▁the ▁delivery ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁ship , ▁the ▁company ▁became ▁market ed ▁as ▁Bir ka ▁Cru ises , ▁as ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁show ▁its ▁focus ▁on ▁cru ises . ▁The ▁following ▁year ▁the ▁Pr ins ess an ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁Louis ▁Cru ise ▁L ines , ▁becoming ▁their ▁Prin ces a ▁Mar issa . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁Bir ka ▁Line ▁purchased ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁United ▁Sh ipping . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁the ▁company ▁placed ▁an ▁order ▁for ▁a ▁second ▁cru ise ▁ship , ▁to ▁operate ▁alongside ▁the ▁Bir ka ▁Princess , ▁from ▁W är ts il ä ▁Tur ku ▁ship yard . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁named ▁MS ▁Bir ka ▁Queen , ▁but ▁during ▁construction ▁the ▁ship yard ▁went ▁bank rupt , ▁rad ically ▁raising ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁the ▁ship . ▁Bir ka ▁did ▁not ▁accept ▁delivery ▁of ▁the ▁ship ▁with ▁such ▁a ▁high ▁price , ▁and ▁the ▁ship ▁was ▁instead ▁completed ▁for ▁Majesty ▁Cru ise ▁Line ▁as ▁Royal ▁Majesty . ▁In ▁place ▁of ▁the ▁Bir ka ▁Queen ▁Bir ka ▁Line ▁purchased ▁MS ▁Sun ward ▁from ▁Norwegian ▁Cru ise ▁Line ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁and ▁renamed ▁her ▁MS ▁Bir ka ▁Queen ▁for ▁cru ising ▁from ▁Stockholm ▁to ▁R iga ▁and ▁St . ▁Petersburg . ▁In ▁October ▁the ▁same ▁year , ▁the ▁ship ▁was ▁char tered ▁back ▁to ▁N CL . ▁Although ▁she ▁remained ▁under ▁Bir ka ▁Line ▁ownership ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁the ▁second ▁Bir