Carnival Tropicale ship??

The first ship I cruise was Tropicale and Hurricane George was heading in for US. But we had a wonderful time and weather was perfect.:cool:

 

But it was a couple years later I last heard of Tropicale ship or seen in Tampa port.:mad:

 

Then Sensation, Fascination, and Celebration was tampa ships:eek:

I believe Tropicale became Costa Tropicale, and is now in Europe.

I believe Tropicale became Costa Tropicale, and is now in Europe.

 

That was correct, until 2005 when Costa trasferred CostaTropicale to P&O Australia which named her Pacific Star and based her out of Singapore.

 

In late 2008, however, P&O Australia abbruptly sold her to Pullmantur who will call her Ocean Dream and use her in and around Aruba.

 

30 years is late middle age for a cruise ship, and the "old Tropicale" is 28!

The lack of private verandahs (only her top suites have them) dates her badly, although otherwise she appears to be in great shape

The Ocean Dream (formerly Tropicale / Costa Tropicale / Pacific Star) is a cruise ship, built in 1981. The ship began sailing for Carnival Cruise Lines as the Tropicale in 1982. The Tropicale was Carnival's first newly built ship. Operating mainly in the Caribbean. She was transferred to the Costa fleet in July 2001 and renamed the Costa Tropicale. The Costa Tropicale was retired in 2005 and entered service for P&O Cruises Australia as the Pacific Star in December of that year . She was formerly Queensland’s latest cruise liner, she was based in Brisbane, performing cruises along the Tropical Queensland coast, to various islands in the South Pacific, New Caledonia, and to New Zealand. In March 2008, P&O Cruises Australia sold the Pacific Star to Pullmantur Cruises. She has been refurbished and is currently sailing as the Ocean Dream.

:)

I remember being on the Carnivale July of 1981 and the chatter among the ships crew was the building on a new very modern ship, Tropicale. Time does fly. Almost 28 years ago

I remember when Tropical came to the west coast. She caused a stir and stoped traffic in the port of L.A. This was in the Early 80s. I never sailed on her, But did go onboard a couple times. This was before all the security they have today.

 

Tom in Long Beach.

The Tropicale was also my first cruise experience. It was a southern carribean cruise in 3/1990. Great memories.

I was on her twice. Once in the spring of 1982 on a Mexican Riviera cruise and once in the Caribbean. Funny, on the Mexico cruise DH and I sailed with another couple. Just last week the other couple sent a photo of all of us the the ship and asked if I remembered the trip. Oh yea, we had a fun time. She was so modern for the time!

In late April, I did a Southern Caribbean cruise on the Caribbean Princess. The Ocean Dream (former Tropicale) was docked in Barbados and St. Lucia when were there. Other than the new funnel from her Costa days, the exterior of the ship has not changed much. However, it was interesting how small and dated this ship looked. When this ship entered service, it was one of the very first large (at that time, large was over 30,000 tons) modern cruise ships. Ships have certainly changed since the early 1980s.

 

Chuck

My second cruise (first on Carnival) was on the Tropicale...In fact, I just found a bunch of photos from that trip for the slideshow at my wedding reception...We had so much fun on that trip!

My first cruise was on the Tropicale - she taught me to LOVE cruising! Trip was out of Tampa to Grand Cayman and Cancun. The rain began to pour as we entered GC - it was the first day of monsoon season, but we had fun at the Turtle Farm, Hell and Sting Ray City. I had flown in to dive in Cancun lots of times but it seemed so different coming in by sea. And the salemen there were so pushy at the dock that I have never wanted to go back.

I'm taking my first cruise in January and it will be on this ship. It is now "Ocean Dream" through Pullmantur. I have done some research and realize it is an older ship but it was renovated in 2005 so I am hoping that should help. Plus since we have never been on a cruise before maybe we won't notice. Our 7 night route will start in Cartagena, Colombia and we will travel on to Santa Marta, Colombia; Aruba; Bonair; Margarita Island, Venezula; Curacao and then enjoy one day at sea before returning to Cartagena.

 

For anyone who has been on this ship, how bad does it rock? Will we likely get sea sick? We will be on deck 5 in an interior room.

 

Oh and here is a video of how she is looking currently:

 

ms Tropicale (1981-present) Built in 1981 as Tropicale by Aalborg Værft A/S, Aalborg, Denmark for Carnival Cruise Line. She was the first of Carnival’s “new builds”, as all Carnival ships before her were older ships, either purchased or chartered from other companies. Tropicale became the prototype of all future Carnival ships and was also the first Carnival ship to feature their trademarks, a distinctive tall and winged “whale-tail” funnel painted red, white and blue, as well as a water slide into the midships pool.

 

As the company expanded and acquired larger ships, Carnival decided that Tropicale would be their 'test ship' for new or revised cruise itineraries and, as such, she was the first Carnival ship to be based in San Juan, PR, New Orleans, La, Seward, Alaska and Tampa, Fl. She operated out of Tampa, Fl on four-night cruises to Key West, Fl and Cozumel, Mexico and five-night cruises to Grand Cayman and Cozumel. She was also used on the U.S. west coast out of Los Angeles (San Pedro) for cruises to the Mexican Riviera in the winter and to Alaska in the summer season.

 

 

 

 

In 2000, she received an internal transfer to Italy-based Costa Cruises and subsequently underwent refits in Genoa, Italy over the course of 2001 and 2002 where she was customized for a European client base. She served with the company until 2005, when replacement by larger, more modern cruise ships prompted a transfer to P&O Cruises Australia.

 

 

 

She was given another refit to the tune of $20 million, making her suitable for the Australian cruise market.

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In December 2005, she entered service with P & O Australia Cruises as Pacific Star, home-based at Brisbane from where she cruised Queensland’s coastline as well as the South Pacific Islands of Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, the Loyalty Islands and onto New Zealand.

 

 

She was acquired by Spain-based tour operator (and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd subsidiary) Pullmantur Cruises in March 2008 and after yet another refit in Singapore, is currently cruising for them as Ocean Dream.

I just returned this afternoon from cruising on the old Tropicale's sister ship - the Holiday out of Mobile, Alabama. It really brought back memories of sailing on the Tropicale and was a wonderful 5 day cruise to Cozumel and Calica/Playa de Carmen! Several cruisers said the Holiday reminded them of cruising on the grand old ships of yesterday.

November 10th (2009) a newer ship, the Fantasy will be the ship Carnival uses for the Mobile venue. So if you want a wonderful cruise, take the Holiday before she is gone. ;)

Carnvial Tropicale was my first cruise also. We took her in October 98-it was a 4 day to Cozumel and key West. We loved her-and although we have been on much better ships-we have a soft spot in our hearts for her-after all-it was she who got us addicted to cruising.

Tropicale was also my first - out of New Orleans with DH and 2 sons. What a great vacation we had. Thanks for the memories!

I never sailed on the Tropicale, but I happened to watch the "A-Team" conning their way onto her for a trip from Sicily to the US. So I got curious, whether she was a "real" cruise ship in the 80's.:D

Tropicale was my second cruise, 5 days out of Tampa. I was on board this ship in 1999. I enjoyed every second of that cruise, her age really did not matter...it was a great time!!

During its last year in service under the Carnival flag, the Tropicale was the laughing stock of the cruise industry. After every cruise, reporters gathered at the Port of Tampa to interview disgruntled passengers. Toilets regularly backed up into the hallways, air conditioning quit working, crew members argued with passengers ... but Carnival rarely cancelled a sailing. They just patched it up and sent it out again. Sometime in 2000, I believe, the Miracle joined the fleet for the 7-night cruises, and the Inspiration was moved to the 4- and 5-nighters. From that point on, it's had several identities, and is currently doing runs in the southern Caribbean as the Ocean Dream. It was more like a nightmare when in Tampa!

I just returned this afternoon from cruising on the old Tropicale's sister ship - the Holiday out of Mobile, Alabama.

Sorry to correct you, GA-FL Peach, but the Tropical of 1981 was a one off. It is hard to believe, but Carnival was only 9 years old in '81 and didn't have the bucks to build more than one ship at a time.

 

By 1986. the cash was more free flowing and Carnival launched it's first multi- ship class;The Holiday, Jubilee and Celebration

Awww use to get butterflies when I would see her in port at San Pedro. Thanks for great memories.

We sailed the Tropicale out of Miami. The cabin was all wood and beautiful.

My first Cruise was on the Tropicale from San Pedro to Mexico. and...my second cruise was on the Holiday to Mexico also.

 

What memories of youth!

I never sailed the Tropical, but heard good things about her. I did sail on the Holiday and Celbration. Both were good ships and easy to navigate the layout.