Kenny, the Cruiser

Hi kenny

I work as ship agent and I live in Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal.

I collect ship’s postcards and I have been looking over these past years for the postcard of the SUNDANCER.

I noticed that you have worked onboard of MS SUNDANCER.

Could you by any chance help me on this issue ?

If know somebody that could help me that would be fine as well. Im ready to pay.

Thank you !

I wish that I could help you. I was not on the SUNDANCER. It ran aground. I think it was the maiden voyage. It has been many years and I don't remember exactly. As I recall, she was on the way to Alaska. There was a part of the voyage where a specially trained captain was required to come aboard to steer the ship through those specific waters. Sorry to be sketchy on details. The special captain was said to have been under the influence. The ship ran aground. Passengers were evacuated to lifeboats and sent ashore. The ship began taking on water. There were options explored rather than letting her sink. Run her onto the beach or bring her to the dock and tie her. The second choice was selected. During the night, she continued to take on water and rolled over taking out the dock. I don't believe she sailed again as the SUNDANCER. Later, Stanley McDonald purchased the SCANDINAVIA. It was refitted in Hamburg and christened the STARDANCER. I came aboard in Miami on her first voyage. Because of legal matters resulting from the disaster at the port with the SUNDANCER, Sundance Cruises was purchased by Admiral Cruises. The STARDANCER was later sold to Royal Carribean Cruise Lines and renamed the VIKING SERENADE. The last I heard, she was sailing under a different name in the UK. Because of the short history of the SUNDANCER, I doubt if any postcards exist if any were printed at all.

Hi,

 

I was working on the MS Stardancer from mid 1985 to End 1986 in the Casino as Head Cashier. The Casino was operated by Casinos Austria. I am from Austria. I have plenty of memories and would love to get to know how other crew members do.

So many people I have met and when I moved to the next ship the Song of Norway I hat a unhappy love affair and went back to Austria without looking back.

 

Now more then 20 years later I regret loosing contact to all people.

 

Aspecialle KC (Karen Cartwright) a faboulos singer (Band name "klass") I still miss and dont have her coordinates.

 

Maybe some other people read this and remember this times?

 

Would enjoy hearing from you! mik2soda@gmx.at

I worked the Stardancer from the first cruise after her refitting in Germany. I boarded her in Miami and crossed the Panama Canal. I was hired as an entertainer. The Cruise Director was named Tony. He didn't seem to know what to do with me. I did a headline show in the main show room. A few days later, I suggested we bring a sound system and a stage light into Stanley's Pub. I did a night club act there and even made a couple LIVE record and tape albums. Stanley's Pub became the happening place on the ship for night time entertainment. I did several more cruise engagements as headliner and pub entertainer aboard the Stardancer.

I was a newlywed at the time and being away from my new bride was not the best way to nurture a marriage, so I wrote a letter to Mickey Sweeney, the HR director, and told her I loved being aboard the Stardancer but I loved my wife even more. I also included a list (essay) of ways that the entertainment could be utilized more effectively. A few days later, at sea, I got a Telex from the home office in Seattle telling me to contact them immediately upon my arrival in Mazatlan, our next port. i got off the ship, found a telephone and called Seattle. I was thinking that because I had perhaps stepped on a few toes with my somewhat unorthodox system, I might be put off the ship. The receptionist asked me to hold for Stanley McDonald, THE BOSS. I thought, "Now I've really done it. The President is going to fire me." When Mr. McDonald came on the phone I was sweating profusely. He told me he had read my comments and wanted more information and clarification, which I gave him. He then told me I had been looked at for several weeks as a possible Cruise Director for the Stardancer and other ships that were in the works. Relieved and flattered I told him that my seperation from my bride problem still existed. At the time, she was Special Events Coordinator of Fitzgerald's Hotel in Reno. Much of what she did was the same as a cruise director does on ship. We arranged for her and I to meet with Mr. McDonald in Seattle later in the week. We were offered the positions of Cruise Director and Deputy Cruise Director. I was also given the title of Entertainment Director and we soon began bringing new and different types of entertainment on board. We worked for several months as Cruise Director and Deputy Cruise Director until the ship was merged with Admiral Cruises and we decided to leave the ship. We went on land with a show called "Kenny & the Cruisers" which grew out of a group we had put together with some of the ship musicians for a 50's Night Party on board. We appeared in several countries and ended up in Las Vegas where we appeared in several of the casinos and on elevision. Being on board the Stardancer was one of the happiest times of my life. The crew became family and there was a bond amongst us that I have never felt in any other invironment.