Black Prince - Venus
 
 
This page is devoted to postcards and photographs of the Fred Olsen/Bergen ferry Black Prince/Venus.
 
Unlike her jointly owned sistership Black Watch/Jupiter, the Black Prince (2) was owned only by Fred Olsen Line on delivery, designed to operate on Fred Olsen Lines' Kristiansand-Harwich and Kristiansand-Amsterdam services during the summer, and with her sistership between London and the Canaries in the winter. She was delivered from builders Lübecker Flender Werke in the autumn of 1966. Her sistership had already operated through the summer as Bergen Lines' Jupiter. For the winter on 1966/67, both sisters operated on the Fred Olsen service from London to Las Palmas and Tenerife (and also Madeira in later years). This winter service carried large amounts of fruit, in addition to the cruise passengers.
 
In 1970, Fred Olsen took delivery of the similar but slightly larger ship Blenheim, and Olsen made a similar joint ownership arrangement with Bergen Line, as with her sistership, so that Black Prince (2) shared the Newcastle-Bergen with route each summer as the Venus, also making some Bergen-Amsterdam trips. Her winter also changed, introducing Rotterdam-Canaries cruises, whilst her place on the London-Canaries cruises was taken by the new Blenheim. The Rotterdam cruises did not carry fruit, so could take a more leisurely route with stops at Lisbon, Casablanca, Madeira, Las Palmas and Tenerife, which took 14 days for the return voyage. At this period, the only livery change was the emblem on the funnel, which alternated between the Fred Olsen Line and Bergen Line house flags. This pattern continued until 1975, from which time the summer services were operated under the joint title of Fred Olsen-Bergen Line. The funnel retained the Fred Olsen house flag throughout the year, but the three white bands of Bergen Line were added.
 
In the early 1980s, DFDS was in an expansive mood in the North Sea, and for the summers of 1982-84, they operated the Venus, and sistership, under charter on Bergen-Newcastle and Bergen-Amsterdam routes. However, in 1985, the Bergen-Newcastle service was operated by Bergen-based Norway Line, who chartered the Venus. In 1986, the joint ownership agreement between Fred Olsen and Bergen Line came to an end. Jupiter passed to Bergen Line and was soon sold to Norway Line. Black Prince became wholly owned by Fred Olsen, and was completely refitted as a full-time cruise ship, re-entering service in 1987. She operated as a one-ship cruise line until 1996, when Fred Olsen added the Black Watch (3). Full details of the later cruise operations are shown on this link.
 
 
Ship Names on this Page:-
Black Prince - Fred Olsen Line 1966-86 (winters only)
Black Prince - Fred Olsen Cruises 1986-
Venus - Bergen Line 1970-75 (summers only)
Venus - Fred Olsen-Bergen Line 1975-81 (summers only)
Venus - DFDS charter 1982-84 (summers only)
Venus - Norway Line charter 1985-86 (summers only)
 
Links to Associated Pages:-
Fred Olsen Cruises - 1986 onwards
Fred Olsen North Sea Services
Lineas Fred.Olsen - Canary Islands Ferry Services
Ferry Postcards
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcard
Simplon Postcards Home Page
 
 
 
 
Black Prince (2)
(Fred Olsen Line: 1966-86)
 
Black Prince (2) was owned solely by Fred Olsen Line at delivery, designed to operate on Fred Olsen Lines' Kristiansand-Harwich and Kristiansand-Amsterdam services during the summer, and with her sistership Black Watch (2) between London and the Canaries in the winter. She was delivered from builders Lübecker Flender Werke in the autumn of 1966. Her sistership had already operated through the summer as Bergen Lines' Jupiter. For the winter on 1966/67, both sisters operated on the Fred Olsen service from London to Las Palmas and Tenerife (and also Madeira in later years). This winter service carried large amounts of fruit, in addition to the cruise passengers.
 
In 1970, Fred Olsen took delivery of the similar but slightly larger ship Blenheim, and Olsen made a joint ownership arrangement with Bergen Line, as with her sistership, so that Black Prince (2) shared the Newcastle-Bergen with route each summer as the Venus, also making some Bergen-Amsterdam trips. Her winter also changed, introducing Rotterdam-Canaries cruises, whilst her place on the London-Canaries cruises was taken by the new Blenheim. The Rotterdam cruises did not carry fruit, so could take a more leisurely route with stops at Lisbon, Casablanca, Madeira, Las Palmas and Tenerife, which took 14 days for the return voyage. This pattern continued until 1975, from which time the summer services were operated under the joint title of Fred Olsen-Bergen Line. The funnel retained the Fred Olsen house flag throughout the year, but the three white bands of Bergen Line were added.
 
 
Official Fred Olsen postcard of Black Prince. Early editions from 1966-70 carried the text:- Fred Olsen Lines 10000-ton stabilised passenger liner "Black Prince". Winter Service: London-Canary Islands. Summer Service: Harwich-Kristiansand-Amsterdam. Later editions 1970-75 carried the text:- Fred Olsen Lines 10000-ton stabilised passenger liner "Black Prince". Rotterdam-Canary Islands. Sailing in the winter cruise service.
 
Official Fred Olsen postcard of Black Prince, with text:- M/S "Black Prince", 9500 tons 350 passengers. London-Canaries Service of Fred Olsen Lines.
 
Official Fred Olsen postcard of Black Prince, although issued to cover all four names Black Watch, Black Prince, Jupiter and Venus.
 
Harvey Barton postcard M8J of Black Prince, at Harwich Parkeston Quay.
 
Ramsey Postcards 89 of Black Prince, arriving at Harwich.
 
 
 
 
 
Venus
(Bergen Line: Summers only - 1970-75)
 
In 1970, Fred Olsen took delivery of the similar but slightly larger ship Blenheim, and Olsen made a similar joint ownership arrangement with Bergen Line, as with her sistership, so that Black Prince (2) shared the Newcastle-Bergen with route each summer as the Venus, also making some Bergen-Amsterdam trips. Her winter also changed, introducing Rotterdam-Canaries cruises, whilst her place on the London-Canaries cruises was taken by the new Blenheim. The Rotterdam cruises did not carry fruit, so could take a more leisurely route with stops at Lisbon, Casablanca, Madeira, Las Palmas and Tenerife, which took 14 days for the return voyage. At this period, the only livery change was the emblem on the funnel, which alternated between the Fred Olsen Line and Bergen Line house flags. This pattern continued until 1975, from which time the summer services were operated under the joint title of Fred Olsen-Bergen Line. The funnel retained the Fred Olsen house flag throughout the year, but the three white bands of Bergen Line were added.
 
 
Official Bergen Line postcard issued as the Venus, although the ship portrayed is the Jupiter.
 
Photographic postcard as the Venus.
 
 
 
 
 
Venus
(Fred Olsen-Bergen Line: Summers only - 1975-81)
 
From 1975 the summer services were operated under the joint title of Fred Olsen-Bergen Line. The funnel retained the Fred Olsen house flag throughout the year, but the three white bands of Bergen Line were added.
 
 
Official Fred Olsen-Bergen Line postcard of the Venus.
 
Aune postcard F-9527-0 of the Venus leaving Bergen in Fred Olsen-Bergen Line colours.
 
 
 
 
 
Venus
(DFDS charter: Summers only - 1982-84)
 
In the early 1980s, DFDS was expanding in the North Sea, and for the summers of 1982-84, they operated the Venus, and sistership Jupiter, under charter on Bergen-Newcastle and Bergen-Amsterdam routes. However, in 1985, the Bergen-Newcastle service was operated by Bergen-based Norway Line, who chartered the Venus. In 1986, the joint ownership agreement between Fred Olsen and Bergen Line came to an end. Jupiter passed to Bergen Line and was soon sold to Norway Line. Black Prince became wholly owned by Fred Olsen, and was completely refitted as a full-time cruise ship, re-entering service in 1987. She operated as one-ship cruise line until 1996, when Fred Olsen added the Black Watch (3).
 
 
Official DFDS postcard of the Venus.
 
 
 
 
 
Venus
(Norway Line charter: Summers only - 1985-86)
 
In 1985, the Bergen-Newcastle service was operated by Bergen-based Norway Line, who chartered the Venus. In 1986, the joint ownership agreement between Fred Olsen and Bergen Line came to an end. Jupiter passed to Bergen Line and was soon sold to Norway Line. Black Prince became wholly owned by Fred Olsen, and was completely refitted as a full-time cruise ship, re-entering service in 1987. She operated as one-ship cruise line until 1996, when Fred Olsen added the Black Watch (3).
 
 
Official Norway Line postcard of the Venus.
 
Postcard of the Venus, issued by the Newspaper Kiosk, Tyne Commission Quay.
 
 
 
 
 
Black Prince
(Fred Olsen Cruises: 1986- )
 
In 1986, the joint ownership agreement between Fred Olsen and Bergen Line came to an end. Jupiter passed to Bergen Line and was soon sold to Norway Line. Black Prince became wholly owned by Fred Olsen, and was completely refitted as a full-time cruise ship, re-entering service in 1987. She operated as a one-ship cruise line until 1996, when Fred Olsen added the Black Watch (3). Full details of the later Fred Olsen cruise operations are shown on this link.
 
 
The original official Fred Olsen art postcard of Black Prince, issued before rebuilding was complete.
It still shows the previous yellow colour scheme.
 
A photographic Fred Olsen postcard of Black Prince, accurately mirroring the painting above.
 
Further official Fred Olsen postcards of Black Prince.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
An enlarged image from a multi-view postcard of Madeira showing both Black Prince & Black Watch (plus Oriana).
The card is published by Francisco Ribeiro, Madeira, serial number 2606. Photo by Marcial Fernandes.
A pity about the skewed horizon.
 
 
 
 
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