Cruise ShipsPast and Present

MV Rhapsody – Past and Present

MV Golden Iris

Ex Rhapsody, Cunard Princess, Cunard Conquest

© Nigel Thornton

© Nigel Thornton

Steel twin screw motor vessel built in 1975 by Burmeister & Wain, Köpenhamn, Denmark (Yard No 859) for Cunard Line, Southampton, England.

Technical Data

  • Original Cost: £12 million
    Length: 163.56 m (overall) 140.01 m (between perpendiculars)
    Breadth: 22.80 m
    Depth: 12.60 m
    Draught: 8.30 m
    Tonnage: 17496 – 16852 – 17095 gross/10084 7391 net/2499t – 3130t deadweight
    Engines: Four 7-cylinder B & W 7U50HU diesels
    Power: 15447 kW/21000 bHP
    Speed: 18.5 knots (service) 21.5 knots (max)
    Passenger Decks: 8
    Capacity: 812 (Normal) 947 (Max) passengers
    Crew: 350
    Call Sign: C6Cg, IBQF, 3FZK4
    IMO Number: 7358573
    LR Number (1992 – 1993): 365261
    RI Number: 77927
    Port of Registry: Southampton/UK, Nassau/Bahamas, Panama City/Panama, Napoli/Italy, Panama City/Panama
    Sister-Ship: Cunard Countess
[sc:ais mmsi=371771000]

History

January 1st 1975: Keel laid.

December 1974: Launched as CUNARD CONQUEST.

October 30th 1975: Delivered to Cunard Line, Southampton, England.

November 6th 1975: Arrived at Navali Mechaniche Affini, La Spezia for outfitting.

March 1977: Delivered as CUNARD PRINCESS.

March 1977: Commenced cruising.

April 1977: Maiden cruise from New York to Bermuda.

© A Kilk

Courtesy of Brian Fisher (© A Kilk)

Courtesy of Chris Howell

Courtesy of Chris Howell (Vancouver, 15/06/1985)

Courtesy of Chris Howell  Courtesy of Chris Howell

Courtesy of Chris Howell

© Tony Garner  © Tony Garner

© Tony Garner (Panama Canal, 01/12/1988)

December 1990: Arrived in Bahrain and laid up as a recreation ship for American military engaged in the Gulf War.

September 23rd 1991: Extensive refit at Valletta, Malta.

October 19th 1991: Returned to cruising.

© Brian Fisher

© Brian Fisher (May 1993)

1993: Operated within Cunard-Crown division

Bernt Anderson Collection (1993)

January 1995: Sold to Starlauro Cruises, Panama and renamed RHAPSODY.

© Frank Heine  © Frank Heine

🆕© Frank Heine (Genoa, 19/06/1995)

October 1st 1995: Sold to Mediterranean Shipping Co., Panama.

© Carlo Martinelli

© Carlo Martinelli (Genoa, 02/08/1997)

July 2000: Sold to MSC Crociere SPA (Management; MSC Crociere spa), Naples, Italy.

  

© Aleksi Lindström (2002)

  

© Aleksi Lindström (2004)

January 2006: Sold to Gramerco International Co, Panama (Management; Mediterranean Shipping).

© Nigel Thornton  © Nigel Thornton

© Nigel Thornton  © Nigel Thornton

© Nigel Thornton  © Nigel Thornton

© Nigel Thornton  © Nigel Thornton

© Nigel Thornton

© Nigel Thornton (Dover, 03/06/2007)

© John Mavin

© John Mavin (Dover, 19/07/2007)

April 9th 2009: Sold to Mint Marine Ltd (Management; Mano Maritime Ltd), Haifa, Israel.

May 2009: Renamed GOLDEN IRIS.

May 31st 2009: Maiden cruise from Haifa.

2013: Sailing from Haifa to Cyprus, the Greek Islands, Montenegro, Italy, and Croatia

© Carsten Dettmer

© Carsten Dettmer (Crete, 17/08/2016)

© Dennis Mortimer

© Dennis Mortimer (Piraeus, 14/09/2017)


All information is believed to be correct and no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. All items included in this article are subject to © copyright. We would like to take this opportunity of thanking: Carsten Dettmer, Brian Fisher, Tony Garner, Frank Heine, Chris Howell, Carlo Martinelli, Aleksi Lindström, John Mavin and Dennis Mortimer for their assistance in producing this feature.

Article © Nigel Thornton and Ray Goodfellow (Dover Ferry Photos Group)

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