Amusement World

The 1967-built (originally named "MS Patricia") cruise ship Amusement World was one of the gambling vessels operating in the waters of Singapore.

The vessel (IMO number 6620773) was owned by the Hong Kong, China-based New Century Group (via subsidiary New Century Maritime Ltd) and operated by New Century Cruise Lines, the travel brand under New Century Tours Corporation Pte Ltd.

Under New Century Cruise Lines' management, Amusement World was initially Tuvalu-flagged (MMSI 572243000, registered in Funafuti), later reflagged to Panama (MMSI 374142000, registered in Colon).

History - construction and ownership

MS Amusement World entered service in 1967 as Patricia. The ship underwent two major drydock reconstructions—in 1978 by Smith Dock Co Ltd in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, and in 1988 by Werft Nobiskrug AG in Rendsburg, Germany. Smaller refurbishments were carried out in 1990, 1994, and 1997.

The vessel was built by Lindholmens Varv AB in Goteborg, Sweden (hull/yard number 1095). She had a minimum passenger capacity of 946 (lower berths), a maximum capacity of 1300 (all beds), six passenger-accessible decks (three with cabins), and was powered by four Wartsila diesel engines (model PIELSTICK 6PC2-2L-400, total output 7.42 MW). The propulsion system included two CPPs (controllable pitch propellers), with a service speed of 15 knots and a maximum speed of 18 knots.

Amusement World had two sisterships: Saga (Swedish Lloyd) and Svea (Rederi AB Svea/SILJA LINE). Originally designed as a cruiseferry, she had a cargo capacity of 175 cars and a maximum passenger capacity of 750. In 1978, Swedish Lloyd sold MS Patricia to STENA LINE, which renamed her "Stena Oceanica". After a drydock conversion, the ship's cabin count and passenger capacity were increased to 1300.

As a Ro-Pax (car and passenger) ferry, Patricia operated on the Spain-England route between Bilbao and Southampton. Over her operational life, she sailed under multiple names: Patricia (1967-1978), Stena Oceanica (1978-1979), Stena Saga (1979-1988), Lion Queen (1988-1990, 1994-1997), Crown Princess and Crown Princess Victoria (1990), Pacific Star (1990-1993), Sun Fiesta (1993-1994), Putri Bintang (1998), and Amusement World (1998-2021).

As a casino ship, Amusement World's itinerary focused on cruises to nowhere from her homeport in Singapore, replacing the fleetmate Leisure World/Skyward. Most of the time, she remained anchored in the Singapore Straits. Occasionally, the vessel was chartered by Malaysian tour operators.

In late April 2021, New Century Cruise Lines (NCCL) retired two of Asia's longest-serving cruise ships—Amusement World (54 years old) and Leisure World (52 years old). NCCL cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a major factor, which severely impacted the ships’ ability to generate charter revenue while maintenance costs continued. Combined with high scrap steel prices, the company opted to sell both vessels to recover its investment in a volatile market.

• Leisure World was sold to NKD Maritime Ltd (India) for USD 3.59 million (~EUR 2.98M / ~GBP 2.59M), realizing a gain of ~HKD 6.37M (~USD 0.82M) against its book value of HKD 21.3M.
• Amusement World was also sold to NKD Maritime Ltd.
• Both ships were sold for scrap and departed their anchorage near Singapore en route to Alang, India.
• Amusement World’s AIS last transmitted on August 2 (at 05:49 UTC), showing the vessel off the coast of Alang.

The New Century Maritime-owned cruise ship Aegean Paradise (built in 1990 as "Orient Venus") was sold to Victor Restis (Greece) in 2015 for USD 22 million.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

The 250-seat Patricia's Restaurant offered both Western and Oriental buffet-style meals. À la carte service was also available. The 40-seat Hawker Centre provided evening dining with traditional cooked food specialties.

The latest drydock refurbishment, converting the ship into a gambling vessel, expanded the main gaming area on C Deck. Venues on the Saloon Deck were upgraded to include food service, karaoke, and spa massage options.

The Lion Bar hosted daily entertainment, including magic shows and trivia games. After the performances, guests could enjoy wine and beverages late into the night.

The Sporty Bar featured a jazz-inspired lounge with a ping pong table, putting green, and dartboard. Along the walkway to the Lion Bar was a state-of-the-art Video Arcade that attracted guests of all ages.