From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia MS Dunnottar Castle
MS Dunnottar Castle
Career Construction and war service
Name: Dunnottar Castle (1936-1958) The ship was originally built by Harland & Wolff of
Victoria (1958-1975) Belfast in 1936 as the Union-Castle liner Dunnottar Cas-
The Victoria (1976-1993) tle. She had a gross tonnage of 15,054 tons. She departed
Princesa Victoria (1993-2004)
on her maiden voyage from Southampton to Cape Town
Operator: Union-Castle (1936-1958) in July 1936. Upon her return, she commenced her reg-
Incres SS Co (1958-1964) ular service, Tilbury (London) - Africa, serving as supply
Clipper Line (1964-1975)
ship for St. Helena.
Chandris Lines (1975-1993)
Louis Cruise Lines (1993-2004) At the outbreak of the war, Dunnottar Castle was con-
verted into an armed merchant cruiser by the Royal
Builder: Harland and Wolff Navy. She departed on her first tour of duty on 14 Oc-
Yard 959 tober 1939. In 1942, she commenced duties as troop ship
number: until 1948, when she was decommissioned from Naval
service. She immediately received a comprehensive
Laid down: 1935
overhaul and resumed her London to Africa service in
Launched: 25 January 1936 1949, which continued for the next nine years.
Maiden July 1936
voyage: Career as cruise liner
Out of 2004 Dunnottar Castle was bought by Incres Steamship Co in
service:
1958 and substantially refitted as a cruise liner at the
Fate: Scrapped at Kumar Steel Breakers Yard in Wilton-Fijenoord shipyard near Rotterdam. The ship re-
India ceived a new engine, new superstructure and a new
General characteristics raked bow, changing her overall appearance significant-
ly. The first and tourist class cabins were reconstructed
Tonnage: 15,007 GRT as built into 600 single-class cabins with private facilities and air-
conditioning. Incres renamed her Victoria and ran her out
Length: 560ft. (174m.) as built
of New York on West Indies cruises.
Beam: 72ft. (22m.) as built In 1964, she was sold to Victoria SS Co Monrovia, a
Draft: 22.2ft. (8.1m) subsidiary of Swedish company Clipper Line from Malmo.
She retained both her name and service. Incres Line con-
Propulsion: Burmeister & Wain Diesels as built, in 1959 tinued as agents for the ship. For eleven years, Victoria
refitted with Fiat diesel-engines
made cruises from the United States to the Caribbean.
Speed: 18 knots In 1975, the company sold her to Chandris Lines and
she ran on Caribbean and European cruises until 1993
Capacity: 285 first class, 250 tourist class as built, 696
single-class at the time of scrapping with a minor refurbishment in 1987.
Crew: 250 as built
Final years
The MS Dunnottar Castle was the original name of a twin- The ship’s final incarnation was as the Princesa Victoria
screw passenger ship built in 1936 and more widely making 2 and 3-day cruises from Cyprus under the own-
known under her later name Victoria or The Victoria. Vic- ership of Louis Cruise Lines. During the winter seasons,
toria was a cruise liner first operated by the Incres Princesa Victoria was laid up in Perama. She was used as a
Steamship Co and later by Chandris Lines in the shore-side hotel-ship for Expo ’98 and for the G8 summit
Caribbean Sea. Victoria was sold to Louis Cruise Lines in in Genoa in 2001.
1993 which operated the ship as Princesa Victoria until it Finally, the ship was laid up in 2002 and broken up
was scrapped in India in 2004. Victoria retained a classic in 2004 at the Kumar Steel Breakers Yard in India. At the
liner look with several features unchanged since her pre- time, she was the oldest large liner still operating any-
war construction for her entire operational life. where in the world.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia MS Dunnottar Castle
References • Chandris lines fleet [3]
• Pictures of the various incarnations of the Victoria [4]
• Maritime Matters website [1] • Detailed timeline Dunnottar Castle - Victoria -
• ss Maritime website [2] Princesa Victoria [5]
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MS_Dunnottar_Castle&oldid=416122313"
Categories:
• Belfast-built ships
• Ocean liners
• Cruise ships
• Ships of the Union-Castle Line
• Ships of Louis Cruise Lines
• 1936 ships
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