Viking Serenade

[HunnyBunnyTink]

In 1998 my first cruise was on RCI's Viking Serenade. What ever happened to that ship?

[dougnewmanatsea]

She is now ISLAND ESCAPE with Royal Caribbean subsidiary Island Cruises.

[HunnyBunnyTink]

Thanks for that. I don't really remember the ship as i was very young when i sailed on it but I didn't know that RCI ever had any ships that didnt have 'of the seas' as the end.

[dougnewmanatsea]

I didn't know that RCI ever had any ships that didnt have 'of the seas' as the end.

Their initial three ships were SONG OF NORWAY, NORDIC PRINCE, and SUN VIKING... Then came SONG OF AMERICA, and then SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS.

 

SOVEREIGN was the first "OF THE SEAS" ship and was actually named after a famous sailing ship.

 

After SOVEREIGN came the smaller NORDIC EMPRESS (now EMPRESS OF THE SEAS) and the VIKING SERENADE (the former STARDANCER - the only RCI ship that wasn't built for RCI). When it came time for SOVEREIGN's two sisters, they decided to begin making up their own "OF THE SEAS" names - hence MONARCH OF THE SEAS and MAJESTY OF THE SEAS. From then on, all new RCI ships had "OF THE SEAS" names.

 

The original four ships were all retired between 1995 and 1999. VIKING SERENADE was transferred in 2002 and in 2004 NORDIC EMPRESS was renamed EMPRESS OF THE SEAS, making her the last RCI ship without an "OF THE SEAS" name.

[Druke I]

As always, Host Doug is a wealth of info.

 

We sailed twice on Stardancer ('86 & '87) - and enjoyed it. Quite economical, if I recall correctly.

[LDS4me]

I sailed her in 89 when she was the Stardancer. The link below will help you track older ships.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cruise_ships

[cruiseman40]

Great job! thanks

[julieanne]

I was pregnant when we sailed on Stardancer. My son was 7 when when we sailed on Viking Serenade! So funny.......

[julieanne]

Their initial three ships were SONG OF NORWAY, NORDIC PRINCE, and SUN VIKING... Then came SONG OF AMERICA, and then SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS.

 

SOVEREIGN was the first "OF THE SEAS" ship and was actually named after a famous sailing ship.

 

After SOVEREIGN came the smaller NORDIC EMPRESS (now EMPRESS OF THE SEAS) and the VIKING SERENADE (the former STARDANCER - the only RCI ship that wasn't built for RCI). When it came time for SOVEREIGN's two sisters, they decided to begin making up their own "OF THE SEAS" names - hence MONARCH OF THE SEAS and MAJESTY OF THE SEAS. From then on, all new RCI ships had "OF THE SEAS" names.

 

The original four ships were all retired between 1995 and 1999. VIKING SERENADE was transferred in 2002 and in 2004 NORDIC EMPRESS was renamed EMPRESS OF THE SEAS, making her the last RCI ship without an "OF THE SEAS" name.

Sailed on all three!