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- Ilmatar
- Viking
Princess - Palm Beach Princess
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- This page
is devoted to postcards and photographs of the Finland Steamship Co ferry Ilmatar. Ilmatar was the first motor
passenger ship for the Finland Steamship Co. She was delivered
from Wärtsila of Helsinki in 1964, and operated on routes
from Stockholm to Turku or Helsinki. Ilmatar was initially powered
by a single 4500bhp Sulzer engine, giving a leisurely speed of
16.5 knots. She was 5171grt, and 108m long. In 1973, Ilmatar was rebuilt in Hamburg,
increasing in size to 7355grt and 128m long. Two additional Nohab
wing diesels were added, increasing speed to 19 knots. She was
then used on the Helsinki-Trävemünde route. She was
later used on cruises in the Baltic, Mediterranean and along
the Norwegian coast.
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- In 1979 Ilmatar was refitted as a Mediterranean
cruise ship by her builders Wärtsila. In 1980, she was sold
to Vesteraalens Steamship Co of Norway and continued cruising
under the Norwegian Cruises banner without change of name. She
later received Vesteraalens funnel colours. She was reportedly
renamed Viking Prince in 1982, but was laid up in Toulon
and offered for sail. In 1984 she was bought by Crown Cruise
Line, renamed Viking
Princess
and operated out of Palm Beach, Florida on cruises to the Bahamas.
From 1997, she was renamed Palm Beach Princess, operating on the same
route for Palm Beach Cruises.
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- Ship Names on this
Page:-
- Ilmatar - Finland Steamship
Co 1964-80
- Ilmatar - Vesteraalens Steamship
Co 1980-84
- Viking
Princess - Crown Cruise Line 1984-97
- Palm
Beach Princess - Palm Beach Cruises 1997-
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- Associated Pages:-
- Finland
Steamship Co
- Viking
Lines
- Ferry
Postcards
- Simplon Postcards Home Page
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- Ilmatar
- (Finland
SS Co: 1964-80)
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- Ilmatar was the first motor
passenger ship for the Finland Steamship Co. She was delivered
from Wärtsila of Helsinki in 1964, and was the largest passenger
ship they had built up to that time. Ilmatar operated
on routes from Stockholm to Turku or Helsinki. Ilmatar
was initially powered by a single 4500bhp Sulzer-designed engine,
giving a leisurely speed of 16.5 knots through a single screw.
She was 5171grt, and 108m long. Her passenger facilities consisted
of 110 berths in first class, 222 in second, and up to 1068 unberthed.
Ilmatar could carry 50 cars through side doors. The progress
in car fery design was such that an order was placed for a much
larger ship, the Finlandia, even before Ilmatar was
delivered. She was used for occasional cruising from the time
she was built.
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- Official
Finland SS Co postcard of Ilmatar as built.
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- Official
Finland SS Co postcard of Ilmatar as built.
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- Official
Finland SS Co postcard of Ilmatar as built.
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- Official
Finland SS Co postcard of Ilmatar as built.
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- Finland
SS became part of the Silja Line consortium, and Ilmatar is
shown here with their hull logo.
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- Official
Finland SS Co postcard of Ilmatar as built.
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- Postcard
of Ilmatar as built, with large hull logo.
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- In 1973,
Ilmatar was rebuilt in Hamburg, increasing in size to
7355grt and 128m long. Two additional Nohab wing diesels were
added, each with their own screw, increasing speed to 19 knots
through three propellors. She was then used on the Helsinki-Trävemünde
route, which was jointly run with Finnlines. The rebuild also
improved facilities for use on cruises in the Baltic, Mediterranean,
Atlantic Islands and along the Norwegian coast. She now had berths
for 450 passengers, but car capacity was unchanged. In 1975,
Finland SS withdrew from the joint Trävemünde service,
but Ilmatar remained on the route for that summer on charter
to Finnlines. She was then used mainly on cruising, and received
another refit in early 1979 to further improve facilities, including
swimming pool, casino, gym and a cinema. One presumes she was
not a great succes, since she was sold to Vesteraalens SS Co
in October 1980.
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- Official
Finland SS Co postcard of Ilmatar as rebuilt.
- She
lost the Silja Line logo when moved to cruising.
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- Official
Finland SS Co postcard of Ilmatar as rebuilt.
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- Postcard
of Ilmatar as rebuilt.
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- Photographic
postcard of Ilmatar as rebuilt.
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- Ilmatar
- (Vesteraalens
SS Co: 1980-84)
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- In early
1979, Finland SS Co had Ilmatar refitted as a Mediterranean cruise ship
by her builders Wärtsila. In October 1980, she was sold
to Vesteraalens Steamship Co of Norway and continued cruising
under the Norwegian Cruises banner without change of name. She
later received Vesteraalens funnel colours. This was also not
successful, the winter 1982 programme was cancelled, and Ilmatar
was laid up in Toulon and offered for sail. She was reportedly
renamed Viking Prince at this time, but remained in lay-up
for two years.
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- Official
Vesteraalens/Norwegian Cruises postcard of Ilmatar, still
in Finland SS colours.
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- Verlag
Mielck postcard 7609, showing Ilmatar in the Kiel canal
in Vesteraalens colours.
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- Viking Princess
- (Crown
Cruise Line: 1984-97)
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- In 1979 Ilmatar was refitted as a Mediterranean
cruise ship by her builders Wärtsila. In 1980, she was sold
to Vesteraalens Steamship Co of Norway and continued cruising
under the Norwegian Cruises banner without change of name. She
later received Vesteraalens funnel colours. She was reportedly
renamed Viking Prince in 1982, but was laid up in Toulon
and offered for sail. In 1984 Ilmatar was bought by Crown Cruise Line, renamed
Viking Princess and operated out of Palm Beach, Florida
on cruises to the Bahamas. From 1997, she was renamed Palm Beach Princess, operating on the same
route for Palm Beach Cruises. Initially at least, this was under
the same ownership as Crown Cruise Line. Crown had moved up market
with new ship deliveries, and they wanted to distance their operations
from the gambling market that Viking Princess operated.
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- Official
postcard of Viking Princess.
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- Official
postcard of Viking Princess.
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- Official
postcard of Viking Princess.
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- A
Port of Palm Beach greetings card, with Viking Princess
alongside.
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- Palm Beach Princess
- (Palm
Beach Cruises: 1997- )
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- In
1984 Ilmatar was bought by Crown
Cruise Line, renamed Viking Princess and operated out of Palm Beach, Florida
on cruises to the Bahamas. From 1997, she was renamed Palm
Beach Princess, operating on the same route for Palm Beach
Cruises.
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- Official
postcard of Palm Beach Princess.
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- Official
postcard of Palm Beach Princess.
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- Brochure
for Palm Beach Princess.
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- Finland
Steamship Co - Viking Lines
- Ferry
Postcards
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