MS Golden Princess

MS Golden Princess was the final name of a passenger vessel whose career extended across more than four decades and several distinct maritime businesses. Built in Helsinki by Wärtsilä Hietalahti and delivered in 1967 as Finlandia, the ship was commissioned by the Finland Steamship Company for service between Helsinki, Copenhagen and Travemünde. At the time, it was an exceptionally large and fast Baltic car-and-passenger ferry, with capacity for approximately 1,000 passengers and berths for 647. Its full-length car deck and relatively advanced passenger accommodation were intended to replace several older steamers and strengthen Finland Steamship Company's position against Finnlines. The vessel's original ferry role changed as the economics of Baltic passenger shipping evolved. Finnlines took over Finlandia in 1975, and the arrival of the faster Finnjet reduced the ship's importance on the Finland–West Germany route. After a period of chartering, freight work and lay-up, Finnlines rebuilt the vessel at Wärtsilä's Turku yard between 1978 and 1979. It was renamed Finnstar, with upgraded cabins and cruise-standard interiors while retaining part of its vehicle-carrying capability. The rebuilt ship operated seasonal ferry services and cruises for Finnlines, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises and other charter interests, including voyages along the West African coast, in the Mediterranean and around the Nordic region. The experiment was commercially difficult: the ship was relatively small by international cruise-market standards, its operating costs were high, and the Finnish market was not large enough to support the positioning of its West African cruises. Finnlines abandoned its cruise operation in 1980. A further transformation followed its sale in 1981 to Loke Shipping, a venture associated with I.M. Skaugen and J. Lauritzen. At Aalborg Vaerft the ship was rebuilt into a full-time cruise vessel, with the former car deck converted into accommodation, additional suites installed and the stern loading arrangements sealed. Renamed Pearl of Scandinavia, it entered Asian service in 1982 for Pearl Cruises, offering long cruises from Hong Kong and Singapore. A major Singapore refit in 1988 gave it a new bow and funnel, after which it became Ocean Pearl. Ownership and corporate affiliations changed several times, but the ship generally remained in Asian cruise service under the Pearl Cruises identity. Croisières Paquet took over marketing in 1994 and renamed the vessel Pearl. Following Costa Cruises' absorption of Croisières Paquet, the ship was refitted in Genoa and entered Costa service in 1995 as Costa Playa, operating Caribbean cruises from Puerto Plata. It later operated under the names Oriental Pearl and Joy Wave before being sold to Eurasia International in 2000. Under the name Golden Princess, it was used for short casino cruises departing from Hong Kong. This final operating concept reflected the vessel's reduced competitiveness as a conventional international cruise ship but allowed its accommodation, entertainment spaces and onboard facilities to be used for regional gaming-oriented voyages. The ship was sold for demolition in 2009 and scrapped in China. Accordingly, MS Golden Princess is not an active consumer brand or operating cruise product today; it is best understood as the final commercial identity of a historically renamed passenger ship. Its significance lies in the successive conversions that took it from a Baltic ferry to a seasonal cruise ship, an Asian long-cruise vessel, a Caribbean cruise ship and ultimately a Hong Kong casino-cruise ship.

The ship was ordered by the Finland Steamship Company in April 1965 as a replacement for aging passenger steamers on the company's Baltic routes. Wärtsilä Hietalahti built the vessel in Helsinki. It was launched in August 1966 and delivered on 10 May 1967 as Finlandia. Service began later that month between Helsinki, Copenhagen and Travemünde. The ship combined substantial passenger accommodation with a full-length car deck and was regarded as one of the largest and fastest car-passenger ferries in the Baltic at the time. Finlandia experienced several incidents during its first years, including a 1968 collision with the freighter Brook, an engine-room fire in 1970 and various rescue operations. None of these events ended the ship's career. In 1975, operational restructuring transferred the vessel to Finnlines. The introduction of Finnjet made its original route less essential, leading to charter work, limited freight service and periods of lay-up. Finnlines subsequently sought to use the vessel more flexibly. A major reconstruction in Turku between September 1978 and January 1979 upgraded its interiors for cruising while retaining a reduced vehicle function. Renamed Finnstar, it operated ferry services during parts of the year and cruises during other seasons, including voyages around the West African coast, the Mediterranean and northern Europe. The concept was not financially successful. Its costs were high, its capacity was modest relative to international cruise competitors and its upscale West African product was difficult to sell in Finland. The final Finnstar cruise ended in September 1980. Sold in 1981 to Loke Shipping, the ship underwent a more radical reconstruction in Aalborg. The remaining car-deck space was converted into passenger accommodation, suites were added and the stern vehicle doors were closed. As Pearl of Scandinavia, it began Asian cruise operations in 1982 under Pearl Cruises. The ship later passed through several ownership and marketing arrangements, including the acquisition of Pearl Cruises interests and connections with Ocean Cruise Lines and Croisières Paquet. A Singapore refit in early 1988 preceded its renaming as Ocean Pearl. Croisières Paquet marketed the ship as Pearl from 1994. After Costa Cruises absorbed Croisières Paquet, the vessel was refurbished in Genoa and became Costa Playa in 1995. It operated Caribbean cruises from Puerto Plata and subsequently sailed under the names Oriental Pearl and Joy Wave. In 2000, Eurasia International acquired it and renamed it Golden Princess. Its final role was as a short-cruise casino ship operating out of Hong Kong. The vessel was sold for scrap in 2009 and dismantled in China.

• 2009

  Scrapped in China

  [1]MS Golden Princessen.wikipedia.org

  The ship left commercial service and was sold for demolition in China.

• 2000

  Golden Princess casino-cruise period begins

  [1]MS Golden Princessen.wikipedia.org

  Eurasia International acquired the vessel and operated it on short casino cruises from Hong Kong.

• 1995

  Costa Playa enters service

  [1]MS Golden Princessen.wikipedia.org

  Following a Genoa refit, the ship joined Costa Cruises' Caribbean program.

• 1988

  Renamed Ocean Pearl

  [1]MS Golden Princessen.wikipedia.org

  A Singapore refit introduced a new bow and funnel, after which the ship adopted the Ocean Pearl name.

• 1982

  Rebuilt as Pearl of Scandinavia

  [1]MS Golden Princessen.wikipedia.org

  Aalborg Vaerft converted the ship into a full-time cruise vessel for Asian service.

• 1979

  Rebuilt and renamed Finnstar

  [1]MS Golden Princessen.wikipedia.org

  A Turku reconstruction converted the vessel for mixed ferry and cruise use.

• 1975

  Transfer to Finnlines

  [1]MS Golden Princessen.wikipedia.org

  The ship changed from Finland Steamship Company ownership to Finnlines during an industry reorganization.

• 1967

  Delivery and inaugural service

  [1]MS Golden Princessen.wikipedia.org

  Finlandia was delivered and entered Baltic service between Helsinki, Copenhagen and Travemünde.

• 1966

  Finlandia launched

  [1]MS Golden Princessen.wikipedia.org

  The vessel was launched at the Helsinki shipyard and named Finlandia.

• 1965

  Construction ordered

  [1]MS Golden Princessen.wikipedia.org

  The Finland Steamship Company placed an order with Wärtsilä Hietalahti for a large car-and-passenger ferry.

The vessel was positioned differently across its career: first as a premium, high-capacity Baltic car ferry; later as a seasonal and international cruise ship; and finally as a regional casino-cruise vessel serving the Hong Kong market.

• Car-passenger ferry · 1967

  Finlandia

  The vessel's original configuration was a large Baltic car-passenger ferry. It linked Helsinki with Copenhagen and Travemünde and combined first- and tourist-class accommodation with a full-length car deck. Its size and speed were central to the Finland Steamship Company's effort to modernize service and compete with Finnlines.

• Mixed-use ferry and cruise ship · 1979

  Finnstar

  After the 1978–1979 reconstruction, Finnstar was intended to serve both as a seasonal ferry and as a cruise ship. Its interiors were upgraded, additional cabins were created and part of the vehicle capability was retained. The ship operated Nordic and European ferry services alongside cruises in regions including West Africa, the Mediterranean and northern Europe.

• International cruise ship · 1982

  Pearl of Scandinavia

  As Pearl of Scandinavia, the fully converted vessel operated longer cruises in East and Southeast Asia. The former car deck had been enclosed and repurposed for cabins, while suites and other cruise-oriented facilities were added. The principal embarkation markets were Hong Kong and Singapore.

• Asian cruise ship · 1988

  Ocean Pearl

  Ocean Pearl was the identity adopted after a substantial 1988 Singapore refit. The work changed the vessel's external profile with a new bow and funnel. It continued the ship's Asian cruise role under Pearl Cruises and related ownership and marketing arrangements.

• Caribbean cruise ship · 1995

  Costa Playa

  Costa Playa was the ship's Costa Cruises identity from 1995. Following a Genoa refit, it operated Caribbean itineraries with Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic used as a departure point. This period followed Costa's absorption of Croisières Paquet.

• Casino cruise ship · 2000

  Golden Princess

  Golden Princess was the vessel's final operating identity. Under Eurasia International, it was used for short casino cruises out of Hong Kong. The format made use of the ship's passenger, entertainment and hospitality spaces for regional gaming-oriented voyages rather than conventional long-distance cruising.

• 2000

  Shift to Hong Kong casino cruisesStrategy

  Background

  After multiple cruise identities and market assignments, the aging vessel required a more specialized regional operating model.

  Action taken

  Eurasia International acquired the ship, renamed it Golden Princess and used it for short casino cruises departing from Hong Kong.

  Aftermath

  This was the ship's final commercial role before it was sold for scrap in 2009.

  Source

• 1981

  Conversion to a full-time cruise shipStrategy

  Background

  After the ship was laid up at Toulon, its new owners sought to redeploy it in the growing Asian cruise market.

  Action taken

  Loke Shipping arranged a radical reconstruction at Aalborg Vaerft, eliminating the remaining vehicle-deck function and adding passenger accommodation and suites.

  Aftermath

  The converted ship entered Asian service in 1982 as Pearl of Scandinavia and remained associated with regional cruise operations for more than a decade.

  Source

• 1978

  Finnlines adopts a dual-use ferry and cruise strategyStrategy

  Background

  Finnlines needed a productive role for the ship outside the Baltic ferry high season. Earlier seasonal cruise experiments had been limited, but the company pursued a new approach by combining ferry operation with a substantial cruise-oriented refit.

  Action taken

  The vessel was reconstructed at Wärtsilä's Turku shipyard, renamed Finnstar and assigned to a mixed schedule of ferry services and cruises.

  Aftermath

  The strategy did not generate satisfactory results. High costs, limited scale and competition contributed to Finnlines ending its cruise activity in 1980.

  Source

1. 1MS Golden Princessen.wikipedia.org