MS Pacific

MS Pacific was a passenger cruise ship launched in 1971 at Nordseewerke in Emden, West Germany. Originally named Sea Venture, the vessel was built for Flagship Cruises and operated cruises between the United States and Bermuda. Its name reflected Bermuda's historical connection with the 1609 wreck of the original Sea Venture. In 1974, the ship attracted attention when it assisted Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 after that vessel suffered serious engine trouble. In April 1975, the ship was sold to P&O's recently acquired Princess Cruises together with its sister ship Island Venture. The two vessels were renamed Pacific Princess and Island Princess. Pacific Princess became the better-known of the pair after Princess Cruises agreed to allow its ships to feature in The Love Boat, first broadcast as a television film in 1976 and then as a regular series from 1977 to 1986. Although the program was primarily filmed on studio sets, Pacific Princess appeared prominently in the series and became strongly associated with its cruise-focused imagery. Princess Cruises used the “Love Boat” identity in its marketing, and the program is widely credited with helping expand the popularity of cruising in North America. The vessel also entered popular culture through literature and television. Much of Armistead Maupin's 1980 novel More Tales of the City takes place aboard the ship, and the book was later adapted into a 1998 miniseries. In 1998, while operating as Pacific Princess, the ship was impounded by police in Piraeus, Greece, after approximately 25 kilograms of heroin were discovered aboard. Authorities linked the case to Filipino crew members and reportedly investigated whether the ship had become a significant route for drug smuggling in the Mediterranean. Pacific Princess was sold in 2001 but leased back to Princess Cruises. It completed its final Princess Cruises voyage between New York and Rome in October–November 2002. The vessel then operated as Pacific, including cruises for Pullmantur Cruises in the Caribbean. It was subsequently operated or chartered by Brazil-based Viagens CVC during the Southern Hemisphere summer and by Quail Cruises in Spain during the Northern Hemisphere summer. In 2008, Quail Cruises chartered Pacific for cruises from Valencia, but the vessel was withdrawn after renovation costs proved higher than anticipated. The ship was also seized by the Italian Coast Guard in Genoa over an unpaid repair bill claimed by the San Giorgio del Porto shipyard. Attempts to sell the ship at auction in 2010 and 2011 attracted no bids. In March 2012, it was sold for €2.5 million to Cemsan Ship Breaker of İzmir, Turkey, but that buyer defaulted, causing the sale process to reopen. After remaining laid up in Genoa, Pacific was towed to Aliağa, Turkey, where it arrived on 6 August 2013 for demolition. On 10 August, a fatal workplace accident occurred in a compartment beneath the engines during the dismantling process. Toxic exhaust gases killed two workers and injured or hospitalized several others. The scrapping continued through 2014, and the former cruise ship was ultimately dismantled. As a vessel rather than an ongoing commercial company, MS Pacific no longer operates and has no current product, management, or corporate headquarters.

The ship was built by Nordseewerke in Emden, West Germany, and entered service in 1971 as Sea Venture for Flagship Cruises. Its initial business was cruise travel between the United States and Bermuda. The ship's name evoked Bermuda's settlement history and the wreck of the original Sea Venture in 1609. In 1974, Sea Venture assisted Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 after the larger liner experienced major engine problems. In April 1975, P&O sold or transferred the vessel to its newly acquired Princess Cruises operation. It was renamed Pacific Princess, while the sister vessel Island Venture became Island Princess. Pacific Princess became an important part of Princess Cruises' public image after the company permitted its ships to appear in The Love Boat. The television program began with a made-for-television film in 1976 and became a regular series in 1977, continuing through 1986. Pacific Princess was the ship most closely associated with the show, although filming also involved other vessels and studio sets. The series helped make cruise holidays more familiar to North American audiences, while Princess Cruises incorporated the “Love Boat” concept into its marketing. The ship's cultural visibility extended beyond television. Armistead Maupin's 1980 novel More Tales of the City used the vessel as a major setting, and the story was later adapted into a miniseries broadcast in 1998. That same year, Pacific Princess was impounded in Piraeus after Greek authorities found about 25 kilograms of heroin aboard. Police attributed the smuggling to Filipino crew members and reportedly examined whether the ship had become a major Mediterranean trafficking instrument. The vessel was sold in 2001 but remained under lease to Princess Cruises until 2002. Its last Princess voyage ran from New York to Rome in October and November of that year. A former Renaissance Cruises ship then took over the Pacific Princess name within the Princess fleet. The older vessel was renamed Pacific and entered a succession of later operating arrangements. Pullmantur Cruises used it in the Caribbean, while Viagens CVC operated it in Brazil during the Southern Hemisphere summer. Quail Cruises chartered it for Spanish operations during the Northern Hemisphere summer. Quail Cruises planned to operate Pacific from Valencia in 2008, but renovation expenses were greater than expected and the ship was removed from service. Around the same period, the Italian Coast Guard seized it in Genoa over a repair debt claimed by the San Giorgio del Porto shipyard. Quail disputed the amount and said the claim did not concern the ship's current operator. Italian authorities offered the ship at auction three times between 2010 and 2011, without receiving a bid. In March 2012, Pacific was sold for €2.5 million to Cemsan Ship Breaker in İzmir. Cemsan failed to complete the purchase, and the ship remained laid up in Genoa. In July 2013 it was reported under tow for demolition. It arrived at Aliağa on 6 August 2013 and was acquired for the same stated price by İzmir Ship Recycling Company. Four days later, a serious accident occurred while workers were dismantling the vessel. A flood of toxic exhaust gases in a compartment beneath the engines killed two men and injured or hospitalized additional workers. By February 2014, between roughly one-half and two-thirds of the ship had been removed, and demolition was completed later that year. The vessel's technical profile changed across its career. It measured 168.8 metres in length and had a 24.7-metre beam. As Pacific Princess, it was listed at 20,636 gross tonnes and carried 646 passengers, with a top speed of 21.5 knots and a cruising speed of 20 knots. In its later Pacific configuration, capacity increased to 780 passengers while cruising speed fell to 18 knots. Four medium-speed Fiat diesel engines produced a combined 18,000 shaft horsepower and drove two shafts through geared, individually clutched engine pairs.

• 2014

  Scrapping completed

  [1]MS Pacificen.wikipedia.org

  The dismantling of the former cruise ship was completed by late 2014.

• 2013

  Arrives at Aliağa for demolition

  [1]MS Pacificen.wikipedia.org

  Pacific reached the Turkish ship-recycling port of Aliağa on 6 August for dismantling.

• 2012

  Sale for scrapping falls through

  [1]MS Pacificen.wikipedia.org

  A €2.5 million sale to Cemsan Ship Breaker failed when the buyer defaulted.

• 2008

  Valencia operation withdrawn

  [1]MS Pacificen.wikipedia.org

  A planned Quail Cruises operation from Valencia ended after renovation costs proved too high, and the ship was taken out of service.

• 2002

  Final Princess Cruises voyage

  [1]MS Pacificen.wikipedia.org

  The ship completed its final Princess voyage from New York to Rome and subsequently operated as Pacific.

• 2001

  Sold and leased back

  [1]MS Pacificen.wikipedia.org

  Pacific Princess was sold but continued operating for Princess Cruises under a lease arrangement.

• 1998

  Impounded in Piraeus

  [1]MS Pacificen.wikipedia.org

  Greek police impounded the vessel after approximately 25 kilograms of heroin were found aboard.

• 1977

  The Love Boat television era begins

  [1]MS Pacificen.wikipedia.org

  The regular television series The Love Boat began airing, making Pacific Princess the ship most strongly associated with the program.

• 1975

  Renamed Pacific Princess

  [1]MS Pacificen.wikipedia.org

  The ship joined Princess Cruises with its sister vessel and adopted the name Pacific Princess.

• 1974

  Assists Queen Elizabeth 2

  [1]MS Pacificen.wikipedia.org

  Sea Venture came to the assistance of Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 after the liner suffered major engine trouble.

• 1971

  Launch as Sea Venture

  [1]MS Pacificen.wikipedia.org

  Nordseewerke completed the ship in Emden, West Germany, for Flagship Cruises. It began cruising between the United States and Bermuda.

A mid-sized leisure cruise vessel whose public identity was shaped by multiple operators, international itineraries, and its prominent association with The Love Boat.

• Cruise ship · 1971

  Sea Venture

  The vessel's original operating identity under Flagship Cruises. Sea Venture provided passenger cruises between the United States and Bermuda and was also involved in the 1974 assistance of Queen Elizabeth 2.

• Cruise ship · 1975

  Pacific Princess

  The ship's best-known name under Princess Cruises. Pacific Princess became closely connected with The Love Boat and served Caribbean, Mediterranean, and other international cruise itineraries during its Princess Cruises career.

• Cruise ship · 2002

  Pacific

  The final major operating identity of the vessel. As Pacific, it operated for Pullmantur Cruises and later under seasonal arrangements involving Viagens CVC in Brazil and Quail Cruises in Spain before being withdrawn and sent for recycling.

• 2013

  Fatal accident during dismantling

  Two workers died and additional workers were injured after toxic exhaust gases entered a compartment below the engines during demolition at Aliağa, Turkey.

  Source

• 1998

  Heroin seizure aboard Pacific Princess

  Greek police impounded Pacific Princess in Piraeus after finding approximately 25 kilograms of heroin aboard. The investigation involved Filipino crew members and reported concerns about Mediterranean drug-smuggling activity.

  Source

Read more

• 1977The Love Boat association

  United States · North America

  Princess Cruises promoted its ships through the television series The Love Boat, with Pacific Princess becoming the vessel most identified with the program. The entertainment exposure connected the ship with an upbeat, accessible image of cruising.

  Outcome. The program helped increase the popularity of cruise travel in North America and became a durable part of Princess Cruises' brand marketing.

  Source

• 2012

  Sell the ship for demolitionOther

  Background

  The ship had been laid up in Genoa and failed to attract buyers at several auctions.

  Action taken

  It was sold for €2.5 million to Cemsan Ship Breaker, although that transaction later failed when the buyer defaulted.

  Aftermath

  A later buyer acquired the vessel and it was towed to Aliağa for dismantling in 2013.

  Sale price. €2.5 million (March 2012)

  Source

• 2008

  Withdraw planned Valencia cruisesStrategy

  Background

  Quail Cruises planned to use Pacific for cruises from Valencia, but refurbishment work was more expensive than expected.

  Action taken

  The vessel was retired from service rather than completing the planned renovation and operation.

  Aftermath

  Pacific remained laid up and became subject to seizure, auction attempts, and eventual sale for recycling.

  Source

• 2002

  Rename and redeploy as PacificStrategy

  Background

  The ship completed its final Princess Cruises voyage after a replacement vessel took over the Pacific Princess name.

  Action taken

  It was renamed Pacific and moved into operations associated with Pullmantur Cruises, Viagens CVC, and Quail Cruises.

  Aftermath

  The vessel continued operating in the Caribbean, Brazil, and Spain before its eventual withdrawal.

  Source

• 1975

  Transfer into Princess Cruises serviceStrategy

  Background

  P&O had acquired Princess Cruises and arranged the transfer of the ship and its sister vessel into the Princess fleet.

  Action taken

  The ship was renamed Pacific Princess and repositioned within Princess Cruises' passenger fleet.

  Aftermath

  Its association with The Love Boat made it one of the most recognizable cruise ships of its era.

  Source

1. 1MS Pacificen.wikipedia.org