I remember going on it in 2002 and because it looked so striking compared to other ferries I just assumed it was brand new, even though at that point it hardly was. Shame I can't remember much else.
Recently, Celestyal Cruises posted an official statement that the Crystal had (after all) not been sold to the Japanese - although they haven't put the ship back on active duty and have not answered questions regarding what is now happening to her.
A few corrections to the story: M/S Viking Saga - along with her sister M/S Viking Song (today M/S Regina Baltica of Balearia) - were ordered by Rederi Ab Sally, which was one of 3 owners of Viking Line at the time. In mid-1980`s Rederi Ab Sally ran into financial troubles due to their side businesses in the English Channel & Caribbean - and eventually landed in the ownership of the rival company Silja Line. Even before the change of the ownership the other owners of Viking Line - SF-Line (the current Viking Line) & Rederi Ab Slite - were getting fed up with RAB Sally and threw them out of Helsinki-Stockholm -line by bringing two new vessels to the route: ”Mariella” of SF-Line in 1985 (replacing ”Viking Song”) and her sister ”Olympia” of RAB Slite in 1986 (replacing ”Viking Saga”). ”Viking Song” was sold to Fred Olsen, but ”Viking Saga” _remained_ in the ownership of Sally and was converted to ”Sally Albatross”. By the time the ship was rebuilt after the fire, Sally was no more than subsidiary of Silja Line but kept the own brand - until the Porkkala accident. After that the ship again _remained_ in the ownership of Silja Line but was leased out to first sail in the Caribbean as ”Leeward” and later in Far East as ”Superstar Taurus”. In 2002 the ship _returned_ to Silja Line after the lease with Star Cruises ended and was renamed ”Silja Opera”. Sidenote: one of my favourite ships (the 1992 version), though I only made one Helsinki-Tallinn -cruise with my parents onboard her as ”Sally Albatross” in 1993 and two Helsinki-Visby -cruises as ”Silja Opera” (2002 & 2003).
I understand you, but, try to also remember, that knowledge is all after the fact. Many ro/ro’s operated safely like that back then. And Estonia did have a camera on the ramp so the Deck Officers quite possibly would have been aware of what had happened down there.
@@alannewman85 Yeah, but the cameras were inside, and the intact drive ramp covered what took place with the vizor outside, until it was too late. The small leak that occured was not taken seriously enough, which is one of the human errors. Wondered the stupid superstruckture and bridge positioning already when I traveled aboard Viking Sally some 1987ish...
The ship was much unlucky. We have some parts of that ship in our own ship. E.g. metal handrailings from a Sallys nightclub. Railings have been colored by the fire.😅
I remember seeing Sally Albatross after she got the more streamlined shape and I was amazed at how good she looked compared to before. The redesign of the front and the addition of black lines on her structure really made a big difference. Unfortunately, it didn't last long.
That fire It reminds me of the stern of the scandinavian star. The way the doors were open & the ventilation pulled the fire around. It was insurance fraud on a large scale.
You forgotten that The ship was owned by starcruises from 2000-2002 The ship was named superstar taurus Here is more information The ship was owned by Crown Jewel, Inc and renamed her leeward 1995-2000
A ship with more lives than a cat.
Back at 1994, she was my favourite ship as that 1992 redesign looked superb.
Birka Princess (MS Freja) later Sea Diamond in the backgroung entering to Stocholm. She later came to rest by Santorini island in 2007.
I saw the ship after she had grounded, when I traveled to Stockholm on another ferry. I remember the big cranes.
I didn't know she still exists.
I lived across the Stocckholm inlet from Finnboda docks, and I remember the fire aboard her.
This ship is a real warrior, and a lucky one, other ship are wrecked, she fighting and comes back on the sea's.
'She had a successful career under Silja Line' - me thinking yeah, she didn't sink or burn down once 😂
only crashed lightly several times at St. Petersburg
I remember going on it in 2002 and because it looked so striking compared to other ferries I just assumed it was brand new, even though at that point it hardly was. Shame I can't remember much else.
Great video!
Thanks!
Recently, Celestyal Cruises posted an official statement that the Crystal had (after all) not been sold to the Japanese - although they haven't put the ship back on active duty and have not answered questions regarding what is now happening to her.
A few corrections to the story:
M/S Viking Saga - along with her sister M/S Viking Song (today M/S Regina Baltica of Balearia) - were ordered by Rederi Ab Sally, which was one of 3 owners of Viking Line at the time.
In mid-1980`s Rederi Ab Sally ran into financial troubles due to their side businesses in the English Channel & Caribbean - and eventually landed in the ownership of the rival company Silja Line. Even before the change of the ownership the other owners of Viking Line - SF-Line (the current Viking Line) & Rederi Ab Slite - were getting fed up with RAB Sally and threw them out of Helsinki-Stockholm -line by bringing two new vessels to the route: ”Mariella” of SF-Line in 1985 (replacing ”Viking Song”) and her sister ”Olympia” of RAB Slite in 1986 (replacing ”Viking Saga”). ”Viking Song” was sold to Fred Olsen, but ”Viking Saga” _remained_ in the ownership of Sally and was converted to ”Sally Albatross”.
By the time the ship was rebuilt after the fire, Sally was no more than subsidiary of Silja Line but kept the own brand - until the Porkkala accident. After that the ship again _remained_ in the ownership of Silja Line but was leased out to first sail in the Caribbean as ”Leeward” and later in Far East as ”Superstar Taurus”.
In 2002 the ship _returned_ to Silja Line after the lease with Star Cruises ended and was renamed ”Silja Opera”.
Sidenote: one of my favourite ships (the 1992 version), though I only made one Helsinki-Tallinn -cruise with my parents onboard her as ”Sally Albatross” in 1993 and two Helsinki-Visby -cruises as ”Silja Opera” (2002 & 2003).
In her original appearance she resembled Estonia!
Yeah, the same utterly senseless positioning of the superstruckture, not to see the tip of the front vizor from the bridge.
I understand you, but, try to also remember, that knowledge is all after the fact. Many ro/ro’s operated safely like that back then. And Estonia did have a camera on the ramp so the Deck Officers quite possibly would have been aware of what had happened down there.
@@alannewman85 Yeah, but the cameras were inside, and the intact drive ramp covered what took place with the vizor outside, until it was too late.
The small leak that occured was not taken seriously enough, which is one of the human errors.
Wondered the stupid superstruckture and bridge positioning already when I traveled aboard Viking Sally some 1987ish...
Yes, it all seems tragically obvious in retrospect. It was comparable with Herald Of Free Enterprise since the doors could no be seen from the bridge.
In some ways with the blocky super structure, however parts of her exterior and much of her interior layout was very different to the Estonia
The ship was much unlucky.
We have some parts of that ship in our own ship. E.g. metal handrailings from a Sallys nightclub. Railings have been colored by the fire.😅
Haha nice! 😁
Certainly makes you think twice about any ship you step on to.
It had also bow visor accident similar to Estonia right on first year 1980, I wrote more about it on my own comment..
I remember seeing Sally Albatross after she got the more streamlined shape and I was amazed at how good she looked compared to before. The redesign of the front and the addition of black lines on her structure really made a big difference. Unfortunately, it didn't last long.
Nice history, but hard to read all white-grey comments on grey video..better contrast please🙂
Thank you! And thanks for the feedback, I will fix that for the next video 😄
@@TheShipChannel narrator would be even better because i find it quite difficult to read carefully and watch the current footage at the same time.
@@TheShipChannel and those jeans a little lower. youtube's own texts cover some of the texts.
Luckily we still have her sister, currently named the Regina Baltica still sailing, still looking very similar to how she looked originally.
I’m glad that Regina Baltica is more lucky than Crystal
That fire It reminds me of the stern of the scandinavian star.
The way the doors were open & the ventilation pulled the fire around.
It was insurance fraud on a large scale.
Good summary, but a significant part of her life as Leeward with Norwegian Cruise Line has completely been omitted in this summary.
Thank you! And that’s completely on me, I simply missed that part for some reason, but I’ll make sure to do better in the next video!
3:20 sea diamond (birka)
You forgotten that The ship was owned by starcruises from 2000-2002 The ship was named superstar taurus
Here is more information
The ship was owned by Crown Jewel, Inc and renamed her leeward 1995-2000
Bro turned into a fact channel :P
Jaaa men vafan folk verkar ju kolla så xd
The text is sadly mostly illegible:-(
That might on depend on the device you’re using, but I’ll put the text further up in the next video!
I had no problems reading it.