Next Round of Cruise Ships Headed to Breakers. The Full Moon Makes Me Sad.

As we enter 2021 we are already aware of more sad news concerning aging cruise ships.

In mid-December Ocean Builders decided to abandon plans for their off shore community for entrepreneurs and forward thinking inventors. The executive board of the new company expressed their frustration when they were unable to secure adequate insurance at a reasonable price for their newly acquired ship. It was expected that the ship would remain anchored off of the west coast of Panama and guests / cabin owners would be ferried to/from their off shore residence to the mainland when desired. The onboard experience was supposed to be a sounding board and an opportunity to share experience as well as acquire advice from fellow entrepreneurs . Ocean Builders had purchased the Pacific Dawn (ex Regal Princess from 1991) and renamed the ship - Satoshi in September. The Satoshi was drydocked in Europe and proceeded to Panama. Enroute to Panama, the founders decided the insurance hurdle was too large to over come and sold the Satoshi to Indian breakers. The Satoshi continued her voyage to Panama and transited the Panama Canal on Christmas Day. Off of Panama City the Satoshi was refueled; store loaded and a new crew was placed on board for the voyage to the beaches of Alang, India. Ironically her identical sister, Karnika (ex Crown Princess from 1990) was beached in Alang, India in early December, when she was sold at auction when her owners went bankrupt.

Grand Celebration Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line Sold For Scrap.

This bad news was followed by an update on the Grand Celebration previously of Bahamas Paradise Cruise Lines. The Grand Celebration, the ex Celebration of Carnival Cruises, was originally slated to find further employment in Madascar. Enroute from the Bahamas to Madascar the plan has changed. The Ship has been registered in St. Kitts (a flag of convenience for scrapping) and has been sold to India Breakers. After refueling in Madascar, the Grand Celebration is now expected to arrive in Alang, India on January 12, 2021.

Ocean Dream - Ex Tropicale Beached At Alang Turkey.

On New Year's Eve Day, the Ocean Dream (ex Carnival Cruises' Tropicale) was beached in Alang, India. Having arrived on Christmas Day, the ship has been sitting at an anchorage until New Year's Eve Day, where, under her own power, she was beached. The Ocean Dream most recently sailed for the Peaceboat Organization, Pullmantur, P&O Australia, Costa and Carnival. The Tropicale / Ocean Dream was the first new ship built for Carnival Cruises when introduced in 1984.

Marco Polo ex Alexander Puskin of Baltic Shipping Company, Orient Lines and Cruise and Maritime Voyages Sold For Scrap.

Finally I learned on 1/02/21 that the Marco Polo from Cruise and Maritime Voyages has been sold for scrap and is now enroute to Alang India expected to arrive on 1/9/2021. Originally built for Russia's Baltic Shipping Company as the Alexander Pushkin for sailings from the Soviet Union to Montreal, she was extensively refit when she became part of Orient Lines in 1993 and renamed the Marco Polo. Prior to joining Orient Lines, the Alexander Pushkin sailed for CTC and Russia's Far Eastern Shipping Corporation. After sailing for Orient Lines, the Marco Polo was sold to Cruise and Maritime Voyages. When Cruise & Maritime Voyages entered administration in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was sold at auction by CW Kellock & Co. Ltd. for US$ 2,770,000 on 22 October 2020. The Marco Polo sailed from Tilbury UK to Dubai. In Dubai the ship was supposed to be used as an accommodation ship until the pandemic subsides. Unfortunately it was announced on 1/2/21, that the ship has been sold for scrap since the work as an accommodation ship did not materialize.

It now appears that the Karnika, Ocean Dream, Grand Celebration, Marco Polo and Satoshi will all be in various stages of being dismantled at the same time on the beaches of Alang in the month of January.

At this time. in Aliaga, Turkey, the following ships are beached - the Monarch (ex Monarch of the Seas) , Sovereign (ex Sovereign of the Seas), Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration and Astor (Cruise and Maritime Voyages) .

Referring to the title of the this article, the Full Moon is a reference to the fact that when ships are sold for scrap, the ships are normally beached during full moons due to the extremely high tides which allow the ships to be driven further on shore. Each full moon provides the conditions for another ship to be beached and dismantled.

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