History | |
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Name: |
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Owner: |
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Operator: |
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Port of registry: | |
Builder: | Meyer Werft, Papenburg, West Germany |
Cost: | $178 million |
Yard number: | 616 |
Launched: | 1 November 1987 |
Christened: | 14 May 1988 |
Acquired: | June 1988 |
In service: | 7 June 1988 |
Identification: | IMO number: 8506294 |
Status: | In service |
General characteristics (as built, 1988) | |
Type: | Cruise ship |
Tonnage: | |
Length: | 187.71 m (615 ft 10 in) |
Beam: | 28.21 m (92 ft 7 in) |
Draught: | 6.80 m (22 ft 4 in) |
Installed power: |
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Propulsion: | Two propellers |
Speed: | 22.5 knots (41.7 km/h; 25.9 mph) |
Capacity: | 1,230 passengers (maximum) |
General characteristics (as rebuilt, 2007) | |
Tonnage: | 43,537 GT |
Length: | 217.91 m (714 ft 11 in) |
Draught: | 7.25 m (23 ft 9 in) |
Decks: | 10 (passenger accessible) |
Capacity: | 1,778 passengers |
Crew: | 471 |
Notes: | Otherwise the same as built |
Balmoral is a cruise ship owned and operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. She was built in 1988 by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, West Germany, as Crown Odyssey for Royal Cruise Line. She has also sailed for the Norwegian Cruise Line as Norwegian Crown and Orient Lines as Crown Odyssey. In 2007–2008 she was lengthened by 30 m (98 ft) at the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg prior to entering service with her current operator.
The vessel was built by Meyer Werft of Papenburg, Germany, in 1988, for service with Royal Cruise Line as the Crown Odyssey. In 1989, Royal Cruise Line was sold to Norwegian Cruise Line, which continued operation of the company, along with the Crown Odyssey, until 1996. A reorganization of all the fleets owned by Norwegian Cruise Line saw Crown Odyssey enter service with NCL's main fleet, where it was renamed Norwegian Crown.
Following the purchase of Orient Lines by NCL in April 2000, Norwegian Crown was transferred, regaining her original name, Crown Odyssey, in the process.
In September 2003, Crown Odyssey was refurbished and returned to the NCL fleet, again with the name Norwegian Crown.
On 25 May 2006, NCL Corporation announced that its parent company, Star Cruises, had agreed to sell Norwegian Crown to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines effective August 2006. Star Cruises concurrently chartered the vessel back from Fred. Olsen and NCL continued her deployment through to November 2007. “Although a beautiful and well-maintained vessel, Norwegian Crown’s smaller size is less suitable for Star Cruises’ ambitions in Asia,” said Colin Veitch, president and CEO of NCL Corporation. “Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines specializes in operating smaller and mid-sized upscale vessels and this ship should fit perfectly in their fleet.” Her last NCL cruise was on 28 October 2007.