MS Thomson Celebration

MS Thomson Celebration in Curaçao, February 2015
Career
Name: 1984–2005: Noordam
2005–present: Thomson Celebration
Owner: 1984–present: Holland America Line
Operator: 1984–2005: Holland America Line
2005-present: Thomson Cruises
Port of registry: 1984–1996: Sint Maarten,  Netherlands Antilles
1996–2005: Rotterdam,  Netherlands
2005–2009: Sint Maarten,  Netherlands Antilles[1][2]
2009–present:  Malta[2][3]
Builder: Chantiers de l'Atlantique
Yard number: X27[1]
Launched: 21 May 1983[1]
Christened: by Mrs Beatrijs van De Wallbake[4]
In service: 8 Apr 1984 – present
Identification: Call sign: 9HUI9
IMO number: 8027298
MMSI number: 249544000
Status: in service
General characteristics
Type:Cruise ship
Tonnage:33,933 GT[5]
4,243 DWT[1]
Length:214.66 m (704.27 ft)[3]
Beam:27.26 m (89.44 ft)[3]
Draught:7.50 m (24.61 ft)[1]
Decks:9
Installed power:2 × Sulzer RLB66 diesels
combined 21600 kW[1]
Speed:18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)[3] (other sources claim 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph))[1]
Capacity:1,254 passengers[3] (1,350 maximum)[4]
Crew:520 crew[3]

MS Thomson Celebration is a cruise ship owned by Holland America Line, under long-term charter to the United Kingdom-based Thomson Cruises. She was built in 1984 by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France for Holland America Line as MS Noordam.

History

The Thomson Celebration was built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in 1984 for Holland America Line as MS Noordam at a cost of $160million.[6] In 2005, the ship was taken out of service by Holland America, chartered to Thomson Cruises and rechristened as the Thomson Celebration.[1] She was originally furnished with a $1million art collection, some of which, including a 17th century Oriental screen at the entrance to the Horizons bar on Deck 9, can still be found on board.[6]

Her sister ship, the Thomson Spirit, was originally the Holland America ship MS Nieuw Amsterdam (1983).

Thomson Celebration received a refurbishment in December 2013 (including 20 cabins with balconies on Deck 9, and the installation of The Coffee Port and Explorers' Lounge on Deck 5) carried out by Blohm + Voss and was introduced into the new Platinum collection of cruises.[7]

Media attention

On 29 January 2014, an elderly couple travelling on Thomson Celebration claimed they had been attacked and injured by a fellow passenger who accused them of "snubbing him" at dinner,[8] leaving the woman with a fractured spine and shoulder injury and her husband with serious facial injuries.[9] At his trial in April 2015 gas worker Graeme Finlay (aged 53), from Glasgow denied the charges, stating he had acted in self-defence after being struck with a sharp object following an altercation with the couple.[10][11] He was cleared of all charges by a jury on 23 April 2015.[12]

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Fakta om Fartyg: MS Noordam (1984) (Swedish), retrieved December 8, 2007.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Faergelejet – Noordam (Danish), retrieved May 20, 2010.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Thomson Cruises – Vital statistics for Thomson Celebration, retrieved May 20, 2010.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ward, Douglas (1995). Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Oxford: Berlitz. ISBN 2-8315-1327-8.
  5. ↑ fleet online, GL-Reg-No : 142168 - IMO-No : 8027298
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 'Life Onboard' brochure - published by Thomson Cruises - pg 10
  7. ↑ 'Multi-million pound investment sees Thomson Cruises go platinum' - Travel Weekly - accessed 4 April 2012
  8. ↑ Elderly couple 'battered unconscious on luxury cruise after snubbing man at dinner' Daily Mirror 21 April 2015
  9. ↑ 'Elderly Teesside couple seriously injured after brutal attack on luxury cruise' - Gazette Live - 13 February 2014
  10. ↑ 'Man accused of assault on luxury cruise liner' - The Northern Echo - 4 February 2015
  11. ↑ 'Scot denies attacking elderly couple on board luxury cruise ship' - Daily Record - 4 February 2015
  12. ↑ 'Man cleared of attacking pensioners on cruise ship' - Southern Daily Echo 23 April 2015

External links