Built as a passenger-cargo vessel under yard No 467 by Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp. at Pascagoula, Mississippi for the Moore-McCormack Lines Inc., New York.
06 July 1956 laid down.
16December 1957 launched as the BRASIL, christened by Mrs. Emmet J. McCormack, spouse of the Chairman of the Board. One sister the ARGENTINA.
Tonnage 14,984 grt, 6,026 nrt, 5,696 dwt, dim. 188.2 x 26.9 x 8.00m. (draught), length bpp. 173.7m
Powered by two sts General Electric steam turbines, 35,000 hp, twin shafts, speed 23 knots.
Passenger accommodation for 557 passengers.
05 September 1958 delivered to owners. Building cost US$24,444,181.
12 September 1958 she sailed from New York for her maiden voyage to South America east-coast.
1963 Fitted out for cruising by Bethlehem Steel Comp. at Fort McHenry, accommodation increased for 720 passengers. Her first cruise was in June 1963.
31 July 1969 the BRASIL was laid up at Baltimore, she was uneconomical.
August 1972 sold to NV Volendam (Holland America Lijn), Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles and renamed in VOLENDAM named after a small town in the Dutch province North Holland.
She sailed to Bremerhaven for a refurbishment at the Lloyds Werft.
16 April 1973 she sailed from Rotterdam to New York.
1974 Underwent structural modifications in Hampton Roads, Virginia and was laid up there.
1975 First chartered to Monarch Cruise Line and renamed MONARCH SUN, in the cruise service between Miami, Florida to the Bahamas Islands, then sold in 1976 to Monarch Cruise Line Inc., Panama.
1978 Monarch Cruise Line Inc. was bought by the Holland America Line, the MONARCH SUN was renamed again in VOLENDAM as owner given then NV Volendam, Panama.
1982 The VOLENDAM was registered in Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles. Owner given as Holland America Cruises Inc., Willemstad.
1984 Sold to Banstead Shipping Ltd., Panama and renamed as ISLAND SUN. Used as a hotel ship in Quebec, Canada.
1985 Renamed by the company in LIBERTE. Sailing for the American Hawaii Cruises in Honolulu after refurbished in Sasebo, Japan for a cost of US$25 million.
December 1985 commenced cruises from Papeete, French Polynesia in the waters around the group, the cruises were not economical and the vessel was put on the sale list.
1987 Sold to Orley Shipping Co. Inc. (Bermuda Star Line), Panama and renamed CANADA STAR.
1988 Renamed by owners in QUEEN OF BERMUDA.
11 June 1988 the first cruise from Philadelphia.
1989 Sold to Brasil Caribbean Shipping Co. Inc. Panama after the Bermuda Star Lines consolidated with Commodore Cruise Lines not renamed.
November 1990 refurbished in Avondale. Louisiana and renamed ENCHANTED SEAS.
15 July 1995 she was bought by the Azure Investments. Inc. Panama, not renamed.
After she underwent modification she was chartered by Shipboard Education and renamed UNIVERSE EXPLORER.
27 July 1996 on a cruise from Juneau to Glacier Bay, Alaska with on board 732 passengers and 274 crew she got on fire in the main laundry room in which 5 crewmembers died from smoke inhalation and another 55 crewmembers and 1 passenger sustained injuries. Damage was estimated US$ 1.5 million.
02 August 1996 the ship arrived at Vancouver Dry-dock for repair.
14 August 1996 again in service.
2002 Sold to World Explorer Cruises, Panama, not renamed.
2004 Laid up and registered in Hong Kong, bought by Rikan Shipping Inc., Monrovia. Liberia and renamed UNIVERSE.
19 November 2004 she sailed from Hong Kong for the scrapyard in Alang, India under North Korean flag and registry, homeport Wonsan.
05 December 2004 beached at Alang for demolition.
Ajman 1967 5dh sg139 and 10r sg148, scott? Liberia 1974 3c sg1188, scott664
Tristan da Cunha 2020 2p sg?, scott?
Source: http://www.moore-mccormack.com/SS-Brasi ... meline.htm and various other web-sites.