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Scandinavian World Cruises

SeaEscape

 

 

This page is devoted to postcards of the Scandinavian World Cruises, and their successors SeaEscape. An alphabetical list of ships shown on this page is shown below. The Table beneath gives links to complete postcard history pages on selected individual ships. Below the table are official postcards of the fleet in chronological order.

 

In the late 1970s, DFDS began to investigate the idea of running a cruise-ferry service from New York to Florida, saving the long car journey which many Americans made each year. The ship would then continue to the Bahamas. Market research was favourable, and in 1980, a DFDS subsidiary Scandinavian World Cruises was formed to develop these plans. A large cruise-ferry was ordered from Dubigeon-Normandie, Nantes, for the new service, which was named the Scandinavia. Prior to this, two car-ferries were acquired and converted to run shorter cruises from Florida to the Bahamas. These became the Scandinavian Sea and Scandinavian Sun. The February 1982, these two ships began operations to Freeport from Miami and Port Canaveral (and later also Jacksonville). The service was not a success, since passenger numbers were low, and rebuilding costs in Hamburg had been higher than anticipated. They were joined by the new Scandinavia October 1982, late delivery resulting in the summer season being missed. Early crossings also met extremely bad weather, generating poor publicity. In early 1985, Scandinavia was transferred briefly to the DFDS Oslo-Copenhagen ferry route, whilst a buyer was sought. She moved to Sundance Cruises in April 1985. The remaining two ships were not profitable either, and were transferred to a new company, Sea Escape Ltd, in which DFDS had a small share until 1987. The company has led a fairly precarious existence since then, facing bankruptcy in 1991.

 

In 1996, a new company bought certain assets of the previous company, and operations continue under the SeaEscape name, using the ex-Soviet ship Ukraina, later renamed Island Adventure.

 

 

Ships on This Page:-

Island Adventure

Scandinavia - 1982-1985

Scandinavian Dawn - 1990-1992 - ex-Scandinavian Sky II

Scandinavian Saga - 1988-1991

Scandinavian Sea - 1982-1984

Scandinavian Sky - 1985-1990

Scandinavian Sky II - 1990 - later Scandinavian Dawn

Scandinavian Song - 1990-1991

Scandinavian Star - 1984-1990

Scandinavian Sun - 1982-1992

Tropicana - chartered 1990

Ukraina

 

Associated Pages:-

DFDS

Discovery Cruises

Fred Olsen Line

Sundance Cruises

Trave Line

Ferry Postcards

Cruise Ship Postcards

Ocean Liner Postcards

Simplon Postcards Home Page

 

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Table of Ship Histories

Name	Other names	Built
Scandinavia	Stardancer, Viking Serenade, Island Escape	1982
Scandinavian Sea	Blenheim, Venus Venture, Discovery I	1970
Scandinavian Sky	Svea Regina, Regina, Odysseus Elytis, Tallink	1972
Scandinavian Sun	Freeport, Svea Star, Caribe, Discovery Sun, Balanga Queen	1968

 

 

 

 

 

SeaEscape Fleet List

 

 

Scandinavian Sun (Scandinavian World Cruises: 1982-85)

Scandinavian Sun (SeaEscape: 1985-92)

 

Scandinavian Sun was built in 1968 by Orenstein-Koppel und Lübecker Machinenbau, Lübeck, for the Freeport I of Miami Terminal Transport Co (Freeport Cruise Line), running between Miami-Freeport. In 1973, she was sold to Oy Birka Line Ab, Mariehamn, and renamed Freeport for cruises between Stockholm-Helsinki. Later the same year, Freeport was sold again to Stockholms Rederi AB Svea, for the Trave-Line service Helsingborg-Tuborg (Copenhagen)-Travemünde as Svea Star. After a period as Caribe Bremen, she was sold to Scandinavian World Cruises as the Scandinavian Sun for a Miami-Freeport service. She was chartered to SeaEscape Cruises in 1985, followed by purchase in 1988. In 1992, Scandinavian Sun was sold to Belle Meade Shipping, and renamed Balanga Queen for the Corona Line between Karlskrona-Gdynia. In 1994 Balanga Queen was chartered to Hansatee, Tallinn, Estonia, and used on a Tallink route Tallinn-Helsinki-Tallinn-Travemünde. The same year, she returned to the Caribbean as Discovery Sun for Discovery Cruises.

 

Complete history of this ship

 

 

Scandinavian World Cruises postcard of Scandinavian Sun.

 

 

Scandinavian World Cruises postcard of Scandinavian Sun.

 

 

Scandinavian World Cruises postcard of Scandinavia and Scandinavian Sun (behind).

 

 

Chantry Classics postcard CC/S68 of Scandinavian Sun.

Photo: A.O.Wilhelmi 3rd.

 

 

SeaEscape postcard of Scandinavian Sun.

 

 

SeaEscape postcard of Scandinavian Sun.

 

 

SeaEscape postcard of Scandinavian Sun.

 

 

SeaEscape postcard of Scandinavian Sun.

 

 

Postcard Factory postcard Mia-10 of Scandinavian Sun.

Photo: Jeff Turnau.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scandinavian Sea

(Scandinavian World Cruises: 1982-84)

 

Scandinavian Sea was built in 1970 by Upper Clyde Shipbuilder Ltd, Clydebank, as Blenheim (3), a larger version of Black Prince (2) and Black Watch (2). Registered owners were Fred Olsen Ltd, London, and she had a British crew. Between September and May she cruised to the Canary Islands, on a route London-Funchal-Santa Cruz de Tenerife-Las Palmas, whilst during the summer months May-September she ran ferry crossings from Kristiansand to Amsterdam or Harwich. In 1981 Blenheim (3) was sold to Scandinavian World Cruises, Nassau, Bahamas (controlled by DFDS) and renamed Scandinavian Sea. After rebuilding in Hamburg, she operated short cruises to Freeport from Port Canaveral and Jacksonville. In 1984 she was burnt out and declared a constructive total loss. The remains for sold "as is" for further use. Registered ownership changed a number of times, and in 1985 she was renamed Venus Venture, whilst rebuilding occurred in Valencia. In 1986 she was sold to Discovery Cruises, and renamed Discovery I, returning to short cruises from Florida.

 

Complete history of this ship

 

 

Official postcard of Scandinavian Sea.

 

 

 

 

 

Scandinavia

(Scandinavian World Cruises/DFDS: 1982-5)

 

The Scandinavia was delivered in 1982 from Dubigeon-Normandie in Nantes for DFDS Seaways subsidiary Scandinavian World Cruises. She operated a cruise-ferry service from New York to Freeport (Bahamas) which was not successful. DFDS Seaways transferred her to their Oslo-Copenhagen service briefly in 1984, but she was sold on to Sundance Cruises in 1985 as the Stardancer. The Stardancer was Sundance Cruises only ship. Sundance soon merged with Eastern Cruise Line to form Admiral Cruises. She then became the Royal Caribbean Viking Serenade when Admiral was merged with them.

 

Built as a car ferry, her chunky ferry looks were further spoilt when the funnel was shortened and an RCCL 'sky lounge' were fitted. Recent postcards describe her as weighing 40132 gross tons, having a length of 635 feet, and carrying 1946 passengers (maximum 2560). In 2002 she will be renamed Island Escape and operate 7-Day Mediterranean cruises as part of a Royal Caribbean/First Choice Holidays joint venture.

 

Complete history of this ship

 

 

Postcard of Scandinavia at builders in Nantes.

 

 

Scandinavian World Cruises postcard of Scandinavia and Scandinavian Sun.

 

 

This is a Duncan real photographic card of Scandinavia as delivered.

 

 

Official DFDS Seaways postcard of Scandinavia at Copenhagen when operating the overnight service to Oslo.

 

 

Simplon Postcards sp1046 of Scandinavia at Copenhagen when operating the overnight service to Oslo.

Photograph by Kenn Eilersen.

 

 

 

 

 

Scandinavian Star

(SeaEscape: 1984-90)

 

Scandinavian Star was built in 1971 by Dubigeon Normandie S.A., Nantes, as the Massalia for Nouvelle Compagnie de Paquebots (Paquet). She was one of three similar ferries, the others being the Eagle of Southern Ferries and the Bolero of Fred Olsen Line. Massalia operated on a cruiseferry service between Marseille-Malaga-Casablanca until 1974, when the route was changed to Marseille-Dakar. In 1976 she moved to Marseille-Sète-Alicante-Casablanca.

 

In 1981 Massalia was rebuilt as a cruise ship, and started a circuit out of Toulon to various African and Atlantic Isles destinations. This was not a success, and she was laid up in Toulon in 1983, followed by sale to Stena Cargo Line, and renaming to Stena Baltica. After briefly becoming Island Fiesta, she was chartered to SeaEscape as the Scandinavian Star. She cruised between Tampa-Cozumel.

 

In 1990, Scandinavian Star was sold to Vognmandsruten and put into service for DA-NO linjen between Oslo-Frederikshavn. On 7th April 1990, a fire broke out between Oslo-Frederikshavn in which 158 people died. She was laid up in Southampton for four years under the name Candi. Following rebuilding in Italy, she re-entered service as Regal Voyager for Comarit Ferries (chartered), followed by various other charters around the world. She was sold for scrap in India in 2004.

 

 

SeaEscape postcard of Scandinavian Star.

 

 

An oversized Scenic Florida postcard MI0209LM of Scandinavian Star, amongst other cruise ships at Miami.

Scandinavian Star is to the far right. NCL's Seaward (later Norwegian Sea) is in the foreground.

 

 

An enlarged image of part of the card above, showing Scandinavian Star berthed behind RCCL's Song of America.

 

 

 

 

 

Scandinavian Sky

(SeaEscape: 1985-90)

 

Scandinavian Sky was as the Svea Regina built by Dubigeon-Normandie, Nantes, for Rederi Ab Svea. She entered service for Silja Line in 1972 between Stockholm-Helsinki. Her sistership was the Finska Ångfartygs Ab Aallotar of 1972. In 1978, Svea Regina was also sold to Finska Ångfartygs Ab, and renamed Regina. Charters followed to Polska Zegluga, Brittany Ferries and Karageorgis Lines, who renamed her Mediterranean Sun. In 1982 she was sold to Greek owners and renamed Odysseas Elytis. In 1985, Odysseas Elytis was sold a DFDS subsidiary and renamed Scandinavian Sky for cruising out of Florida for SeaEscape. In 1989 she became the Tallink, serving for various owners between Helsinki-Tallinn until 1996. Since then she has carried the names Mama Tanzania, El Tor, Monte Carlo and El Safa.

 

Complete history of this ship

 

 

SeaEscape postcard of Scandinavian Sky.

 

 

Photograph of Scandinavian Sky.

Photo: © Jürgen Stein.

Scan: Fakta om Fartyg.

 

 

 

 

 

Scandinavian Saga

(SeaEscape: 1988-1991)

 

Scandinavian Saga was built as the Castalia in 1974 by Kynossoura Dock Yard Ltd, Kynossoura, Salamis. She was another stunning looking ship built for Hellenic Mediterranean Lines, even more so than the 1972 Aquarius. She worked on their main ferry route Brindisi-Patras until sold to Stena Gulf Line in 1988 and renamed Scandinavian Saga. She was chartered to SeaEscape until 1991, for short cruises out of Florida. She has remained in similar use ever since, for a variety of owners, under the names Pride of San Diego, Tropic Star II, Stena Arcadia, Emerald Empress, Sofia, Enchanted Sun and Talisman.

 

 

SeaEscape postcard of Scandinavian Saga.

 

 

 

 

 

Scandinavian Song

(SeaEscape: 1990-93)

 

Sunward was designed to operate on a new cruise-ferry service from Southampton to Vigo, Lisbon and Gibraltar, her design being an enlarged version of the typical Scandinavian ferries being built at the time. The new line was called Klosters Sunward Ferries, being run by the long-established Norwegian shipowners, the Kloster family (there is a 'K' for Kloster logo on the dummy funnel). Despite great promise, the route was not a success, and Sunward was moved to Miami to operate for Ted Arison (later to form Carnival) as Norwegian Caribbean Lines on sailings to Nassau. The venture was so successful, that additional ships were soon ordered.

 

The pioneering Sunward was sold to the French state-owned ferry operator CGTM in 1972, entering service as the Ile de Beaute, in 1973. In 1976, registered owners became Societe Nationale Corse-Mediterranee (SNCM), but Ile de Beaute was sold the following year for use as the hotel ship Grand Flotel in Saudi Arabia. A year later she passed to Saudi Maritime Transport Company, Jeddah, as the Saudi Moon I, for a service Suez-Aqaba-Jeddah. In 1984 she was sold to Sabah Maritime Services Co., Jeddah. In 1988 Saudi Moon I was sold Ocean Quest International, New Orleans, and renamed Ocean Spirit. After rebuilding, she undertook cruises on routes New Orleans-Cozumel-Belize-Cancun and St. Petersburg-Belize Reef-Cozumel-Roaten-Guanaja. In 1990 Ocean Spirit was chartered to SeaEscape as the Scandinavian Song. In 1991-93 Scandinavian Song was chartered to the Danish Cruise Line, returning to SeaEscape briefly in 1993 on their Port Canaveral-Freeport service. She has since operated as Santiago de Cuba and The Empress for Empress Cruises. A complete postcard history of this ship is available on this link.

 

Complete history of Scandinavian Song

 

The official SeaEscape photo below of Scandinavian Song was supplied by Glan Phillips, who served as captain on all SeaEscape ships.

 

 

Official SeaEscape photo of Scandinavian Song

Scan: Rogelio Memdrino

Click to open larger image in new window

 

 

Official SeaEscape photo of Scandinavian Song

Scan: Rogelio Memdrino

Click to open larger image in new window

 

 

Official SeaEscape photo of Scandinavian Song, with Song of America

Scan: Rogelio Memdrino

Click to open larger image in new window

 

 

 

 

 

Scandinavian Dawn

(SeaEscape: 1990-92)

 

St George was built by Swan & Hunter Tyneside Shipbuilders in 1968. She entered service with British Railways between Harwich and Hook of Holland, remaining on this route until withdrawn in 1983. St George was sold the following year to a Cypriot company Psatha Navigation, and entered service as Patra Express for Ventouris Lines between Greece and Italy. There were plans to use her on a new venture between Poole and Bilbao in 1990, but instead she was renamed Scandinavian Sky II and rebuilt in Immingham for use as a cruise ship. She entered service for SeaEscape from Fort Lauderdale to Freeport in August 1990, having been renamed again as Scandinavian Dawn. Owners were registered as MSJ Shipping. In 1996 she was renamed Discovery Dawn still operating for the SeaEscape banner - follow the link for the eventful history of this company. In 1998 she was operating for New SeaEscape as the Island Dawn, reverting to Discovery Dawn the following year, operating from Port Isabel, Texas. Registered owners changed to Discovery Dawn Ltd Partnership, of Nassau. In 2000, Discovery Dawn was chartered to Viva Gaming and Resorts as the Texas Treasure, for casino cruises from Corpus Christi and Port Aransas in Texas.

 

 

SeaEscape postcard of Scandinavian Dawn.

 

 

Ramsey postcard 95 of Scandinavian Dawn.

 

 

 

 

 

Tropicana

(SeaEscape charter 1990)

 

Tropic Postcards T108 Tropicana (ex-Prinses Paola)

 

 

Tropic Postcards T219 of Tropicana.

Photo: Oliver Seseman.

 

 

Tropic Postcards T249 of Tropicana.

Photo: Frank Heine.

 

 

 

 

 

Ukraina (SeaEscape: 1996-1998)

Island Adventure (SeaEscape: 1998- )

 

Island Adventure was built in 1975 as the Soviet Kazakhstan. She had four sisters:- Azerbaizan, Beloussiya, Gruziya and Kareliya. In 1984, she was rebuilt with more berths by Lloyd-Werft, Bremerhaven. In 1994 she was registered with Blasco UK, Monrovia, Liberia and renamed Ukraina. In 1996, a new company bought certain assets of the previous SeaEscape company, and operations continue under the SeaEscape name, with Ukraina later renamed Island Adventure.

 

 

SeaEscape postcard of Ukraina.

 

 

Scenic Florida postcard 57K20 of Ukraina at Fort Lauderdale.

 

 

An enlarged image of the Ukraina from the postcard above.

 

 

Photograph of the Ukraina.

Photo: © Ulrich Streich, Fort Lauderdale, May 1997.

Scan: Fakta om Fartyg.

 

 

Company postcard of the Island Adventure (ex-Ukraina).

 

 

Photograph of the Island Adventure (ex-Ukraina).

Photo: © Lars Helge Isdahl, Port Everglades 21/11/2004.

Scan: Fakta om Fartyg.

 

 

Photograph of the Island Adventure (ex-Ukraina).

Photo: © Lars Helge Isdahl, Port Everglades 21/11/2004.

Scan: Fakta om Fartyg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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