Finally, the original Royal Viking Sea was transferred within the Kloster family to Royal Cruise Lines in 1991, changing names to Royal Odyssey. Six years later, in 1997, she rejoined NCL as the Norwegian Star, but for a new, short-lived arm, Norwegian Capricorn Lines, on cruises out of Sydney, Australia. She slipped over to parent Star Cruises by 2001, but was now sailing in mostly Chinese waters as Norwegian Star I. But in almost a flash, she was off to the Mediterranean as the renamed Crown, now owned by the Dutch, the Cruise Club of the Netherlands, but chartered to the Spanish. But then that ended by 2004, when she was chartered to the Germans, to Phoenix Reisen, based in Bonn, for current worldwide cruising as the 884-passenger Albatros.
(Photo: The Albatros. Philippe Brebant Collection)

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Royal Viking Line itself eventually withered away. The largely unsuccessful Royal Viking Queen was sold off to Seabourn, where she joined her near-sisters, Seabourn Pride & Seabourn Spirit as the Seabourn Legend. Then the Royal Viking name along with the 754-bed Royal Viking Sun was sold by Kloster to the Cunard Line in 1994. It became Cunard-Royal Viking until the Royal Viking name was dropped altogether (and in the wake of Carnival’s purchase of historic Cunard in 1998). Afterward, under the Carnival umbrella, that 38,000-ton ship was herself transferred to Seabourn in 1999, becoming the Seabourn Sun, but then later, in 2002, joined another Carnival arm, the Holland America Line, who sail her these days as the very popular Prinsendam.
(Photo: Prinsendam outbound at Le Havre by Philippe Brebant)

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PS: I was aboard the Royal Viking Sun in August 1998, for a twoweek ocean liner theme cruise from London to the western Med and ending in Venice. And indeed, there was lots to say about liners – we had four maritime speakers aboard: Frank Braynard, John Maxtone-Graham, Peter Rushton & myself. Later, in June 2002, I was aboard the same ship’s very first Holland-America voyage as the newly refitted Prinsendam. The refit was evidently hurried, the ship rushed up from a Charleston, South Carolina shipyard, but finally made New York on time. Onboard, there was a grand reception, gala dinner and Holland America’s usual fine, attentive service. But, as I remember, there was one hiccup of sorts: There was no soap in the bathrooms and for the tubs and showers. Someone forgot to order it!