Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Does RCI have a spare $16,000,000 in the bank for 'SUN VIKING'

Ham154

By Ham154,
in Royal Caribbean International

 Share

Recommended Posts

Ham154

Ham154

Posted
Posted

The original 'Sun Viking' is up for sale at $16,000,000. She is still in service in Hong Kong, being used as a casino cruise ship.

She is the only 'original' ship of the line which wasn't messed about with - (cut in half and lengthened).

If I was RCI I'd snap her up and put her back to the original charm that she was in the 70's/80's. Use her as a retro museum piece of original Royal Caribbean cruising - No Windjammers, Chops etc. No 'My Time' Dining - Just the original Main and Second seating. No 'Headliner Showtime' - Just the Cruise Director and team entertaining.

Keep it how it was, many people would love to give it go. I'm a fan of the Oasis class but I'm also a fan of what cruising started from - the personal touch. It doesn't have to be cheap nor expensive - It just has to be sold as a 'Retro Cruise'. 7 or 14 nights around the Caribbean, starting Miami (7 nighters leave the ship Barbados) back to Miami.

The only modern items I'd have are flat screen tv's in cabins and Wifi on the ship for those who need it.

What are your thoughts?!?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
Bob when we went we had nothing to compare with, we were happy to be on a ship, the rear facing crown lounge was awesome. This was when service was the best.

 

 

 

Did this ship have the Viking Crown you had to enter from the outside?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ocean Boy

Ocean Boy

Posted
Posted

What are your thoughts?!?

I think I'd have zero interest in such a ship. I toured the original Pacific Princess (Love Boat) once. I have no desire to go back to a ship remotely resembling that. And a 14 night cruise on it would probably drive me crazy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TikiGod

TikiGod

Posted
Posted

I would take this cruise. My second cruise (and still one of my favorites) was on Premier Cruise Line's Rembrandt, formerly the Rotterdam of Holland America. This ship is 38,645 gross tons and launched in 1958. She still had all the old charm and decor. She also felt every wave. I would love the option to take an "older ship" on occasion that is kept in tiptop condition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dett

Dett

Posted
Posted
Did this ship have the Viking Crown you had to enter from the outside?

We have been on Sun Viking twice. Once was for our honeymoon. And yes, you had to go up stairs on the outside to get to Viking Crown Lounge. And it was very small and only a few seats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
We have been on Sun Viking twice. Once was for our honeymoon. And yes, you had to go up stairs on the outside to get to Viking Crown Lounge. And it was very small and only a few seats.

So it was just sort of an observation lounge. No bar I assume.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted
After what they went through with Empress, they'd probably break out in a cold sweat at the mere thought of bringing it back into the fleet.

Yeah, I'd bet they inspect the kitchens extensively before signing that purchase contract!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rukkian

rukkian

Posted
Posted
First call would be to the bug man. [emoji16]

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

While I am sure there would be some customers wanted this, I am guess it is a small %. There is a reason that most small ships sail with much higher prices, the economy of scale is not there. The much larger boats offer a much higher payout and allow costs to go way down. With a ship this small, they would be have to charge high prices to even break even, and without completely gutting the ship, most people would not be willing to pay suite prices on newer ships for a tiny inside cabin on an older ship just for the nostalgia.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Big_G

Big_G

Posted
Posted
While I am sure there would be some customers wanted this, I am guess it is a small %. There is a reason that most small ships sail with much higher prices, the economy of scale is not there. The much larger boats offer a much higher payout and allow costs to go way down. With a ship this small, they would be have to charge high prices to even break even, and without completely gutting the ship, most people would not be willing to pay suite prices on newer ships for a tiny inside cabin on an older ship just for the nostalgia.
Agree.

 

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ONECRUISER

ONECRUISER

Posted
Posted
While I am sure there would be some customers wanted this, I am guess it is a small %. There is a reason that most small ships sail with much higher prices, the economy of scale is not there. The much larger boats offer a much higher payout and allow costs to go way down. With a ship this small, they would be have to charge high prices to even break even, and without completely gutting the ship, most people would not be willing to pay suite prices on newer ships for a tiny inside cabin on an older ship just for the nostalgia.

You are right. A 7 nite cruise in a tiny porthole cabin on the lowest deck in 1980's was $3600+ back then. Went lot higher, double/triple for better cabins...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
colocop004

colocop004

Posted
Posted

I would probably want to go.....once. My first cruise was on the Big Red Boat. I thought she was the biggest cruise ship out there in 1996. When I woke up the first port day next to an RCI ship (I don't remember the name of) I was in awe. I started calling my ship the Big Red Tug Boat. The not so Big Red Boat was so tiny!! It was that day I started my cruise addiction!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rukkian

rukkian

Posted
Posted
You are right. A 7 nite cruise in a tiny porthole cabin on the lowest deck in 1980's was $3600+ back then. Went lot higher, double/triple for better cabins...

 

$3,600 in 1985 → $8,189.87 in 2017

 

Once you have inflation, that number is nuts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Corby114

Corby114

Posted
Posted

Did a repositioning cruise on the Sun Viking in spring 1995 from Long Beach, California to Vancouver, British Columbia before the ship started it’s Alaska season. The ship at seventeen thousand tons was very small and only carried around six hundred passengers. The ship stopped at San Francisco, Gray’s Harbor, Washington, and Seattle during the seven day voyage. Allure Of The Seas lifeboats are bigger than the Sun Viking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...