A ship called Hen, ex-Jubilee, ex-Pacific Sun, ex-Henna (launched as Carnival Jubilee) arrived at the Indian shipbreakers at Alang India, where went to anchor on April 25.
The vessel is the first of Carnival Cruise Line’s 1980s newbuilds to go for scrap. After 3 second-hand “Fun Ships,” the 950-berth Carnivale, 1146-berth Festivale and 906-berth Mardi Gras, Carnival started building purpose-designed cruise ships.
The first newbuilding, the 1,022-berth Tropicale, followed the basic design of the Mardi Gras, ex-Empress of Canada, with decks named, in decending order, Promenade, Empress, Upper, Main and Riviera (restaurant) deck.
The Tropicale was built by Aalborg of Denmark.
Next up was a trio, one, the 1,452-berth Holiday, from Aalborg in 1985, and two, the 1,486-berth Jubilee and Celebration from Kockums of Sweden in 1986 and 1987. This trio were similar to MS Tropicale, with the same deck arrangements, but had a promenade on only the starboard side of the ship, an idea adapted from many of the Baltic ferries.
From these first newbuildings developed the “Fantasy” class of eight vessels and the rest, as they say, is history.
The Tropicale sails today as the Ocean Dream for Peaceboat organisation, while the Holiday became CMV Magellan and Grand Celebration for Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line.