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. She was christened by Liza Minnelli. Following this, she was used on three- and four-night cruises out of Florida. In 1994 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 on board, while parts of the Titanic were being salvaged.
On June 10, 1995, the 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.
Majesty Cruise Line ceased operations at the end of the 1997 summer season, and the Royal Majesty was sold to Norwegian Cruise Line. 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. Similar lenghtenings had been carried out on NCL's Dreamward and Windward the previous year. 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.
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. 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. The deal was completed on July 29, 2008, but the Norwegian Majesty will be chartered back to Norwegian Cruise Line until October 2009.
On June 24, 2009, Louis revealed that the Norwegian Majesty would be renamed Louis Majesty.
On March 3, 2010, three rogue waves hit the Louis Majesty, killing two passengers, and injuring a number of others, while on a 12 day cruise around the Mediterranean. The waves, which were reportedly in excess of 26 feet (8 m) high, collided with the side of the vessel, smashing several windows in the saloon area. Water was taken on in the saloon area, which then drained down the decks below. The ship returned to port at Barcelona to receive repairs.
The Louis Majesty will be chartered to Thomson Cruises from May 2012 and be renamed the Thomson Majesty. It will be sailing from Corfu in the summer and the Canary Islands in the winter.
Read more about this topic: MS Louis Majesty
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