MS Enchanted Capri
Encyclopedia
MS Enchanted Capri is a Belorussiya class
cruise ship
owned by Demar
, Mexico
and operated as a hotel vessel for oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico
. She was built in 1975 at Wärtsilä
Turku Shipyard
in Turku
, Finland
as the 15,409 GRT MS Azerbaihzan for the Soviet Union
-based Black Sea Shipping Company. She has also sailed under the names MS Arkadia and MS Island Holiday.
from the Wärtsilä
shipyard in Turku
, Finland
. She underwent refurbishments in 1984 in Bremerhaven, Germany and in 1997 in Freeport, Grand Bahama. In 1996, the vessel was acquired by Blasco, UK and renamed Arkadia.
The ship was chartered by SeaEscape, Florida and renamed Island Holiday.
On June 4, 1998, Commodore Cruise Line
chartered the vessel, renamed her Enchanted Capri
and started 2 and 5 day cruises from New Orleans, LA with this newly refurbished cruise ship whose main emphasis was on gaming. With 248 cabins, including eight suites, and eight passenger decks, the Enchanted Capri offered full cruise amenities such as swimming pools, restaurants, gift shops, bars, lounges, theater, disco, gym, sauna, beauty salon, and complete hospital facilities. Commodore Holdings Limited, the parent company to Commodore Cruise Line, and Casino America, Inc. announced that they had executed a definitive agreement under which Casino America would manage the casino operations aboard this ship. The onboard casino, with slots and a variety of table games, was under the Isle of Capri Casinos
banner.
The Enchanted Capri, is 512 feet long and 72 feet wide, has a draft of 21 feet and cruising speed of more than 20 knots, has a capacity for 750 passengers and 170 crew members.
Following Commodore's bankruptcy on January 11, 2001, the Capri made news when she was arrested in New Orleans by the International Transport Workers' Federation
on behalf of the crew, who were owed $500,000 in back wages. More than 230 crew stranded on the passenger vessel were sent home to forty different countries in the biggest repatriation operation staged by the ITWF.
The Enchanted Capri was laid up, her owners chartered her to the Mexican company Demar Instaladora y Constructora in 2003
and refurbished the vessel in 2005 to bring her up to the latest SOLAS standards.
At the end of 2007 the Enchanted Capri was totally owned by the Mexican company Demar Instaladora y Constructora.
Belorussiya class cruiseferries
The Belorussiya class cruiseferries were built by Wärtsilä Turku Shipyard, Finland in 1975—1976 for the Black Sea Shipping Company, Soviet Union. The five ships in the class were originally used in ferry service around the Black Sea. During the 1980s all ships in the class were rebuilt into cruise...
cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
owned by Demar
Demar
Demar may refer to:* DeMar DeRozan, a professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors in the National Basketball Association* Gary DeMar, a Christian theologian....
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and operated as a hotel vessel for oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. She was built in 1975 at Wärtsilä
Wärtsilä
Wärtsilä is a Finnish corporation which manufactures and services power sources and other equipment in the marine and energy markets. The core products of Wärtsilä include large combustion engines...
Turku Shipyard
Crichton-Vulcan
Crichton-Vulcan is an abandoned shipyard in Turku, Finland that once formed the cornerstone of the Finnish shipbuilding industry. The shipyard is best known for the World War II coastal defence ships and submarines it produced....
in Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
as the 15,409 GRT MS Azerbaihzan for the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
-based Black Sea Shipping Company. She has also sailed under the names MS Arkadia and MS Island Holiday.
History
The Azerbaihzan was built in 1975 as the third ship of the five Belorussiya class cruise vessels ordered by the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
from the Wärtsilä
Wärtsilä
Wärtsilä is a Finnish corporation which manufactures and services power sources and other equipment in the marine and energy markets. The core products of Wärtsilä include large combustion engines...
shipyard in Turku
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. She underwent refurbishments in 1984 in Bremerhaven, Germany and in 1997 in Freeport, Grand Bahama. In 1996, the vessel was acquired by Blasco, UK and renamed Arkadia.
The ship was chartered by SeaEscape, Florida and renamed Island Holiday.
On June 4, 1998, Commodore Cruise Line
Commodore Cruise Line
Commodore Cruise Line was a United States -based cruise line that was in operation from 1968 until 2001. It was founded in 1966 by Sanford Chobol and Edwin Stephan. Following multiple changes in ownership, the company declared bankruptcy in 2001 due to raising fuel costs and increased competition...
chartered the vessel, renamed her Enchanted Capri
and started 2 and 5 day cruises from New Orleans, LA with this newly refurbished cruise ship whose main emphasis was on gaming. With 248 cabins, including eight suites, and eight passenger decks, the Enchanted Capri offered full cruise amenities such as swimming pools, restaurants, gift shops, bars, lounges, theater, disco, gym, sauna, beauty salon, and complete hospital facilities. Commodore Holdings Limited, the parent company to Commodore Cruise Line, and Casino America, Inc. announced that they had executed a definitive agreement under which Casino America would manage the casino operations aboard this ship. The onboard casino, with slots and a variety of table games, was under the Isle of Capri Casinos
Isle of Capri Casinos
Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. is a gaming company headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri which operates casinos and associated entertainment and lodging facilities in the United States and abroad....
banner.
The Enchanted Capri, is 512 feet long and 72 feet wide, has a draft of 21 feet and cruising speed of more than 20 knots, has a capacity for 750 passengers and 170 crew members.
Following Commodore's bankruptcy on January 11, 2001, the Capri made news when she was arrested in New Orleans by the International Transport Workers' Federation
International Transport Workers' Federation
The International Transport Workers' Federation is a global union federation of transport workers' trade unions, founded in 1896. In 2009 the ITF had 654 member organizations in 148 countries, representing a combined membership of 4.5 million workers....
on behalf of the crew, who were owed $500,000 in back wages. More than 230 crew stranded on the passenger vessel were sent home to forty different countries in the biggest repatriation operation staged by the ITWF.
The Enchanted Capri was laid up, her owners chartered her to the Mexican company Demar Instaladora y Constructora in 2003
and refurbished the vessel in 2005 to bring her up to the latest SOLAS standards.
At the end of 2007 the Enchanted Capri was totally owned by the Mexican company Demar Instaladora y Constructora.