Ocean Gala

The 1982-built MS Ocean Gala cruise ship (best known as “MS Island Escape”) was constructed by Dubigeon Normandie SA (Nantes France) as the world’s largest cruiseferry at the time. Following several drydock conversions, the vessel was last rebuilt to a passenger capacity of 1,760, plus 540 crew. Ocean Gala was scrapped in April 2018 at Alang (India), after being laid up for several months in Port Khalifa (Abu Dhabi UAE).

The vessel (IMO number 8002597) was last Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311368000) and registered in Nassau.

MS Island Escape was operated and owned by Thomson UK under the “Island Cruises” brand until December 2015. The ship joined Thomson’s fleet in April 2009. Thomson sold Island Cruises to TUI Travel in 2009.

Note: In 2021, the 30-passenger superyacht Island Escape was launched, owned by the New Zealand-based company and travel brand Island Escape Cruises Ltd.

History - construction and ownership

The 1,800-passenger ship Island Escape was sold by Thomson Cruises to Cruise Holdings Inc (a consortium of South Florida-based investors) in December 2015. Columbia Cruise Services (CCS) was awarded the vessel’s full management. Island Escape was drydock-refurbished at Damen Shiprepair Brest (France), after which she was renamed “Ocean Gala”. US Shipbrokers managed the vessel’s sale in 2015 and subsequently became her commercial management company.

The vessel was last owned by the Miami-based Cruise Holdings Inc and managed by Columbia Cruise Services (CCS) from offices in Hamburg and Limassol.

In February 2016, Migrationsverket (the Swedish Migration Agency) announced it was close to signing a deal with a US Shipmanagers charter company to bring Ocean Gala to Sweden. Plans called for berthing the ship in Port Harnosand, approximately 430 km (270 mi) north of Stockholm. The agency was racing to secure additional accommodation capacity before spring, when winter contracts with hundreds of hotels and campsites housing asylum seekers were set to expire. Officials feared that the number of asylum applications could rise again with warmer weather. However, the charter company’s applications to berth the ship at Harnosand encountered resistance from local politicians.

In August 2016, Ocean Gala was offered for sale at EUR 17.8 million (approximately USD 20 million). Floating Accommodations stated that a sale might be required to cover potential losses if Migrationsverket failed to pay a SEK 54 million (USD 6.44 million) invoice submitted for the costs of operating the vessel. Migrationsverket, however, maintained that the agreement to house asylum seekers onboard Ocean Gala had been null and void since July.

Decks and Cabins

Island Escape staterooms (768 total) ranged from Standard Inside and Outside triple and quad cabins (fitted with twin single beds and bunks) to Outside Premier cabins (larger than standard, with table, chair and sofa bed), Outside Deluxe cabins (larger than the Premier category), and Balcony cabins (equipped with a mini-fridge).

The largest accommodations were the Club and Island Suites, featuring separate bar and lounge areas.

The ship had 11 decks, of which nine were passenger-accessible and seven contained staterooms.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

MS Island Escape featured three restaurants, two of which were buffet-style. The main dining venues included The Oasis Restaurant (waiter service, à la carte menu with cover charge, reservations required) and The Island Restaurant, serving British and international buffet cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The Beachcomber Restaurant offered 24-hour self-service buffets and was ideal for light meals and late-night snacks, regularly hosting international theme food nights.

Twenty-four-hour room service was available for an additional charge.

Thomson’s Island Cruises brand, represented by Island Escape, provided an affordable, resort-style cruise experience for UK travelers, characterized by a friendly atmosphere and informal dress code.

The ship was also popular with families seeking fly-cruise vacations from Palma de Mallorca.

• The Pub, one of the most popular onboard bars, designed to resemble a traditional local pub.
• Cafe Brasil, ideal for cappuccinos or afternoon tea, with access to the onboard library and internet.
• The Mirage Bar, located poolside and offering alfresco drinks.
• The Sailaway Bar, a relaxed venue for scenic views.
• The Sundowner, popular for live music and pre-dinner cocktails.
• Ocean Theatre, the main entertainment venue hosting cabarets, UK comedy acts and West End-style shows.
• Bounty Lounge, dedicated to game shows and live music.
• The Lookout Bar, featuring panoramic views and a late-night disco.
• The Casino, offering roulette, blackjack, poker and a variety of slot machines.
• Onboard activities ranged from sports and spa treatments to fruit carving and salsa classes. The fully equipped Hair and Beauty Salon offered a full range of hair, body and beauty treatments, with separate male and female saunas. The gym was well suited for both resistance and cardio training.
• Palmy’s Kids’ Club provided imaginative childcare and daily activities for younger guests.
• Additional amenities included gift shops, a video arcade, internet café, swimming pool, sports deck, and an infirmary/medical center.

Itineraries

When MS Scandinavia entered service in 1982, she was among the world’s largest passenger ships, initially cruising from her homeport of NYC New York to The Bahamas. From 2002 onward, following her renaming to MS Island Escape, the ship was deployed in the Mediterranean during the summer seasons and in South America during the winters.

Summer homeporting in Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Spain), combined with fly-cruise programs from the UK, further increased the vessel’s appeal to families.

After the 2015–2016 refit at Damen Brest, Ocean Gala proceeded to Scandinavia to serve as a floating hotel for workers involved in the refugee crisis.

In late 2016, Ocean Gala was planned for deployment in Central America, Latin America and South America.