Island Escape

[AC-cruiser]

I've been looking on the Island Cruises website browsing for caribbean cruises and im wondering where te island escape is at that time, does anyone on here know?

[aplmac]

I've been looking on the Island Cruises website browsing for caribbean cruises
and im wondering where te island escape is at that time, does anyone on here know?
I could be wrong but I suspect that since Island Escape is their 'lesser' ship
(i.e. not so great on Berlitz' ranking, out of a possible 2,000 points)
they may elect to use only their better ship,Island Star
out in the 'glam' Caribbean..?

Island Star ranks 1,328 points out of possible 2,000 ("okay" -just)
Island Escape ranks just 1,193..that's not great



I just came back from OV2, which ranks 1,365(acceptably okay,nice enough).
I wouldn't want to cruise on a ship that can't make a score of 1,300 ..I don't think
- not after paying the sort of money you do, for a cruise.


We've had local Island Cruises offers out here in Barbados
- they were all for Island Star, not the other one..
..but like I said above I could be wrong.


.

[AC-cruiser]

Thanks Aplmac, i think you're probaly right, i here its a ex car ferry and started out for Island in 2002.

Rings a bell as being quite similair to the OV situation with the ships, OV2 is clearly the flagship and OV is just a dying old wrinkly now :(

[aplmac]

Thanks Aplmac, i think you're probaly right,
I hear it's an ex car ferry and started out for Island in 2002. ===> It's older than that,too..

Rings a bell as being quite similar to the OV situation with the ships,
OV2 is clearly the flagship and OV is just a dying old wrinkly now :(

Yes, it seems that (what's now Island Escape) was built as a cruise-ferry vessel
to work the New York-to-Freeport,Bahamas route
and entered service as long ago as 1982,
which in ship years is kinda-like dog years? :cool:

She started life as Viking Serenade, then became Stardancer, then Scandinavia
- and now Island Escape. That alone should tell you.

-------------

Given what I've been reading lately, it's fairly obvious now that OV1 is 'not well'.
I appreciate the strong loyalty shown her by repeat OV1 cruisers
who must have thoroughly enjoyed themselves to be going back for a fourth and fifth cruise on her,
but even some of those hardiest repeats are now saying 'Enough!'

Sad,really..but everything and everyone goes the way of all flesh
and that includes our favourite cruise ships.

If they can just maintain OV2 nicely for the next few years
while getting Sea Princess converted/refit and into the fleet
things should start to smarten up nicely!

____________________________
What will happen to OV1,though?
Will she be put out to pasture?

Perhaps she might be bought by some future OV1 Appreciation Society
who'll tie her up alongside a convenient Thames River-side dock somewhere well inland,
and run her as a floating hotel/brothel and Pub!

That could be quite successful, wouldn't you think?
That way all her fans could still continue to enjoy her ambiance
for the next 5-10 yrs. or so

[alibail]

I've been looking on the Island Cruises website browsing for caribbean cruises and im wondering where te island escape is at that time, does anyone on here know?

At present both ships sail in Brazil with Brazillian guests during our winter. Next year the Star is visiting Barbados, the Escape is probably returning to Brasil as usual.

[AC-cruiser]

At present both ships sail in Brazil with Brazillian guests during our winter. Next year the Star is visiting Barbados, the Escape is probably returning to Brasil as usual.

Thanks Alibail, just wondering as it isn't displayed on the website. Thanks for the help.

[AC-cruiser]

Double post :rolleyes:

[lincslass64]

Island Escape sails from Brazil during these times .

[jetwet1]

Yes, it seems that (what's now Island Escape) was built as a cruise-ferry vessel
to work the New York-to-Freeport,Bahamas route
and entered service as long ago as 1982,
which in ship years is kinda-like dog years? :cool:

She started life as Viking Serenade, then became Stardancer, then Scandinavia
- and now Island Escape. That alone should tell you.

-------------




You actually have that backwards.

She started life as the Scandinavia, she was the bought by Sundance cruises to work the Alaska run with he car decks intact so allowing people to take their RV's up to Alaska.

Sundance Cruises was then bought by RCCL (now RCL) in what was pretty much a management grab, RCL really didn't need the ship, but the people running the line were wanted by RCL.

After moving to RCL she went into dry dock and was pretty much gutted, thecar decks were turned into cabins.

That is when she became the Viking Seranade doing the Baja run.

It was after this that shewas moved to Island cruises.

Anyways, sorry for the history lesson, we are getting kind of bored with the CCL, RCL types and are thinking about trying one of the Euro brands....