Royal Viking Star

Hi,

 

I asked my wife to marry me aboard the Royal Viking Star years ago. I was wondering if anyone had any pictures of this ship to take me back down memory lane?

 

Thanks

Kevin

 

:D

Hello Kevin,

 

Not any pictures of my own (I haven't had the good fortune to sail on this lovely ship in any of her incarnations--though hope to before too long), but you can find some photos (exterior only) at http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/RVStar.html. As you may know, she currently sails as the Black Watch for Fred. Olsen Lines; I believe the Olsen website has numerous photos (both exterior and interior), & you can download a color brochure in pdf format.

 

Although she has been made over several times since her days at the Royal Viking Star, from what I can tell Olsen's recent refurbishment has been very tasteful. She still looks stylish, elegant, and modern in the best sense of the word--a far cry from the boxy shopping-mall megaships being built today! I saw her sister ship the Boudicca (former Royal Viking Sky) in Dover a few weeks ago & she too looked splendid. (I've posted a few photos of her on another ship enthusiast website.)

 

Sounds like it was a wonderfully romantic proposal!

 

Best regards,

 

John

Thanks John,

 

For some reason I thought she was now NCL's Star. I will look though the info you sent me. It will definately bring back some memories.

 

Thanks again,

Kevin :)

Hi Kevin,

 

I worked on the RV Star in the early 1980s; I've got a bunch of photos and will take a look through them for any interesting shots. When did you sail?

I sailed on this ship back in 1982 from Acapulco to Los Angeles...I was just a young 2nd Lieutenant at the time. I have photos of the ship......I will look for them.

I remember we were tied up just behind the pacific Princess in Acapulco.

The ship was wonderful, the food fabulous and the service perfect. They don't make them like that any more..which is a shame.

Tom

I've been sailing for decades and, for reasons unknown, collect postcards from the ships. I was touched by your quest and would be happy to send you a blank Royal Viking Star postcard with a photo of the ship on the front. Maybe you could send it on to your wife with a note about, "Remember when?"

 

It's a real RVL postcard with a bland background - 90% of it is the ship bedecked with flags from stem to stern.

 

It would be my pleasure to send the card on to you and give the card a good home. Tell me your thoughts and we'll chat privately about addresses for the snail mail.

 

Ruby

Hi Kevin,

 

I worked on the RV Star in the early 1980s; I've got a bunch of photos and will take a look through them for any interesting shots. When did you sail?

Any chance you remeber a cruise round trip from San Francisco to Mexico that was so rough after passing under the Golden Gate that all of the dining table cloths had to be dampened to keep plates on the table???.....Great great ship.

I don't recall that cruise but I do remember a Christmas/New Year's TransCanal cruise that ended in San Francisco; just outside the Golden Gate Bridge, the ship listed to port so fast and to such a degree, they didn't have time to catch the plates. What a racket; it was quite a cruise-end.

Hi Kevin,

 

I worked on the RV Star in the early 1980s; I've got a bunch of photos and will take a look through them for any interesting shots. When did you sail?

 

Hi:

 

Not sure you even still visit this site, but I am wondering if you happen to have any photos of the chapel on the Royal Viking Star. As far as I know she was the only one of that first generation of US-based cruise ships to have one, and I've always been curious about the decision to include it when her two near-sisters did not have one.

 

I was on the Black Watch a few years back and the space had long since been gutted and converted to cabins, but -- interestingly -- they never updated the deck plan. The original t-shaped space is blank.

We sailed on the Sky in the 80s. I believe it was to China. Captain Vebenstadt was in command. He later taught at the maritime academy and is now deceased.

 

We were on the RVL Star on its last cruise before becoming the NCL Star for its next cruise. Had a long evening with the captain in his cabin. It was quite a treat. Having said that I forget his name.