MS Oscar Wilde

MS Oscar Wilde docked in Rosslare harbour
Career
Name: 1987 - 2007: Kronprins Harald
2007 - present: Oscar Wilde
Owner: 1987 - 1990: Jahre Line
1990 - 2003: Color Line
2003 - 2007: M/V Color Harald AS
2007 - present: Irish Ferries
Operator: 1987 - 1990: Jahre Line
1990 - 2007: Color Line
2007 - present: Irish Ferries
Builder: Wärtsilä Marine Perno Shipyard, Turku, Finland
Yard number: 1292
Launched: 31 August 1986[1]
Christened: 23 March 1987[1]
Acquired: 23 March 1987[1]
In service: 26 March 1987[1]
Homeport: 1987 - 1990: Sandefjord,  Norway
1990 - 2007: Oslo,  Norway
2007 - present: Nassau,  Bahamas[1]
Identification: IMO number: 8506311
Notes: In service
General characteristics (as built)[1]
Tonnage:31,122 GT
5,250 DWT
Length:166.30 m (545.60 ft)
Beam:28.41 m (93.21 ft)
Draught:6.50 m (21.33 ft)
Installed power:2 × Sulzer-Wärtsilä 12ZAV40
2 × Sulzer-Wärtsilä 6ZAL40
19,800 kW (combined)
Speed:22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Capacity:1,440 passengers
1,440 passenger beds
700 cars
1,220 lanemeters
General characteristics (currently)[2]
Tonnage:31,914 GT
Speed:21.5 knots (39.8 km/h; 24.7 mph) (service)
26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph) (maximum)[3]
Capacity:1,458 passengers
580 cars
1,220 lanemeters
Notes:Otherwise same as built

MS Oscar Wilde is a cruiseferry owned by Irish Ferries. She is currently in service on Irish Ferries' Rosslare - Cherbourg and Rosslare - Roscoff routes. The ship was built at Wärtsilä Marine Perno Shipyard in Turku, Finland for Jahre Line as MS Kronprins Harald. In 1991 she passed under ownership of Color Line, for whom she sailed until sold to Irish Ferries in 2007.

History

On delivery Kronprins Harald was placed on Jahre Line's Oslo – Kiel service. In 1990 Jahre Line merged with Norway Line and Fred. Olsen Lines to form Color Line. After the change Kronprins Harald was kept on the same route, only her livery changed from the grey hull of Jahre Line to blue hull of Color Line.[1]

Kronprins Harald during her service with Color Line.

In January 2007 the ship was sold to Irish Ferries in preparation for the delivery of Color Line's new mega-cruiseferry MS Color Magic.[1][4] Irish Ferries chartered the Kronprins Harald back to Color Line until September 2007. The vessel's final sailing for Color Line took place on 31 August 2007 with the northbound Kiel – Oslo crossing. With her Color Line career over, Irish Ferries took control over her on 2 September 2007. Arriving for rebuilding at Fredericia Skibsværft A/S on 4 September, she was renamed MS Oscar Wilde.[1] She entered service with Irish Ferries in December 2007, replacing MS Normandy.[2]

Unlike other Irish Ferries ships, Oscar Wilde kept her blue hull and white funnel instead of a white hull and a green funnel.[5] On 21 November 2007 the ship arrived in Rosslare Harbour for the first time, and entered service on the Rosslare – Cherbourg route on 30 November 2007. In January 2010 there was no service between Rosslare and Cherbourg as she was operating the Rosslare – Pembroke Dock route during the docking of MS Isle of Inishmore.[3] and after this the M/S Oscar Wilde was in dry dock for the annual overhaul.

On Tuesday, 2 February 2010 the engine room caught fire upon leaving Falmouth where the ship had undergone its annual refit. No one was injured and the fire was extinguished, but the ship returned to Falmouth so a full investigation and repairs can be carried out. Sailings resumed on March 6, 2010 but the service was delayed by operational problem. The Ferry sailed from Cherbourg to Rosslare on Sunday morning 7 March 2010.

Onboard

Restaurants & Cafés

Activities

Bars, Nightclubs & Entertainment

Shopping

Conference

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 (Swedish) Fakta om Fartyg: M/S Kronprins Harald (1987), retrieved 2007-12-11.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Irish Ferries press release: Irish Ferries Takes Delivery Of New Ireland/France Cruise Ferry Oscar Wilde, retrieved 2007-12-11.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Irish Ferries Enthustiasts: Oscar Wilde Voyage Report, retrieved 2007-08-12.
  4. ↑ (Swedish) Fakta om Fartyg: M/S Color Magic (2007), retrieved 2007-12-10.
  5. ↑ (Swedish) Fakta om Fartyg: M/S Oscar Wilde i Fredericia 10/10-2007, retrieved 2007-12-10.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to MS Oscar Wilde.