MS Isabella

MS "Isabella" is a cruiseferry owned and operated by the Finland-based Viking Line. She was built in 1989 by Brodogradiliste Split in Split, Yugoslavia for SF Line, one of the partners in the Viking Line consortium. As of September 2008 she serves on the Turku—Mariehamn/Långnäs—Stockholm route.

Consept and construction

The "Isabella" was the second of two sister ships ordered by SF Line from Brodogradiliste Split in Split, Yugoslavia for Viking Line service (the first sister being MS|Amorella). Order for the "Isabella" was placed on 1986-02-04, her keep was laid on 1987-09-15, and she was launched on 1988-08-13. Delivery to SF Line took place on 1989-06-15, and on 1989-06-20 the ship left Yugoslavia for Finland.

ervice history

Prior to entering service the "Isabella" visited Pori, Finland where the ship was displayed to the public on 1989-07-03. She had originally been planned to replace MS "Rosella" on the Naantali—Mariehamn—Kapellskär route, but the authorities of Kapellskär failed to modernise the port of the town to accommodate a ship of such large size.Fact|date=September 2008 As a result, when delivered the ship was placed on a new Naantali—Stockholm route for the northern hemisphere summer season, and 24 hour cruises from Helsinki for the rest of the year.

In spring 1992 the ship was rebuilt at Naantali with a new skybar on deck 11, new cabins in place of the former second cardeck on deck 5 and her livery was slightly altered by the addition of a red stripe running along the windows of deck 6. After the 1992 summer season SF Line decided to terminate the Naantali—Stockholm service and the Isabella was placed on the Helsinki cruise route all year round. In summer 1993 she made a handful of cruises from Helsinki to Visby. After the 1994 summer season "Isabella" swapped routes with MS "Cinderella" and served Helsinki—Stockholm for the next three years. During the summer of 1996, instead of spending the day in Helsinki she made short 'picnic' cruises to Tallinn. These proved to be unprofitable and were terminated after the single season.

In 1997 Viking Line placed "Isabella"'s newly-purchased sister MS "Gabriella" on the Helsinki—Stockholm route and "Isabella" joined "Amorella" on the Turku—Mariehamn—Stockholm route. After this "Isabella" has occasionally sailed on the Helsinki route when the normal ships of that route have been docked. She was rebuilt with rear sponsons at Naantali in 2000.

In September 2007 the ship was again docked at Naantali. Her tax-free shop, pub and disco were completely rebuilt, and two restaurants based on new concepts replaced two earlier restaurants. In the future Viking Line plan to refurbish all of the ship's cabins as a part of their large-scale fleet rebuilding programme. [fi icon [http://www.vikingline.fi/yritysinfo/lehdistotiedotteet/tuotteet_071004_laadunkehitys.asp Viking Line press release: Viking Linella merkittävä laadunkehitysohjelma] , retrieved 23. 10. 2007]

Decks

As built, 1989

# Unknown
# Inside cabins
# Car deck
# Car deck (hydraulic platform that can be lowered to divide the car deck in two)
# Outside and inside cabins, car deck
# Sauna, hot tubs, swimming pool, outside and inside cabins
# Cafeteria, children's playroom, information desk, tax-free shops, outside and inside cabins
# Buffet and a la carte restaurants, pub, conference rooms, casino, night club
# Discothèque (lower level), outside and inside cabin, sun deck
# Discothèque (upper level), conference rooms, outside and inside cabins
# Crew accommodations, sun deck
# Bridge

As rebuilt, 1993/2007

# Unknown
# Inside cabins
# Car deck
# Car deck (hydraulic platform that can be lowered to divide the car deck in two)
# Outside and inside cabins, car deck
# Sauna, hot tubs, swimming pool, outside and inside cabins
# Cafeteria, children's playroom, driver's club, air seats, games room, information desk, tax-free shops, outside and inside cabins
# Buffet and a la carte restaurants, tapas bar, pub, conference rooms, casino, night club
# Discothèque (lower level), conference room, outside and inside cabin, sun deck
# Discothèque (upper level), conference rooms, outside and inside cabins
# Sky bar, conference rooms, crew accommodations, sun deck
# Bridge

References

External links

* [http://www.vikingline.fi/onboard/isabella/ Viking Line official website for "Isabella"]

fi:M/S Isabella
sv:M/S Isabella