MS Sagafjord
Sagafjord in Vancouver
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| Ordered: | 1962-09-24 |
| Builder: | Société Nouvelle des Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, France |
| Cost: | $30 million |
| Yard number: | 1366 |
| Laid down: | 1963-06-19 |
| Launched: | 1965 |
| Maiden voyage: | 1965 |
| In service: | 1965 |
| Out of service: | October 2009 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 6416043 |
| Fate: | Scrapped in 2010 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tonnage: | 24,528 GRT |
| Length: | 189 m (620.1 ft) |
| Beam: | 24.4 m (80.1 ft) |
| Draft: | 8.25 m (27.1 ft) |
| Capacity: | 584 (double occupancy), 620 (full occupancy) |
| Crew: | 350 |
| Notes: | Data from 'Cruise Reviews' and 'Passenger Ship Society' |
MS Sagafjord was an ocean liner built in 1965 by Société Nouvelle des Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée for Norwegian America Line as the combined ocean liner/cruise ship. Between 1983 and 1996 the Sagafjord was operated by Cunard Line. In 1996—1997 she was briefly operated by Transocean Tours as MS Gripsholm prior to being sold to Saga. She was lastly owned and operated by Saga Cruises on worldwide cruises targeted at the senior market out of the United Kingdom, known as the MS Saga Rose . She was retired from service in October 2009.
The Sagafjord was built by Société Nouvelle des Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée, France, who received the original plans and specifications for the vessel from the Norwegian America Line during the summer of 1960. The build contract was undertaken on 24 September 1962 and the keel finally laid on 19 June 1963 before her launch on 13 June 1964. She underwent sea trials from May until September in 1965 and was finally christened on 18 September 1965 Sagafjord in Toulon. The construction of the Sagafjord was so expensive that it put the shipyard out of business.
The Sagafjord undertook her maiden voyage from Oslo to New York City on 2 October to 11 October 1965. At the time she was built to set the mark of luxury. She sailed with Norwegian America Line until 1980. Cruise services operated a loss in the late 1970s and were restructured with the two cruise ships Sagafjord and Vistafjord passing to a new company, Norwegian America Cruises, in 1980. The two ships were sold in 1983/84. The company was taken over by Cunard Line. The ship retained her original name throughout her service with Cunard. Sagafjord was awarded a 5 Stars Plus rating by the Berlitz Cruise Guide and consistently voted amongst the 10 best cruise ships in the world until the early 90's.
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Wikipedia