A LUXURIOUS cruise ship that was once part of the esteemed Fantasy fleet is now counting down her last days before being dismantled.
While the glory days of Carnival Inspiration are well in the past, the shipwreck of the once-lavish £240million cruise liner still looks fascinating.
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Built during the ’90s at the Helsinki New Shipyard, the cruise ship set out for its maiden voyage on April 1, 1996.
As part of the Fantasy-class fleet by the Carnival Cruise Line, it promised an unforgettable journey to its passengers – one that was filled with pure luxury and sheer exquisiteness.
The massive cruise ship – almost 262 metres long and 32 metres wide – was characterised by its small bow, bulky hull and relatively flat superstructures.
At its peak, Carnival Inspiration could cruise up to 2,500 passengers along with 920 crew members.
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And it offered a plethora of amenities to cater to diverse traveller preferences, including luxurious suites with private balconies offering impeccable views of the ocean, speciality restaurants, and live musical theatres.
Carnival Inspiration also featured numerous bars and lounges where passengers could unwind with refreshing drinks.
There was even a waterpark on the top of the deck for customers on board to enjoy.
But like all good things come to an end, Carnival Inspiration also had a limited life.
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In 2020, just after the pandemic, the cruise’s parent company decided to retire Carnival Inspiration, along with her sister Fantasy.
The decision came after the cruise company looked to reduce costs after the unprecedented global shutdown.
Carnival Inspiration made its final voyage to Aliağa, Turkey, where it now sits beached, waiting to get demolished.
Inside the Aliağa shipyard
THE Carninal Inspiration has joined over 670 abandoned ships in the cruiseship graveyard in Turkey where sea vessels go to die.
The Aliağa shipyard in western Turkey is one of the largest ship recycling facilities in Europe and sees pleasure vessels stripped apart and left to rot everyday.
Sat on the ports of Izmir the cruise ship graveyard is constantly full of glamorous boats now in a state of disrepair.
After being decommissioned and no longer deemed fit for service the pricey ships are delivered to the ship breaking yard where workers get down to business tearing them apart.
Footage online shows the giant cruise liners stacked up one by one either waiting to be dismantled or already stripped for all they’re worth.
The recovered metals from a single ship can bring in up to $4million (£3.15million) in profits when everything has been recycled for future construction or sold on.
But its not just fancy cruise ships that go to Aliağa to waste away as drill ships, ferries, offshore rigs and giant tankers are all also stripped for their valuable parts.
The Aliağa yard is seen as the second largest graveyard for ships, but top spot goes to Alang in India’s Gulf of Khambhat, which recycles more than half of the world’s decommissioned cruise ships alone.
Harrowing pictures of the shipwreck, however, offer a glimpse of the past of the fancy cruiseliner.
One image shows the eerie-looking glass atrium spread across multiple levels where once passengers used to gather to listen to live music and attend golden ball gatherings.
Other pictures reveal the Blue Iguana Tequila bar of the ship which still has all the seats intact.
A lavish restaurant, where once unique delicacies were served, now sits deserted with chairs and tables collecting dust.
And the Shakespeare Library, with beautiful medieval architecture, is now left to rot – with tall candle holders and bookshelves awaiting their fate.
One particular picture shows the casino of the ship – frozen in time – with poker chips still lying intact across the poker tables.
There was even a Rock and Roll disco inside the cruise with two huge guitars mounted on the entrance of the club.
But the only sound that now plays inside is that of a ticking clock that constantly reminds the cruise ship of its ill fate.
Another abandoned cruise is the MS Astor that first hit the waters in 1986 and carried passengers on cruises for 34 years before arriving in the graveyard of ships destined for the scrapyard.
One image shows a retro bar, frozen in time, with drinks still on the tables.
In another harrowing picture, a deep empty crater sits where the pool once was and deck chairs are assembled beside.
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A third image shows a flashy gym with an incredible sea view – where the equipment is now gathering dust as it hasn’t been used in years.
The incredible theatre was also captured in a snap showing many empty chairs still in place to watch a performance that will never happen.
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Source: Sun
