VIKING SERENADE
January 2001 | Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
In January 2001, we sailed aboard Viking Serenade (Royal Caribbean International) on a three-day cruise from Los Angeles to Ensenada, Baja California. These photographs show the ship docked during our visit, toward the end of her years operating short cruises from Southern California.
Built as a cruise ferry before becoming a dedicated cruise ship, Viking Serenade followed an unusual path into the Royal Caribbean fleet. She entered service in 1982 as Scandinavia for Scandinavian World Cruises, a DFDS subsidiary, combining passenger accommodations with vehicle-carrying facilities on a route between New York and the Bahamas. Later known as Stardancer, she became Viking Serenade in 1990 and underwent a major conversion in San Diego the following year. By our January 2001 cruise, she had become a familiar ship on Southern California’s short voyages to Mexico, with a distinctive profile shaped by both her ferry origins and Royal Caribbean’s additions.
Information List
Name in January 2001: Viking Serenade
Operator in January 2001: Royal Caribbean International
Year Entered Service: 1982, as Scandinavia
Former Names: Scandinavia, Stardancer
Later Names: Island Escape, Ocean Gala, Ocean Gala 1
Shipyard: Dubigeon-Normandie, Nantes, France
Original Type: Passenger and vehicle cruise ferry
Length: Approximately 608 feet (185.3 meters)
Beam: Approximately 89 feet (27 meters)
Gross Tonnage After Conversion: 40,171 GT
Major Conversion: Completed in 1991 at Southwest Marine in San Diego, California
Country of Registry in January 2001: Liberia
Home Port During Southern California Service: Los Angeles, California
IMO Number: 8002597
Final Disposition: Scrapped at Alang, India, in 2018
History and Features
Construction and Entry Into Service:
Scandinavia was built in France for Scandinavian World Cruises and entered service in 1982.
Her original design combined the accommodations and public spaces of a cruise ship with decks intended to carry vehicles.
She initially operated between New York and Freeport in the Bahamas before returning to Europe for DFDS’s Copenhagen–Oslo service.
In 1985, she became Stardancer for Sundance Cruises, beginning another chapter in North American passenger service.
Transition to Royal Caribbean:
Sundance Cruises subsequently became part of Admiral Cruises, which later came under Royal Caribbean’s control.
The ship was renamed Viking Serenade in 1990.
Rather than replacing the vessel, Royal Caribbean invested in an extensive conversion to adapt her more fully to its cruise operation.
The major work was completed in 1991 at Southwest Marine in San Diego, with Deltamarin providing design and engineering services.
Design and Features:
The conversion transformed former vehicle spaces into additional passenger accommodations.
Royal Caribbean’s signature Viking Crown Lounge was added around the funnel, creating an elevated lounge and changing the ship’s silhouette.
The project expanded dining facilities and included improvements to the casino, cafés, bars, shops, and other public spaces.
Mechanical and hotel systems were also upgraded as part of the conversion.
Despite these changes, her broad hull and substantial superstructure retained the character of her original cruise-ferry design, distinguishing her from Royal Caribbean’s purpose-built cruise ships.
Service:
Viking Serenade became closely associated with three- and four-night cruises from Los Angeles to Baja California.
Ensenada was a regular destination during her Southern California deployment.
In 2002, she left Royal Caribbean’s fleet and became Island Escape for Island Cruises, a venture established with First Choice.
Her later Mediterranean service emphasized a casual cruising experience.
She subsequently operated under Thomson Cruises while retaining the name Island Escape.
After further ownership and name changes, the ship was scrapped at Alang, India, in 2018.
Our January 2001 Cruise:
We sailed aboard Viking Serenade on a three-day cruise from Los Angeles to Ensenada in January 2001.
These photographs record the ship docked during our visit to Ensenada, Baja California.
Our voyage took place approximately a decade after her major cruise-ship conversion and shortly before her transfer to Island Cruises.
The images preserve her Royal Caribbean appearance during the closing years of her Southern California service.
Legacy:
Viking Serenade connected several distinct eras of passenger shipping, from DFDS’s ambitious American cruise-ferry operation to short cruises from Los Angeles and later European holiday voyages.
Her 1991 conversion demonstrated how an existing ferry could be substantially rebuilt for a different passenger market.
For travelers who sailed aboard her from Southern California, she remains part of the history of short cruises to Mexico before larger, newer ships came to dominate those routes.
OLP Social: Our three-day cruise from Los Angeles took place during the closing years of the ship’s Royal Caribbean service, shortly before she began a new European cruising career as Island Escape.
