Engineering:Vasco da Gama (ship)

Vasco da Gama leaving Fremantle, January 2020
History
Name:	1992–2015: Statendam 2015–2019: Pacific Eden 2019–present: Vasco da Gama
Owner:	1993–2019: Carnival Corporation & plc 2019–2020: Cruise & Maritime Voyages 2020–onwards: Mystic Invest
Operator:	1993–2015: Holland America Line 2015–2019: P&O Cruises Australia 2019–2020: Cruise & Maritime Voyages 2020–onwards Nicko Cruises
Port of registry:	1993–1996: Nassau, Bahamas 1996–2015: Rotterdam, Netherlands 2015–2019: London, United Kingdom 2019–2020: Nassau, Bahamas 2020-present: Madeira, Portugal
Ordered:	1 March 1992
Builder:	Fincantieri, Italy
Cost:	US$180 million
Yard number:	Monfalcone shipyard 5881
Laid down:	30 July 1991
Launched:	3 April 1992
Completed:	January 1993
Identification:	Call sign: C6EG8 IMO number: 8919245 MMSI number: 311000891
Status:	In Service
Notes:
General characteristics
Class and type:	S-class cruise ship 7,637 DWT
Length:	219 m (718 ft 6 in)
Beam:	30.8 m (101 ft 1 in)
Height:	40 m (131 ft 3 in)
Draught:	7.5 m (24 ft 7 in)
Depth:	19.2 m (63 ft 0 in)
Decks:	14
Deck clearance:	11.5 m (37 ft 9 in)
Ice class:	D (minimum)
Installed power:	2 x Sulzer 12ZAV40S, 3 x Sulzer 8ZA40S
Propulsion:	2 x ABB 12,000 kW (16,000 hp)
Speed:	22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph)
Capacity:	1,258 passengers
Crew:	557
Notes:

Vasco da Gama is a cruise ship owned by Portuguese company Mystic Invest. Completed in 1993, she previously sailed for Holland America Line as MS Statendam, for P&O Cruises Australia as Pacific Eden and for Cruise & Maritime Voyages as Vasco da Gama. In 2020, following CMV's filing for administration, she was sold by CW Kellock & Co Ltd. at auction to Mystic Cruises' parent company, Mystic Invest for US$10,187,000.

Construction and career

MS Statendam

Vasco da Gama previously served as MS Statendam from 1993 to 2015, where she served as the lead member of Holland America Line's eponymous Statendam class, otherwise known as S class. She was ordered in November 1989 alongside two sister ships of her class, and was designated Hull Number 5881. Her keel was laid by Fincantieri in 1991. From 1991 to 1993, the ship was completed and underwent sea trials, and on 25 January 1993, Statendam embarked on her maiden voyage. Upon her maiden voyage, she became the fifth Holland America Line ship to bear the name Statendam, and during the summer of her inaugural season, she also became the first Holland America Line ship to sail a European itinerary in over twenty years.

During her early planning and architectural design phases, there were concerns that Statendam and the S class would not be in compliance with specific vessel stability requirements mandated by SOLAS 90. The hull design of Maasdam and her sister ships are largely based on Costa Classica, a ship operated by sister brand Costa Cruises. These fears were alleviated, however, following Statendam's successful sea trials.

In 2006, Statendam underwent dry dock renovations at Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport.

In 2011, Statendam once again underwent dry dock renovations at Grand Bahama Shipyard in Freeport.

In August 2013, Statendam was alerted by the Glacier Bay National Park ranger station that a nearby tour ship, Baranof Wind, was stranded in the ice of Hopkins Glacier, and unable to continue to Glacier Bay National Park. On arrival Statendam lowered two lifeboats to rescue approximately 105 passengers and crew. They were disembarked at Glacier Bay National Park ranger station three hours later.

On 20 May 2014, Holland America Line announced that Statendam would be transferred to P&O Cruises Australia.

Pacific Eden

After concluding her final season with Holland America Line, Statendam sailed to Singapore for dry dock at Sembcorp Marine Admiralty Yard. From 22 October to 2 November 2015, Statendam underwent extensive interior and exterior changes, emerging as the new Pacific Eden. In an attempt to garner global social media recognition for the introduction of two new flagships, P&O Cruises Australia broadcast the ships' christening ceremony on Twitter and through their godmothers' social media accounts. On 25 November 2015, Pacific Eden and her sister, Pacific Aria, were renamed at a ceremony held in Port Jackson, Sydney. Kate Ritchie served as the godmother for Pacific Eden.

Vasco da Gama

In March 2018, it was announced that Pacific Eden would be exiting the P&O Cruises Australia fleet. It was revealed that Pacific Eden had been sold to Cruise & Maritime Voyages, and that she would depart the fleet in March 2019. Following the announcement, Pacific Eden's new owner announced a naming competition for the new member of their fleet. Members of the line's Columbus Club were allowed to choose between a handful of names that honored storied explorers. The competition included names that honoured Vasco da Gama, Pytheas, Henry Hudson, and Amerigo Vespucci. In April 2019, Pacific Eden officially became Vasco da Gama.

The ship was christened in Bremerhaven on 9 June 2019, and promptly entered into service with Cruise & Maritime Voyage's TransOcean Tours brand. Vasco da Gama now spends the European summer sailing for Transocean Tours before repositioning to Australia for the summer and sailing under the Cruise & Maritime Voyages brand. CMV entered administration in 2020. In October 2020, Mystic Invest bought the ship, on behalf of Mystic cruises, at an auction at CW Kellock & Co in London for US$10,187,000.00, after CMV entered administration in the same year.

COVID-19

During COVID-19 pandemic, the ship docked in Fremantle in late March 2020. Almost 100 New Zealand passengers were flown from Perth on 29 March and arrived in Auckland on 30 March. On 31 March, about 200 West Australian passengers were ferried to Rottnest Island, which had been converted to a quarantine zone. Another 600 Australians were taken to Perth hotels for 14 days of quarantine.

On 19 May, a male Indonesian crew member fell from deck 12 of the ship while it was docked at the Port of Tilbury, London's main port, and landed on a cargo container that was placed on the dock next to the ship. One source reported that he died from the fall, while another reported that he was seriously injured but there was no confirmation that he had died, and a third reported that he was being treated at a hospital. The crew member worked as a storekeeper in the ship's supply area. Vasco da Gama had been docked at Tilbury since 1 May, after having repatriated passengers to Australia. Crew members have complained that they have not been paid and are frustrated with Cruise & Maritime Voyages.

After operations were temporarily suspended to combat the spread of the COVID-19 in March 2020, CMV filed for administration in July. Administrators then auctioned Vasco da Gama through CW Kellock & Co Ltd. to Mystic Cruises. According to a press release from Mystic Cruises, she will sail in the British, German, and Portuguese markets.