MS Tropicale

MS Tropicale was a cruise ship built in Denmark in 1981 for Carnival Cruise Line and placed into service in 1982. It was the first newly built ship commissioned specifically for Carnival, making it an important vessel in the company’s transition from operating acquired or refurbished tonnage toward building a modern fleet of purpose-designed cruise ships. The ship also helped establish several visual and experiential features associated with Carnival, including a distinctive winged funnel and heavily themed public interiors designed by Joe Farcus. Tropicale initially operated primarily in the Mexican Riviera and the Caribbean. As Carnival expanded and introduced larger ships, the vessel was frequently used to test new homeports and itineraries. It became the first Carnival ship based in San Juan, New Orleans, Alaska, and Tampa, giving the company operational experience in markets that later became important parts of its cruise network. The ship also gained limited popular-culture visibility through appearances in television programs including The A-Team and Growing Pains. The vessel suffered a serious engine-room fire on 19 September 1999 while sailing from Cozumel to Tampa. Tropicale lost propulsion in the Gulf of Mexico and remained disabled for approximately two days while Tropical Storm Harvey approached. One engine was eventually restarted, allowing the ship to move away from the storm. No guests or crew members were injured, although the incident underscored the operational risks associated with maintaining an older cruise ship. In 2001, before a planned deployment with Carnival’s proposed Cape Canaveral Cruise Line operation, the ship was transferred within Carnival Corporation’s portfolio to Costa Cruises. It was renamed Costa Tropicale and underwent extensive refurbishment in Genoa between 2001 and 2002. The refit replaced Carnival’s winged funnel with Costa’s yellow funnel design and substantially altered the interiors to reflect Costa’s Italian-oriented brand identity. Costa Tropicale moved to P&O Cruises Australia in 2005, where it became Pacific Star after another major refit in Palermo. Based in Brisbane, it operated cruises around Tropical Queensland, the South Pacific, New Caledonia, and New Zealand. In 2008, the vessel was sold to Pullmantur Cruises, refurbished in Singapore, and renamed Ocean Dream. During its Pullmantur period, the ship experienced a reported swine-flu outbreak in 2009 during a Central and South American voyage. Passengers were allowed to disembark in stages in Venezuela and Aruba; reports that the ship had been formally quarantined were disputed by Pullmantur. Ocean Dream left the Pullmantur fleet in 2012 and was subsequently chartered to the Japan-based peace and social-justice organization Peace Boat. It remained in Peace Boat service until the end of its operating life. In 2020, Peace Boat announced plans to replace Ocean Dream with a larger vessel. Ocean Dream was sold for demolition, beached at Alang, India, on 1 January 2021, and dismantling began later that year. After approximately 38 years of service, the ship ceased to exist as an operating cruise vessel.

The ship that became MS Tropicale was ordered for Carnival Cruise Line during the company’s early expansion. Carnival initially considered having it built in Japan, partly because the company’s recently acquired TSS Festivale had received a substantial Japanese refit. Construction was ultimately assigned to Aalborg Vaerft in Denmark. The ship was launched in 1981 and entered service in 1982. Tropicale was historically significant for Carnival because it was the company’s first newly constructed ship. Rather than being acquired and adapted from an existing fleet, it was designed as a purpose-built cruise vessel for Carnival’s emerging mass-market model. Joe Farcus designed both the exterior funnel concept and the interiors. The winged funnel became a recognizable visual feature, while the public rooms developed the theatrical and themed approach that later became a hallmark of Carnival’s ships. The ship’s early itinerary included the Mexican Riviera and the Caribbean. Carnival later used it as an experimental platform for new markets and homeports. It was the first Carnival ship to operate from San Juan, New Orleans, Alaska, and Tampa. This made the vessel strategically useful beyond its passenger capacity: it allowed Carnival to evaluate demand, logistics, and port operations in destinations that would later support broader fleet deployment. Tropicale also appeared in television productions, including an episode of The A-Team in 1985 and an episode of Growing Pains. On 19 September 1999, while traveling from Cozumel to Tampa, Tropicale suffered an engine-room fire. The ship lost propulsion in the Gulf of Mexico and remained without normal movement for about two days. Tropical Storm Harvey approached during the incident, creating an additional navigational risk. The crew managed to restart one engine before the storm reached the vessel, enabling it to move out of danger. No passengers or crew were injured. Carnival had considered using the ship in a proposed Cape Canaveral Cruise Line operation in 2001. Before that plan could proceed, however, the vessel was transferred to Costa Cruises, another Carnival Corporation division, and renamed Costa Tropicale. It underwent extensive work in Genoa during 2001 and 2002. The refit removed the winged funnel and installed Costa’s traditional upright yellow funnel. The interiors were also comprehensively renovated, replacing much of the Carnival-themed design with a more contemporary Italian style. In 2005, Costa Tropicale moved to P&O Cruises Australia as the company renewed its fleet with larger and newer ships. Following a refit in Palermo, Italy, it was renamed Pacific Star. Based in Brisbane, the ship served regional itineraries covering Tropical Queensland, South Pacific islands, New Caledonia, and New Zealand. P&O Cruises Australia sold the ship to Pullmantur Cruises in 2008. After a refit in Singapore, it entered service as Ocean Dream. In June 2009, an outbreak of swine flu occurred during a voyage around Central and South America. The ship called at Margarita, Venezuela, where Venezuelan passengers were allowed to leave, and then proceeded to Aruba so that the remaining passengers could disembark. Some contemporary reporting described the vessel as quarantined, but Pullmantur denied that a formal quarantine had taken place. Ocean Dream left Pullmantur’s fleet in 2012 and was chartered to Peace Boat, replacing the organization’s Oceanic. Peace Boat continued to use the ship for international voyages. In 2020, plans emerged to remove Ocean Dream from service and replace it with a larger ship. The former Tropicale was sold for scrap and reached the beaching facility at Alang, India, on 1 January 2021. Dismantling began on 27 March 2021, ending the vessel’s nearly four-decade operating history.

• 2021

  Scrapping begins

  [1]MS Tropicaleen.wikipedia.org

  The ship was beached at Alang in January and dismantling began in March.

• 2012

  Peace Boat charter

  [1]MS Tropicaleen.wikipedia.org

  Ocean Dream left Pullmantur’s fleet and was chartered to Peace Boat.

• 2008

  Renamed Ocean Dream

  [1]MS Tropicaleen.wikipedia.org

  Pullmantur Cruises acquired the ship, refitted it in Singapore, and renamed it Ocean Dream.

• 2005

  Pacific Star begins P&O Australia service

  [1]MS Tropicaleen.wikipedia.org

  After a Palermo refit, the vessel entered P&O Cruises Australia service as Pacific Star.

• 2002

  Costa refurbishment completed

  [1]MS Tropicaleen.wikipedia.org

  Genoa refits replaced Carnival’s funnel and interior design with Costa branding.

• 2001

  Transfer to Costa Cruises

  [1]MS Tropicaleen.wikipedia.org

  The vessel was transferred to Costa Cruises and renamed Costa Tropicale.

• 1999

  Engine-room fire

  [1]MS Tropicaleen.wikipedia.org

  A fire disabled the ship in the Gulf of Mexico during a voyage from Cozumel to Tampa.

• 1985

  Television appearance

  [1]MS Tropicaleen.wikipedia.org

  The ship appeared in the two-part episode “Judgement Day” of The A-Team.

• 1982

  Tropicale enters Carnival service

  [1]MS Tropicaleen.wikipedia.org

  The ship entered service as Carnival’s first newly built cruise ship.

• 1981

  Ship launched in Denmark

  [1]MS Tropicaleen.wikipedia.org

  Aalborg Vaerft launched the purpose-built vessel ordered for Carnival Cruise Line.

A purpose-built, pioneering mass-market cruise ship whose role evolved from Carnival’s experimental platform to a multi-brand vessel serving Costa Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia, Pullmantur Cruises, and Peace Boat.

• Cruise ship · 1982

  MS Tropicale

  The original Carnival Cruise Line identity of the vessel. Tropicale operated passenger cruises in the Mexican Riviera and Caribbean and was later used to test new Carnival homeports and destinations. Its purpose-built design, winged funnel, and themed interiors made it an early expression of Carnival’s developing cruise product.

• Cruise ship · 2001

  Costa Tropicale

  The Costa Cruises identity used from 2001 to 2005. The vessel underwent extensive Genoa refurbishment, including a new yellow Costa funnel and redesigned interiors intended to align it with Costa’s Italian brand presentation.

• Cruise ship · 2005

  Pacific Star

  The P&O Cruises Australia identity used after a 2005 transfer and Palermo refit. Based in Brisbane, Pacific Star offered regional cruises to Tropical Queensland, South Pacific destinations, New Caledonia, and New Zealand.

• Cruise ship · 2008

  Ocean Dream

  The Pullmantur and later Peace Boat identity of the vessel. Following a Singapore refit, Ocean Dream operated cruises around Central and South America and later served Peace Boat’s international voyage program until its retirement and scrapping.

• 2009

  Swine-flu outbreak aboard Ocean Dream

  A swine-flu outbreak occurred during an Ocean Dream cruise around Central and South America. Passengers disembarked in Venezuela and Aruba. Reports that the vessel had been quarantined were later denied by Pullmantur.

  Source

Read more

• 2020

  Retirement from Peace Boat serviceGeneration change

  Background

  Peace Boat planned to consolidate its fleet around a larger replacement vessel.

  Action taken

  Ocean Dream was removed from planned future service and sold for recycling.

  Aftermath

  The ship was beached at Alang in January 2021 and dismantled beginning in March.

  Source

• 2008

  Sale to Pullmantur CruisesM&A

  Background

  P&O Cruises Australia continued to renew its fleet and no longer retained the older vessel as part of its core capacity.

  Action taken

  Pacific Star was sold to Pullmantur Cruises, refitted in Singapore, and renamed Ocean Dream.

  Aftermath

  The ship continued operating international cruises under a new brand identity.

  Source

• 2005

  Transfer to P&O Cruises AustraliaStrategy

  Background

  Costa was replacing older capacity with larger and more modern cruise ships.

  Action taken

  Costa Tropicale was transferred within Carnival Corporation to P&O Cruises Australia and renamed Pacific Star.

  Aftermath

  After a Palermo refit, the ship operated from Brisbane on Australian and South Pacific itineraries.

  Source

• 2001

  Transfer from Carnival to Costa CruisesStrategy

  Background

  Carnival was expanding its fleet and had considered deploying the ship in a proposed Cape Canaveral operation.

  Action taken

  The vessel was transferred to Costa Cruises and renamed Costa Tropicale.

  Aftermath

  The ship received a major Genoa refit and adopted Costa’s funnel, interior style, and operating identity.

  Source

1. 1MS Tropicaleen.wikipedia.org