Norwegian Majesty
Encyclopedia
The MS
Ship prefix
A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship.Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research vessel. Civilian prefixes are often...
Louis Majesty (formerly MS
Ship prefix
A ship prefix is a combination of letters, usually abbreviations, used in front of the name of a civilian or naval ship.Prefixes for civilian vessels may either identify the type of propulsion, such as "SS" for steamship, or purpose, such as "RV" for research vessel. Civilian prefixes are often...
Norwegian Majesty) is a cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
owned and operated by Louis Cruise Lines
Louis Cruise Lines
Louis Cruises is a Cyprus-based cruise line that operates cruises from Cyprus, France, Italy, India and Greece . The company also charters several ships to Thomson Cruises...
. She was originally ordered by Birka Line
Birka Line
Birka Line is an Ålandian shipping company that operates a cruise ship on the Baltic Sea with Stockholm as the starting point under the name Birka Cruises. Birka Line has a cargo-shipping subsidiary, Birka Cargo. During the 1970s the company was often marketed as Ålandslinjen...
as MS Birka Queen from the Wärtsilä Marine Turku Shipyard
Turku shipyard
Name Turku shipyard usually means either of the following yards in Turku, Finland:*Crichton-Vulcan , from 1965 Wärtsilä Turku Shipyard...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, but completed by Kvaerner Masa-Yards as MS Royal Majesty for Majesty Cruise Line
Majesty Cruise Line
Majesty Cruise Line is a Norwegian cruise line probably known for owning the Norwegian Majesty from 1992 to 1997....
. In 1997 she was sold to Norwegian Cruise Line and lengthened by 33.76 metre at the Lloyd Werft
Lloyd Werft
Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven GmbH is a dockyard in Bremerhaven, established in 1857 by Norddeutscher Lloyd. The yard employs 500 workers in an area of 260. 000 m². Ships with a draught down to 11,5 m can be accommodated.-External links:* website...
shipyard in Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Two passengers died when the ship was hit by a rogue wave in 2010.
Concept and construction
The Birka Queen was ordered by Birka LineBirka Line
Birka Line is an Ålandian shipping company that operates a cruise ship on the Baltic Sea with Stockholm as the starting point under the name Birka Cruises. Birka Line has a cargo-shipping subsidiary, Birka Cargo. During the 1970s the company was often marketed as Ålandslinjen...
for short cruises out of Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
as a running mate to . The ship was ordered from Wärtsilä Marine, but the shipyard went bankrupt in 1990. Operations were soon reorganized under the name of Masa-Yards, but the price of the ship was increased in the process, and Birka therefore refused to take delivery. Instead, the build contact was sold to Majesty Cruise Line
Majesty Cruise Line
Majesty Cruise Line is a Norwegian cruise line probably known for owning the Norwegian Majesty from 1992 to 1997....
, who took delivery of the ship on July 2, 1992, renaming her Royal Majesty.
Service history
Following delivery, the Royal Majesty set on her maiden voyage, a transatlantic crossing from SouthamptonSouthampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, on July 7, 1992. She was officially christened in New York City on July 21, 1992. She was christened by Liza Minelli. Following this, she was used on three- and four-night cruises out of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. In 1995 she initiated a new northern hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
summer season itenary with cruises from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to St. George's, Bermuda
St. George's, Bermuda
St. George's , located on the island and within the parish of the same names, was the first permanent settlement on the islands of Bermuda, and is often described as the third successful English settlement in the Americas, after St. John's, Newfoundland, and Jamestown, Virginia. However, St...
, returning to Florida for the winter season. In September 1995 she participated in an expedition to the sinking site of , spending five days at the site with many survivors from the famous ship onboard, while parts of the Titanic were being salvaged.
watch officers thought the vessel was. The vessel, with 1,509 persons on board, was en route from St.
George’s, Bermuda, to Boston, Massachusetts. There were no deaths or injuries as a result of this
accident. Damage to the vessel and lost revenue, however, were estimated at about $7 million.
Majesty Cruise Line
Majesty Cruise Line
Majesty Cruise Line is a Norwegian cruise line probably known for owning the Norwegian Majesty from 1992 to 1997....
ceased operations at the end of the 1997 summer season, and the Royal Majesty was sold to 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...
. She was renamed Norwegian Majesty, and in 1999 she received a 33.76 metre lengthening at the Lloyd Werft
Lloyd Werft
Lloyd Werft Bremerhaven GmbH is a dockyard in Bremerhaven, established in 1857 by Norddeutscher Lloyd. The yard employs 500 workers in an area of 260. 000 m². Ships with a draught down to 11,5 m can be accommodated.-External links:* website...
shipyard in Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven is a city at the seaport of the free city-state of Bremen, a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. It forms an enclave in the state of Lower Saxony and is located at the mouth of the River Weser on its eastern bank, opposite the town of Nordenham...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Similar lenghtenings had been carried out on NCL's Dreamward and Windward the previous year. The lengthening of the Norwegian Majesty however was more technically complicated than those of the other ships, as she had not been designed for such an operation.
In 2004 the ownership of the Norwegian Majesty was transferred to NCL's parent company 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 preparation for potential transfer to the Star Cruises fleet or sale at a later date. She remained in NCL service without other changes. On April 23, 2008 the Norwegian Majesty, was sold to the Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
-based Louis Cruise Lines
Louis Cruise Lines
Louis Cruises is a Cyprus-based cruise line that operates cruises from Cyprus, France, Italy, India and Greece . The company also charters several ships to Thomson Cruises...
. Louis Cruise Lines had reportedly outbid International Shipping Partners with their offer of $162 million. The deal was completed on July 29, 2008, but the Norwegian Majesty will be chartered back to Norwegian Cruise Line until October 2009.
On June 24, 2009, Louis revealed that the Norwegian Majesty would be renamed Louis Majesty.
On March 3, 2010, three rogue waves
Rogue Waves
Rogue Waves is a 1979 album by musician Terry Reid.-Track listing:All tracks composed by Terry Reid except where noted.# "Ain't No Shadow" - 3:57# "Baby I Love You" - 4:04# "Stop And Think It Over" - 3:45...
hit the Louis Majesty, killing two passengers, and injuring a number of others, while on a 12 day cruise around the Mediterranean. The waves, which were reportedly in excess of 26 feet (8 m) high, collided with the side of the vessel, smashing several windows in the saloon area. Water was taken on in the saloon area, which then drained down the decks below. The ship returned to port at Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
to receive repairs.
As Norwegian Majesty
Only including decks accessible to passengers.- Caribbean Deck - Outside and inside cabins
- Biscayne Deck - Hospital, outside and inside cabins
- Atlantic Deck - NightclubNightclubA nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
, bars, shops, games arcade, libraryLibraryIn a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, card room, internet café, dining rooms, bistroBistroA bistro, sometimes spelled bistrot, is, in its original Parisian incarnation, a small restaurant serving moderately priced simple meals in a modest setting. Bistros are defined mostly by the foods they serve. Home cooking with robust earthy dishes, and slow-cooked foods like cassoulet are typical...
, cafeteria, sundeck
- Majesty Deck - Casino, bar, showroom, suitesSuite (hotel)A suite in a hotel or other public accommodation, denotes a class of luxury accommodations, the key feature of which is multiple rooms. Many properties have one or more "honeymoon suites", and sometimes the best accommodation is called the "presidential suite".Suites offer multiple rooms, with more...
, outside and inside cabins
- Promenade Deck - SaunaSaunaA sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities....
, gym, discothèque, outside and inside cabins, sundeck
- Viking Deck - BridgeBridge (ship)The bridge of a ship is the room or platform from which the ship can be commanded. When a ship is underway the bridge is manned by an OOW aided usually by an AB acting as lookout...
, outside cabins, sundeck
- Norway Deck - Observation lounge, children's playroom, suites, outside cabins, sundeck, swimming poolSwimming poolA swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
- Sun Deck - BuffetBuffetA buffet is a system of serving meals in which food is placed in a public area where the diners generally serve themselves. Buffets are offered at various places including hotels and many social events...
restaurant, outdoors cafeteria, bar, sundeck, swimming pools
- Sky Deck - Sundeck
Cruises
As Norwegian Majesty:The ship was based in Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
during the winter months 7-Day cruises to Bermuda calling at St. George's and also sailed a variety of Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
itineraries. 7-Day Western Caribbean cruises included stops at Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands - Cozumel, Mexico and Key West, Florida. Longer exotic reposition cruise in April out of Charleston included stops at San Juan, Puerto Rico - St. Thomas - St. Kitts - Barbados - Aruba - Curacao and NCL's private islands Great Stirrup Cay and ending in Boston. Fall exotic reposition cruise from Boston included an overnight stay at St. George's, Bermuda - St. Thomas - St. John's, Antigua - Curacao - Aruba and finally Port Canaveral before ending in Charleston. During the spring and summer months, she was based in Baltimore, Maryland and formerly Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and sailed 7-day cruises to Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
also calling at St. George's. At one time she sailed out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
As Louis Majesty:
She currently sails out of Piraeus
Piraeus
Piraeus is a city in the region of Attica, Greece. Piraeus is located within the Athens Urban Area, 12 km southwest from its city center , and lies along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf....
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
sailing 3/4/5-Day cruises around the Greek Isles. Louis Cruises recently canceled the Majesty's 2011/2012 Mediterranean season in favor of sailing around Greece instead.