July 1st 1970: Keel laid. May 5th 1971: Launched. June 26th 1972: Delivered to Royal Viking Line, Oslo as ROYAL VIKING STAR and installed in cruise service. Manager Fred. Olsen Marine Services AS August 30th - November 22nd 1981: As an alternative to new a new build, lengthened at Seebeckwerft, Bremerhaven. 1988: Sold to Kloster Cruise, Nassau, Bahamas. April 1991: Renamed WESTWARD. April 1994: She was again sold to Royal Cruise Lines, Nassau, Bahamas , renamed STAR ODYSSEY and went into service cruising the Mediterranean. October 1996: FredOlsen Cruise Lines, Nassau, Bahamas, bought her for $55,000,000 and renamed her BLACK WATCH
© Fred Olsen Cruise Lines
November 15th 1996: Made her fist cruise under this banner. March 17th 1997: Re-registered to Hvitsten in Norway
© Fred Olsen Cruise Lines
2001: Re-registered again, this time to Nassau in the Bahamas. She continued to cruise Europe, Mediterranean and Baltic, with port of call Dover. December 15th 2004: The vessel went to the Blohm and Voss shipyard following her 2005 world cruise in April. Her engines, auxiliary engines, gearboxes, and propellers were replaced with more fuel-efficient gear that was installed on new rubber mountings to reduce vibration and noise. More balconies were fitted on the Bridge Deck cabins and a general refurbishing of all public areas was undertaken. It was intended for this refit to expand the life expectancy. April 20th 2005: Arrived at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, Germany. June 11th 2005: Re-engined with a total of four new engines, four exhaust boilers and two gearboxes. New control systems and propeller blades designed to reduce noise and vibration were also fitted along with two auxiliary engines. Additionally, 14 suites with balconies, were being created while existing cabins were upgraded some with new balconies. June 23rd 2005: Expected to return to service with a short cruise to Guernsey and Amsterdam.
 
© Fred Olsen Cruise Lines (left) and © Ray Goodfellow (right)
2006: Registered owner: Partrederiet Fred. Olsen Shipping ANS II. Registered manager: Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
© Nigel Thornton
2008: Still in service with Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines
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Technical Data
History
