SS Oceanic

SS Oceanic was a passenger liner and cruise ship built at Monfalcone, Italy, for the Genoa-based Home Lines. Launched from drydock on 15 January 1963 and delivered in March 1965, she was the first newbuilding ordered by Home Lines. Her design combined the characteristics of a two-class ocean liner with those of a single-class cruise ship, reflecting the transition taking place in the passenger shipping industry during the 1960s. The ship was intended to operate transatlantic services between Europe and Canada during the northern summer and cruise in warmer waters during the winter. By the time she entered service, however, Home Lines had abandoned its planned Europe–Canada operation because of declining demand for conventional liner travel and changing competitive conditions. Oceanic consequently made only a short series of transatlantic crossings before moving into cruise service. The vessel began her commercial career with a fare-paying crossing from Genoa to New York on 31 March 1965. On 24 April of the same year she started regular cruises from New York to the Bahamas, later undertaking longer Caribbean itineraries during the winter season. She operated alongside the older SS Homeric and became one of the more successful cruise ships of her era. Contemporary operations reportedly achieved high occupancy, with cruises often sold well in advance. Oceanic's design included features that later became common in modern cruise ships, including a covered pool area and lifeboats positioned in dedicated bays lower on the hull rather than solely at the uppermost deck level. Home Lines replaced Oceanic's flagship role after taking delivery of newer tonnage, including MS Atlantic in 1982. In preparation for further fleet renewal, the company sold Oceanic to Premier Cruise Line in 1985. Under Premier she became StarShip Oceanic and operated short cruises from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas, including itineraries marketed in conjunction with visits to Walt Disney World. She was subsequently promoted under the Big Red Boat identity and was renamed Big Red Boat I in 2000. Premier Cruise Line entered bankruptcy in September 2000, leaving the ship detained at Freeport in the Bahamas and placed on the market. Pullmantur Cruises acquired the vessel on 30 December 2000. She returned to the name Oceanic, underwent refurbishment in Cádiz, and entered service from Barcelona in May 2001. During this period, Pullmantur progressively replaced flammable materials and made other changes intended to prepare the ship for the SOLAS safety requirements scheduled to take effect in 2010. In March 2009, the ship was sold to Japan-based Peace Boat and entered that organization's service on 23 April 2009. Her first Peace Boat assignment was an around-the-world voyage departing from Yokohama, promoted as the organization's 66th Global Voyage for Peace. Oceanic's final operating period ended in 2012. On 5 May she completed her last Peace Boat cruise to Yokohama. She was exchanged back to Pullmantur for the Ocean Dream, which became Peace Boat's replacement vessel, and Oceanic was sent to Zhoushan, China, for demolition in July 2012. The ship therefore represents both the late ocean-liner era and the subsequent growth of the mass-market cruise industry, having remained in passenger service for nearly five decades under several operators and marketing identities.

SS Oceanic was ordered by Home Lines, a passenger shipping company founded in 1946 and based in Genoa. The ship was constructed by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico at Monfalcone, Italy. She was conceived as a hybrid vessel: a two-class liner for scheduled European–Canadian crossings in summer and a one-class cruise ship for winter service. The design was associated with Home Lines executive vice president Charalambos Keusseuglou and Costanzi, a designer connected with the Italian liners Galileo Galilei and Guglielmo Marconi. Oceanic incorporated several features that were advanced for the period, including a covered pool and lifeboat bays situated lower on the hull. The ship was launched on 15 January 1963 after a weather-related delay and was delivered to Home Lines in March 1965. Home Lines had changed strategy by the time of delivery. Falling passenger numbers and the emergence of other operators led the company to abandon the planned regular Europe–Canada service. Oceanic nevertheless made a short set of transatlantic crossings, including a Genoa–New York voyage carrying fare-paying passengers on 31 March 1965. From 24 April she was used primarily for cruises from New York to the Bahamas, with longer Caribbean voyages in winter. The vessel operated successfully, reportedly maintaining occupancy of about 95 percent and attracting bookings far ahead of departure. Newer Home Lines ships gradually displaced Oceanic from the center of the fleet. MS Atlantic arrived in 1982, and the anticipated delivery of MS Homeric encouraged Home Lines to sell Oceanic to Premier Cruise Line in 1985. Premier renamed her StarShip Oceanic and operated her on short Bahamas itineraries from Port Canaveral. Some voyages were packaged with Walt Disney World stays. The ship later became strongly associated with Premier's Big Red Boat marketing, eventually receiving the formal name Big Red Boat I in 2000. Premier Cruise Line's bankruptcy in September 2000 interrupted the ship's service. Oceanic was detained at Freeport, Bahamas, laid up, and offered for sale. Pullmantur Cruises, a newly established Spanish operator, bought her on 30 December 2000. The ship was renamed Oceanic again, sent to Cádiz for refurbishment, and began Barcelona-based cruises in May 2001. Pullmantur also undertook work to replace flammable materials and bring the aging vessel closer to the safety expectations associated with SOLAS requirements that were to apply in 2010. In March 2009, Peace Boat acquired Oceanic from Pullmantur. She entered Peace Boat service on 23 April 2009, departing Yokohama on a circumnavigation known as the organization's 66th Global Voyage for Peace. The voyage emphasized educational and social themes and included extensive calls in Scandinavia, where participants were intended to study northern European welfare and education systems. During a later Peace Boat voyage, in the week of 3–9 May 2010, the ship reportedly came under pirate attack off Yemen. Grenades were fired, but the vessel avoided boarding through evasive zig-zag maneuvers and the use of high-pressure water hoses. Oceanic completed her final Peace Boat cruise on 5 May 2012. She was exchanged back to Pullmantur for Ocean Dream, which became Peace Boat's replacement ship. Oceanic was then sent to Zhoushan, China, where she was dismantled in July 2012. Her career lasted almost 47 years and covered the principal stages of postwar passenger shipping: scheduled liner service, American short-cruise operations, Mediterranean cruising, and educational global voyages.

• 2012

  Scrapping at Zhoushan

  [1]SS Oceanic (1963)en.wikipedia.org

  After completing her last cruise, the ship was sent to Zhoushan, China, for demolition.

• 2009

  Peace Boat service begins

  [1]SS Oceanic (1963)en.wikipedia.org

  Oceanic entered Peace Boat service and departed Yokohama on a global peace voyage.

• 2000

  Acquisition by Pullmantur

  [1]SS Oceanic (1963)en.wikipedia.org

  Pullmantur acquired the ship after Premier's bankruptcy and restored the Oceanic name.

• 1985

  Transfer to Premier Cruise Line

  [1]SS Oceanic (1963)en.wikipedia.org

  Home Lines sold Oceanic to Premier, which renamed her StarShip Oceanic.

• 1965

  Delivery to Home Lines

  [1]SS Oceanic (1963)en.wikipedia.org

  The ship was delivered in March and began passenger operations later that month.

• 1963

  Launch at Monfalcone

  [1]SS Oceanic (1963)en.wikipedia.org

  Oceanic was launched from drydock at Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico on 15 January 1963.

A multipurpose passenger vessel positioned first as a modern ocean liner and year-round cruise ship, and later as a leisure cruise platform and Peace Boat educational voyage vessel.

• Passenger liner and cruise ship · 1963

  SS Oceanic

  The principal vessel was designed to combine two-class liner accommodation with single-class cruising. She initially served Home Lines, first making limited transatlantic crossings and then operating Bahamas and Caribbean cruises. Later owners adapted her for short American cruises, Mediterranean itineraries, and Peace Boat's educational global voyages. The ship was notable for design elements such as a covered pool and lower-hull lifeboat bays.

• Cruise ship identity · 1985

  StarShip Oceanic

  This was the name used after Premier Cruise Line acquired the vessel in 1985. Under this identity, the ship operated short cruises from Port Canaveral to destinations in the Bahamas and was marketed in connection with Walt Disney World vacation packages.

• Cruise ship identity · 2000

  Big Red Boat I

  Premier Cruise Line later marketed the vessel as the Big Red Boat and renamed her Big Red Boat I in 2000. The identity was associated with Premier's family-oriented short-cruise proposition before the company's bankruptcy and the subsequent sale of the ship.

• 2010

  Reported pirate attack off Yemen

  Oceanic was reportedly attacked by pirates while sailing off Yemen. Grenades were used, but the ship avoided boarding through evasive maneuvers and high-pressure water hoses. Reports stated that NATO forces later apprehended the attackers.

  Source

Read more

• 200966th Global Voyage for Peace

  Japan · Europe · Scandinavia · Global

  Peace Boat used Oceanic for a circumnavigation departing Yokohama. The voyage combined international travel with educational programming and visits intended to examine northern European welfare and education systems.

  Outcome. Oceanic completed the voyage as Peace Boat's operating vessel and continued in the organization's service until 2012.

  Source

• 2012

  Retirement and demolitionOther

  Background

  Oceanic had reached the end of her long passenger-service career and Peace Boat had obtained Ocean Dream as her replacement.

  Action taken

  The ship was returned to Pullmantur in an exchange arrangement and sent to Zhoushan, China, for scrapping.

  Aftermath

  Demolition ended the operating life of one of the longest-serving passenger ships of the postwar era.

  Source

• 2009

  Transfer to Peace BoatM&A

  Background

  After years of Pullmantur service, Oceanic was due to leave the fleet and Peace Boat sought a vessel for its global educational voyages.

  Action taken

  Peace Boat purchased the ship in March and placed her into service on 23 April 2009.

  Aftermath

  Oceanic operated Peace Boat voyages until her final cruise in May 2012.

  Source

• 2000

  Sale from Premier Cruise Line to PullmanturM&A

  Background

  Premier Cruise Line entered bankruptcy, leaving Oceanic detained and laid up at Freeport in the Bahamas.

  Action taken

  Pullmantur acquired the ship on 30 December 2000 and sent her to Cádiz for refurbishment.

  Aftermath

  The vessel returned to passenger service under the Oceanic name from Barcelona in May 2001.

  Source

• 1965

  Shift from planned liner service to cruisingStrategy

  Background

  Home Lines had intended Oceanic to operate Europe–Canada liner voyages in summer and cruises in winter, but passenger demand for traditional transatlantic service was weakening by the time the ship was delivered.

  Action taken

  Home Lines abandoned the planned regular Europe–Canada operation and deployed Oceanic primarily on Bahamas and Caribbean cruises after a limited series of crossings.

  Aftermath

  The ship became a successful early example of the modern year-round cruise vessel.

  Source

1. 1SS Oceanic (1963)en.wikipedia.org