Cruise Talk: First Choice Mystery Ship?

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Topic: First Choice Mystery Ship?

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 06-25-2001 03:17 PM

The budget cruise line, First Choice's brochure, is not one of the worlds most informative of documents! Last year, for example, they referred to there ship as the SS Astoria. In fact it is called the SS Ausonia! This does not fill one with confidence, does it?

I've now got the 2002 brochure. Much to my surprise, it features two ships. One is the Ausonia, along with all the relevant facts and figures (full marks to First Choice). The other ship is a mystery to me, its called "Island Escape", although they sometimes refer to it as "Island". There are no statistics in the brochure about her, but the picture looks like a converted car Ferry?
She has nine passenger decks, with some decks having 5 cabins across the width! In fact she has lots of cabins!

The brouche describes the atmosphere of a cruise on her: "Pack the chinos", Ad-Lib Dining, no jacket required, choose when and with whom you dine.

Any ideas on the history of this mystery ship? What is her tonnage and passenger capacity?

P.S. Joking aside, I've heard some good reports of Ausonis cruises.

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Westerdam
First Class Passenger
Member # 2093

posted 06-25-2001 03:57 PM

The ship in question is the former Viking Serenade of RCI she is supposed to be part of some new joint venture between the the two companies. The last I had heard on her was that she was due to conclude her career with RCI at the end of November then transfer to the Med for refitting. The refitting was due to be folowed by a series of cruises in the Med and in the Carribbean

Posts: 329 | From: Waukegan, Illinois | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Paddy
First Class Passenger
Member # 357

posted 06-25-2001 04:22 PM

Malcolm, I commented on this ship a while ago. It certainly is the Viking Serenade and it is being marketing through First Choice and Falcon Ireland's brochures, as well as a new unique brand "island".

See http://www.myislandcruise.com
for more information.

Paddy

Posts: 763 | From: Belfast, Ireland | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 06-25-2001 04:49 PM

Thanks guys, great information. She will be cruising the Med. next year, fly cruises offered from the Uk. There is a maximum of 1863 berths to fill.

The web site is clever Paddy, but I could not find a picture of the ship?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

MoJo
First Class Passenger
Member # 2050

posted 06-27-2001 02:22 PM

When we were on the Ausonia at Easter, the Cruise director said that the Island Escape was aimed at the younger market 20's to 30's. Possibly Ayia Napa on Sea?

Posts: 18 | From: Jersey, Channel Islands. | Registered: May 2001 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 06-27-2001 03:27 PM

Thanks for the info MoJo - shes a 'fun ship' then!

You might like to write a 'Readers Review' on your cruise on Ausonia, if you have not done so already? (Hint, hint)

(See menu left - 'Submit a Review'))

[ 06-27-2001: Message edited by: Malcolm ]

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 06-29-2001 12:15 PM

I noticed that UK TA's are offering a week on the 'Island Escape' for under £500, which includes return flights from regional UK Airports, including Ireland.

[ 06-29-2001: Message edited by: Malcolm ]

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 07-27-2001 03:55 PM

I've now seen UK prices as low as £399 for 7 nights on the Island Escape.

She may be worth thinking about if you want to cruise on a budget?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Marina
First Class Passenger
Member # 1664

posted 07-28-2001 10:50 AM

Malcolm,
you asked about the history of the island Escape, so here it goes:
Build 1982 at Dubigeon, France for DFDS who started a Ferry service between New York and Freeport, Bahamas. Due to the Jones Act the ship could not sail directly to Miami. pax/cars had to be transferred to the Scandinavian Sun (ex Freeport, now Discovery Sun) for the onwards voyage to Miami. This was a brainchild of infamous Bruce Nierenburg, who also was involved with Premier - American President - and again the last President of premier before their demise.
The Company who operated the SCANDINAVIA was hen called Scandinavian World Cruises and alomost broke DFDS. The only reminder of those ill fated days are the three blue stripes on the hull and funnel of all DFDS ferries today.
The Scandinavia was then chartered to Mr.Douglas (founder of princess) who started a cruise line called Sundance Cruise Line sailing from Vancouver to Alaska. The company went out of business due to the sinking of the Sundancer, which was subsequently sold to Epirotiki.
So DFDS took the ship to europe and operated her on the route Copenhagen to Oslo, but she was a money loser. In 1991 she was reburbished, cabins added on to the car deck, a lounge/bar was added to the aft funnel section.
Although conceived as a ferry, she is a nice little ship and will give the old ladies of Thompson, Louis Lines and others offered on the UK market some serious competition.
Certainly the prices quoted here are worth while thinking about.

Posts: 217 | From: Miami Beach, FL.USA | Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 07-28-2001 02:06 PM

Excellent information, Locarno. Thanks.

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Marina
First Class Passenger
Member # 1664

posted 07-29-2001 05:19 AM

Hi Malcolm,
it is a great pleasure.
We are having AT LAST warm, sunny days here in Hamaburg, hope London ist also enjoying "dogs days"?
Cheers

Posts: 217 | From: Miami Beach, FL.USA | Registered: Nov 2000 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 07-29-2001 05:40 AM

Locarno, summer has also come to Britain this weekend!

However, I wonder how long it will last?

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

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