orion.- History :...
in 2004) in partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line is a company operating cruise ships, headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida. It began operations in 1966 under the name Norwegian Caribbean Line. The company is best known for its Freestyle Cruising concept, which means that there are no set times or...
. The 1997 launch of Norwegian Capricorn Line brought something entirely new to the Asia-Pacific region -- a four star cruise ship based in Australia offering some 35 cruises throughout the year in the waters of Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. NCL operated the vessel originally named Royal Viking Sea as the Norwegian Star on several affordable itineraries that included many Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
ports of call.
When the major partner in Norwegian Capricorn Line, Norwegian Cruise Lines was taken over by Malaysian owned Star Cruises
Star Cruises
Star Cruises , a member of Genting Hong Kong, is the sixth largest cruise line in the world behind companies such as Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Cruises...
in 2000/2001 the Australian partnership was dissolved and the vessel Norwegian Star became part of Star Cruises fleet and Norwegian Capricorn Line ceased to exist.
The collapse of the company is the subject of the academic paper The Short, Unhappy Life of an Australia-Based Cruise Line
Fleet
The sole vessel in Norwegian Capricorn Line's fleet was the 206m, 28 000 tonne Norwegian Star. The Norwegian Star was originally built as the Royal Viking Line cruise ship Royal Viking Sea in 1973. Royal Viking Line were acquired by Knut Kloster of Norwegian Cruise Line in 1984, and initially retained their separate identity. Royal Viking Sea was transferred to Royal Cruise Line in 1990 as the Royal Odyssey (II). The Royal Viking Line name was sold to CunardCunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
in 1994. Royal Odyssey was transferred into the main Norwegian Cruise Line fleet in 1996 as Norwegian Star and in 1997/98 she was transferred to the then newly formed Norwegian Capricorn Line. With Norwegian Capricorn Line, the Norwegian Star carried a maximum of 848 passengers in 424 suites/staterooms. In 2001 she became part of the Star Cruises fleet. After a period laid up, she was placed on weekly cruises from Valencia
Valencia (city in Spain)
Valencia or València is the capital and most populous city of the autonomous community of Valencia and the third largest city in Spain, with a population of 809,267 in 2010. It is the 15th-most populous municipality in the European Union...
as Crown Mare Nostrum for Spanish Cruise Line. From 2005 she was running as the MS Albatros
MS Albatros
MS Albatros is a cruise ship, operated by the Germany-based travel agency Phoenix Reisen. She was built in 1973 by Wärtsilä Helsinki New Shipyard, Finland for Royal Viking Line as Royal Viking Sea, and has also sailed under the names Royal Odyssey, Norwegian Star, Crown and Crown Mare...
(II) for German tour company Phoenix Reisen.
The name Norwegian Star
Norwegian Star
Norwegian Star is a Libra-class cruise ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line. She was built in 2001 by Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany.-History:The Norwegian Star entered service at the end of 2001...
was transferred to a new build ship, originally planned to be named SuperStar Libra, that was still part of the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet in 2006.