The MS Ilmatar is a Finnish-built vessel with a rich operational history spanning from its construction in 1964 until its scrapping in 2015. Originally launched by Wärtsilä Hietalahti shipyard in Helsinki, she was the largest ship built by that yard at the time. The vessel was constructed for Finland Steamship Company as a passenger and car ferry, featuring a sleek, yacht-like external design with a raked bow, rounded stern, and a distinctive superstructure topped with a bridge located amidship. Her original appearance included two slim exhaust pipes near the stern and a dummy "funnel" attached to the bridge structure, painted in the Finnish shipping company's colors. The ship was powered by diesel engines, with a service speed of approximately 16.5 knots initially. In 1973, she underwent significant modifications at HDW Hamburg, where she was lengthened by 20.04 meters (about 65 feet 9 inches), increasing her overall length and passenger capacity from around 1,000 to 1,210, with berths expanding to 450 and car capacity rising to 75. The lengthening also involved removing her original dummy funnel and replacing it with a larger, low-profile funnel behind the extended superstructure, which later was heightened during her time as Viking Princess. Throughout her service, Ilmatar operated mainly in the Baltic Sea, initially serving routes between Helsinki or Turku and Stockholm. She experienced a notable collision in 1968 with the ferry Botnia in heavy fog, which resulted in the deaths of eight people on the Botnia but left the Ilmatar largely undamaged, allowing her to continue service after repairs. Her service pattern evolved over the decades, including periods marketed under Silja Line and later as a cruise ship with amenities such as a casino, swimming pool, gym, and entertainment facilities. In 1980, she was sold to Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab, kept her name, and was used for cruising around Europe until being laid up in 1982. Subsequently, she was sold to Grundstad Maritime Overseas, renamed Viking Princess, and later operated in the Caribbean and California. In 1997, she became Palm Beach Princess, operating casino cruises out of West Palm Beach, Florida. Her later years were marred by mechanical problems, labor unrest, and financial difficulties, leading to her final voyage in 2010 and eventual scrapping in 2015. Her design and operational history highlight her significance as a versatile Baltic and cruise vessel over five decades.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.