MS Marella Celebration

MS Marella Celebration is a cruise ship owned by TUI UK, and operated by their United Kingdom-based Marella Cruises. She was built in 1984 by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in St. Nazaire, France for Holland America Line as MS Noordam.

Marella Celebration docked in Argostoli, Kefalonia
History
Name:
  • 1984–2005: Noordam
  • 2005-2017: Thomson Celebration
  • 2017-2020: Marella Celebration
Owner:

1984 - 2018: Holland America Line

2018–2020: TUI UK
Operator:
  • 1984–2005: Holland America Line
  • 2005-2017: Thomson Cruises
  • 2017-2020: Marella Cruises
Port of registry:
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 April 1984 – 2020
Out of service: 2020
Identification:
Status: Out of service.
General characteristics
Type: Cruise ship
Tonnage:
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:
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)[6]
Crew: 520 crew[3]

It was announced on 9 October 2017, that Thomson Cruises would be renamed Marella Cruises. TUI Group also announced that Thomson Celebration would be renamed Marella Celebration at the end of October 2017.

It was announced on 29 April 2020, the ship would be retired from the fleet. During the 15 years with the company the ship has sailed almost half a million passengers. It is not yet known if the ship will be sold for further service or if she will be scrapped.[7]

History
Thomson Celebration as Noordam.

The Marella Celebration was built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in 1984 for Holland America Line as MS Noordam at a cost of $160million, and the third Holland America Line vessel to bear the name.[8] Her sister ship, the Thomson Spirit, was originally the Holland America ship MS Nieuw Amsterdam (1982). In 2005, a replacement, the fourth Noordam, was ordered from Fincantieri shipyards in Italy. After its last sailing with Holland America Line, the ship was taken out of service, 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, can still be found on board.[8]

Marella Celebration received a refurbishment in December 2013 carried out by Blohm + Voss.[9]

References
  1. Fakta om Fartyg: MS Noordam (1984) (in Swedish), retrieved 8 December 2007.
  2. Faergelejet – Noordam (in Danish), retrieved 20 May 2010.
  3. Thomson Cruises – Vital statistics for Thomson Celebration, retrieved 20 May 2010.
  4. 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. Ward, Douglas (2006). Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships. Singapore: Berlitz. pp. 615–616. ISBN 981-246-739-4.
  7. "Marella to Retire Celebration". 29 April 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  8. 'Life Onboard' brochure - published by Thomson Cruises - pg 10
  9. 'Multi-million pound investment sees Thomson Cruises go platinum' - [[Travel Weekly - accessed 4 April 2012]
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