Cruise Talk: Ocean Star Pacific ( ex Nordic Prince )

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»	Cruise Talk » Cruise Ships » Ocean Star Pacific ( ex Nordic Prince ) (Page 1)

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Author

Topic: Ocean Star Pacific ( ex Nordic Prince )

rem-dk
First Class Passenger
Member # 5121

posted 12-04-2014 02:01 PM

Hello All!

Does anybody have news about this vessel?

As far as I can see, she is in Veracruz Mexico.

best regards
René

Posts: 268 | From: Fredensborg Denmark | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

r.fiebig
First Class Passenger
Member # 5240

posted 12-05-2014 07:56 AM

René,

she left Mexico October 13th, 2014 under the new name "Pacific" and reflagged to St. Kitts & Nevis. AIS coverage on the open Pacific Ocean was lost shortly afterwards and the ship has not yet re-appeared.

Obviously, she's underway to the breakers.

Best,

Raoul

Posts: 775 | From: Paderborn, Germany | Registered: Dec 2004 | IP: Logged

rem-dk
First Class Passenger
Member # 5121

posted 12-05-2014 11:20 AM

Hello Raoul!

Thanks for your answer, but I saw the ship on Marinetraffic AIS yesterday December the 4th. and she was docked in Veracruz.

Today she is not visible but last Port is named Veracruz.

Best regards
René

Posts: 268 | From: Fredensborg Denmark | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

SSTRAVELER
First Class Passenger
Member # 15170

posted 12-05-2014 12:35 PM

Reportedly she was in such bad mechanical condition that a trans-Pacific crossing could be a real adventure. Whoever owns her either made repairs or they might find themselves on a tow line or worse.

Posts: 757 | From: New York | Registered: May 2008 | IP: Logged

rem-dk
First Class Passenger
Member # 5121

posted 12-08-2014 12:01 PM

Today she is docked in Corpus Christi Texas.

Best regards
René

Posts: 268 | From: Fredensborg Denmark | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

r.fiebig
First Class Passenger
Member # 5240

posted 12-08-2014 06:06 PM

This is strange, René.

While Marinetraffic shows her docked in Corpus Christi (under her previous Panama flag but not under her new St. Kitts & Nevis flag) , Vesseltracker, Fleetmon and Vesselfinder show a different ship, a bulk carrier named "Arki", in the same position, while the "Pacific" has been out of range for all these services since October.

There have been some strange false positives recently. As an example, "Club Harmony" (the former "Costa Marina") repeatedly showed up anchored off a Russian port in the Black sea, when she had actually been beached at Alang, already.

I guess one cannot trust the AIS services completely.

Best,

Raoul

Posts: 775 | From: Paderborn, Germany | Registered: Dec 2004 | IP: Logged

rem-dk
First Class Passenger
Member # 5121

posted 12-09-2014 03:26 PM

Thanks again Raoul, I guess you are right.
Many things here are strange, and I must realise this.
I am a freeware user of Marinetraffic and Vesseltracker, and they are not showing the same facts very often.
I wonder if they are better if I upgrade to a pay version.

Best regards
René.

Posts: 268 | From: Fredensborg Denmark | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

r.fiebig
First Class Passenger
Member # 5240

posted 12-15-2014 04:51 AM

Okay, so it appears that the ship has re-appeared. It apparently ran aground off the Philippines December 12th, 2014 after it had run out of fuel.

While the following local news article contains some gross errors ("the cruise ship came from Mexico City in Mexico" ?!?), it also mentions India as its planned destination:

http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2014/12/15/coast-guard -readies-salvage-ops-for-grounded-cruise-ship-in-gensan/

Best,

Raoul

[ 12-15-2014: Message edited by: r.fiebig ]

Posts: 775 | From: Paderborn, Germany | Registered: Dec 2004 | IP: Logged

desirod7
First Class Passenger
Member # 1626

posted 12-15-2014 05:48 AM

Scrapbound Ex NORDIC PRINCE Runs Aground

http://maritimematters.com/2014/12/scrapbound-ex-nordic-prince-runs-aground/

According to the Maritime Bulletin, the 1971-buil PACIFIC (ex NORDIC PRINCE, CAROUSEL, AQUAMARINE, ARIELLE, AQUAMARINE, OCEAN STAR PACIFIC) has run aground off General Santos City in Southern Mindanao, Philippines. The ship (which was disabled by fire off Huatulco, Mexico on a cruise for her last owners under the name OCEAN STAR PACIFIC in April 2011 and subsequently laid up) was reportedly sold for scrap several months ago. There have been a number of conflicting reports about the PACIFIC’s location and status in recent weeks but prevailing wisdom is that she was en route to the shipbreaking yards of Alang, India.

Posts: 5727 | From: Philadelphia, Pa [home of the SS United States] | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged

SSTRAVELER
First Class Passenger
Member # 15170

posted 12-15-2014 04:45 PM

Did the Chinese scrappers ever get the ex. Song of Norway? That was the reports in which case only the Sun Viking would be surviving. That 1970s generation is dropping like flies now.

Posts: 757 | From: New York | Registered: May 2008 | IP: Logged

rd77
First Class Passenger
Member # 2117

posted 12-16-2014 05:10 AM

Hi Allan,

According to Jonathan Boonzaier of Tradewinds, the scrapping of the FORMOSA QUEEN (ex-SONG OF AMERICA) never started, which would mean that she would still be lingering somewhere in China. Wouldn't be the first time that something like that happens.

Posts: 1037 | From: The Hague, Netherlands | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

SSTRAVELER
First Class Passenger
Member # 15170

posted 12-16-2014 11:57 AM

Yes RD I know that Jonathan had been saying that a while back. I wondered if it was still true or if she finally succumb to the torches. He also said that she was in horrible condition because the shipyard botched the early stages of her conversion/ modernization. Given her previous owners track record on maintenance I have to also wonder what condition she was in when she reached China.

By the by we are talking about the Song of Norway not the Song of America which is alive and well sailing for Louis in the Mediterranean.

With Song of Norway' s future doubtful and Nordic Prince stuck on the sand and headed to the beach in Alang if she gets out of her current mess in one piece that leaves only the Sun Viking which seems to have done slightly getter sailing for the Chinese. Also it is sort of funny that the only one that was not stretched is the one that survives.

Posts: 757 | From: New York | Registered: May 2008 | IP: Logged

rem-dk
First Class Passenger
Member # 5121

posted 12-16-2014 02:00 PM

Well, thanks a lot for these updates all of You.
Not good news, but what one could expect about a ship at that age.

Best regards
René.

Posts: 268 | From: Fredensborg Denmark | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

rd77
First Class Passenger
Member # 2117

posted 12-24-2014 06:51 AM

Piet Sinke's Maritime Press Clippings #357 of 23/12/'14 contains a picture of the rather tattered looking PACIFIC (ex-OCEAN STAR PACIFIC) aground in the Philippines. Apparently she is pretty hard aground. Name reports of VICTORY PACIFIC and such appear to be erronous. The picture clearly shows her name is PACIFIC (with the prefix OCEAN STAR very crudely painted out and still more or less readable).

Posts: 1037 | From: The Hague, Netherlands | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Neil - Ex P & O & PRINCESS CRUISES
First Class Passenger
Member # 5641

posted 12-24-2014 01:58 PM

Email Neil - Ex P & O & PRINCESS CRUISES

Some paint may have come off but now she is lisited on the AIS systems as the ' PACIFC ' not the ' PACIFIC ' !
.

[ 12-24-2014: Message edited by: Neil - Ex P. & O. S. N. Company. ]

Posts: 2355 | From: Dunstable, Bedfordshire. 30 miles north of London | Registered: May 2005 | IP: Logged

Galaxy
First Class Passenger
Member # 5160

posted 12-25-2014 12:17 AM

rd77 : Do you have a link ?

Posts: 591 | From: Norway | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

Neil - Ex P & O & PRINCESS CRUISES
First Class Passenger
Member # 5641

posted 12-25-2014 09:06 AM

Hi Galaxy

I have a picture of her aground on my Face book site ' Neil's Cruisingchat '.

I publish news and pictures on cruise ships and other interesting shipping news most days on this site since I left the American ' Cruising Talk ' website where I was the unpaid UK Manager until there was a change of ownership.

This American web site site has changed hands again and I now do publish the odd news item on there again.

I also now operate a free blog type website, with the same name, ' Neil's Cruisingchat ', where you can also add comments.
.

[ 12-25-2014: Message edited by: Neil - Ex P. & O. S. N. Company. ]

Posts: 2355 | From: Dunstable, Bedfordshire. 30 miles north of London | Registered: May 2005 | IP: Logged

SSTRAVELER
First Class Passenger
Member # 15170

posted 12-25-2014 09:53 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Galaxy:
rd77 : Do you have a link ?

Page 17 of this link

http://217.26.101.136/mfa/nieuws/pietsinke/2014/2014_1223.pdf

Posts: 757 | From: New York | Registered: May 2008 | IP: Logged

jetwet1
First Class Passenger
Member # 6361

posted 12-27-2014 06:45 PM

Nothing to really add to the thread, other than being sad at the sight of all the old RCCL ships heading off o the breakers, I spent so much time on them as a kid.

Posts: 608 | From: Las VEgas | Registered: Mar 2006 | IP: Logged

LeBarryboat
First Class Passenger
Member # 5308

posted 01-03-2015 04:04 PM

If you haven't seen this yet, here's my video filmed aboard Nordic Prince / Pacific Star in Mazatlan last year:

http://youtu.be/WXhXEqWKYn0

Posts: 1955 | From: Minnesota | Registered: Jan 2005 | IP: Logged

DAMBROSI2
First Class Passenger
Member # 35998

posted 01-23-2015 02:04 AM

That was a nice video Barry, did you work on the SONG OF NORWAY as well?

Posts: 687 | From: Olney, IL, Move to FL 02/2015, Sailed SS NORWAY 3 xs. /May '99 Orig. Reg. | Registered: Aug 2010 | IP: Logged

BigUFan
First Class Passenger
Member # 1382

posted 01-28-2015 05:34 PM

Thanks for posting that, Barry. The Nordic Prince was the first ship I ever cruised on, so that was a "trip down memory lane" for myself as well. Sad to see her in this shape, and moreso to know that she's to be scrapped, but as others have said, given her age, there's little else to be done.

Posts: 904 | From: Orlando, FL | Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

rd77
First Class Passenger
Member # 2117

posted 01-29-2015 05:11 AM

Pictures of the PACIFIC (ex-NORDIC PRINCE) off Singapore enroute Alang today, 29/1/'15:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/33438735@N08/15775353923/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/33438735@N08/15775353663/in/photostream/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/33438735@N08/15775354063/in/photostream/

[ 01-29-2015: Message edited by: rd77 ]

Posts: 1037 | From: The Hague, Netherlands | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 01-31-2015 06:31 PM

Thanks for those.. one wonders if she will actually make Alang.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

rem-dk
First Class Passenger
Member # 5121

posted 02-01-2015 04:32 AM

According to Vesseltracker she is in Strait of Malacca now.

Best regards
René.

Posts: 268 | From: Fredensborg Denmark | Registered: Oct 2004 | IP: Logged

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