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Norwegian Majesty photographed in 2007.
Career
Name:	1992—1997: Royal Majesty 1997 onwards: Norwegian Majesty
Owner:	1992—1997: Majesty Cruise Line 1997—2004: Norwegian Cruise Line[1] 2004—2008: Star Cruises[2][3] 2008 onwards: Louis Cruise Lines[3]
Operator:	1992—1997: Majesty Cruise Line 1997—2009: Norwegian Cruise Line
Port of registry:	1992—1997: Panama City,  Panama 1997—?: Hamilton,  Bermuda[1] ?—present: Nassau,  Bahamas[4]
Builder:	Wärtsilä Marine/Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Turku, Finland
Cost:	$229 million[4]
Yard number:	1312[1]
Launched:	15 November 1991[1]
Christened:	29 July 1992[1]
Completed:	1992
Acquired:	2 July 1992[1]
Maiden voyage:	7 July 1992[1]
Out of service:	Nov.2009
General characteristics (as built)[1]
Type:	Cruise ship
Tonnage:	32,396 GRT 2,600 metric tons deadweight (DWT)
Length:	173.50 m (569 ft 3 in)
Beam:	27.60 m (90 ft 7 in)
Draft:	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in)
Installed power:	4 × Wärtsilä 6R42 diesels combined 21120 kW
Propulsion:	Twin propellers[5]
Speed:	20,5 knots
Capacity:	1056 passengers (1256 maximum[5])
General characteristics (after 1999 refit)[1]
Tonnage:	40,876 GRT
Length:	207.26 m (680 ft)
Beam:	27.60 m (90 ft 7 in)
Draft:	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in)
Decks:	9 (passenger accessible)[4]
Speed:	20 knots
Capacity:	1,460 passengers (1970 maximum)[4]
Crew:	620 crew[4]
Notes:	Otherwise the same as built

MS Norwegian Majesty is a cruise ship owned by Louis Cruise Lines, under charter to Norwegian Cruise Line until December 2009.^[3] She was originally ordered by Birka Line as MS Birka Queen from the Wärtsilä Marine Turku Shipyard in Finland, but completed by Kvaerner Masa-Yards as MS Royal Majesty for Majesty Cruise Line. In 1997 she was sold to Norwegian Cruise Line and lengthened by 33.76 m (110 ft 9 in) at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany.^[1]

Concept and construction

The Birka Queen was ordered by Birka Line for short cruises out of Stockholm as a running mate to MS Birka Princess. The ship was ordered from Wärtsilä Marine,^[1] but the shipyard went bankrupt in 1990. Operations were soon reorganized under the name of Masa-Yards,^[6] but the price of the ship was increased in the process, and Birka therefore refused to take delivery. Instead, the build contact was sold to Majesty Cruise Line, who took delivery of the ship on July 2, 1992, renaming her Royal Majesty.^[1]

Service history

Following delivery, the Royal Majesty set on her maiden voyage, a transatlantic crossing from Southampton to New York City, on July 7, 1992. She was officially christened in New York City on July 21, 1992.^[1] She was christened by Liza Minelli. Following this, she was used on three- and four-night cruises out of Florida. In 1995 she initiated a new northern hemisphere summer season itenary with cruises from Boston to St. George's, Bermuda, returning to Florida for the winter season. In September 1995 she participated in an expedition to the sinking site of RMS Titanic, spending five days at the site with many survivors from the famous ship onboard, while parts of the Titanic were being salvaged.^[7]

The upper deck of the Norwegian Majesty.

On June 10, 1995, Royal Majesty grounded on Rose and Crown Shoal about 10 miles east of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, and about 17 miles from where the watch officers thought the vessel was. The vessel, with 1,509 persons on board, was en route from St. George’s, Bermuda, to Boston, Massachusetts. There were no deaths or injuries as a result of this accident. Damage to the vessel and lost revenue, however, were estimated at about $7 million. ^[8][9]

Majesty Cruise Line ceased operations at the end of the 1997 summer season, and the Royal Majesty was sold to Norwegian Cruise Line.^[10] She was renamed Norwegian Majesty, and in 1999 she received a 33.76 m (110 ft 9 in) lengthening at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany.^[1] Similar lenghtenings had been carried out on NCL's Dreamward and Windward the previous year.^[7] The lengthening of the Norwegian Majesty however was more technically complicated than those of the other ships, as she had not been designed for such an operation.^[4]

In 2004 the ownership of the Norwegian Majesty was transferred to NCL's parent company Star Cruises in preparation for potential transfer to the Star Cruises fleet or sale at a later date. She remained in NCL service without other changes.^[2] On April 23, 2008 the Norwegian Majesty, was sold to the Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines. Louis Cruise Lines had reportedly outbid International Shipping Partners with their offer of $162 million.^[3][11] The deal was completed on July 29, 2008, but the Norwegian Majesty will be chartered back to Norwegian Cruise Line until October 2009.^[3][12]

On June 24, 2009, Louis revealed that the Norwegian Majesty would be renamed Louis Majesty.^[13]

Decks and facilities

As Norwegian Majesty

Only including decks accessible to passengers.

3. Caribbean Deck - Outside and inside cabins
4. Biscayne Deck - Hospital, outside and inside cabins
5. Atlantic Deck - Nightclub, bars, shops, games arcade, library, card room, internet café, dining rooms, bistro, cafeteria, sundeck
6. Majesty Deck - Casino, bar, showroom, suites, outside and inside cabins
7. Promenade Deck - Sauna, gym, discothèque, outside and inside cabins, sundeck
8. Viking Deck - Bridge, outside cabins, sundeck
9. Norway Deck - Observation lounge, children's playroom, suites, outside cabins, sundeck, swimming pool
10. Sun Deck - Buffet restaurant, outdoors cafeteria, bar, sundeck, swimming pools
11. Sky Deck - Sundeck^[14]

Current Cruises

The Norwegian Majesty is based in Charleston, South Carolina during the winter months and sails a variety of Caribbean itineraries. During the spring and summer months, she is based in Baltimore, Maryland and sails 7-day cruises to Bermuda.

References

External links

• Norwegian Cruise Line official website for Norwegian Majesty
• CruiseCritic.com review