Albatros in Helsinki, 25 July 2012

The weather here in Finland keeps getting chillier by the day, so it is good to look back at the passing summer and some of the delightful cruise ships that visited Helsinki... such as Phoenix Reisen's Albatros.

Albatros

IMO 7218395
Name history: Royal Viking Sea, Royal Odyssey, Norwegian Star, Crown, Albatros
Built 1973, Wärtsilä Helsinki New Shipyard, Finland
Tonnage 28 078 GT
Length 205,47 m
Width 25,20 m
Draugth 7,55 m
830 passengers
1 100 berths
4 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 15 840 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 18 knots

The Albatros started life as the Royal Viking Sea of Royal Viking Line, the last ship of the company's initial trio of newbuildings. The Royal Viking Sea was owned by A. F. Klaveness. According to Fakta om Fartyg, her first voyage with passengers was a Bergen-Newcastle ferry crossing, but this might be a mistake as according to Bruce Peter's upcoming book Knud E. Hansen A/S - 75 Years of Ship Design it was in fact the Bergen Line -owned Royal Viking Star that entered service in this manner. Of course it is within the realm of possibility that both the RV Star and RV Sea started their careers in the same manner. In any case, the Royal Viking Sea entered regular cruise service in late 1973.

The Royal Viking Sea's owner A. F. Klaveness was the only company in the Royal Viking consortium that did not have previous experience of operating passenger ships. Perhaps reflecting this, the company decided as early as 1975 to withdraw from the consortium. The Royal Viking Sea was sold to Bergen Line and Nordenfjeldske Dampskibsselskab, the other owners of Royal Viking Line. In 1983 the Royal Viking Sea was lengthened with the addition of a 28-metre midsection (similar chop-and-stretch operations had already been carried out on her sister ships in 1981 and 1982). The next year Royal Viking Line's owners sold the company to the Kloster Group, the owners of Norwegian Cruise Line.

Initially the operations of Royal Viking Line continued much as before, but in the beginning of the 1990s Kloster Gorup felt the original RVL trio were outdated for Royal Viking Line's high-class brand and the ships were transferred to other Kloster companies. The Royal Viking Sea therefore became Royal Cruise Line's Royal Odyssey in 1991. She was later joined in the RCL fleet by her sister Royal Viking Star, now Star Odyssey, which had in the interim sailed as Norwegian Cruise Line's Westward.

By the mid-1990s Kloster Group was in financial difficulties. The Royal Viking Line brand and it's remaining two ships had been sold to Cunard in 1994. Royal Cruise Line disappeared in 1997, with the Royal Odyssey becoming Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Star. In 1999-2001 the Norwegian Star cruised in Australian waters for NCL's subsidiary Norwegian Capricorn Line. In 2002 she became the Far Eastern casino cruise ship Crown. In 2003 the Crown was chartered to Spanish Cruise Line for Mediterranean cruising from Valencia. This was to be another short interlude however, as in the beginning of 2003 the ship passed to Germany's Phoenix Reisen, who were looking for a ship to replace their aged Albatros (ex-Sylvania, Fairwind, Sitmar fairwind, Dawn Princess). The Crown took over the name Albatros and begun cruising for Phoenix Reisen. In 2005 her engines were exchanged for newer ones and she continues to sail for Phoenix Reisen to this day.

The photographs below show the Albatros passing through the Kustaanmiekka strait outbound from Helsinki on 25 July 2012. Click on the images to view them in larger size.

Albatros passing Finnish Navy's minelayer Hämemaa. The grey paint works surprisingly well as camouflage, at least in these weather conditions.

Very chic. Supposedly the Royal Viking trio's exteriors were inspired by the QE2.

In the full-size image, notice the Swedish flag flown aft of the bridge. Apparently someone onboard had done their homework on the subject of "how to irritate Finns".

Through the strait to the delight of the mandatory crowd of on-lookers.

And further on.

Next time: Seabourn Sojourn.

Seven Seas Voyager in Helsinki, 21 July 2012

Seven Seas Voyager

IMO 9247144
Built 2003, T. Mariotti Genoa, Italy
Tonnage 42 363 GT
Length 206,50 m
Width 28,80 m
Draugth 7,10 m
752 passengers
2 Wärtsilä diesels, combined 16 600 kW
2 azipods
2 bow thruster
Speed 20 knots

Returning back to normal programming from our foray into Autumn foliage photography, today's subject is what I think are probably my best photographs from this year, showing the Seven Seas Voyager departing from Helsinki South Harbour on 21 July.

I rather like the exterior design of the Seven Seas Voyager (or SSV, as I tend to abbreviate the name) for some reason - but despite this she has been featured on this blog just once before now. The SSV was built in 2003 to the same hull design as the company's previous newbuilding Seven Seas Mariner, but with a completely different superstructure. Externally the superstructure design actually bears strong resemblance to Silversea Cruises' first- and second-generation newbuildings. The SSV is Regent Seven Seas Cruises' last newbuilding to date, though the company are reportedly negotiating with shipyards about a further newbuilt ship.

Finally, before we go to the photographs, a little thought on the name of the company, Regent Seven Seas Cruises: the company was established in 1994 when Seven Seas Cruises and Radisson Diamond Cruises merged, and the post-merger company was named Radisson Seven Seas Cruises. In 2006 Radisson left the company and it was renamed to the current form as Regent Seven Seas Cruises. This begs the simple question of "why?" Sure, they had to get rid of the Radisson part, but why not then revert to the simpler and more elegent Seven Seas Cruises, instead of continuing with what is essentially cubersome double branding? Just a little food for thought, Prestige Cruise Holdings...

At this point it looked like this session was going to be another case of Sod's Law (aka the Suomenlinna Rule), with clouds appearing on an otherwise sunny day just as the ship sails past...

...but look at that! Absolutely superb lighting and a dramatic background to top it off.

Escorted out by pleasure boats. I'm thinking of turning this image into the new kships header, so watch the space on top of the page.

Yeah, the ship is a box. But it's a bloody good-looking box at that!

The traditional entering Kustaanmiekka Strait -shot.

Look at those colours and contrast! Unlike is the case normally, I didn't really need to alter the colour and contrast levels at all.

And a little photogenic tree there too.

This one isn't quite sharp when you look at it closely, but the nautical composition was too good to pass. On the very right adge of the image you can even see the Helsingin kasuuni (Helsinki caisson) lighthouse in the distance.

Next time: either Phoenix Reisen's Albatros or (if I'm feeling adventurous) the Finnish Navy's minelayer Hämemaa.

Merilin in Helsinki, 3 October 2012

Merilin

IMO 9194256
Name history: Cat No 1, Merilin
Built 1999, Austal Shipyard Henderson, Australia
Tonnage 920 GT
Length 52,60 m
Width 13,30 m
Draught 1,50 m
411 passengers
4 MTU diesels, combined 9 280 kW
4 KaMeWa waterjets
Speed 40 knots

The Merilin doesn't get featured in this blog very often, mostly due to the fact that Linda Line's timetables and sailing routes make their ships difficult to photograph, unless you actually position yourself to specifically photograph these ships. I guess I ought to really do that some day to the Merilin's running mate Karolin, seeing as she hasn't ever been featured in this blog. For a history of the Merilin and Linda Line, see the first entry on her.

The photographs below show the Merilin arriving in Helsinki South Harbour in the evening of 3 October 2012, photographed from onboard the ferry Suomenlinna II. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

Sunset and sailboats, part 1.

Sunset and sailboats part 2: the rocky islets.

The Harakka island in the background. Harakka, incidentally, in addition to being the name of the Island, is also Finnish for a magpie.

Entering the South Harbour on the southernly route. Valkosaari on the foreground and the Kaivopuisto in the background. Also a little bit of the passenger tubes of the Olympia terminal used by Silja Line.

Next time: Seven Seas Voyager

Gabriella in Helsinki, 3 October 2012

Gabriella

IMO 8917601
Former names: Frans Suell, Silja Scandinavia
Built 1992, Brodogradiliste Split, Croatia
Tonnage 35 492 GT
Length 171,50 m
Width 28,20 m
Draugth 6,25 m
Ice class 1 A Super
2 420 passengers
2 402 berths
400 cars
900 lane metres
4 Pielstick diesels, combined 23 760 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
Speed 21,5 knots

Time for some more Autumn foliage photography, this time featuring the Gabriella. For a history of the ship, see this entry, and for my thoughts on the ship's design, see this entry. The photographs below show the ship departing Helsinki on the afternoon of 3 October 2012, passing through the Kustaanmiekka strait and further on outside the city. Click on the images to see them in larger size.

It initially seemed that Gabriella would sail through the strait without any direct sunlight on her, but I was in luck and just as the ship was coming into the strait the sun came out.

Panoramic foliage...

...and dynamic Gabriella.

Quite possibly my greatest photo of all time. Or one of them, anyhow.

Just look at those trees on the left.

Further panoramica.

Soon at the Harmaja lighthouse, with the smaller lighthouse-thingy in the foreground displaying some rather fine urban art.

Next time: Merilin.

Silja Serenade in Helsinki, 3 October 2012

Silja Serenade

IMO 8715259
Built 1990, Masa-Yards Turku New Shipyard, Finland
Tonnage 58 376 GT
Length 203,03 m
Width 31,93 m
Draugth 7,12 m
Ice class 1A Super
2 852 passengers
3 001 berths
410 cars
1 600 lane metres
4 Wärtsilä-Vasa diesels, combined 32 580 kW
2 propellers
2 bow thrusters
1 stern thruster
Speed 21 knots

The last time the Silja Serenade was featured in this blog was in winter photos. Today we continue with a "four seasons" theme, with the same ship photographed departing Helsinki in Autumn foliage last week.

Click on the images to see in larger size.

I was tempted to go out on this particular day due to the beautiful weather, even if the only ships to photograph were the regulars Silja Serenade and Gabriella...

But alas, just as the Serenade was coming to the Kustaanmiekka strait, the sun was obscured by a cloud.

Not that these would be bad photographs, but if the light had lasted, these would have been downright orgastic images.

Although I complained about the cloud obscuring the sun, those clounds in the background were pretty neat...

A little bit of sun there... and the advertized Autumn foliage too.

Even better as far the foliage goes.

Unusually, the Serenade departed via the Porkkala shipping lane rather than the open-sea lane. That, combined with the low sun, game some rather superb photo opportunities.

No comment needed, really.

Next time: Gabriella with more of the Autumn foliage