Royal Viking Star

Royal Viking Star was one of the first cruise ships constructed by the finnish shipyard, today MEYER TURKU. The launch of yard number 395 was held on 12 May 1971, and our Finnish shipyard delivered the cruise ship to Royal Viking Line in June 1972. The vessel formerly known as “Royal Viking Star” has been rechristened on three occasions: It was renamed “Westward” in 1991, “Star Odyssey” in 1994 and "Black Watch" in 1996.

Royal Viking Star, Royal Viking Sky and Royal Viking Sea are all part of the Royal Viking Star Class. The vessels were considered some of the most luxurious liners of all time when they were delivered to the newly founded American shipping company, Royal Viking Line. They were the first cruise ships in the world to feature a two-storey cinema / theatre hall, and another novelty was the high-flying restaurant with large panoramic windows and a glazed lounge above the bridge. It’s also worth mentioning the disproportionately high number of suites.

All three ships measured just under 178 metres when they were commissioned, but they were extended by over 20 metres from 1981 to 1983 to increase their capacity by around 200 passengers.