The new year didn’t start well for the old Carnival cruise ship Ocean Dream, formerly known as Tropicale. After a long life sailing the world’s oceans on several cruise lines since 1982, she ran aground on the ship’s ship in Alang, India, on January 1, 2021.
O Ocean Dream it is the latest in a growing list of ships moored in India and Turkey last year. Companies are hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and are forced to eliminate expensive and financially ineffective vessels.
In the past 12 months, Carnival Cruise Line has scrapped Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, and Carnival Fantasy, sold Carnival Fascination, while another old Carnival Cruise ship is also heading for dismantling in India, Great celebration.
You can watch the cruise ship stranded in Alang, India below:
Carnival’s first new ship
At the time it was built, Tropicale was the first in many different ways. While Carnival was sailing with Mardi Gras, Carnivale, and TSS Festivale, the line needed to increase its presence. Building a new ship was the only option to remain competitive with the fierce competition in the Caribbean; Tropicale was ordered and delivered in 1982.
Built in Aalborg Værft, Denmark, in 1981, Carnival Tropicale could accommodate 1,022 passengers. As-built, it weighed 36,674 gross tons and measured 204.76 meters from bow to stern.
It was the first vessel to feature the iconic winged funnel, designed by Joe Farcus, which would significantly influence how cruise ships would be designed and built in the future. Due to the success of Tropicale, Carnival cruise line commissioned Carnival holiday in 1985, Carnival Jubilee in 1986, and Carnival celebration in 1987.
Carnival Tropicale sailed for the Carnival Cruise Line from 1982 to the year 2000. As the Carnival Cruise Line grew in size and took on larger ships, the line used Tropicale primarily for test trips to places like Alaska, New Orleans, Coverand Puerto Rico. It became a pioneer in what would end up becoming incredibly popular cruise destinations.
A lifetime of roaming on the high seas
Tropicale was transferred to sail on Costa Cruises in the year 2000 and was renamed Costa Tropicale. During her 40-year career as a cruise ship, she was a testament to the build quality of the time. Tropicale sailed for five different operators and was renamed several times as well.
After sailing on Costa Cruises until 2005, she was transferred to P&O Cruises Australia under the name Pacific Star, where she sailed until 2008. In 2008 she left Carnival Corporation and left for Pullmantur, renamed again to Ocean Dream.
The vessel’s last task was for the Peace Boat organization. Peace Boat is a Japanese NGO that raises international awareness of human rights, sustainability, environmental protection and other global causes. Peace Boat had operated Tropicale, or as it has now been named Ocean Dream, since 2008.
In 2020, the organization purchased the old Princess cruise ship, Princess of the Sun, marking the end of the line for Tropicale. The end of the line unfortunately ended at a beach in India, among other iconic ships that were made obsolete by the pandemic.
Featured photo credit: xenalll (Flickr, Creative Commons)
