MS Astor is a cruise ship owned by the Germany -based Premicon, under charter to the Germany-based Transocean Tours. She
was built in 1987 under the name Astor by HDW Kiel in Germany for the Mauritius-based Marlan Corporation, although originally ordered by the South African Safmarine as a combined ocean liner/cruise ship for
the Southampton - Cape Town service.
On 28 November 2008 an attempted pirate attack on the Astor in the Gulf of Oman was prevented by the German frigate Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Exterior design.
Externally the 1987 Astor was designed to be identical to the 1981 Astor, but approximately 12 metres (39 ft) longer. Due to the similar design the ships were distinguishable only due to the additional
windows below the first lifeboat on the 1987 Astor. Both Astors were designed with a sharply raked bow, a relatively low, terraced superstructure and a large, square funnel.
Interior design. As with
the exterior, the interior layout and decorations of the 1987 Astor were very similar to the 1981 Astor, down to the bathroom fittings. However, the 1987 ship was designed with a larger number of suites,
improved crew quarters, an added casino and added conference facilities.
Like the 1981 ship, the 1987 Astor was furnished in traditional style using large amounts of dark wood, with many of the public
rooms having high ceilings. The author Douglas Ward described the ship as having "a certain degree of style, comfort and elegance"
Type: Cruise ship
Tonnage: 20,606 GRT
Length: 176.26 m (578 ft 3 in)
Beam: 22.21 m (72 ft 10 in)
Draught: 5.80 m (19 ft 0 in)
Decks: 7 (passenger accessible)
Installed power: 4 × Sulzer-ääWrtsil diesels
combined 15,400 kW
Propulsion: Two propellers
Speed: 18 knots (33.34 km/h; 20.71 mph)
Capacity: 650 passengers
Crew: 300 |
