EXPLORER cruise vessel 2002

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aukepalmhof
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Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

EXPLORER cruise vessel 2002

Post by aukepalmhof » Thu Jan 29, 2015 4:15 am

For the International Philatelic Havana Cuba Cup 2014, Cuba issued a miniature sheet with in the margin a cruise vessel entering the port of Havana.
The only cruise ship I can find with a blue hull which visited Havana is the EXPLORER and compare the stamp with a photo I believe she is depict. She has a sister but she never visited Cuba so far I can find.
Built under yard No 962 as a cruise vessel by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, Germany for the Royal Olympic Cruises, Piraeus, Greece.
10 July 1999 keel laid down.
19 May 2000 launched as the OLYMPIC EXPLORER, one sister the OLYMPIC VOYAGER.
Tonnage 24,318 grt, 2,500 dwt, dim. 180.40 x 25.50 x 7.30m. (draught), length bpp. 155.0m.
Powered by four Wärtsilä 9L46C diesel engines, 37,800 kW, twin shafts, speed 28 knots. With only two diesel engines running she still can make a speed of 22 knots.
Accommodation for 800 passengers.
09 March 2001 trials.
April 2001 renamed in OLYMPIA EXPLORER.
24 April 2001 sailed out with shipyard workers for a guest cruise.
27 April 2001 the owner refused the ship due to severe vibration problems, but if this was the reason or financial problems by the owner.
25 April 2002 at least was she delivered to Royal Olympic Cruises at Piraeus, under Gibraltar flag.
The same year the company changed his name to Royal Olympia Cruises.

First used for cruises in the Mediterranean, during the winter season she crossed the Atlantic to Port Canaveral, then used for cruises from there to the Caribbean. And east coast of Brazil.
15 January 2003 she passed the Panama Canal from the east to the west for the first time. After a voyage from Los Angeles around Cape Horn to Ft Lauderdale she returned back to the Mediterranean for the summer season commencing on 20 April 2003.
November 2003 she returned again to the USA but after September 11th the cruise industry got a problem with a lack of passengers and due to financial problems the OLYMPIA EXPLORER cancelled her December voyage to Hawaii. In March 2004 the OLYMPIA EXPLORER was seized in Los Angeles and moved to the Long Beach Harbour anchorage.
24 March 2004 she was auctioned and bought by the mortgage holder the German KfW bank, who bought the ship for US$82.7 million.
She was thereafter laid up while the new owner sought a buyer.
28 June 2004 bought by Stella Maritime LLC, Nassau, Bahamas (Management Institute for Shipboard Education, Pittsburgh, USA and renamed EXPLORER.
December 2007 sold to Explorer Maritime LLC, Monte Carlo, Monaco, under Bahamas flag and registry with homeport Nassau.
Used for Semester at Sea and with students she makes voyages which takes about 100 to 110 days around the world in spring and autumn. The summer voyages are mostly shorter between 65 to 70 days. Between the semesters the EXPLORER is used for short voyages between 20 and 30 days.
2015 In service same name and owner, managed by V Ships Leisure SAM, Monaco. IMO No 9183518.

Cuba 2014 1.00p sgMS?, scott?
http://maritimematters.com/2011/04/expl ... niversity/ Equasis. http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/olympia_explorer_2002.htm
Attachments
explorer.jpg
2014 Cuba..JPG

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