Ro-ro passenger/vehicle ferry/cruise ship “Venus” (a.k.a. “Black Prince”) approaching Bergen on 24th August 1982
Owner: Fred Olsen & Co., Oslo
Flag: Norway
Port of registry: Kristiansend
Builder: Lübecker Flender-Werke A.G., West Germany (Hull-561)
Gross tons: 9,449
Length overall: 141.62 m
Max. draft: 6.52 m
Engines: 2 x 18-cylinder Pielstick diesels, total 16,740 b.h.p., by Ottensener Eisenwerk, Hamburg
Service speed: 22 knots
Passenger capacity: 670
Completed October 1966 as “Black Prince”
From 1970 to 1982 operated as “Venus” for Det Bergenske Dampskibsselskab during the summer ferry season & as “Black Prince” for Olsen on cruising the remainder of the year.
1983: operation of summer ferry service taken over by Det Forenede Dampskibsselskab (DFDS) of Denmark, then by Norway Line in 1985. From 1986 operated only as “Black Prince” on cruises.
1987: coverted for full-time cruising at Turku, Finland, as “Black Prince” (Philipping flag); 11,209 gross tons, 693 passengers
1990: re-registered with Norwegian International Shipregister
2001: re-registered in Nassau, Bahamas
2010: sold to Servicios Acuaticos de Venezuela CA (SAVECA), renamed “Ola Esmeralda”
October 2013: sold for scrapping at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic