Death of a Cruise Ship

Have you ever wondered where old cruise ships go to die?

I was rather hoping that they just drifted out to sea and became ghost ships from the past! Or are perhaps put out to pasture at a retirement home for old ships.

Unfortunately the truth isn’t so nice and in the past week I have discovered that the first ship I fell in love with has been scrapped.

I still remember vividly the moment I saw the Pacific Princess for the first time in May 1991. At the age of 21 I had just flown half way round the world to start my career as a Junior Bar Stewardess with Princess Cruises and was joining the ship for her Alaska season in Vancouver.

Rounding the corner at the terminal in Canada Place I remember thinking how massive the ship was and how on earth was I ever going to find my way round. With a tonnage of just over 28000 tonnes and total passengers of just over 680 she was not big by today’s standards but to a 21 year old she felt like a leviathon.

The camaraderie between passengers and crew on-board was fantastic as you really got to know everybody and even today I still keep in touch with many past passengers and colleagues.

This year I met a gentleman called Peter Knego who is a journalist and keen maritime historian who gave me a link to an article that he had written about the Pacific Princess when she was tied up in Genoa waiting for a decision to be made about her.

Visit to the former Pacific Princess

At the time she had new machinery fitted and although there was still lots to do for any new buyers there was still hope for her. Unfortunately it was decided by her owners that the best thing would be to have her scrapped and she was towed to the scrapping yards at Aliaga, Turkey just a few weeks ago.

Pacific Princess Under Tow – click here to see video

As you can see from the video during her transit to Aliaga she began taking on water and tragically two workers were killed and another six were injured by asphyxiation from gas exhausts during efforts to pump  out the flooded engine room of the listing ship.

As we stand at this moment in time the ship is still listing heavily and efforts are being made to stabilise her before she is broken up.

The old lady still has some life left in her and is fighting to the end, but I wonder would it have been more fitting if she had sunk en route to Aliaga, as somehow this seems more of a fitting tribute to her legacy.