Song of America Cruise Ship Postcards

Song of America - Sunbird - Thomson Destiny

This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ship Song of America, later the Sunbird. After increasing capacity on two of their three ships through lengthening, Royal Caribbean decided to build their first new ship in ten years. The Song of America was delivered from Wartsila in Helsinki (builders of their first three ships) in 1982. Song of America was larger than her predecessors, at 37584 gross tons and 1414 berths (1575 maximum). She pioneered a layout where cabin decks were stacked at the front of the ship, furthest from the engines, with public rooms further aft. Although common on large car ferries, this layout has not been repeated much on cruise ships. The Sky Lounge was even more prominent than before, completely encircling the funnel. Song of America initially operated the company's busiest 7-day itinerary from Miami to Nassau, San Juan and St Thomas. Displaced by larger tonnage, she was sold to Airtours, becoming their Sunbird in 1999. Unlike previous sales to Airtours, the Sky Lounge was not removed. In later years she received MyTravel livery. From 2005, Sunbird operated as Thomson Destiny in the Thomson fleet, owned and managed by Louis Cruise Lines.


Ship Names on this Page:-
Song of America - Royal Caribbean: 1982-1999
Sunbird - Sun Cruises (Airtours/MyTravel): 1999-2004
Thomson Destiny - Thomson Cruises: 2005-

Associated Pages:-
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line - Page 1: The First Generation Cruise Ships
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line - Page 2: The Mega-Ships
Admiral Cruises - Amalgamated with RCCL in 1989
Louis Cruise Lines
Sun Cruises - Acquired three of the first four RCCL ships.
Thomson Cruises
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
Simplon Postcards Home Page

References:-
Click on images for details
Song of America Song of America (RCCL: 1982-1999)
After increasing capacity on two of their three ships through lengthening, Royal Caribbean decided to build their first new ship in ten years. The Song of America was delivered from Wartsila in Helsinki (builders of their first three ships) in 1982. Song of America was larger than her predecessors, at 37584 gross tons and 1414 berths (1575 maximum). She pioneered a layout where cabin decks were stacked at the front of the ship, furthest from the engines, with public rooms further aft. Although common on large car ferries, this layout has not been repeated much on cruise ships. The Sky Lounge was even more prominent than before, completely encircling the funnel. Song of America initially operated the company's busiest 7-day itinerary from Miami to Nassau, San Juan and St Thomas. Displaced by larger tonnage, she was sold to Airtours, becoming their Sunbird in 1999. Unlike previous sales to Airtours, the Sky Lounge was not removed.


Official RCCL postcard P42072 (Astral Graphics?).



P.Asenjo postcard A.200 of Song of America.



Bermuda Prints postcard 305 of Song of America.



Photolaminados (Puerto Rico) postcard #6 of Song of America passing El Morro.



John Hinde (Dublin) postcard 2BH 97 of Song of America's bow in the Bahamas.



An unusual postcard 08-095/15 of Song of America - part of a set of cards illustrating different types of merchant ship.
Published by Vydavatelstvo of Bratislava.



Chantry Classics CC/S67 of Song of America
Photo: A.O.Wilhelmi 3rd.



CT publishing No.030, issued 1993, of Song of America
Photo: Richard I.Weiss, leaving Miami, 14/01/1990


Virgin Islands Postcard Company (serial 2US VI 95) of Song of America, Rhapsody (Paquet) and Festivale (Carnival) (right-to-left).






Sunbird
(Sun Cruises: 1999-2004)

Sunbird was built in 1982 as the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Song of America. Unlike the previous two purchases from RCI, the 'Sky Lounge' around the funnel was not removed when acquired in 1999. In later years she received MyTravel livery. From 2005, Sunbird operated as Thomson Destiny in the Thomson fleet, managed, and later owned, by Louis Cruise Lines.


Official Sun Cruises card of Sunbird (no serial number).



An enlargement of the ship from the card above.



Official Sun Cruises card of Sunbird (no serial number).



Postcard of Sunbird in MyTravel colours at Madeira.






Thomson Destiny (Thomson Cruises: 2005- ) Name of ship: THOMSON DESTINY - IMO number : 7927984 - Call Sign: P3US9 - Gross tonnage: 37773 Type of ship: Passenger (Cruise) Ship - Year of build: 1982 - Flag: Cyprus All Thomson Destiny Images link to larger copies
From 2005, Sunbird operated as Thomson Destiny in the Thomson fleet, managed and later owned, by Louis Cruise Lines.


Thomson Destiny postcard
Scan: Juan Freitas Official postcard of Thomson Destiny available on board in 2011 Photograph of Thomson Destiny at Villefranche, 11/06/2005.
Photo: © Lars Helge Isdahl - Scan: Fakta om Fartyg.
Photograph of Thomson Destiny.
Image supplied by Mary Bland.
Thomson Destiny at Gran Canaria
Photo: © Ian Donald, 12th January 2007 Thomson Destiny passing Monaco after leaving Villefranche Photo: � Ian Boyle, 22nd August 2009 Thomson Destiny passing Monaco after leaving Villefranche Photo: � Ian Boyle, 22nd August 2009 Thomson Destiny passing Monaco after leaving Villefranche Photo: � Ian Boyle, 22nd August 2009 Thomson Destiny passing Monaco after leaving Villefranche Photo: � Ian Boyle, 22nd August 2009 Thomson Destiny passing Monaco after leaving Villefranche Photo: � Ian Boyle, 22nd August 2009 Thomson Destiny passing Monaco after leaving Villefranche Photo: � Ian Boyle, 22nd August 2009 Thomson Destiny passing Monaco after leaving Villefranche Photo: � Ian Boyle, 22nd August 2009 Thomson Destiny passing Monaco after leaving Villefranche Photo: � Ian Boyle, 22nd August 2009 Thomson Destiny arriving at Civitavecchia Photo: � Ian Boyle, 24th August 2009 Thomson Destiny arriving at Civitavecchia Photo: � Ian Boyle, 24th August 2009 Thomson Destiny arriving at Civitavecchia Photo: � Ian Boyle, 24th August 2009 Thomson Destiny arriving at Civitavecchia Photo: � Ian Boyle, 24th August 2009 Thomson Destiny arriving at Civitavecchia Photo: � Ian Boyle, 24th August 2009 Thomson Destiny arriving at Civitavecchia Photo: � Ian Boyle, 24th August 2009 Thomson Destiny arriving at Civitavecchia Photo: � Ian Boyle, 24th August 2009 Thomson Destiny arriving at Civitavecchia Photo: � Ian Boyle, 24th August 2009 Thomson Destiny arriving at Civitavecchia Photo: � Ian Boyle, 24th August 2009 Thomson Destiny arriving at Civitavecchia Photo: � Ian Boyle, 24th August 2009 Thomson Destiny at Civitavecchia Photo: � Ian Boyle, 24th August 2009 Royal Caribbean Cruise Line- Page 1 - Royal Caribbean Cruise Line - Page 2 Admiral Cruises - Sun Cruises - Louis Cruise Lines - Carnival Cruise Ship Postcards - Ocean Liner Postcards Top of Page - Simplon Postcards Recent Updates - Simplon Postcards Home Page �1999-2011 Copyright Ian Boyle/Simplon Postcards (all pages on web site) All Rights Reserved Free Web Counter Times viewed since 31/10/2007: