Song of America

Song of America marked a decisive leap in scale for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, entering service in 1982 as the largest ship the company had yet operated at roughly 37,800 GT, roughly double the size of the original Wartsila trio. She was built by Wartsila at its Helsinki (Hietalahti) shipyard in Finland, and her arrival signaled Royal Caribbean's ambition to grow beyond its intimate founding fleet toward the larger vessels that would come to define the modern industry.

Despite her greater size, Song of America retained the design DNA of her predecessors, most visibly the Viking Crown Lounge cantilevered around her funnel, here enlarged and elevated to crown a taller superstructure. With expanded public rooms, entertainment venues, and cabin capacity, she bridged the gap between Royal Caribbean's first generation of ships and the megaships that would follow later in the decade with the Sovereign class.

The ship was christened by the celebrated American operatic soprano Beverly Sills, a fittingly high-profile godmother for what was then the flagship of the fleet. Song of America spent her Royal Caribbean years sailing popular Caribbean and Bermuda itineraries from the U.S. East Coast, building a loyal following through the 1980s and 1990s.

After leaving Royal Caribbean, Song of America embarked on an exceptionally long second career under a string of owners and names, sailing as Sunbird, Thomson Destiny, Louis Olympia, and finally Celestyal Olympia, serving British and Greek-market cruise operators across the Mediterranean and beyond. Her remarkable longevity finally ended when she arrived at Alang, India, for scrapping in early 2025, more than four decades after her debut.