MS Ilmatar

MS Ilmatar was a Finnish passenger and car ferry built by the Wärtsilä Hietalahti shipyard in Helsinki for the Finland Steamship Company. Delivered on 15 June 1964, she entered the Finland–Sweden service linking Helsinki or Turku with Stockholm. The vessel was conceived during a transition in Baltic passenger shipping: it retained elements of the traditional two-class liner, including cabins and berths, while adding a mechanically served side-loading car deck. At approximately 5,171 gross register tons, she was the largest ship constructed by the Hietalahti yard at the time. The ship was named Ilmatar after the spirit of the air in the Finnish national epic Kalevala. She was christened in 1963 by Sylvi Kekkonen, wife of Finnish President Urho Kekkonen. Her original design combined a yacht-like profile, a raked bow, rounded stern and a compact superstructure with two narrow exhaust pipes rather than a conventional funnel. The vessel was designed for approximately 1,000 passengers, including 332 passengers accommodated in two classes, and could carry 50 cars. Ilmatar experienced several operational and commercial changes during her Finnish career. She lost her rudder near Mariehamn in 1964, and unusually severe Baltic ice temporarily interrupted service during the winter of 1966. In November 1968 she was involved in a collision with the ferry Botnia in dense fog in the Åland archipelago. Ilmatar's bow struck Botnia's starboard side; six people aboard Botnia died. Ilmatar was repaired and returned to service in December, and her crew was found not to have caused the accident. From 1970, following the restructuring of the Finland Steamship Company, Steamship Company Bore and Rederi AB Svea's joint operations, Ilmatar was marketed as part of the newly created Silja Line network. She was lengthened by 20.04 metres at HDW in Hamburg in 1973. The work increased passenger capacity to 1,210, raised the number of passenger berths to 450, expanded car capacity to 75 vehicles and added engines and propellers that increased her service speed to about 20 knots. The lengthening changed her appearance from a compact yacht-like ferry to a more conventional liner. Ilmatar served several Finland–Germany routes and was chartered to Finnlines from May 1975 to July 1976. After Finland Steamship Company became Effoa in 1976, she was used for cruises aimed at Finnish and German passengers, visiting the Baltic Sea, Norwegian fjords and the Mediterranean. From 1978, Silja Line marketed her cruises, and during the winter of 1978–1979 Wärtsilä rebuilt her as a dedicated cruise ship. The conversion added or improved cabins and introduced a casino, swimming pool, gym, cinema and live-entertainment lounge. Cruise operations ended in 1980 amid restrictions affecting cruise traffic, a major maritime strike and rising crew costs. After a short return to Helsinki–Stockholm service, the ship was sold to Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab on 27 October 1980. She retained the Ilmatar name until 1984, when she was sold to Grundstad Maritime Overseas, renamed Viking Princess and placed under the Crown Cruise Line. She cruised from San Diego to Mexico and later from West Palm Beach to the Caribbean. Following the owners' bankruptcy, she was laid up in 1995. In 1997 the vessel was renamed Palm Beach Princess and used for casino cruises from the Port of Palm Beach in Riviera Beach, Florida. She generally operated twice-daily gambling cruises for more than a decade, despite multiple ownership changes. Mechanical problems, mounting debt, missed sailings and labor disputes brought the operation to an end around 2010. A proposed use as a floating hotel in Haiti did not restore the service. Crew members reported unpaid wages, and some Filipino workers were repatriated with assistance from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration. The ship left Palm Beach in April 2010 with a skeleton crew and was ultimately sold for scrap. Reports in 2011 indicated a sale to Imperial Ships LLC, while later observations placed the vessel at a scrapyard in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Demolition was visible by late 2014, and the ship was fully dismantled sometime in late 2015.

In the early 1960s, the Finland Steamship Company commissioned a new vessel for its Finland–Sweden traffic, operated in cooperation with Steamship Company Bore, Rederi AB Svea and Siljavarustamo. The resulting ship was built at Wärtsilä Hietalahti in Helsinki and launched on 29 October 1963. She was christened Ilmatar, a name drawn from the Kalevala, and delivered on 15 June 1964. The vessel represented a compromise between a conventional two-class passenger liner and the emerging car ferry. She had passenger cabins and berths, a shared dining room and class-based accommodation, but also a side-loading car arrangement capable of carrying 50 vehicles. Her planned capacity was about 1,000 passengers. The ship initially operated from Helsinki or Turku to Stockholm and also undertook short cruises from Stockholm to Mariehamn. A rudder failure occurred near Mariehamn in 1964, while heavy Baltic ice disrupted service during the winter of 1966. On 28 November 1968, Ilmatar collided with Siljavarustamo's Botnia in heavy fog near Långnäs in the Åland archipelago. Although the ships were in radar and radio contact and had agreed how to pass, Botnia moved to the wrong side of the channel. Ilmatar's bow struck Botnia's starboard side, killing six people aboard Botnia. Ilmatar was able to proceed to Turku, where she was repaired and returned to service on 8 December. The Ilmatar crew was found innocent of causing the collision. In 1970, the participating shipping companies reorganized their joint marketing under Silja Line, and Ilmatar began to be promoted as part of that fleet. The ship was lengthened at HDW Hamburg in 1973 by 20.04 metres. Her passenger capacity rose to 1,210, her berth capacity to 450 and her car capacity to 75. Additional propulsion machinery and propellers improved speed, while the exterior became more liner-like. She also received additional passenger spaces and later refits added cabins and other facilities. Ilmatar operated on Finland–Germany routes and was chartered to Finnlines between May 1975 and July 1976. After the Finland Steamship Company changed its name to Effoa, she was assigned increasingly to cruises for Finnish and German markets. These voyages covered the Baltic Sea, Norwegian fjords and the Mediterranean. Silja Line assumed cruise marketing from 1978, and the vessel underwent a substantial conversion at Wärtsilä during the winter of 1978–1979. The work created a more complete cruise product, with remodeled cabins, a casino, swimming pool, gym, cinema and entertainment lounge. The cruise phase proved short-lived. Restrictions on cruise traffic associated with the Soviet Union, the maritime strike of 1980 and higher crew costs contributed to the end of the service in June 1980. Following a brief return to Helsinki–Stockholm operations, Ilmatar was sold on 27 October 1980 to Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab. She kept her name and cruised around Europe until being laid up at Toulon in November 1982. In 1984, Grundstad Maritime Overseas acquired the ship, renamed her Viking Princess and registered her under the Panamanian flag. Under Crown Cruise Line colors, she first operated between San Diego and Mexico and later sailed from West Palm Beach to the Caribbean. The owners entered bankruptcy and the vessel was laid up in October 1995. The ship was sold again in November 1997 and became Palm Beach Princess. Under Palm Beach Casino Line branding, she operated casino cruises from the Port of Palm Beach, generally making two daily gambling voyages. This service continued through multiple ownership changes for roughly twelve years. By late 2009 and early 2010, mechanical failures, debt, missed voyages and labor disputes undermined the business. The main engine had failed, tugboats were needed for port movements, and crew members reported unpaid wages. A proposed plan to use the vessel as a floating hotel for relief workers in Haiti did not lead to a sustained new operation. In 2010, Filipino crew members were repatriated after the vessel stopped sailing, while a smaller crew remained during the ship's departure from Palm Beach. The vessel was later associated with Imperial Ships LLC and sold for demolition. Although there was uncertainty about the timing of scrapping, the ship was observed at Santo Domingo, where dismantling became visible in late 2014. It was fully dismantled by late 2015.

• 2015

  Dismantling completed

  [1]MS Ilmataren.wikipedia.org

  The former Ilmatar was dismantled at or near a scrapyard in Santo Domingo by late 2015.

• 2010

  Casino cruises cease

  [1]MS Ilmataren.wikipedia.org

  Mechanical failures, debt and labor problems brought the Palm Beach operation to an end.

• 1997

  Renamed Palm Beach Princess

  [1]MS Ilmataren.wikipedia.org

  The ship entered Palm Beach casino-cruise service under the Palm Beach Casino Line identity.

• 1984

  Renamed Viking Princess

  [1]MS Ilmataren.wikipedia.org

  The vessel was sold to Grundstad Maritime Overseas, renamed Viking Princess and deployed by Crown Cruise Line.

• 1980

  Sale to Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab

  [1]MS Ilmataren.wikipedia.org

  After cruise operations ended, Ilmatar was sold on 27 October for a reported $6.5 million.

• 1979

  Conversion to a cruise ship

  [1]MS Ilmataren.wikipedia.org

  A Wärtsilä reconstruction added cruise facilities and more luxurious accommodation.

• 1975

  Finnlines charter

  [1]MS Ilmataren.wikipedia.org

  Ilmatar was chartered to Finnlines from 25 May 1975 until 6 July 1976 for Helsinki–Copenhagen–Travemünde service.

• 1973

  Major lengthening

  [1]MS Ilmataren.wikipedia.org

  HDW Hamburg extended the ship by 20.04 metres and upgraded her passenger, vehicle and propulsion capabilities.

• 1970

  Silja Line marketing begins

  [1]MS Ilmataren.wikipedia.org

  Following a restructuring of joint operations, Ilmatar began to be marketed as part of the Silja Line fleet.

• 1968

  Collision with Botnia

  [1]MS Ilmataren.wikipedia.org

  A collision in fog in the Åland archipelago killed six people aboard Botnia. Ilmatar returned to service after repairs in December.

• 1964

  Delivery and entry into service

  [1]MS Ilmataren.wikipedia.org

  Ilmatar was delivered to the Finland Steamship Company on 15 June and entered Finland–Sweden passenger and car ferry service.

• 1963

  Launch and christening

  [1]MS Ilmataren.wikipedia.org

  The vessel was launched at Wärtsilä Hietalahti in Helsinki on 29 October and christened Ilmatar.

A mid-century Finnish passenger-and-car ferry that evolved into a European cruise ship and later a Florida casino-cruise vessel.

• Passenger and car ferry · 1963

  MS Ilmatar

  The original vessel was a Finnish passenger-and-car ferry built for Finland–Sweden traffic. It combined two-class accommodation and passenger berths with a side-loading car deck. Following its 1973 lengthening, it carried up to 1,210 passengers and 75 cars, with increased propulsion capacity and a higher service speed.

• Cruise ship · 1979

  Ilmatar cruise ship

  During the 1978–1979 reconstruction, the ferry was adapted for dedicated cruise service. Cabins were rebuilt and the ship received a casino, swimming pool, gym, cinema, lounge and live entertainment. It served Baltic, northern European and Mediterranean cruise markets before the cruise program ended in 1980.

• International cruise ship · 1984

  Viking Princess

  From 1984, the ship operated under the Viking Princess name in Crown Cruise Line colors. Her itineraries initially connected San Diego with Mexico and later ran from West Palm Beach to the Caribbean. The vessel was laid up after the owners' bankruptcy in 1995.

• Casino cruise ship · 1997

  Palm Beach Princess

  Renamed Palm Beach Princess in 1997, the vessel operated casino cruises from the Port of Palm Beach. The service generally consisted of twice-daily gambling voyages and continued under several owners until mechanical, financial and labor problems ended operations around 2010.

• 2010

  Attempted redeployment as a floating hotelStrategy

  Background

  The Palm Beach casino operation had stopped amid engine problems, missed voyages, debt and crew wage disputes.

  Action taken

  Company officials discussed converting the ship into a floating hotel in Haiti for relief workers.

  Aftermath

  The proposal did not produce a sustained operating future, and the ship was eventually sent toward demolition.

  Source

• 1997

  Shift to Palm Beach casino cruisingStrategy

  Background

  Following the ship's earlier cruise career and a period of lay-up, a new owner redeployed her in the Florida casino-cruise market.

  Action taken

  The vessel was renamed Palm Beach Princess and operated gambling cruises from the Port of Palm Beach.

  Aftermath

  The ship continued generally twice-daily casino voyages for more than a decade before mechanical and financial problems ended the service.

  Source

• 1984

  Sale and renaming as Viking PrincessM&A

  Background

  After more than a year laid up at Toulon, the vessel changed ownership.

  Action taken

  Grundstad Maritime Overseas acquired the ship, renamed her Viking Princess and placed her in Crown Cruise Line service.

  Aftermath

  The vessel entered North American and Caribbean cruise markets.

  Source

• 1980

  Sale to Vesteraalens DampskibsselskabM&A

  Background

  Cruise service was discontinued amid traffic restrictions, a maritime strike and rising crew costs.

  Action taken

  The vessel was sold on 27 October 1980 to Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab and later used for European cruises.

  Aftermath

  She retained the Ilmatar name until her later sale and renaming as Viking Princess.

  Reported sale price. $6.5 million (27 October 1980)

  Source

• 1979

  Conversion into a dedicated cruise shipProduct launch

  Background

  Silja Line was marketing Ilmatar's cruises, and the vessel was being used increasingly for leisure itineraries rather than regular ferry traffic.

  Action taken

  Wärtsilä rebuilt cabins and installed cruise amenities including a casino, pool, gym, cinema and entertainment lounge.

  Aftermath

  The ship operated as a cruise vessel for a short period before cruise service ended in 1980.

  Source

• 1973

  Lengthening and propulsion upgradeGeneration change

  Background

  The original vessel was considered too small for its intended traffic and needed greater passenger and vehicle capacity.

  Action taken

  HDW Hamburg added 20.04 metres, expanded accommodation and car capacity, and installed additional engines and propellers.

  Aftermath

  The ship could carry more passengers and cars and achieved a service speed of approximately 20 knots.

  Source

1. 1MS Ilmataren.wikipedia.org