The iconic ship that helped shape Royal Caribbean International is now being retired after decades of service.
Song of America set sail on its final voyage on January 22, traveling from Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, to Alang, India, where it arrived over the weekend to be scrapped and sold for parts.
The 37,500-ton vessel was built in 1982 by the Wartsila shipyard in Finland. At the time, it was one of the world’s largest vessels at 705 feet long and a maximum passenger capacity of 1,575. The previous generation of ships were only around 18,500 gross tons.
Then touted as a state-of-the-art vessel, Song of America marked many firsts for the cruise line. It was the first time Royal Caribbean installed its staterooms and public amenities on the ship’s front instead of the back, keeping them further away from the noise of the engines.
It was also the first in the fleet to have two swimming pools. Moreover, the ship was known for its bigger funnel which hosted a cantilevered lounge, elevator, and interior entrance.
The ship’s size and design paved the way for the larger and more modern ships we know today. Song of America also secured Royal Caribbean’s competitiveness against major players like Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line.
Six Owners, Seven Different Names
During its decades-long service, Song of America was owned by several cruise lines. After 17 years with Royal Caribbean, Song of America became Sun Bird when Sun Cruises purchased it in 1998.
In 2005, Thomson Cruises acquired the vessel and christened it Thomson Destiny.
Thomson Cruises sold it to Louis Cruises in 2012 and it was renamed Louis Olympia. When Louis Cruises rebranded as Celestyal Cruises, it became the Celestyal Olympia until its retirement in 2023.
Voyage Shipping took over and unsuccessfully tried to find a buyer. The company named it Bella Fortuna before selling it to Marine Line which shortened the name to Fortu and designated the ship for scrapping.
Despite its age, Song of America remarkably outlived several newer vessels. While many ships from the late 1990s and early 2000s were retired and scrapped during the cruise industry’s push for more efficient ships, this 43-year-old vessel continued to find new owners and remain in service.
In 2021, several ships, including those owned by Carnival Corporation, were sold and scrapped during the cruise industry shutdown caused by the pandemic.
