SS Oceanic (1963)
| Company type | Passenger cruise liner |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipping / Cruise line |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Founder | Home Lines |
| Defunct | 2012 |
| Fate | Dismantled in China, 2012 |
| Headquarters | Monfalcone , Italy |
Area served | Transatlantic routes, Caribbean cruises, global voyages |
Key people | Charalambos Keusseuglou (chief designer) |
| Products | Passenger cruises |
| Hide header = | Header caption = (as constructed, 1965) | Ship type = cruise ship | Ship tonnage = *Template:GRT (British measurement)[1]
|
Ship displacement = | Ship length = 238.44 m (782 ft 3 in)[4] | Ship beam = 29.42 m (96 ft 6 in)[4] | Ship height = | Ship draught = 8.60 m (28 ft 3 in)[4] | Ship depth = | Ship decks = | Ship deck clearance = | Ship ramps = | Ship ice class = | Ship power = *4 × Alfa Laval DeLaval steam turbines
|
Ship propulsion = Dual propellers[5] | Ship speed = *26.5 knots (49.1 km/h; 30.5 mph) cruising speed[5]
|
Ship capacity = Maximum of 1,600 passengers[4] | Ship crew = 560 personnel[1] |
|} SS Oceanic was a passenger cruise liner constructed in 1963 by the Italian shipyard Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico located in Monfalcone. Initially operated by Home Lines, she served under this company until 1985. From then until the year 2000, she sailed with Premier Cruise Line adopting the names Starship Oceanic and later Big Red Boat I. Afterward, she was acquired by Pullmantur Cruises, which restored her original designation. In 2009, ownership transferred to the organization Peace Boat where she remained until her retirement in 2012. Subsequently, the vessel was dismantled in China within the same year.
Concept and construction
Oceanic represented the inaugural newbuild commissioned by Genoa-based Home Lines, a company established in 1946. The vessel was constructed at the Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico shipyard located in Monfalcone, Italy. It was engineered as a dual-class ocean liner combined with a single-class cruise ship, intended to operate seasonal transatlantic routes from Cuxhaven, Southampton, and Le Havre to Canada during the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere, and to offer cruises throughout the winter.[6]
William H. Miller’s work, Greek Passenger Liners, identifies Home Lines’ executive vice president, Charalambos Keusseuglou, as the chief designer of the ship, collaborating with Mr. Costanzi, known for designing the SS Galileo Galilei and SS Guglielmo Marconi for Lloyd Triestino.[2] The vessel incorporated several innovative elements that have become standard in modern cruise ships, including a magrodome enclosing the pool area,[2] and lifeboats positioned not atop the vessel but housed within dedicated lifeboat bays lower on the hull.[1]
The launch of Oceanic from drydock occurred on 15 January 1963.[4] Initially scheduled for a week earlier, the launch was postponed due to an unseasonably cold spell in Italy.[2] The outfitting process extended over two years, culminating in delivery to Home Lines in March 1965.[4] By this point, declining passenger demand and the emergence of the affiliated Hamburg Atlantic Line led Home Lines to discontinue plans for transatlantic service. Consequently, Oceanic never operated on the Europe–Canada route.[2] In promotional materials, Home Lines inaccurately claimed she was "the largest ship ever designed for year-round cruises".[6] Additionally, Home Lines cited British tonnage figures (Template:GRT) despite her Panamanian registration, under which her tonnage was measured at only Template:GRT.[2]
1965–1985: Career with Home Lines
.jpg)
Home Lines took delivery of Oceanic in March 1965. On 31 March, she embarked on a transatlantic voyage carrying a limited number of paying passengers (approximately 200) from Genoa to New York City.[4][2] After completing a brief series of transatlantic crossings,[1] she transitioned into cruise operations beginning 24 April 1965, sailing from New York to the Bahamas alongside the company’s older vessel, SS Homeric.[4][2] During summer seasons, Oceanic conducted week-long cruises from New York to the Bahamas and offered extended Caribbean voyages during winter months.[6] She became one of the era’s most popular cruise ships, consistently achieving occupancy rates near 95%, with bookings secured up to a year ahead.[2]
In 1982, Home Lines introduced the new MS Atlantic, which replaced Oceanic as their flagship. Anticipating delivery of another new ship, MS Homeric, in 1986, Home Lines sold Oceanic to Premier Cruise Line in 1985.[2]
1985–2000: Service with Premier Cruises
After being renamed StarShip Oceanic by Premier Cruise Lines, the vessel was initially deployed on three- and four-day voyages departing from Port Canaveral to destinations including Nassau and Salt Cay in the Bahamas.[1] These cruises were often combined with visits to Walt Disney World.Template:Fix/category[citation needed] Throughout her tenure with Premier Cruises, the ship was frequently promoted under the nickname Big Red Boat, and in 2000 she was officially renamed Big Red Boat I.[4][6] Unfortunately, Premier Cruise Line declared bankruptcy in September 2000. Subsequently, the Oceanic was detained by port officials at Freeport, Bahamas, taken out of service, and listed for sale.[4]
2000–2009: Service under Pullmantur Cruises
On 30 December 2000, the newly established Spain-based company Pullmantur Cruises purchased the Big Red Boat I. The ship reverted to her original name, Oceanic, and was sailed to Cádiz, Spain for extensive refurbishment.[4][1] After completing the upgrades, she commenced operations from Barcelona in May 2001.[4] While operating under Pullmantur, the Oceanic underwent gradual replacement of combustible materials to meet the requirements of the SOLAS safety regulations that came into force in 2010.[1]
Plans were made to retire the Oceanic from Pullmantur’s fleet by September 2009. In March 2009, she was sold to Japan-based Peace Boat, with ownership transferring in April of that year.[4][7]
2009–2012: Service with Peace Boat
On 23 April 2009, Oceanic began operations with Peace Boat, departing from Yokohama on a global voyage scheduled to return there on 6 August 2009. This journey marked Peace Boat's 66th "Global Voyage for Peace" and was notable for including extensive stops throughout Scandinavia, aiming to study welfare and educational systems in northern Europe.[8]
Between 3 and 9 May 2010, while near the coast of Yemen, the Oceanic faced an assault by pirates. The attackers used grenades but failed to board the ship as it executed evasive zig-zag maneuvers and repelled them with high-pressure water hoses. Reports indicate that NATO forces later captured the assailants.[9]
2012: Decommissioning
On Friday, 5 May 2012, the Oceanic embarked on its final voyage for Peace Boat, heading to Yokohama. Following this last cruise, the ship was handed back to Pullmantur Cruises in return for the Ocean Dream, which then assumed the role of Peace Boat's new vessel. In July 2012, the Oceanic was transported to Zhoushan, China to be dismantled.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedGoossens - ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedMiller 2006 - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedM. Eliseo and C. Ernè - ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedAsklander - ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedMiller 1995 - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedBoyle - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedCorreia - ↑ "Global Voyage 2009". Peace Boat. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
- ↑ Cox, Martin (2010-05-10). "No Peace for PEACE BOAT". Maritime Matters. Archived from the original on 2010-05-15. Retrieved 2010-05-10.
External links
Template:Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico Template:Piracy in Somalia