 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | |
| Name |
|
| Owner |
|
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry | |
| Route | New York – Nassau – Bermuda (1951–67) |
| Builder | Vickers-Armstrong, High Walker |
| Cost | £2,500,000 |
| Yard number | 119 |
| Launched | 27 July 1950 |
| Completed | March 1951 |
| Maiden voyage | 3 May 1951 |
| Out of service |
|
| Identification |
|
| Honours & awards | American Academy of Designing Gold Medal |
| Fate | Caught fire & sank, 1981 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | ocean liner |
| Tonnage | 13,654 GRT, 7,135 NRT, 4,905 DWT |
| Length |
|
| Beam | 72.2 ft (22.0 m) |
| Draught | 24 ft 0 in (7.32 m) |
| Depth | 35.8 ft (10.9 m) |
| Decks | 3 |
| Installed power | 11,500shp |
| Propulsion | |
| Speed | 18 knots (33 km/h) |
| Capacity | 414 ×1st class passengers |
| Crew | about 250 |
| Sensors & processing systems | wirelessdirection finding,echo sounding device,gyrocompass,radar |
Ocean Monarch was apassengersteamship that was built by Vickers-Armstrongs in 1950. She served withFurness Bermuda Line for fifteen years, then with a Bulgarian company for three years, renamedVarna. She spent much of the 1970s laid up, and was renamedVenus and thenRiviera. In the early 1980s, she was renamedReina del Mar and refitted for further use as a cruise ship, but a fire gutted her; and she was scuttled on 1 June 1981 after another fire broke out.
Ocean Monarch was built byVickers-Armstrongs Ltd,High Walker,[1] at a cost of£2,500,000.[2] She was yard number 119, and was launched on 27 July 1950, with completion in March 1951.[3] She was the first postwar-built ship designed especially for the American cruise market. Accommodations were for 414 first class passengers only.Ocean Monarch was awarded a gold medal by the American Institute for Designing for her "outstanding beauty and unusual design features of a cruise ship".[4]
Ocean Monarch served the New York – Bermuda route. As well as conveying passengers she was used to supply fresh drinking water to the island. She served withFurness Withy via subsidiaryFurness Bermuda Line until 1966. On 22 September she was laid up in theRiver Fal,Cornwall.[5]
In 1967, she was sold toNavigation Maritime Bulgare and renamedVarna.[3] Operated by Balkantourist,Varna,[5] She was used on cruises fromMontreal,Canada.[1]Varna was laid up in 1970 atPerama, Greece.[5] In 1973,Varna was chartered by Sovereign Cruises, but only made two voyages with them. She was then laid up again.[1] Her name was changed toVenus in 1977,[3] andRiviera in 1978.[1] in 1979, she was refurbished for use by Trans-Tirreno Express.[5]
She was chartered by SUR-Seereisen,Germany,[5] who announced a series of Mediterranean cruises to take place in summer 1981. Her name was changed toReina del Mar. Before these cruises took place the ship was renovated. On 28 May 1981, a fire broke out which completely gutted the passenger accommodation.[1] The ship was towed out ofAmbelakia, where the renovation was being carried out.[3] The tow parted andReina del Mar ran aground onSalamina Island. After being refloated,[5] she was moored nearRasa Sayang, which had also been gutted by fire.[1] On 1 June 1981,[3] a new fire broke out onReina del Mar, and she was then scuttled offKynosoura.[5]
The ship had a crew of about 250 and had berths for up to 414 passengers,[6] all first class.[2] Herlength overall was 561 feet 1 inch (171.02 m), and her beam was 72.2 ft (22.0 m).[5]
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1981 | |
|---|---|
| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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