The vessel on this stamp is identified by Watercraft Philately as the ECSTASY of the Carnival Corporation Inc.
Built as a cruise-ship under yard No 480 by Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Helsinki for Carnival Corp. at Doral, Florida.
21 October 1989 floated out under the name ECSTASY, she is one of the Fantasy class cruise ships.
Tonnage 70,367 grt, 7,200 dwt, dim. 262 x 31.5 x 7.80m. (draught).
Powered diesel electric by two Sulzer-Wärtsilä 8 diesel engines and four Sulzer-Wärtsilä 12ZAV40S, total power 42,240 kW, twin shafts speed 21 knots.
Accommodation for 2675 passengers and 926 crew.
01 April 1991 completed. Liberian registry.
After delivery sailed across the North Atlantic for New York where she on 11 May 1991 was christened by Kathie Lee Gifford a T.V. host.
09 June 1991 she left for her maiden cruise to the Caribbean.
20 July 1998 just after departing Miami, Florida for Key West, Florida with on board 2,565 passengers and 916 crew a fire started in the laundry room around 17.00.
The fire migrated through the ventilation system to the aft mooring deck where mooring lines ignited, creating intense heat and large amounts of smoke.
As the ECSTASY was attempting to reach an anchorage north of the Miami sea buoy, the vessel lost propulsion power and steering and began to drift.
After contacting the Coast Guard, six tugboats responded to help to fight the fire and tow the ECSTASY.
The fire was brought under control by ECSTASY own fire fighters and it was extinguished at 21.10.
Fourteen crew members and eight passengers suffered minor injures.
One passenger who required medical treatment as a result of a pree-existing condition was categorized as a serious injury victim because of the length of her hospital stay.
The company estimated that losses for this fire and associated damages will exceed USA$17 million.
After hurricane Katrina in 2005 she was used for six months in New Orleans serving as quarters for evacuees and relief workers.
2007 Was she renamed by the company in CARNIVAL ECSTASY and registered under Bahamas flag.
19 September 2009 she underwent a refurbishment.
2011 She offers year round 4 or 5 days cruises from Galveston, Texas to the Caribbean.
IMO No 8711344.
2019 In service, same name and owners.
Malagasy (Madagascar) 1994 140fr sg?, scott1251.
Guinea Bissau 2014 sgMS?, scott?
Source; Internet. Ocean Liners by David Williams and Jonathan Forty. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_Ecstasy