MS Svea Corona

History
MS Pegasus

Name:	1975–1984: Svea Corona 1984: Sundancer 1984–1994: Pegasus 1994–1995: Ionian Express
Owner:	1975–1981: Rederi AB Svea 1981–1984: Johnson Line 1984: Sundance Cruises 1984: Epirotiki Line 1984–1994: Cosmos Cruises Maritime 1994–1995: Strintzis Line
Operator:	1975–1981: Rederi AB Svea (Silja Line traffic) 1981–1984: Johnson Line (Silja Line traffic) 1984: Sundance Cruises 1984–1985: Laid up/rebuilt 1985–1986: Epirotiki Line 1986: V.T.C. 1986–1987: Laid up 1987–1991: Epirotiki Line 1991–1995: Laid up/rebuilt
Port of registry:	1975–1984: , Sweden 1984: Nassau, Bahamas 1984–1995: Piraeus, Greece
Ordered:	4 June 1973
Builder:	Dubegion-Normandie, Nantes, France
Yard number:	141
Laid down:	18 February 1974
Launched:	19 July 1974
Christened:	23 May 1975 by Mrs Elsa Högberg
Acquired:	19 May 1975
Maiden voyage:	25 May 1975
In service:	25 May 1975
Out of service:	2 June 1991
Identification:	IMO number: 7360186
Fate:	Scrapped in Aliağa 1995
General characteristics (as Svea Corona)
Class and type:	Cruiseferry
Tonnage:	12,573 GRT 1,746 DWT
Length:	153.12 m (502.36 ft)
Beam:	22.33 m (73.26 ft)
Depth:	5.80 m (19.03 ft)
Ice class:	1 A
Installed power:	4 × S.E.M.T-Pielstick 12PC2-2V-400 17,904 kW (combined)
Propulsion:	Two controllable pitch propellers Two bow thrusters
Speed:	22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Capacity:	1,200 passengers 799 berths 240 cars 400 lane meters
General characteristics (as Sundancer)
Class and type:	Cruiseferry
Capacity:	700 passengers 150 cars
General characteristics (as Pegasus)
Class and type:	Cruise ship
Capacity:	810 passengers

MS Svea Corona was a car-passenger ferry built in 1975 by Dubegion-Normandie S.A., Nantes, France for Rederi AB Svea, Sweden for Silja Line traffic. She was later rebuilt as a cruiseship and known under names MS Sundancer and MS Pegasus. She was scrapped in 1995 in Aliağa, Turkey.

MS Svea Corona was the first of the so-called "second generation French sisters" to be built for Silja Line traffic. The first generation French sisters, MS Aallotar and MS Svea Regina were delivered in 1972 and started year-round ferry traffic between Helsinki, the capital of Finland and , the capital of Sweden. After just three years, three new ships of similar but larger construction replaced the first generation ships. The new ships were the Svea Corona and her sisters MS Wellamo and MS Bore Star. These ships started a new era in Baltic Sea ferry traffic, being larger than any previous ferries to have sailed in those waters.

On 24 May 1975, the Svea Corona started service for the Silja Line. She damaged her bow thruster during the maiden voyage, and it was not repaired until 10 June of the same year during an extra docking at Vuosaaren telakka, Helsinki. With all three ships in operation, there wasn't enough passenger traffic on the route to support three ships through the entire year. As an initial solution, the Bore Star was chartered to Finnlines for winter seasons 1975-76 and 1976-77 while Svea Corona and Wellamo served the route as a two-ship operation. During the summer seasons, an unusual schedule allowing two daily departures from each port with three ships was adopted instead of the route's normal one daily departure per port arrangement. On 14 April 1977 there was a bomb threat on board the Svea Corona, but it turned out to be false.

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