MS Princess of Norway

Princess Seaways docked on the River Tyne in September 2014
History
Name:	1986–1993: Peter Pan 1993–2002: Spirit of Tasmania 2002–2003: Spir 2003–2006: Fjord Norway 2006–2011: Princess of Norway 2011 onwards: Princess Seaways
Owner:	1986–1993: TT-Line 1993–2002: TT-Line Pty. Ltd. 2002–2006: Nordsjøferger 2006 onwards: DFDS Seaways
Operator:	1986–1993: TT-Line 1993–2002: TT-Line Pty. Ltd. 2003–2006: Fjord Line 2006 onwards: DFDS Seaways
Port of registry:	1986–1993: Hamburg,  Germany 1993–2002: Devonport  Australia 2002–2006: Bergen  Norway 2006 onwards: Copenhagen  Denmark
Route:	1986–1993: Travemünde–Trelleborg 1993–2002: Devonport-Melbourne 2003–2005: Bergen–Haugesund–Egersund–Hanstholm 2005–2006: Bergen–Stavanger–Newcastle 2006–2007: Newcastle-Stavanger-Haugesund-Bergen 2007 onwards: IJmuiden - North Shields
Ordered:	1985
Builder:	Schichau Unterweser
Yard number:	1058
Launched:	30 November 1985
Completed:	1985
Maiden voyage:	2 June 1986
Identification:	IMO number: 8502391 Call sign: OXED2 MMSI number: 220489000
Status:	In service
General characteristics
Class and type:	Peter Pan class cruiseferry
Tonnage:	31,360
Displacement:	4,110 tonnes deadweight (DWT)
Length:	161 m.
Beam:	27.6 m.
Draft:	6.2 m.
Propulsion:	4 MAK 8M552 diesels of 19,876 kW or 26,655 hp.
Speed:	21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Capacity:	Cabin berths: 1,320 Vehicle capacity: 550 cars Lanemetres: 1,410

MS Princess Seaways is a cruiseferry operated and owned by the Danish shipping company DFDS Seaways on a route connecting North Shields, effectively the port of Newcastle upon Tyne, (being 6 miles to the east of the city), England to IJmuiden in the Netherlands. She was built in 1986 as MS Peter Pan by Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven, Germany for TT-Line. Between 1993 and 2002 the ship was named MS Spirit of Tasmania, owned by the Tasmanian Government and operated by TT-Line Pty. Ltd. and used on traffic across the Bass Strait. In 2002 the ship was sold to Fjord Line, renamed MS Fjord Norway for service from Denmark. In 2006 she was sold to DFDS Seaways, and sailed as MS Princess of Norway before being given her current name in 2011.

MS Princess Seaways was built as the MS Peter Pan (the third ship to bear the name in TT-Line fleet) for TT-Line (Germany) at Schichau Unterweser, Bremerhaven, in 1986. The Peter Pan began operations for the TT-Line on the Travemünde–Trelleborg route on February 6, 1986. In 1990 TT-line (Tasmania) decided it was time to replace the current ferry MS Abel Tasman, so they arranged to buy the large ferry. It was expected they could get the ferry in late 1992 but TT-line (Germany) could not let her go until 1993. She sailed from Germany in October 1993 and began sailing from Devonport to Melbourne late November. She sailed four return trips a week. The crossings were overnight and one day/night and took approximately 15 hours.