MV Balmoral (2008)
{{Short description|2008 cruise ship}}
{{other ships|MV Balmoral}}
{{redirect|Norwegian Crown|the currency|Norwegian krone}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = Balmoral turning (cropped).jpg | Ship caption = Balmoral in Antwerp, Belgium on 19 March 2016. }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship country = Bahamas | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Bahamas|civil}} | Ship name = *1988–1996: Crown Odyssey
| Ship owner = *1988–1992: Royal Cruise Line{{cite web|url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/crown_odyssey_1988.htm |title=M/S Crown Odyssey (1988) |accessdate=18 September 2008 |last=Asklander |first=Micke |work=Fakta om Fartyg |language=Swedish |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111121946/http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/crown_odyssey_1988.htm |archivedate=11 January 2012 }}
| Ship operator = *1988–1996: Royal Cruise Line
| Ship registry = *1988–1990: Pireus, {{flag|Greece}}
| Ship route = | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Meyer Werft, Papenburg, West Germany | Ship way number = | Ship laid down = | Ship launched = 1 November 1987 | Ship completed = | Ship christened = 14 May 1988 | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship in service = 1988–present | Ship out of service = | Ship identification = {{IMO Number|8506294}} | Ship fate = | Ship status = {{Ship in active service}} | Ship notes = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = (as rebuilt, 2007) | Ship type = | Ship tonnage = {{GT|43,537}} | Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|217.91|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{convert|7.25|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = | Ship decks = 10 (passenger accessible) | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship power = | Ship propulsion = | Ship speed = {{convert|15.5|kn}} | Ship capacity = 1,325 passengers | Ship crew = 530 | Ship notes = Otherwise the same as built }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Header caption = (as built, 1988) | Ship type = Cruise ship | Ship tonnage = *{{GT|34,242}}
| Ship displacement = | Ship length = {{convert|187.71|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship beam = {{convert|28.21|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship height = | Ship draught = {{convert|6.80|m|ftin|abbr=on}} | Ship depth = | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship power = *2{{nbsp}}×{{nbsp}}MaK 8M601/ 4 × 6M35
| Ship propulsion = Two propellers | Ship speed = {{convert|22.5|kn}} | Ship capacity = 1,230 passengers (maximum) | Ship crew = | Ship notes = }} |
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 {{convert|30|m|ft|abbr=on}} at the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg prior to entering service with her current operator.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-25970361/time-lapse-shows-cruise-ship-being-lengthened-by-30-metres|title=Time-lapse shows cruise ship being lengthened by 30 metres|website=BBC News |date=31 January 2014 |access-date=23 August 2020}}
History
File:Crown Odyssey (ship, 1988) (15190850555) (cropped).jpg
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.
File:Norwegian Crown (876515432) (cropped).jpg, New York on 22 July 2007.]]
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.
On 21 January 2009, during a cruise, the ship sailed into rough weather in the Bay of Biscay, smashing through {{convert|50|ft|m|abbr=on}} waves and {{convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} winds. Two passengers were sent to a hospital in A Coruña, Spain, with serious injuries.{{cite web|url=http://www.cruisebruise.com/Blog/January_21_2009.html |title=Cruise Ship Balmoral Slammed By 50 Foot Wave |website=cruisebruise.com |accessdate=14 February 2009 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126044732/http://cruisebruise.com/Blog/January_21_2009.html |archivedate=26 January 2009 }}
Reconstruction
File:Balmoral departing Tallinn 9 July 2013.JPG, Estonia on 9 July 2013.]]
Fred. Olsen took delivery of the ship on 7 November 2007, renaming her after the Balmoral estate in 2008. The company initiated a major refit at the Blohm + Voss repair shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, before her inaugural cruise on 13 February 2008, to Florida—her base for Caribbean cruising. The work lengthening the ship with an insertion of a {{convert|30|m|ft|adj=on}} midsection, built in conjunction with Schichau Seebeckwerft in Bremerhaven, and floated into Hamburg at the end of October 2007.{{cite news | url=http://media.fredolsencruises.com/pressreleases/fred-olsen-s-balmoral-cruise-ship-undergoes-major-refit-936767 | title=Fred. Olsen's Balmoral Undergoes Major Refit | publisher=Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines | date=29 November 2007}}{{cite web | url=https://www.fredolsencruises.com/our-ships/balmoral | title=Fred. Olsen's Balmoral | publisher=Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines}}
The reconstruction added a further 186 passenger and 53 crew cabins as well as creating new and modified public areas.
{{cite web|url= http://www.fredolsencruises.com/our-ships/balmoral|title= Balmoral|accessdate= 10 May 2008|year= 2008|publisher= Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines}}
|access-date= 10 May 2008|last= Molyneaux|first= David G|date= 23 March 2008|work= Cruise Ship Review|publisher= The Miami Herald}}
''Titanic'' commemoration
File:Balmoral (cruise ship).jpg prior to the Titanic commemoration, April 2012.]]
Balmoral was chartered by Miles Morgan Travel to follow the original route of {{RMS|Titanic}}, intending to stop over the point on the sea bed where Titanic rests on 15 April 2012, to honor the 100th anniversary of her sinking. She set sail from Southampton on 8 April 2012, passing Cherbourg and then on to Cobh, formerly Queenstown, in the Republic of Ireland, arriving on 9 April 2012.{{cite web|title=Titanic Memorial Cruise|url=http://titanicmemorialcruise.co.uk/memorial/itinerary.php|publisher=Miles Morgan Travel|accessdate=11 April 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120410022646/http://www.titanicmemorialcruise.co.uk/memorial/itinerary.php|archivedate=10 April 2012}} Cobh was the last port of call for RMS Titanic before she set off across the Atlantic.
Balmoral reached the site of the wreck of Titanic in time for the 100th anniversary of the sinking at 11pm on 14 April 2012. A memorial service was held onboard which culminated in three floral wreaths being cast overboard. Balmoral remained at the location overnight and then departed early the following morning, with the intention of reaching Titanic{{'}}s intended destination of New York City.
Public spaces
Balmoral has eleven decks, nine of which are designated passenger decks, numbered 3 to 11.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|IMO 8506294}}
- [http://www.fredolsencruises.com/our-ships/balmoral Official Balmoral page] at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines site
- [http://www.magwa.co.uk/balmoral/balmoralphoto.htm Photos, Video Clips & Review of Balmoral] from February 2008 at magwa.co.uk
- [http://galutschek.at/ships/balmoral/ Video of Balmoral in the Vineyard Sound]
- {{csr|register=E|id=8506294|shipname=Balmoral|accessdate=31 August 2010}}
- [http://balmoralinternationalgroups.com/ Balmoral International Group] Balmoral International Group Luxembourg
{{Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines}}
{{Norwegian Cruise Line}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balmoral (2008)}}
Category:Cruise ships of Norway