Royal Viking Line
Encyclopedia
The Royal Viking Line was an upmarket cruise line
that operated from 1972 until 1998. The company was the brain child of Warren Titus and had its headquarters at One Embarcadero Center
in San Francisco.
The ships were all built by Wärtsilä
Helsinki New Shipyard, Finland
, and were each approximately and nearly identical in appearance, with a tall superstructure and a single, scooped funnel. However, the Star was two feet shorter (581 feet), and her interior arrangement differed slightly from her two fleet-mates. Each ship featured a double-height theatre occupying an interior space on the two lowest passenger decks; however, on the Star the space just forward of the theatre on the higher of these decks was occupied by a chapel
, a feature not found on either of her fleet-mates, nor any of the Scandinavian-built cruise ships of that generation. Other differences included the placement of small lounges and facilities such as the library.
These vessels were intended for longer voyages to exotic destinations, and a significant percentage of the line's passengers were wealthy retirees. As such, they featured numerous single staterooms and suites, and thus their capacity was only about 550 compared to 750-850 on similarly-sized ships of other lines. Royal Viking Line prided itself on single-seating dining, and the restaurant was situated unusually high in the ship, with large windows. Another popular feature was a glass-enclosed lounge high atop the bridge, which afforded excellent views.
On May 1 1976 the Royal Viking Sky and Royal Viking Star became the first sister ship
s to have transited the Panama Canal
simultaneously in different directions, the Sky sailing westbound and the Star eastbound.
, each of the three ships was "stretched" to by adding a 93-foot prefabricated midships section at the A.G. Weser shipyard in Bremerhaven
. This increased each ship's capacity by 200 passengers, and mainly included the addition of cabins. Aft of the observation lounge, a new lounge and nine penthouse suites with balconies were added. The size of the main restaurant was also doubled and now occupied nearly half of one deck in order to maintain single-seating dining.
The line's management had determined the expansion was more economical than building a fourth ship; however, the plan backfired, because many of their loyal passengers felt the larger ships had lost their intimate appeal.
group. The offices were moved to Coral Gables, Florida
, and Warren Titus departed in 1987. While under Kloster ownership, Royal Viking built a fourth ship, the Royal Viking Sun. Constructed by Wärtsilä in Turku
, Finland, she was and carried 850 passengers. The final ship built for Royal Viking was the Royal Viking Queen completed in 1992. She was just , carrying only 212 passengers and sharing a general arrangement with the Seabourn Pride
and Seabourn Spirit of Seabourn Cruise Line
, the new home of Warren Titus.
In 1990, Kloster moved the Royal Viking Sea to its Royal Cruise Line brand, where she took the name Royal Odyssey, and the Star to its Norwegian Cruise Line
brand, where she became the Westward.
In 1991, the Royal Viking Sky was transferred to NCL and renamed Sunward.
In 1993, the Westward ex Royal Viking Star became the Star Odyssey for Royal Cruise Line. The passenger capacity on each of the original three ships had been increased to 850, mainly with the addition of staterooms amidships on the Bridge Deck, in what used to be officers' quarters. A buffet was also added in the lounge on the top deck, since the ships did not have the casual indoor/outdoor dining area (often called a Lido) that was becoming de rigueur.
In 1994, as part of Kloster Cruise's bankruptcy, the Royal Viking Line was dissolved. Royal Viking Queen was transferred to Royal Cruise Line as Queen Odyssey, while Royal Viking Sun and the Royal Viking brand were sold to Cunard Line Ltd. Cunard combined the Royal Viking Sun with four of its other ships, Sagafjord, Vistafjord, Sea Goddess I, and Sea Goddess II to form the reorganized "Cunard Royal Viking Line", which lasted until 1998. In that same year, all of Cunard Line Ltd.'s ships were merged under the Cunard Line brand, following the company's takeover by Carnival Corporation.
as the Seabourn Legend, after Kloster liquidated Royal Cruise as well. Cunard Line operated the Royal Viking Sun with her original name until 1999, then she joined her former fleetmate as the Seabourn Sun, as by this time, Seabourn had been acquired by Cunard's parent, Carnival, and merged into Cunard Line Ltd. This phase lasted until 2002, when she was transferred again to Holland America Line
Inc. (another Carnival subsidiary), becoming the second , for Holland America Line, where she remains today.
After several more changes of name and ownership, the former Royal Viking Star and Royal Viking Sky sail with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
, the Royal Viking Star as the Black Watch
and the Royal Viking Sky as the Boudicca. Aboard both ships, the lounge/buffet on the top deck has been replaced with additional passenger cabins, while the observation lounge above the bridge remains. The length of Bridge Deck is now occupied by passenger cabins (with the ship's officers scattered around the ship). Aboard the Black Watch, the aft portion of the formerly vast main dining-room has been converted to two smaller restaurants and an additional lounge. A spacious, glass-lined space on the top deck hosts the fitness center and spa. The former chapel has been carved into three additional staterooms. The changes on Boudicca are even more radical, where the dining-room space was broken up into no fewer than four separate restaurants and the space formerly occupied by the theatre has been converted into additional staterooms and a fitness centre.
The former Royal Viking Sea sails for the German company Phoenix Reisen
as the Albatros. Layout-wise, she has probably changed the least, with the majority of public rooms remaining in their original configuration.
Royal Viking line ships were featured prominently in the book Voyages of the Royal Viking by the photographer and artist Harvey Lloyd
.
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,...
that operated from 1972 until 1998. The company was the brain child of Warren Titus and had its headquarters at One Embarcadero Center
One Embarcadero Center
One Embarcadero Center is an class-A office skyscraper in the Financial District of San Francisco, California. The building is part of the Embarcadero Center complex of six interconnected buildings and one off-site extension. The skyscraper, completed in 1971, stands tall with 45 stories without...
in San Francisco.
History
Each of the line's initial three vessels was owned by one of its initial investing partners. The first, the Royal Viking Star, was completed in July, 1972. Its owner was Bergenske Dampskibsselskab (Bergen Line). The second, the Royal Viking Sky, was owned by Nordenfjeldske Dampskibsselskab of Trondheim. She was completed in July 1973. The third ship, the Royal Viking Sea, was ready in December of the same year. Her owner was AF Klaveness & Co., Oslo.The ships were all built by Wärtsilä
Wärtsilä
Wärtsilä is a Finnish corporation which manufactures and services power sources and other equipment in the marine and energy markets. The core products of Wärtsilä include large combustion engines...
Helsinki New Shipyard, 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...
, and were each approximately and nearly identical in appearance, with a tall superstructure and a single, scooped funnel. However, the Star was two feet shorter (581 feet), and her interior arrangement differed slightly from her two fleet-mates. Each ship featured a double-height theatre occupying an interior space on the two lowest passenger decks; however, on the Star the space just forward of the theatre on the higher of these decks was occupied by a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
, a feature not found on either of her fleet-mates, nor any of the Scandinavian-built cruise ships of that generation. Other differences included the placement of small lounges and facilities such as the library.
These vessels were intended for longer voyages to exotic destinations, and a significant percentage of the line's passengers were wealthy retirees. As such, they featured numerous single staterooms and suites, and thus their capacity was only about 550 compared to 750-850 on similarly-sized ships of other lines. Royal Viking Line prided itself on single-seating dining, and the restaurant was situated unusually high in the ship, with large windows. Another popular feature was a glass-enclosed lounge high atop the bridge, which afforded excellent views.
On May 1 1976 the Royal Viking Sky and Royal Viking Star became the first sister ship
Sister ship
A sister ship is a ship of the same class as, or of virtually identical design to, another ship. Such vessels share a near-identical hull and superstructure layout, similar displacement, and roughly comparable features and equipment...
s to have transited the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
simultaneously in different directions, the Sky sailing westbound and the Star eastbound.
Stretching
Beginning in 1980, under the leadership of then CEO Torstein HagenTorstein Hagen
Torstein Hagen is the Chairman and CEO of Viking River Cruises. Founded in 1997, the company has become the world's leading river cruise line, operating a fleet of 19 deluxe vessels on the waterways of Europe, Russia, Ukraine and China...
, each of the three ships was "stretched" to by adding a 93-foot prefabricated midships section at the A.G. Weser 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...
. This increased each ship's capacity by 200 passengers, and mainly included the addition of cabins. Aft of the observation lounge, a new lounge and nine penthouse suites with balconies were added. The size of the main restaurant was also doubled and now occupied nearly half of one deck in order to maintain single-seating dining.
The line's management had determined the expansion was more economical than building a fourth ship; however, the plan backfired, because many of their loyal passengers felt the larger ships had lost their intimate appeal.
Purchase by Kloster
In 1986 the line was purchased by Norwegian Caribbean Line, then part of the KlosterKloster
Kloster is a municipality in the district of Deutschlandsberg in Styria, Austria.-References:...
group. The offices were moved to Coral Gables, 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...
, and Warren Titus departed in 1987. While under Kloster ownership, Royal Viking built a fourth ship, the Royal Viking Sun. Constructed by Wärtsilä in Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
, Finland, she was and carried 850 passengers. The final ship built for Royal Viking was the Royal Viking Queen completed in 1992. She was just , carrying only 212 passengers and sharing a general arrangement with the Seabourn Pride
Seabourn Pride
Seabourn Pride is one of three German-built 5-star cruise ships, owned and run by the Seabourn Cruise Line. The Seabourn Pride was the first of her class, and set out on her maiden voyage in November, 1988, after being christened by Shirley Temple Black....
and Seabourn Spirit of Seabourn Cruise Line
Seabourn Cruise Line
Seabourn Cruise Line is a luxury cruise line headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The line operates all around the world, from short seven-day Caribbean cruises to exotic 100+ day cruises around the world...
, the new home of Warren Titus.
In 1990, Kloster moved the Royal Viking Sea to its Royal Cruise Line brand, where she took the name Royal Odyssey, and the Star to its 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...
brand, where she became the Westward.
In 1991, the Royal Viking Sky was transferred to NCL and renamed Sunward.
In 1993, the Westward ex Royal Viking Star became the Star Odyssey for Royal Cruise Line. The passenger capacity on each of the original three ships had been increased to 850, mainly with the addition of staterooms amidships on the Bridge Deck, in what used to be officers' quarters. A buffet was also added in the lounge on the top deck, since the ships did not have the casual indoor/outdoor dining area (often called a Lido) that was becoming de rigueur.
In 1994, as part of Kloster Cruise's bankruptcy, the Royal Viking Line was dissolved. Royal Viking Queen was transferred to Royal Cruise Line as Queen Odyssey, while Royal Viking Sun and the Royal Viking brand were sold to Cunard Line Ltd. Cunard combined the Royal Viking Sun with four of its other ships, Sagafjord, Vistafjord, Sea Goddess I, and Sea Goddess II to form the reorganized "Cunard Royal Viking Line", which lasted until 1998. In that same year, all of Cunard Line Ltd.'s ships were merged under the Cunard Line brand, following the company's takeover by Carnival Corporation.
The Royal Viking ships today
The Royal Viking Queen operated briefly as the Queen Odyssey for Royal Cruise Line, then joined her sister ships at Seabourn Cruise LineSeabourn Cruise Line
Seabourn Cruise Line is a luxury cruise line headquartered in Seattle, Washington. The line operates all around the world, from short seven-day Caribbean cruises to exotic 100+ day cruises around the world...
as the Seabourn Legend, after Kloster liquidated Royal Cruise as well. Cunard Line operated the Royal Viking Sun with her original name until 1999, then she joined her former fleetmate as the Seabourn Sun, as by this time, Seabourn had been acquired by Cunard's parent, Carnival, and merged into Cunard Line Ltd. This phase lasted until 2002, when she was transferred again to Holland America Line
Holland America Line
The Holland America Line is a cruise shipping company. It was founded in 1873 as the Netherlands-America Steamship Company , a shipping and passenger line. Headquartered in Rotterdam and providing service to the Americas, it became known as Holland America Line...
Inc. (another Carnival subsidiary), becoming the second , for Holland America Line, where she remains today.
After several more changes of name and ownership, the former Royal Viking Star and Royal Viking Sky sail with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is a UK based, Norwegian-owned cruise shipping line with four cruise ships. The company headquarters are in Ipswich, Suffolk, United Kingdom and is owned by Bonheur and Ganger Rolf. The company is part of the Fred...
, the Royal Viking Star as the Black Watch
Black Watch (ship)
MS Black Watch is a cruise ship, currently owned and operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. She was built by Wärtsilä Helsinki New Shipyard, Finland for Royal Viking Line as Royal Viking Star, entering service in 1972...
and the Royal Viking Sky as the Boudicca. Aboard both ships, the lounge/buffet on the top deck has been replaced with additional passenger cabins, while the observation lounge above the bridge remains. The length of Bridge Deck is now occupied by passenger cabins (with the ship's officers scattered around the ship). Aboard the Black Watch, the aft portion of the formerly vast main dining-room has been converted to two smaller restaurants and an additional lounge. A spacious, glass-lined space on the top deck hosts the fitness center and spa. The former chapel has been carved into three additional staterooms. The changes on Boudicca are even more radical, where the dining-room space was broken up into no fewer than four separate restaurants and the space formerly occupied by the theatre has been converted into additional staterooms and a fitness centre.
The former Royal Viking Sea sails for the German company Phoenix Reisen
Phoenix Reisen
Phoenix Reisen is a Germany-based travel agency that also operates a fleet of cruise ships. The company first entered the cruise business in 1988 by chartering the Soviet Union-owned cruise ship .-History:...
as the Albatros. Layout-wise, she has probably changed the least, with the majority of public rooms remaining in their original configuration.
Royal Viking line ships were featured prominently in the book Voyages of the Royal Viking by the photographer and artist Harvey Lloyd
Harvey Lloyd
Harvey Lloyd is a globe circling, multi-award winning American artist, photographer, photojournalist, writer, director and poet. Born and raised in the streets of New York City and now based in Santa Fe, NM. Lloyd is self taught in the arts. He studied and worked with the influential art director...
.
External links
- Online Magazine with Royal Viking Line
- Website with stories from Royal Viking Line
- Simplon Postcards: Royal Viking Line
- Phoenix Reisen - operator of the former Royal Viking Sea
- Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines - operator of the former Royal Viking Sky and Royal Viking Star
- Holland America Line - operator of the former Royal Viking Sun
- Seabourn - operator of the former Royal Viking Queen
- Video Clips of Royal Viking Sun
- Video Clip of Royal Viking Sky
- Video Clips of Black Watch (ex. Royal Viking Star)
- photos of Black Watch (ex. Royal Viking Star)