Silja Opera
IMO : 7827213
Build : 1980 by Oy Wärtsilä Ab – Åbo, in Finland, nr 1247 as Viking Saga
Rebuild : 1992 by Finnyards – Rauma, Finland, nr 309 as Sally Albatros
This extra-ordinary ugly cruise vessel has had quit a turbulent life even before pronounced an O.U.S. Twice she has been on fire, the last one destroying everything but the hull. Then, only a few years after being rebuild/converted/modified/lengthened and what else not she sank. After being repaired from that unfortunate event she has had a few more minor mishaps all over her life..Read the history here on Wikipedia.
I can’t get over the impression of the massiveness of her, it looks like the designers tried to incorporate all kinds of heavy features that would have been good on larger vessels but not on this smaller version. Like having a hugh big old heavy oak cubbard in a room too small so it dominates the whole room.
My opinion, as always: pretty damned ugly! I think they had better scrapped the remaining hulk after the last devastating fire, but forgoing that: had hired different designers. Not a pretty sight!
btw: this is how she looked before that fire:
Picture by Birger Blomqvist via http://www.faktaomfartyg.se
And after the destroying fire:
Picture by Micke Asklander via http://www.faktaomfartyg.se
More pics of all her disguises can be found HERE.
I don’t think this ship is that bad. I don’t like the paint job, but if they painted her like they did in the past she would look pretty cool.
More SALLY ALBATROSS disaster photos here:
http://fredfryinternational.blogspot.com/2007/10/maritime-monday-82.html