Seabourn Pride in Helsinki, 12 June 2012

Before we start today's entry it's time for the announcement to the Finnish-speaking readers - the same one that takes place every two months:

Ulkomatala-verkkolehden uusin numero on jälleen kerran luettavissa osoitteessa www.ulkomatala.net. Tämänkertaisessa numerossa on mm. kirjoittamani artikkelit Costa Concordia-onnettomuuden viimeisimmistä vaiheista sekä Fjord Linen ja Color Linen suunnittelemista uudisrakennuksista ja uusista reiteistä. Lisäksi lehdestä löytyvät artikkelit Vaasan ja Uumajan välille perustetusta kunnallisesta varustamosta ja metkakertomus Kristina Katarinan Välimeren-risteilyltä.

We now return to normal programming.

Seabourn Pride

IMO 8707343
Built 1988, Schichau-Seebeckwerft Bremerhaven, West Germany
Tonnage 9 975 GT
Length 133,81 m
Width 19,00 m
Draugth 5,20 m
212 passengers
4 Normo-Bergen diesels, combined 5 355 kW
2 propellers
1 bow thruster
Speed 19 knots (maximum), 15 knots (service)

The Seabourn Pride was built in 1988 as the first ship of the Norway-based Seabourn Cruise Line (later rebranded as Yachts of Seabourn). Originally the company had been founded in 1986 as Signet Cruise Line, but the name was amended after a lawsuit by an American who claimed to own the rights to the name Signet (only in America...). There isn't that much to say about the Seabourn Pride after that. She got an identical sister ship, the Seabourn Spirit, in 1989, and an extended version of the same design was built in 1992 as the Royal Viking Queen for Royal Viking Line. Seabourn Cruise Line and Royal Viking Line later came to be owned by by the Carninal Corporation and today both of Seabourn Pride's sisters sail for Yachts of Seabourn, the Royal Viking Queen known today as Seabourn Legend.

The photographs below show the Seabourn Pride passing through the Kustaanmiekka strait shortly after departing Helsinki South Harbour on the afternoon of 12 June 2012. Click on the individual images to see in larger size.

It is rather tiny by today's standards, isn't it? I was mildly suprised to notice that most of the balconies are French balconies rather than proper ones. But that's the late 80s for you.

I've never been a fan of the design where you "hide" the bridge in the superstructure as done here. The bridge is a central part of a ship's design and obsuring it almost always looks bad.

Didn't get excited enough by the ship to move to a location yielding better aft views.

It's that one particular tree again.