Island Escape

Ocean Gala as Island Escape at Madeira
History
Name:	1982–1985: Scandinavia 1985–1990: Stardancer 1990–2002: Viking Serenade 2002–2015: Island Escape 2015–Present: Ocean Gala
Owner:	1982–1985: DFDS 1985–1987: Sundance Cruises 1987–1988: Admiral Cruises 1988–1990: Royal Admiral Cruises 1990–2002: Wilh. Wilhelmsen 2002–2015: Island Cruises 2015-present: Cruise Holdings Inc
Operator:	1982–1983: Scandinavian World Cruises 1983–1985: DFDS Seaways 1985–1987: Sundance Cruises 1987–1988: Admiral Cruises 1988–1990: Royal Admiral Cruises 1990–2002: Royal Caribbean International 2002–2009: Island Cruises 2009–2015: Thomson Cruises 2015-present: US Shipmanagers
Port of registry:	1982–1991: Nassau,  Bahamas 1991–2002: Monrovia,  Liberia 2002 onwards: Nassau,  Bahamas
Builder:	Dubigeon-Normandie S.A., Nantes, France
Cost:	$100 million
Yard number:	164
Laid down:	April 6, 1981
Launched:	October 16, 1981
Christened:	September 28, 1982
Acquired:	August 20, 1982
In service:	October 2, 1982-2015
Identification:	Call sign: C6SK4 IMO number: 8002597 MMSI number: 311368000
Status:	Out of service.
General characteristics (as built, 1981)
Type:	cruiseferry
Tonnage:	26,747 GT 4,294 DWT
Length:	185.25 m (607 ft 9 in)
Beam:	27.01 m (88 ft 7 in)
Draught:	6.80 m (22 ft 4 in)
Installed power:	2 × B&W 9L55GFCA diesels combined 19,850 kW
Propulsion:	Twin propellers
Speed:	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Capacity:	1,606 passengers 1,606 passenger berths 530 cars 51 trailers
General characteristics (as of 2009)
Type:	cruise ship
Tonnage:	40,171 GT
Length:	623 ft (190 m)
Draught:	7.20 m (23 ft 7 in)
Decks:	9 (passenger accessible)
Capacity:	1,544 passengers (lower berths) 1,740 passengers (all berths) 768 cabins
Crew:	540
Notes:	Car and trailer space converted into cabin space

MV Ocean Gala is a floating hotel that was formerly owned and operated by Thomson Cruises as the cruise ship MS Island Escape under their Island Cruises brand. She was built in 1982 by Dubigeon-Normandie S.A., Nantes, France for Scandinavian World Cruises (a subsidiary of DFDS) as the cruiseferry MS Scandinavia. At the time of her construction, she was the largest cruiseferry in the world. After being withdrawn from Scandinavian World Cruises, she briefly sailed for DFDS Seaways. Between 1985 and 1990, she sailed for Sundance Cruises and Admiral Cruises as MS Stardancer. In 1990, the ship was sold to Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and renamed MS Viking Serenade. Between January and June 1991, she was converted into a genuine cruise ship at the former Southwest Marine Shipyard in San Diego, California. The car deck was turned into a passenger deck. In 2002, she was transferred to the fleet of Royal Caribbean's new subsidiary Island Cruises. Island Escape joined the fleet of Thomson Cruises in April 2009, but retained her name and continued with her more informal style of buffet restaurants and relaxed dress code.

Island Escape operated in the Canary Islands and the Western Mediterranean under Thomson Cruises. In November 2010, Thomson was scheduled to spend a further £4 million in refurbishing Island Escape. Thomson Cruises has operated the Island Escape under their all-inclusive Island Cruises since starting March 2013. In 2016, Thomson cruises will replace Island Escape with Splendour of the Seas.

It was erroneously reported on 5 December 2015 that she has been sold to Diamond Cruise, a startup cruise line aiming to operate out of Shanghai.

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