Your first cruise ship

[Copper10-8]

Some additional pics of the ship born as Renaissance

 

As Renaissance for Compagnie Francaise de Navigation

As Renaissance for Compagnie Francaise de Navigation

 

As World Renaissance on charter to Costa Crocieri

 

As World Renaissance for Royal Olympia Cruises at Antwerp, Belgium

As Grand Victoria departing Gothenburg, Sweden

 

As Blue Monarch for Monarch Classic Cruises departing Piraeus in 2007

[Copper10-8]

Carnvial Tropicale October 98. A 4 day, Cozumel and Key West, and yes after 15 cruises over the last 11 years , I can truly say she got us hooked.

 

First cruise was Carnival Tropicale in 1988. I was only 9 at the time. It was a 7 day to the Mexican Riviera. That was such a great trip! I absolutely love cruising!

 

 

 

ms Tropicale (1981-present) Built in 1981 as Tropicale by Aalborg Værft A/S, Aalborg, Denmark for Carnival Cruise Line. She was delivered on 4 December 1981 as the first of Carnival’s “new builds”, as all Carnival ships before her were older ships, either purchased or chartered from other companies. Carnival commissioned naval (interior) architect Joe Farcus to handle the design and layout of the ship's passenger accomodation and the first true "Fun Ship" was born.

Tropicale became the prototype of all future Carnival ships and was also the first Carnival ship to feature their trademarks, a distinctive tall and winged “whale-tail” funnel painted red, white and blue, as well as a water slide into the midships pool.

After a transatlantic crossing, Tropical was christened in Miami, Fl by Madeleine Arison, her godmother and wife of Carnival Corporation president and CEO Micky Arison. In January 1982, she departed Miami on her maiden voyage into the Caribbean. 17 September 1982 found her on the west coast in Los Angeles (San Pedro) from where she sailed a maiden cruise under charter to Westours, an Alaska-based tour operator. In 1983 she operated her first Alaska season on seven-day cruises from Vancouver, BC.

 

 

As the company expanded and acquired larger ships, Carnival decided that Tropicale would be their 'test ship' for new or revised cruise itineraries. As a result, in 1990 she was the first Carnival ship to be based in San Juan, Puerto Rico and in 1994, the first Carnival ship to sail from New Orleans, La.

In September 1996, Carnival signed an agreement with the South Korea-based Hyundai Chaebol conglomerate in order to start to offer cruises in Asia. In February 1997, this initiative was christened Carnival Cruises Asia, and it was announced that Tropicale would be assigned to that joint venture. However, in August 1997, that enterprise was dissolved due to disagreements between the two parents over developments in the Asian market. Instead, a new market was opened from Tampa, Fl from where Tropicale began offering four-day cruises to Key West, Fl and Cozumel, Mexico and five-day cruises to Grand Cayman and Cozumel in April 1998.

 

On 27 September 2000, after the demise of Cape Canaveral Cruises, Carnival announced that Tropicale would begin operating two and three-day cruises from Cape Canaveral, Fl as well as a series of Panama Canal cruises from Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale) at the conclusion of her 2001 Tampa summer season. On 7 December 2000 however, Carnival Corporation announced the cancelation of the entire Cape Canaveral-based cruise program and the internal transfer of Tropicale to Italy-based Costa Crocieri/Costa Cruises in 2001 instead.

 

After her last cruise for Carnival on 10 February 2001, Tropicale crossed the Atlantic and entered the Mediterranean on her way to the Cantieri Temistocle Mariotti S.p.A. shipyard at Genoa, Italy for an extensive 30 million Euro refit (interior/exterior and technical) by Costa's own techical department. Over the course of the first half of 2001, Tropicale was customized there for a European client base including new fittings, furniture, carpets and toilets to all of her cabins. Her public rooms were renovated and a new alternative restaurant, the Bahia Club, and an internet/coffee lounge were added. On the technical side, her propulsion system (main motors, shaft lines, propellers, etc.) were overhauled and an additional aft thruster and new cylindrical stack installed.

On 23 June 2001, Costa Tropicale (her new name) was once again christened by Madeleine Arison. The complexity of the refit delayed her first commercial cruise by two weeks until 14 July 2001. Costa Tropicale sailed every Saturday from Venice to the Aegean Sea and the Greek isles, calling at Bari, Italy, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Kusadasi, Turkey and Katakolon, Santorini and Mykonos, Greece. In the winter of 2002, Costa Tropicale sailed from Brazil on cruises designed for the South American market and in the summer of 2003 she operated on year round 7-day Costa Riviera cruises from Savona, Italy

She served with the company until 2005, when replacement by larger, more modern cruise ships prompted yet another internal transfer to P&O Cruises Australia.

 

 

Before departing for down under, she was given another refit at Fincantieri's yard in Palermo, Sicily to the tune of $20 million in order to make her suitable for the Australian cruise market. Her new name would be Pacific Star and entered service as Queensland latest cruise liner in December 2005. Her home port was Brisbane and her itinerary included cruises along the tropical Queensland coast to various islands in the South Pacific, New Caledonia and to New Zealand.

Edited January 23, 2010 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

 

In March 2008, the ship was acquired by Spain-based tour operator (and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd subsidiary) Pullmantur Cruises and after a refit in Singapore, began cruising for them in May 2008 under her new name Ocean Dream.

 

Her home port for Pullmantur is Barcelona, Spain from where she offers 7-day itineraries with port calls at La Goulette/Tunis, Tunesia, Valetta, Malta, Messina/Sicily, Civitavecchia, Italy and Villefranche-sur-Mer, France.

 

Edited January 23, 2010 by Copper10-8

[kzocruiser]

I really enjoyed reading the info you posted on the Empress of Britain/Carnivale. My first cruise was on the Carnivale in 1976, before I was married. I went with a friend, and we booked an inside cabin (just out of college, not a lot of $$$), and I can still remember how the cabin was fitted out in (real) wood. The bathroom was HUGE by ship standards, almost 1/2 the size of the cabin. I was definitely hooked!

[Copper10-8]

I'm not sure if my first trip qualifies as a "cruise" as it was a transatlantic trip to Italy aboard the Italian Line's Raffaello. That was my introduction to ships and have been hooked ever since. My first Caribbean cruise was in 1979 aboard the Guglielmo Marconi also of the Italian Line, though the company's days were numbered by then.

 

 

ts Raffaello (1965-1983) Built in 1965 by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico, Monfalcone, Italy as ts (turbine ship) Raffaello for the Società di navigazione Italia also known as the Italian Line. She was one of the last ships to be built primarily for liner service across the North Atlantic on the Genoa-New York City route.

Società di navigazione Italia had begun planning new ships in 1958. Originally they were to be only slightly larger than ss Leonardo da Vinci (1960) which was still being built, but the jet passenger aircraft had not yet had a notable effect on the Mediterranean area at the time and a pair of genuine superliners seemed like an attractive idea, not only from a commercial point of view but also from the point of view of providing jobs to shipyard workers and sailors. As a result, a decision was made that the new ships would be the largest to be built in Italy since the ss Rex in 1932.

 

It was also decided that the sister ship would be true ocean liners with their accomodations divided into three classes. For some reason, it was also decided that their three lowest-most passenger decks would not have any portholes. The new sisters were ver advanced on the technological side, their most striking feature being their Turin Polytechnic-designed funnels. These consisted of an intricate trellis-like pipework (instead of the traditional even surface) to allow wind to pass through the funnel, and a large smoke deflector fin on the top. Although much criticised, the funnel design proved to be highly effective in keeping smoke off the rear decks. The smoke deflectors became popular in ship design during the 1970s and 1980s, and the idea of allowing wind to pass through the funnel was picked up again in the late 1980s and is almost the norm in modern shipbuilding.

 

Raffaello was launched on 24 March 1963 and completed in July 1965. She made her first voyage, a prelude Mediterranean cruise, on 10 July 1965. Her maiden voyage to New York took place on 25 July 1965 from Genoa. The Italians showed that they were still able to produce first class ships for a worldwide market. The staterooms and the public rooms on board the liners offered the passengers unlimited luxury. THere were at least one private shower and toilet in every cabin, and there were altogether six swimming pools - three for adults and three for children. The first class ballroom aboard the Raffaello was dominated by huge crystal chandeliers and the ship's two luxury suites were equipped with a large television in each room.

 

On 31 October 1965, she suffered an engine room fire and had to limp back to Genoa on one propellor. In 1966, Raffaello hosted two unusual passengers for an ocean liner: two Spider 1600 cars which to be exhibited in the U.S.A. The cars were even driven on the first class lido decks of the ship which was a first for an ocean liner. In 1970, "Raf", as she was nicknamed, had another "first" in the shipping business: her theater stage was converted into a skating rink and skating shows were performed to the passengers. Later in May 1970, the ship also suffered the most serious accident of her career when, under the command of Senior Captain Luigi Oneto, she collided with a Norwegian oil tanker off the south coast of Spain. Fortunately no lives were lost as a result of the collision.

Although Raffaello was larger than her older sister, Michelangelo (1965), and her interior more distinctive, she was always the less important sister in the eyes of Italian Line's executives. As a result, when transatlantic traffic started declining due to competition from air traffic, Raffaello was sent cruising in order to make more money while Michelangelo kept doing crossings. Unfortunately, she was not very well suited for cruising. Although she did have a large amount of open deck space, she was too large, her cabins too small and most of them too spartan for the demands of cruise passengers. It would have been possible to rebuild her as a genuine cruise ship, but the required funding that her owners required for that conversion was not available.

 

Even though Raffaello and Michelangelo failed to make any money for her owners, they were "kept alive" by the Italian Government's generous subsidies. But in 1974, after nine years in service, the North Atlantic operations almost ceased. From then on, Raffaello was used mainly for cruising.

After spending 1974 cruising, Italian Line decided to withdraw both the Raffaello and her sister Michelangelo in April 1975 after the Italian Government had informed them they would no longer be subsidising the ships anymore. On 21 April 1975, Raffaello departed for the last time from New York towards lay up. Initially laid up in Genoa, on 6 June 1975 she arrived at La Spezia, near the infamous scrapyard. She was inspected by several potential buyers such as Norwegian Cruise Line, Costa Crocieri, Chandris Group and Home Lines. The latter even made a serious offer to buy the ships despite large rebuilding costs, but the Italia Line turned down the offer.

 

Finally in 1976, the Shah of Persia/Iran, Mohammad Reza Shah, emerged as a buyer the Italian Line could accept. She and her sister, Michelangelo, the former flagships of Italy that has cost a total of $90 million in 1965, were sold for a mere $4 million a decade later. Raffaello made her final journey late in the same year from La Spezia to Bushehr, Iran, where she served as a floating barracks/accomodation ship for army personnel, oil workers and navy trainees for the next seven years.

 

In 1978, plans emerged to resurrect the Michelangelo and Raffaello as cruise ships. The Raffaello would have become Ciro il Grande, a luxury cruiser accommodating 1,300 passengers. However, specialists sent from Italy to evaluate the condition of the ships realised they were simply in a too poor condition to make reconstruction financially viable. As a result Raffaello stayed in her moorings. She was heavily damaged and looted during the Islamic revolution in 1979.

 

In 1983, plans were again made to bring the sisters back into service as cruise ships. Even if those could have been realised it was already too late for the Raffaello because during an air attack on Bushire by the Iraqi Air Force during the Iran-Iraq war in February 1983, she was struck by a missile and slowly sank in the shallow harbor waters. Some time later her wreck was rammed by an Iranian cargo ship and local divers further looted her hull during the following years. Reportedly, her hull still remains partially submerged where she sank. No breaking up of the ship ever commenced, although there have been reports of plans to scrap her. Her sister Michelangelo remained in Bandar Abbas, Iran until 1991 when she was towed to Pakistan and scrapped.

[redskyy1]

Carnival's Festivale (No longer in service) in 1978. Haven't stopped since. It went to the Virgin Islands.

[Copper10-8]

Carnival's Festivale (No longer in service) in 1978. Haven't stopped since. It went to the Virgin Islands.

 

rms Transvaal Castle (1966-2004) Built in 1962 by John Brown & Company, Ltd at Clydebank, Scotland as ocean liner Transvaal Castle for Union-Castle Line (UK) for the Southampton-South Africa (Durban) service. She was the second largest in the Union-Castle fleet and the only one-class express liner ever conceived for that historic run.

Transvaal Castle was the last in a series of three similar but not identical ships planned by the Union-Castle Line in the 1950s as replacements for the company's oldest ships. Transvaal Castle was preceded by Pendennis Castle (1958) and Windsor Castle (1960)

The new Tansvaal Castle set out on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England to Durban, South Africa on 18 January 1962. With the new ships the travel time between the UK and South Africa was cut from 13 1/2 to 11 1/2 days, with departures fro both Southampton and Durban at 4:00 PM on Thursday, every week. In 1965 the departure day/time was changed to 1:00 PM every Friday.

International politics played an increasing role in the life of the service and after South Africa pulled out of the British Commonwealth, the government in Pretoria put greater stock in the enlargement of a South African merchant marine. In mid decade they "suggested" that Union Castle transfer two passenger ships to South African flag. Union Castle, whose sole business by then was the South Africa run, could not but comply and arranged to sell two ships to the South Africans. In 1966, the vessel was transferred to the South African Marine Corporation and renamed S. A. Vaal.

 

That done, she retained her Union Castle crews and continued in operation exactly as before though now wearing the white hulls of their new owners. By the mid 1970s the fleet was down to five passenger liners. The mail route was costing too much money to operate so Union Castle and Safmarine agreed to close it down. Only one of the six ships ever traded again...the S.A. Vaal.

 

 

In October 1977, she was sold to Carnival Cruise Line who converted the vessel into a cruise ship at Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan at the cost of $30 million (almost twice the initial cost), doubling the vessel's passenger capacity and installing discotheques, lounges and casinos. She was renamed Festivale and began 7-night cruising for Carnival on 28 October 1978 from Miami thereby becoming one of the line's 'First Generation' cruise ships. With Carnival creating substantially larger cruise liners, she was superseded by the new "Fun Ships" a few years later and was sent to work on 7-day cruises from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

 

The winter of 1996 saw her turned over to Dolphin Cruise Lines on a bareboat charter as Island Breeze. There was still a market for passengers who preferred "traditional" looking ships, and after a brief charter with a British travel firm Thomson, Dolphin Cruise Cruise Line purchased her outright in 1998. She operated from Montego Bay, Jamaica on 7-night cruises to the Panama canal in winter and from May, 2-night and 5-night cruises from New York.

 

During Premiers' reorganization in the mid 1990s, all but the Oceanic (Big Red Boat I) were sold off. Premier then became an amalgamation of Dolphin and Seawind Cruises and obtained the remainder of that fleet. She was renamed Island Breeze: Big Red Boat III, as she was their third liner, and like all of their ships, had her hull painted a bright red. Premier ceased operations on September 13th, 2000. The cruise line's banker, investment firm Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ), made the decision to pull the plug after a summer of highly visible mishaps on a fleet of aging ships that were becoming more expensive to maintain each passing day as fuel prices increased. Their ships were seized in various ports in the Caribbean, North America and Europe. Big Red Boat III was laid up at Freeport in the Bahamas.

 

By now, old, out-of-date and in need of repairs, she could find no work and was sold to the shipbreakers in Alang, India in the Summer of 2003. On June 4, 2003 she sailed as Big Boat from Freeport, Bahamas via Gibraltar, to Alang. She had the sad distinction of being the first Carnival Cruise liner to be scrapped there which occurred in 2003-2004.

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[Copper10-8]

Our first cruise was on the Caribe, which was owned by the old Commodore Cruise Lines. It originally was christened the Olympic and it began its life as a transatlantic ship that sailed between Athens and NY in the 50s. Maybe into early 60s. She was the last of the rivet-hulled ships constructed. When we sailed her in 1991, it was during the first Gulf War, and we had heard that you could get cruises very cheap because so many ships had been pulled back, out of the Med and all crowded into the Caribbean, with everyone practically giving away trips. I figured out what we could pay, and based on the brochure, that was an F level cabin (A level was the best). I called the line directly and asked what I could get for an F level price. I was offered A level, and of course, took it! We sailed for a week in the Caribbean in what had been a first-class stateroom! This was an absolutely gorgeous ship, with lots of red velvet, dark rich woods, thick carpets, all the appointments of the ships of the 50s. And it was a great crew, fabulous food and a fun itinerary (Miami, Ocho Rios/Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Playa de Carmen). Playa del Carmen was a dump back in 1991...just getting set up for tourists; we walked off the ship and into town and turned around and walked right back. It was a scary place to walk at that time, day or night...but the beaches were gorgeous (seen from afar). Anyway, that trip hooked us on cruising. Our price for that week on that gorgeous ship?? $250/pp!! Last I heard, the Caribe was actually still sailing, under a new name---in Russia, owned by Russian company.

 

Thanks for the trip down memory lane!!

 

tss Olympia (1953-2009) Built in 1953 as tss (Turbine Steam Ship) Olympia by Alexander Stephen & Sons on River Clyde, Glasgow, Scotland, she would be the first and only new-built for the General Steam Navigation Company of Greece, also known as the Greek Line. She was initially measured at 22,979 gross registered tons (GRT) and carried 138 First and 1,169 Tourist Class passengers. She had a number of interchangeable cabins for 146 passengers. The reason she was built as a predominantly tourist class ship was in response to a demand for cheaper travel during the post-war years. She was designed to operate regular transatlantic voyages, between Piraeus and New York.

 

Her maiden voyage on 10 October 1953, saw her departing Glasgow for Dublin and New York. Her first voyage on the intended route from Piraeus to the Big Apple did not take place until March 1955 due to legal complications.

In 1961, that route was extended to include Haifa, Israel. She also operated on some cruises from New York to Bermuda. In 1968, Olympia was re-registered at Andros, Greece and re-meassured at 17,434 GRT. By 1970, with trans-atlantic traffic in decline, she became a one-class cruise ship accommodating 1,030 passengers. However, in the end, this proved to be unprofitable and on 24 March 1974, her owners decided to pull her out of service and to lay her up at Piraeus. She would remain there for the next seven years. The Greek Line did not survive and suffered total financial collapse in 1975.

 

In 1981, Olympia was sold to Finnish-owned Rederi Ab Sally or Sally Shipping Company. It took another year or so when, on 22 February 1983, after assuming the new name 'Caribe', she was towed to Hamburg, Germany. Upon arrival there on 11 March 1983, she was refitted with diesel engines, replacing her original steam turbines. On 29 June 1983, sporting a new livery and a more “modern” look, she departed Hamburg as 'Caribe I' bound for Miami, Florida under management of Sally’s U.S.-based subsidiary, Commodore Cruise Line Ltd. In Miami, she joined the line's 1968-built Boheme in operating seven-night Caribbean cruises from Miami with port calls at Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

 

She soon became a much sought after cruise ship, much due to her elegant old world atmosphere. On 14 May 1988, she received another refit in dry-dock at Norfolk, Va, which included the removal of that not aesthetically pleasing funnel (exhaust pipes decorated in a framework design) that had been fitted in 1983. It was replaced by a more conventional type.

 

Due to strong competition of the larger upmarket cruise ships, Commodore Cruises, decided to sell their ships in 1993. Caribe I was sold to the newly formed Palmetto Florida-based Regal Cruise Line, who renamed her Regal Empress and began sailing her out of Port Manatee, Fl in the winter season and out of New York City during the summer.

 

 

In 1996, Regal Empress was given a new “bolder” livery, with a broad navy blue band on both sides of the ship. In addition her anchor well was pained dark blue and the size of her name on her bow was increased. In 1997, she sailed to Mobile, Alabama for another refit, which included the addition of balconies to six suites, some with their own Jacuzzis, and the fitting of enclosed Lanai’s to her forward suites overlooking her bow.

 

After the collapse of Regal Cruises, the company ceased all operations on April 18 2003, Regal Empress was seized by U.S. Marshals at Port Manatee in a dispute over a claim against the cruise company for $730,000 worth of repair work on the 50-year old vessel. She was subsequently auctioned off on 23 May 2003 and purchased by U.S.-based Imperial Majesty Cruises who had been operating two-night mini cruises from Ft. Lauderdale's Port Everglades to Nassau, the Bahamas, using the 1955-built ss OceanBreeze. It was felt that Regal Empress (she would retain her most current name with Imperial Majesty) would be cheaper to operate while carrying more passengers than the other classic ocean liner. OceanBreeze was promptly sold for scrap and broken up at Chittagong, Bangladesh in November of that same year.

 

 

Like her forerunner, Regal Empress became a success story, sailing mostly to capacity and proving to be one of the most profitable ships operating in the Caribbean. In September 2008, she was removed from service and used as an aid/accommodation ship in the recovery of the aftermath of Hurricane Ike which devastated Galveston, TX She would remain in that city for two months.

 

Her last voyage for Imperial Majesty Cruises took place on 6 March 2009. Three days later, on 9 March 2009, she was oficially retired by the cruise Line. She was laid up in Freeport, the Bahamas and subsequently sold for scrap to Indian breakers. On 28 March 2009, she departed Freeport with an Indian delivery crew for Alang, India. The pic below, taken on 30 April 2009, shows her off Gibraltar on that final voyage.

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

my first cruise was royal caribbean's grandeur of the seas, from baltimore to bermuda, sept 2007... DEFINITELY hooked!!

 

ms Grandeur of the Seas (1996-present) Built in 1996 by Kvaerner Masa Yard Oy, Helsingfors (Helsinki), Finland as ms Grandeur of the Seas for Royal Caribbean International. RCI calls the six vessels members of the Vision class, with Legend of the Seas (1995) being the lead ship. In reality the Vision class consists of two pairs of sister ships (Legend OTS & Splendour OTS–1996 at 69,130 grt and Rhapsody OTS–1997 & Vision OTS–1998 at 78,491 grt) plus another pair of ships, one of which (Enchantment) was later lengthened, thereby being in a class by themselves (Grandeur OTS-1996 at 74,140 grt & Enchantment OTS–1997 at 80,700 grt). The six ships are not identical to each other and as such do not constitute a class by the actual definition of the term. In fact, the Vision class is named after the last ship built, and formerly the largest ship in its class.

 

The trademarks of the six ships, known as the “ships of light”, are their glass skylights and massive floor-to-ceiling windows that allow natural sunlight to come in.

 

 

When Grandeur OTS emerged from the Finnish shipyard on 20 November 1996, she measured 74,140 gross registered tons and could carry 2,446 passengers. The ship features an on-board casino, Casino Royale, on Deck 5. There are also eight themed bars and lounges, including the pool deck bar, South Pacific Lounge, Singin' in the Rain (a children's themed lounge), the Schooner and the Viking Lounge. There is an open atrium, called the Centrum, that stretches from deck 4 to deck 10. An outdoor pool is found on the top open deck (deck 9) along with four whirlpools, two on the starboard side and two on the port side. On the same deck is the indoor Solarium area with its own pool and two additional whirlpools, one on starboard and one on port. A jogging track can be found on deck 10.

Several youth facilities are scattered about the ship, including an Arcade area, the already mentioned Singin' in the Rain lounge, and the Explorations desk on deck 5. A special edition of RCI's daily program (The Compass), called Explorations is published specifically for children. The Spa and Fitness Center can be found on deck 9. The main dining room, known as the Great Gatsby, is located on decks 4 and 5. The show lounge, known as The Palladium is located on decks 5 and 6. The ship also contains a conference center, a library, a card/board game room (both the library and card room are located on deck 7 around the atrium area), a buffet called The Windjammer, two shuffle board courts, of course, a RCI-trademark rock wall, a photo shop, several stores specializing in jewelry, souvenirs, cigars, cigarettes, and liquor, and a piano area and the other RCI trademark circular Viking Crown Lounge.

 

After crossing the North Sea, British Channel and Atlantic, Grandeur of the Seas arrived in Miami, Fl. She was christened there on 13 December 1996 by her godmother, Aviva Ofer, wife of Israeli shipping magnate Sammy Ofer, and mother of Eyal Ofer, a member of the Royal Caribbean Board of Directors. She departed on her maiden voyage to the Caribbean on 14 December 1996.

 

Grandeur of the Seas was initially deployed on 7-night cruises from Miami to the Eastern Caribbean until 2000, when she was replaced on that run by the new Explorer of the Seas. Since 2000, Grandeur has deployed to Europe in the summer season and has been homeported in Tampa, Fl, New Orleans, La and Ft. Lauderdale, Fl for western and southern Caribbean cruising in the winter. Other summers have been spent in Eastern U.S. ports such as Norfolk, Va, Baltimore, Md, and Philadelphia, Pa, visiting the Caribbean, Bermuda, New England and the Canadian Maritimes.

 

 

While docking in Costa Maya, Mexico on 21 April 2005, a 42-foot long hole was torn in Grandeur's hull when she collided with the concrete pier. The hole was located on deck one of the ship, approximately 5-foot above the waterline, and was 5 feet wide at its widest. According to Royal Caribbean, winds of 17 miles per hour plus a 3-knot strong current contributed to the accident. Grandeur wound up staying an extra two days at Costa Maya awaiting materials to patch up the hole. Consequently, her next seven day cruise had to be shortened to five days. Upon return to the U.S. the ship was dry-docked so the damage could be repaired.

 

 

 

For the 2010-2011 (November-April) winter season, Grandeur will be based out of Colon, Panama where she will be replacing her sister ship, Enchantment of the Seas. She will be alternating seven-night Western and Southern Caribbean itineraries. Her Western Carib. ports of calls will be Cartagena, Colombia, Montego Bay, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Honduras while Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Cartagena and Santa Marta, Colombia will be stops on her Southern Carib. cruises.

Edited January 25, 2010 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

First "cruise" was a T/A in 1950 (still don't know if it was the SS United States or the SS Washington). I was four years old, and Army Dad was transferred to Stuttgart, Germany. Second "cruise was in 1954 (on one of those ships) back to the US.) Just remember being very seasick each way, sleeping in a bunk bed, being offered half-melted chocolate ice cream, throwing up constantly, hating my little brother for not being sick, and arriving back in New York. Scared and overwhelmed! Culture shock being back in the US with - gasp - TV! Fast forward - -married, two kids. Third cruise - Pacific Princess 1977 Mexican Riviera. Fourth cruise - Pacific Princess 1978 Mexican Riviera. Three kids. Both cruises paid for by DH company. Both in summer. I am the only idiot I know who wore a dress/skirt and heels to "tour" Acapulco, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. Back then, I didn't know S*** from Shinola about cruising. Have learned a lot since then, and am so glad I was able to go on so many cruises!! Can even spell places like Barbuda, Mustique, Anguilla, Petit St. Vincent, and Palm Island because I've been there! Sure do miss the days of the tall ship sailings! Not Windjammer, though did sail on Flying Cloud once.

 

 

 

ss United States (1952-present) Built in 1952 by Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Company, Newport News, Va for United States Lines. Inspired by the exemplary service of the British liners RMS Queen Mary and RMS Queen Elizabeth which transported hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops to Europe during World War II, the United States government decided to sponsor construction of a large and very fast merchant vessel capable of transporting large numbers of soldiers. Designed by renowned American naval architect and marine engineer William Francis Gibbs, the liner's construction was a joint effort between the United States Navy and United States Lines. The U.S. government underwrote $50 million of the $78 million construction cost, with the ship's operators, United States Lines, contributing the remaining $28 million. In exchange, she was designed to be easily converted into a troopship with a capacity of 15,000 troops, or a hospital ship in the case of war.

 

Her keel was laid and her hull was constructed in a graving dock. The United States was built to exacting Navy specifications, which required that she be heavily compartmentalized and have separate engine rooms to enable her to survive should she be damaged in war.

 

To minimize the risk of fire, the designers of the United States did not use a single piece of wood in her framing, accessories or decorations. There were no wood interior surfaces. Fittings, including all furniture and fabrics, were custom made in glass, metal and spun glass fiber to ensure they were in full compliance with strict fireproof guidelines set by the U.S. Navy. Even the clothes hangers in the luxury cabins were made of aluminum. The only wooden equipment used in the construction of the vessel was in the bilge keels and butcher blocks in the galleys. The grand piano in the ballroom was even made of a rare, fire-resistant species of wood, and was originally specified to be made of aluminum. The grand piano was accepted after a demonstration in which gasoline was poured upon the wood and lit without causing the wood itself to catch fire.

 

The construction of the ship's superstructure involved the largest use of aluminum in any construction project to that time, and presented a special challenge to the builders in joining the aluminum structure to the steel decks below. The significant use of aluminum provided extreme weight savings. At 105 feet beam, the United States was built to Panamax capacity, ensuring that she could clear the Panama Canal locks with just 2 feet to spare on either side.

 

The United States had the most powerful engine installation in a merchant marine vessel. She was capable of steaming astern at over 20 knots, and could carry enough fuel and stores to steam non-stop for over 10,000 nautical miles.

 

 

 

Also known as "the Big U", she was used on the New York City to Northern Europe service. At 53,329 gross tons, she still is the largest ocean liner to date built entirely in the United States. Embarking on her maiden voyage on July 4, 1952, she smashed the transatlantic speed record held by the Queen Mary for the previous 14 years by over 10 hours, making her maiden crossing from the Ambrose Lightship at New York harbor to Bishop Rock off Cornwall, UK in 3 days, 10 hours, 40 minutes at an average speed of 35.59 knots (40.96 mph). The liner also broke the westbound crossing record by returning to America in 3 days 12 hours and 12 minutes at an average speed of 34.51 knots (39.71 mph), thereby capturing both the eastbound and westbound prestigious Blue Ribands. This marked the first time a U.S.-flagged ship held the Blue Riband, surpassing European speed records which had stood for decades. The United States lost the eastbound record in 1990 to HSC Hoverspeed Great Britain, an ocean-going catamaran, who made the run in 3 days 7 hours 54 minutes, travelling at an average speed of 36.6 knots (67.8 km/h). United States still holds the westbound record, and remains the fastest ocean liner to cross in either direction. She would maintain a 30-knot (35 mph) crossing speed on the North Atlantic in a service career that lasted 17 years.

 

The United States plied the transatlantic with passenger service until 1969, and she outlasted the demise of her original owners. While at Newport News for her annual overhaul in 1969, her owners decided to take her out of service and she was laid up at Newport News. A few years later, she was moved to Norfolk, Va. Since then, ownership has been passed between several companies.

 

In 1978 she was sold to private interests who hoped to revitalize the liner in a time-share cruise ship format. Financing fell through and the ship was placed up for auction by MARAD (the United States Marine Administration). During the 1980s she was considered by the United States Navy as a troop ship or a hospital ship to be called the USS United States, but this plan never materialized. In 1984, the ship's remaining fittings and furniture were sold at auction in Norfolk.

 

 

In 1992, a new consortium of owners bought the vessel and had her towed to Turkey and then Ukraine, where she underwent asbestos removal. No viable agreements were reached in the U.S. for a reworking of the vessel and eventually she was towed to her current dock in South Philadelphia, where she has been moored since 1996.

 

In 2003, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) purchased the ship from the estate of Edward Cantor when she was put up for auction after his death with the stated intent of fully restoring her to a service role in their newly-announced American-flagged Hawaiian passenger service called NCL America. However, she is currently still berthed in Philadelphia, PA until a decision is made about her fate.

 

[Copper10-8]

First "cruise" was a T/A in 1950 (still don't know if it was the SS United States or the SS Washington). I was four years old, and Army Dad was transferred to Stuttgart, Germany. Second "cruise was in 1954 (on one of those ships) back to the US.) Just remember being very seasick each way, sleeping in a bunk bed, being offered half-melted chocolate ice cream, throwing up constantly, hating my little brother for not being sick, and arriving back in New York. Scared and overwhelmed! Culture shock being back in the US with - gasp - TV! Fast forward - -married, two kids. Third cruise - Pacific Princess 1977 Mexican Riviera. Fourth cruise - Pacific Princess 1978 Mexican Riviera. Three kids. Both cruises paid for by DH company. Both in summer. I am the only idiot I know who wore a dress/skirt and heels to "tour" Acapulco, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta. Back then, I didn't know S*** from Shinola about cruising. Have learned a lot since then, and am so glad I was able to go on so many cruises!! Can even spell places like Barbuda, Mustique, Anguilla, Petit St. Vincent, and Palm Island because I've been there! Sure do miss the days of the tall ship sailings! Not Windjammer, though did sail on Flying Cloud once.

ss Washington (1932-1965) Built in 1931 as ss Washington for the Transatlantic Steamship Company by the New York Shipbuilding Company in Camden, NJ. By the time she was launched on 20 August 1932 in slipway O, Transatlantic Steamship's assets had been acquired by International Mercantile Marine, and SS Washington went into service for the United States Lines following delivery on 2 May 1933.

 

At the time of their construction, Washington and her sister ship ss Manhattan (1931), also built by New York Shipbuilding, were the largest passenger liners ever built in the United States, a status they held until the 1939 launch of ss America. Washington and Manhattan were two of the few pure liners built by New York Shipbuilding, which had previously built a large number of cargo liners. Accommodations were 580 in Cabin class, 400 in Tourist, and 150 in Third classes. Both ships were to garner a reputation for a very high standard of service and luxury.

 

 

On 10 May 1933 Washington departed New York on her maiden voyage to Hamburg, Germany via Plymouth, England. She would join her sister ship Manhattan on this run, a route she would continue to serve with only one short break until December 1939, when U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt invoked the 1939 Neutrality Act against Germany. Right before that, the ship made two round-trip voyages to Bordeaux, France in order to repatriate stranded U.S. citizens. On 13 January 1940, both ships then moved to a New York-Naples-Genoa, Italy passenger and freight run until Italy declared war on Great Britain and France in June 1940.

On 30 May 1940, Washington made one special voyage departing New York for Le Verdon, France and Lisbon, Portugal where she picked up 939 and 836 U.S. refugees respectively. On the morning of June 11, 1940 while off the Portuguese coast on her way to Galway, Ireland, she was stopped by a German submarine which signaled her captain, Harry Manning, that she intended to “torpedo the ship” and that he had "10 minutes to abandon ship." In response, Capt. Manning sounded the general alarm, ordered that Washington’s watertight doors be closed and that her passengers report to their assigned lifeboats. According to the captain, the operation of stowing the passengers in the boats consummated with commendable calm and lack of confusion. While the boat loading was in progress, Washington’s crew continued to flash the words “American” and “Washington” to the German submarine. When this was apparently not immediately understood, the message was changed to “American ship”. After some more anxious time went by, the German submarine flashed “Thought you were another ship; please go on!” Capt. Manning did not hesitate and sped away from the sub at full speed for half an hour, arriving safely at Galway the next day. The ss Washington's normal passenger capacity was 1,083, but when she finally arrived from that voyage in New York on 21 June 1940, she had 1,787 refugees aboard, including 700 children. Passengers slept with lifebelts under their pillows. They slept on cots in the Grand Salon, Palm Court, library, post office, swimming pool, and other public places. Infants slept in baskets and bath water was rationed. After two more transatlantic voyages, it was felt that the increasing danger from German submarines was too severe. As a result, effective 26 July 1940, both Washington and Manhattan were shifted to a New York-San Francisco service, via the Panama Canal.

(Rose Kennedy with daughters and sons Teddy and Bobby on ss Washington enroute to Europe)

On 6 June, 1941, Washington was requisitioned and leased by the U.S. Navy. She was subsequently commissioned as the troop transport ship USS Mount Vernon AP-22 on 16 June, 1941 with Captain Donald B. Beary, USN, in command. Her conversion from luxury passenger liner to military troopship was performed at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Once commissioned, USS Mount Vernon trained along the east coast while mounting tension in the Far East drew the United States toward participation in World War II. In the fall, the new transport joined a convoy at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and sailed for Cape Town, South Africa. As Mount Vernon steamed toward Cape Horn, word arrived that Japan had attacked the U.S. Naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hi. In U.S. Navy service, Mount Vernon frequently sailed in company with the other United States Lines fast liners, her sister Manhattan (USS Wakefield) and the America (USS West Point).

[/i]

The transport reached Singapore on 13 January 1942 and disembarked British and Canadian troops there. Her crew watched aerial dogfights between Japanese and British aircraft over the city and the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft before sailing on 16 January for the British Crown Colony of Aden (now Yemen). There, she embarked Australian veterans of the Mediterranean theater for transportation to Ceylon and Fremantle, Australia. In Australia she embarked civilian and military escapees from the Philippines, including Mrs. F. E. Sayre, wife of the U.S. High Commissioner to the Philippines and daughter of former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, as well as naval survivors from ships sunk in the Macassar Straits battle. After additional port calls in Adelaide, South Australia and Wellington, New Zealand, Mount Vernon sailed for San Francisco, CA, arriving there on 31 March 1942.

For the next 2 years, Mount Vernon sailed from San Francisco to ports in Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Hawaii, carrying the soldiers, marines, and sailors who would build the bases, and then fight from them, until bringing the ultimate victory over Japan in 1945. Her last such voyage began from San Francisco on 21 February 1944. Steaming via Melbourne, Australia, she proceeded to Bombay, India where she disembarked her troops. She returned to Melbourne, and sailed for Boston, Mass by way of the Panama Canal, arriving there on 22 May 1944.

On 4 June 1944 Mount Vernon began a series of voyages to British and Mediterranean ports, carrying men needed for the massive buildup on the European continent which would ultimately bring Germany to her knees. Her crossings continued after the war, as she carried occupation troops over and brought veterans home. Returning from her last such voyage on 3 January 1946, Mount Vernon was decommissioned on 18 January 1946.

The ship was returned to the U.S. Maritime Commission, regaining her original name of Washington at that time. Her luxurious pre-War appointments which had been carefully removed and stored were brought back onboard. Only one of her decks had been restored to its pre-war standards, however, providing accommodations for 1,106 passengers in a single class. On 18 January 1946, Washington was chartered to her original owner, United States Lines, for service on her original route, New York to Hamburg via Southampton, England. In her first commercial post-War voyage, she departed New York for Southampton on 2 April 1946 to pick up war brides and children.

Five years later, after making her last commercial voyage from Southampton to New York on 12 October 1951, United States Lines returned her to the U.S. government and the Maritime Commission which placed her on Military Sea Transportation Service duty through 1953. The final phase of her career found her transporting soldiers and their families between New York and Bremerhaven, West Germany.

In February 1954, Washington was mothballed as part of the National Defense Reserve fleet on the Hudson River, becoming the largest ship ever to travel up that river north of New York City. She remained there until she was sold for scrap on 28 June 1965 to the New York-based Union Metals & Alloys Corporation and subsequently broken up by Lipsett Inc. at Kearny, NJ later that year.

Edited January 25, 2010 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

Thanks Copper for the pictures!! They were awesome!! Our first cruise was Carnival Inspiration in January 2005. It was a group cruise consisting of Boyds Bears Collectors.. Can you imagine a bunch of bear loving people??!!! I have been addicted ever since..

 

Inspiration (1996-present) Built in 1996 as ms Inspiration by Kvaerner Masa Oy, Helsingfors/Helsinki, Finland for Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line for Caribbean cruising. She was handed over to her new owners on 22 February 1996 and departed the yard the next day. After a North Atlantic crossing, she was officially named in Miami, FL on 16 March 1996 by her godmother Mary Ann Shula, wife of former Miami Dolphins football coach Don Shula, and departed on her inaugural voyage into the Caribbean on 22 March 1996.

Inspiration belongs to the 'Fantasy-class' of ships and was the sixth vessel built in the class of eight (the others are Fantasy - 1990, Ecstasy - 1991, Elation - 1993, Fascination - 1994, Imagination - 1995, Elation -1998 and Paradise -1998). The Fantasy class has a so-called 'modern ocean/cruise liner design', with all of its cabins situated within the hull and only a handful of suites on the superstructure, similar to Carnival's Holiday-class ships which were built in the late eighties. Inspiration and six of her sisters have two fixed propellors as opposed to the last two ships of the class, Elation and Paradise who have an Azipod azimuth thruster propulsion system. The class of eight were also the last cruise ships built with their lifeboats situated on their upper deck.

 

In terms of layout and function, Inspiration is virtually identical to her sister Fantasy-class ships. The ship consists of ten decks with most of the public rooms concentrated on Atlantic, Promenade and Lido decks (8 - 10), while her passenger cabins are located on Riviera, Main, Upper and Empress decks (4 - 7). Like other Carnival ships, her public areas are designed and decorated in a flamboyant style by Carnival's award winning (interior) naval architect Joe Farcus, who has a penchant for augmenting the interiors with more than a dash of neon and glitz. While passenger opinions of the decor ranged from glamorous and elegant to gaudy and gauche, there is no denying that Farcus' whimsical design style enhances the Inspiration's "Fun Ship" aura. The ship received a routine dry-dock refurbishment in December 2004/January 2005.

 

The ship's centerpiece is its six-story Grand Atrium complete with glass-enclosed elevators. A favorite gathering place before dinner is at the semicircular Grand Atrium Plaza & Bar on the floor of the Atrium where guests can enjoy pre-dinner drinks to the accompaniment of classical music performed by a trio. Inspiration's public spaces encompass a diversity of styles and design elements celebrating the arts and literature. Among the venues that display those themes are the Paris Main Lounge, Rhapsody in Blue Piano Bar, the Rock and Roll Dance Club/Disco and the Shakespeare Library.

 

One of the most expansive public areas is the area known as Inspiration Boulevard on Promenade Deck, which is decorated with striking columns featuring crafted classical reliefs of the Muses. Promenade Deck gets especially busy at night as it connects the main "evening" lounges, such as the Candlelight Aft Lounge, Avant-Garde Lounge, Cafe des Artists, and the Violins Bar, which is next to the Monte Carlo Casino. Other public areas include the Fun Shops shopping mall, the Video Arcade & Club O2 and the ship's photo gallery. There is also an Internet cafe while Wi-Fi is available in most public rooms.

 

 

In late 2006, Carnival Cruise Line announced a massive multi-million dollar product enhancement initiative to its Fantasy class fleet known as "Evolutions Of Fun" which was completed in 2009. The refit consisted of new ship names, with all eight ships receiving a repainted name with the "Carnival" prefix (i.e. Carnival Fantasy, etc.) after their final refurbishment to their pools and outside decks. Inspiration became 'Carnival Inspiration' in November 2007.

 

A nine-hole miniature golf course was added to the forward sun deck while her aft pool deck was replaced by a 'Carnival WaterWorks aqua park' with multiple slides. The main pool was completely refurbished and redesigned in a tropical theme with new materials and new spiral staircases to the top deck and their original waterslides were removed.

 

The adults-only area (around the funnel) was moved to Promenade deck aft where it is now known as the 'Serenity adults-only area', replacing the children's wading pool with the wading pool becoming part of the new waterpark. The restaurants and the majority of the public areas received new decors as well as new electronic equipment. Finally, all staterooms received new decors, new beds and new flat screen televisions.

 

Carnival Inspiration also received balconies to ninety-eight existing cabins, transforming them from ocean view staterooms. In addition, eight of her suites on the Upper Deck received larger balconies. Twenty four balconies now 'extend' from the vessel mid-ships and another twelve near her stern. The remaining sixty are located at her aft section.

 

In addition, all her staterooms were completely refurbished, as well as virtually all dining, dancing and entertainment venues. Guest corridors were renovated and a new “Circle C” facility catering to 12- to 14-year olds added, as well. Carnival inspiration received all these enhancement and upgrades while in dry-dock in November 2007.

 

Carnival Inspiration currently sails on four and five-day itineraries to the Western Caribbean from Tampa, Fl. Her four-day itinerary calls at Cozumel, Mexico while her five day cruises add George Town, Grand Cayman to that.

Edited January 27, 2010 by Host Walt
Correct ship name

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was on Costa's Frederico C. in the 1970s. My late wife got "hooked" on the all Italian crew. :-)

 

ts Federico C (1958-2000) Built in 1958 as ts Federico C. by Cantieri Navale di Ansaldo Sestri Ponente, Genoa, Italy for Costa Armatori (later Crocieri/Costa Cruises). She was the first new built for Costa (named after one of the founder’s sons) and, after being delivered on 2 March 1958, was initially used serving passengers in three classes on Costa’s liner service between Genoa and Buenos Aires, Argentina with a stop at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In June 1966, she was replaced on this route by the then new Eugenio C. so Costa began operating Federico C. on a monthly trans-Atlantic service between Naples and Genoa, Italy, Cannes, France, Barcelona, Spain, Lisbon, Portugal and Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale), Florida with additional stops in the Caribbean (San Juan, PR) and at La Guairá, Venezuela. The ship was remodeled in 1968 which changed her passenger accommodations to 186 in first class and 1,450 in tourist class, interchangeable to 1,259 for one-class cruising. That service would last until 1972 when a decision was made to use her for cruising exclusively.

As passenger liner service continued to decline, Federico C underwent another refit that gave her a one class cruising capacity of 700 passengers. When this was completed, the ship started alternating Caribbean cruises with her trans-Atlantic runs. However, with passenger loads dropping rapidly in the late seventies, she undertook more and more cruises only resulting in full-time cruising taking place between 1972 and 1983.

In 1983, she was purchased by the new Premier Cruise Line becoming their first ship. Premier Cruise Lines pioneered three and four-night Bahamas cruises out of Port Canaveral on the central coast of Florida. At the time they began operating, Premier was affiliated with Greyhound and would soon be known as the “Official cruise line of Walt Disney World.” When they took possession of the former Federico C, they renamed her Royale and had her hull painted in a bright cherry red color. In 1986, Royale was changed to StarShip Royale but unofficially both the ship and the line became known as “The Big Red Boat.” StarShip’s (and Premier’s) specialty was a three of four-night cruise packaged with central Florida hotel stay plus a visit to Walt Disney World or the Kennedy Space Center.

In 1988 after additional “Big Red Boats” had joined Premier, StarShip Royale was sold to Dolphin Cruise Line who put her in dry-dock for an extensive refit. When she emerged, she was called SeaBreeze I and used on seven-night cruises from Miami, Fl to various Caribbean itineraries.

In 1997, she returned once again to Premier Cruises (as opposed to Premier Cruise Line) as part of the consolidation between Dolphin, Seawind and Premier Cruise Lines. This time though, her hull and funnel were painted a deep blue which led to the affectionate name of “The Small Blue Boat”. The second time around, SeaBreeze I began operating seven-night Caribbean cruises out of Miami, Fl. 1999 found the ship operating out of New York City in the summer (2-night gambling and party cruises to nowhere leaving on Fridays and 5-night cruises to Newport, R.I., Portland, Me. and Halifax, NS, departing on Sundays) and out of Montego Bay, Jamaica in the winter. Later that year, Premier Cruises announced plans to change SeaBreeze I’s name to Big Red Boat II and her winter itinerary to seven-night cruises out of Tampa, Fl. (she would still cruise out of New York in the summer). These plans would never materialize! As a result of stiff competition from larger and newer fleets by other cruise lines however, Premier was unable to sell tickets at profit, selling below cost every ticket from July, 2000 onward. The line’s assets were seized by creditors in September 2000, causing the line to go into bankruptcy and eventually, to fold.

Like the other Premier-owned ships in various locations, SeaBreeze I was detained by port authorities in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 14 September 2000. Ownership eventually passed to the New York Merchant Bankers Donald, Lufkin and Jenrette and their subsidiary Sea Ventures III. SeaBreeze I departed Halifax for Charleston, NC, however on Sunday 17 December 2001 encountered 25-foot seas and high winds approximately 200 nautical miles off Cape Charles, Va. Her captain, Solon Popedopalis, radioed in a distress call at 11:30 AM, picked up by the Coast Guard, and indicated that the ship was operating on one engine and was taking on water in her engine room.

The United States Coast Guard subsequently responded with two HC-130 Hercules aircraft and two HH-60J Jayhawk helicopters. Upon their arrival, they successfully evacuated SeaBreeze’s skeleton crew of 34 in the two helicopters and transported them to Naval Air Station Oceana, Va. where they were treated for mild hypothermia. SeaBreeze I developed a severe list and sank in international waters 225 nautical miles east of the Virginia coast on Monday 19 December 2000.

[Copper10-8]

Some additional pics of Federico C.

 

At Valetta, Malta

 

In dry-dock at Genoa in the seventies

 

At Genoa in the seventies

 

 

 

As SeaBreeze in Miami in 1990

 

As SeaBreeze in Miami in December 1990

[martiniren]

Our first cruise was in November, 2006 on the Carnival Victory;we were hooked before the lifeboat drill! We sailed from Miami with stops in Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas.

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was when I was 24 back in 2002. My friends and I took a week long cruise on the Carnival Elation. We went to Puerto Vallarta, Matzatlan, and Cabo. We had a great time.

 

ms Elation (1998-present) Built in 1998 as ms Elation by Kvaerner Masa Oy Shipyard, Helsingfors/Helsinki, Finland for Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line for Caribbean cruising. She was handed over to her new owners on 29 February 1998. After a North Atlantic crossing, she was officially named in Miami, FL by her godmother, Shari Arison, daughter of Carnival founder Ted Arison and sister of Carnival Corporation president and CEO Micky Arison. On 1 April 1998, she departed on her inaugural sixteen-day Panama Canal cruise to Los Angeles, CA. Besides Mexican Riviera cruises out of Los Angeles (San Pedro). Elation has sailed four and five-night Bahamas cruises from Port Canaveral, Fl as well as Western Caribbean cruises from Galveston, TX.

 

Elation belongs to the 'Fantasy-class' of ships and was the seventh vessel built in the class of eight (the others are Fantasy - 1990, Ecstasy - 1991, Elation - 1993, Fascination - 1994, Imagination - 1995, Inspiration - 1996 and Paradise -1998). The Fantasy class has a so-called 'modern ocean/cruise liner design', with all of its cabins situated within the hull and only a handful of suites on the superstructure, similar to Carnival's Holiday-class ships which were built in the late eighties.

 

 

Elation was the first Carnival ship to feature a dedicated conference center, geared toward accommodating small meetings and incentive groups. She and Paradise differ from their sisters in that they have state-of-the art Azipod azimuth thruster propulsion as opposed to two fixed propellors on the first six ships of the class. As a matter of fact, Elation has the distinction of being the first cruise ship equipped with azipods greatly enhancing the ship's maneuverability, and since installed on many of the newest mega-liners. They were also the last cruise ships built with their lifeboats situated on their upper deck.

 

In terms of layout and function, Elation is virtually identical to her sister Fantasy-class ships. The ship consists of ten decks with most of the public rooms concentrated on Atlantic, Promenade and Lido decks (8 - 10), while her passenger cabins are located on Riviera, Main, Upper and Empress decks (4 - 7). Like other Carnival ships, her public areas are designed and decorated in a flamboyant style by Carnival's award winning architect Joe Farcus, who has a penchant for augmenting the interiors with more than a dash of neon and glitz. While passenger opinions of the decor ranged from glamorous and elegant to gaudy and gauche, there is no denying that Farcus' whimsical design style enhances the Elation's "Fun Ship" aura.

 

 

The ship's centerpiece is its six-story Grand Atrium complete with glass-enclosed elevators. A favorite gathering place before dinner is at the semicircular Grand Atrium Plaza Bar on the floor of the Atrium where guests can enjoy pre-dinner drinks to the accompaniment of classical music performed by a trio. Elation's public spaces encompass a diversity of styles and design elements celebrating the arts of music, literature and big screen with references to the Muses and other Greek mythological figures added to the mix. Among the venues with an arts theme are the Romeo and Juliet Lounge, Gatsby's Great Bar, the Cole Porter Club and the Jekyll & Hyde Disco.

Other public areas onboard are the Mikado, a Japanese-themed theater featuring a decor of oversized fans, rice paper walls and gold-leaf chrysanthemums and the Mark Twain Library, which evokes the spirit of the fabled writer with authentic replicas of famous riverboats such as the Natchez, as well as a distinctive steamboat motif.

One of the most expansive public areas is the area known as Elation Way on Promenade Deck, which is decorated with striking columns featuring crafted classical reliefs of the Muses. Promenade Deck gets especially busy at night as it connects the main "evening" lounges, such as the Romeo and Juliet Lounge whose design is inspired by the star-crossed lovers in the famous Shakespeare play and the Drama Bar, which is next to the Casablanca Casino (it sports a Moroccan design after the classic film of the same name), Dukes, which plays tribute to jazz legend Duke Ellington. Other public areas include the Galleria shopping mall, the Virtual World arcade and the ship's photo gallery. There is also an Internet cafe while Wi-Fi is available in most public rooms.

In late 2006, Carnival Cruise Line announced a massive multi-million dollar product enhancement initiative to its Fantasy class fleet known as "Evolutions Of Fun" which is expected to be completed in 2009. The refit will consist of new ship names, with all eight ships receiving a repainted name with the "Carnival" prefix (i.e. Carnival Fantasy, etc.) after their final refurbishment to their pools and outside decks. Elation became 'Carnival Elation' in December 2007.

As part of the upgade, a miniature golf course will be added to the forward sun deck. The aft pool deck will be replaced by a 'Carnival WaterWorks aqua park' with multiple slides. The main pool will be completely refurbished and redesigned in a tropical theme with new materials and new spiral staircases to the top deck and their original waterslides will be removed.

 

The adults-only area (around the funnel) will be moved to Promenade deck aft and will be known as the 'Serenity adults-only area', replacing the children's wading pool on the back of Promenade deck with the wading pool becoming part of the new waterpark. The restaurant and the majority of the public areas will receive new decors as well as new electronic equipment. Finally, all staterooms will receive new decors, new beds and new flat screen televisions.

 

Carnival Elation will add balconies to ninety-eight existing cabins transforming them from the current ocean view staterooms. In addition, eight of her suites on the Upper Deck will get larger balconies. Twenty four balconies will 'extend' from the vessel mid-ships and another twelve near her stern. The remaining sixty two will be located at her aft section.

 

Lastly. all her staterooms will be completely refurbished, as well as virtually all dining, dancing and entertainment venues. Guest corridors will be renovated and a new “Circle C” facility catering to 12- to 14-year olds will be added, as well. Carnival Elation is scheduled to receive the "Evalution of Fun" upgrades prior to the end of 2010.

 

Carnival Elation currently sails on three (Thursday departure) and four-day (Sunday departure) itineraries to Baja, Mexico (Ensenada) from San Diego, CA. Beginning in February 2009, Elation began making port calls at Avalon on Catalina Island on her four-day schedule with her first visit on 16 February 2009. On 17 September 2009, Carnival Cruise Lines announced that Elation will be deployed to Mobile, Alabama to replace the Carnival Fantasy and operate four and five-day Western Caribbean cruises beginning in May 2010.

[Copper10-8]

Well mine was my honeymoon in 1984 on the Mardi Gras with Carnival, it is now part of the ocean floor, they sunk it to make a reef.

mew1

 

ts Empress of Canada (1960-2003) Built in 1961 as ts Empress of Canada by Vickers-Armstrong, Walker-on-Tyne, England for Britain-based company Canadian Pacific Steamships, Ltd. Vickers-Armstrong, which had built the Empress of England on the same slip four years previously, received the order for the ship in 1958. Her keel was laid in January 1959, she was launched on 10 May 1960 and named by her godmother, Olive Diefenbaker, wife of John Diefenbaker, Canadian Prime Minister from 1957-1963. The ship had a gross registered tonnage of 27,284 tons and a length of 650 feet along with a beam of 86.5 feet. She was a twin propeller vessel capable of reaching an average speed of 21 knots. Her accommodation consisted of 192 first class passengers and 856 in tourist class.

 

On 7 March 1961, she set out on her sea trials in which she performed satisfactory. She was handed over to Canadian Pacific on 29 March 1961 and on 24 April 1961 set out on her maiden voyage from Liverpool to Montreal, Quebec via Greenock, Ireland and Quebec City, Quebec. In doing this, she joined her slightly older running mates Empress of Britain and Empress of England on the Canadian run.

The Empress of Canada’s stylish looks and amenities quickly earned her a very good reputation among the travelling public. As were her two running mates, she was a very modern ship and was fitted with stabilizers and a complete air-conditioning system. Being the newest ship however, she was distinguished by her bulbous bow and more streamlined superstructure. For the greater part of the year, she and her stable mates served on the Liverpool-Montreal run, using the 1,000-mile route along the St. Lawrence River to reach their turnaround port. During the winters when the St. Lawrence was impassable, the ships either terminated their sailings at Saint John, New Brunswick or set off on Caribbean cruises out of New York.

Troubled times were ahead though, for the transatlantic ocean liner route which ultimately resulted in famous ships like the ss United States and rms Queen Mary leaving the route and/or never sailing again. The reason behind this was the increase of, and new technology in, commercial air traffic. Tremendous developments in aviation design after World War II had resulted in faster flights across the Atlantic Ocean and elsewhere. As a result, the empresses were spending more and more time doing cruises instead of crossings. By 1969 Empress of Canada completed only seven such voyages and spent the rest of her time in the Caribbean.

Canadian Pacific was a going through many changes, and this was reflected in 1968 when they adopted new company colors (green funnel with a white semi-circle/dark green triangle). But Canadian Pacific could not retain its business much longer, and on 23 November 1971 Empress of Canada arrived at Liverpool at the end of her last voyage for the company. With that, the North Atlantic service of Canadian Pacific ceased after 68 years and the Empress of Canada was laid up and put up for sale. Plans were initially made to sell the ship to Britain-based Shaw Savill Line, the same company which had purchased Empress of England but that sale did not take place.

 

 

In January 1972 however, she was sold to Ted Arison’s newly founded Carnival Cruise Lines Inc. to become their first ship. Carnival renamed her Mardi Gras and had her extensively refitted for full-time cruising. Externally, she retained her profile, with the exception of the removal of some of her cargo cranes. Her funnel was repainted, but it still kept much of its looks. Carnival decided to create their funnel livery with the old Canadian Pacific pattern as a base. The funnel was painted red, but the white semi-circle was allowed to remain. The in cut triangle was replaced with a blue in cut semi-circle, thereby keeping, but slightly altering, the “letter C look”.However, the ship did not have a very auspicious start with her new owners. On her maiden voyage, she ran aground on a sandbar outside the Port of Miami. Although she managed to come off undamaged, there was still trouble ahead. During the first one and a half years, Carnival recorded a loss of about $8,000,000. The Mardi Gras had been marketed as "The Flagship of the Golden Fleet". Carnival critics stated that it was not at all golden, and that there was no fleet.

Mardi Gras initially was an only ship for Carnival but that was about to change. In 1973, Carnival progressively introduced the ‘Fun Ship’ concept and $10,000,000 was spent over eighteen months converting Mardi Gras. But in order to keep business rolling, the ship was kept in service while the work was being done. During the voyages, those areas that were being rebuilt were closed off to the passengers, and this resulted in the ship being able to carry only 60% of her usual capacity. Internally, the ship went through a complete facelift. She was given vivid colors, bright lights as well as disco and casino. Carnival now offered some of the cheapest cruises available in the Caribbean, and the indicators were soon pointing upwards. In 1974, the Mardi Gras was being marketed nation-wide in the U.S. and Canada, and she was quickly becoming a very popular ship, often sailing with a full compliment of passengers. By the mid-1970s, Carnival was enjoying immense success, and they were soon looking for a second ship to expand their fleet. As a result, in December 1975 they purchased the Queen Anna Maria (the former Empress of Britain) and renamed her Carnivale. The two former Empresseswere again serving the same company and the duo was transformed into a trio in 1977, when the S.A. Vaal,originally Union-Castle’s Transvaal Castle,was purchased and renamed Festivale.

 

With this original trio of ships, Carnival now had its “Golden Fleet”. The company was making big money, and they soon announced the construction of their very first new build, the Tropicale (1982), followed in succession by the Holiday (1985), the Jubilee (1986) and the Celebration (1987). Carnival’s fleet, as well as its might, was growing at a steady pace. But the three original ships were still a very important part of the fleet, and they were thus kept at very high standards. In the 1980s, Mardi Gras went through two overhauls during which the ship was modernized and had more cabins added. The company had soon gained the well-earned reputation of always keeping their ships spotless.

But, as the cruise marked continued to grow, so did Carnival Cruise Lines. In 1990, the new 70,000-ton Fantasy entered service. Carnival had by now established themselves as the largest cruising company in the world, and their financial situation gave them the opportunity to seriously upgrade their fleet. The Fantasy would become the first ship of a total eight to be built from the same basic design. These state-of-the art cruise ships made the original trio Mardi Gras, Carnivale and Festivale obsolete, and it was clear that they would soon leave the company.

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In the fall of 1993, Mardi Gras was transferred to Greek operator Epirotiki Lines, after a proposed merger between Carnival and Epirotiki had failed to materialize. However, her future duties were unclear. It was proposed that she was to be renamed Olympic, but as Epirotiki was already operating another ship with that name, some suggested that she should be given the name Homeric instead. As it was, neither of these names was used. Instead, the ship was soon chartered to Galveston-based Gold Star Cruises. With this company, she was renamed Star of Texas and was employed doing short gambling cruises in the Mexican Gulf. However, this venture was unsuccessful and the company folded within a matter of months. The ship was then redeployed to Miami, Fl, in 1994, named Lucky Star, and continued operating gambling cruises from there. As it was, bad luck continued and this stint also became a very short one, lasting only a few weeks.

Escaping creditors, the ship first fled to Freeport, the Bahamas and was then sent to Eleusis, Greece to be laid up in Greek waters. The ship was still under Epirotiki ownership, but they did not have much interest in operating her. Then, late in 1995, Epirotiki merged with Sun Lines to form the new company Royal Olympic Cruises. The former Empress of Canada remained laid up however, and was soon in a very run down condition. Rumors at the time were that the ship would re-enter service as either Homeric or Olympic 2004, but any such plans fell through. During the lay-up, her name was instead changed to Apollon. In late 1997, things started to look a lot brighter. Apollonwas moved to Piraeus to be refurbished in order to meet the latest SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) requirements. Many of her original traditional British fittings, such as her rich wood paneling and brass, were still intact and Royal Olympic were careful not to spoil this atmosphere when they refurbished the ship.

 

When Apollon did return to service in 1999, she was chartered to Britain-based tour company Direct Cruises. They employed her as Apollo on a series of cruises around the United Kingdom, and with that, she returned to her native waters almost 40 years after her birth. This meant a welcome reunion for many British ship enthusiasts; however it would not last very long. Although Direct Cruises was doing very well on the British Market at the time, the company was soon acquired by their financially stronger competitor Airtours. They initially announced that Direct Cruises would continue operating separately, but this never happened and the charter of Apollon that was to have included the 2000 season was cancelled and the ship was sent back to her owners.

 

 

Royal Olympic still did not have any interest in operating Apollon within their fleet, and she was therefore sent back to Piraeus to be laid up again. Surprisingly though, from March through November 2001, she was put back in service by Royal Olympic for three- and four-day cruises out of Piraeus as a result of delays in the delivery of their new Olympic Explorer. She operated alongside the new Olympic Countess before being laid up for good in 2003. Later that year, she was sold for scrap to Indian breakers and, renamed Apollo for her final journey. On 9 December 2003, she was beached at Alang, India and eventually scrapped.

[Copper10-8]

Honeymoon cruise on the Adventure, very shortly after it was released. Funny thing is, now I prefer Radiance class ships, which are older and smaller!

 

ms Adventure of the Seas (2001-present) Built in 2001 by Kvaerner Masa Yard Oy (now Aker Finnyards), Abo (Turku), Finland as ms Adventure of the Seas for Royal Caribbean International. Adventure OTS belongs to a class of five vessels, initially known as “Project Eagle”. She is the third vessel in the class, now known as the “Voyager class”, her sisters being Voyager of the Seas (1999), Explorer of the Seas (2000), Navigator of the Seas (2002) and Mariner of the Seas (2003). Kvaerner Masa has a long relationship with RCCL/RCI, having constructed the company’s first four ships: Song of Norway, Nordic Prince and Sun Viking in the early 1970s, and Song of America in 1982. The company's Helsinki yard later undertook the complex task of lengthening both the Song of Norway and Nordic Prince in the first such operation ever performed on a passenger ship.

 

 

The Voyager class of ships are known as post-Panamax cruise ships, meaning that they are too large to transit the Panama Canal. The five ships at 137,276 grt are currently the fourth largest passenger ships in the world. Only RCI’s Oasis of the Seas at 225,282 grt, (sister Allure of the Seas to join in November 2010), RCI’s three Freedom of the Seas class ships at 154,407 grt, and Cunard’s RMS Queen Mary 2 at 148,528 grt are larger in size.The main engine power for Adventure of the Seas is provided by six Wärtsilä Vasa 46 diesel engines, giving a total output of 75,600kW and creating a service speed of around 22 knots. The engines have been modified by approximately 5% to accommodate three 14MW Azipods – two azimuthing and one fixed. In addition, there are four bow thrusters and two stern thrusters.

 

 

When Adventure OTS emerged from the Finnish shipyard on 26 October 2001, she could carry 3,114 guests. The first of two trademarks of the Voyager class vessels and the heartbeat of the ship is the Royal Promenade, a naturally lighted four-deck high mall area/marble floored street stretching just over ¾ the length of the ship lined with bars and several shops specializing in jewelry, souvenirs, cigars, cigarettes, and liquor, the other trademark being the RCI Rock Climbing Wall mounted on the back of her funnel, the world’s first at sea, offering skill combinations for all levels at 150-200 feet above sea level. The ship features an on-board casino, Casino Royale, on Deck 4. There are also numerous themed bars and lounges, including the Aquarium bar, pool deck bar, the Duck and Dog Pub, Champagne Bar, the Schooner and the Viking Lounge. There are two eleven-story high open atriums, called the Centrum, surrounded by bars, lounges and shops and Studio B, a multipurpose studio complex filled with activities from ice-skating to cooking demonstrations. An outdoor pool is found on deck 11 along with three whirlpools. On the same deck is the Day Spa & Fitness Center, the indoor/outdoor Solarium pool and lounge area that can be covered during inclement weather by a huge glass moving roof called the Crystal Canopy. The Solarium has its own pool and two additional whirlpools, one on starboard and one on port. A jogging track can be found on deck 12.

 

 

Several youth facilities are scattered about the ship, including a Video Arcade area, Adventure Ocean and the Optix teen disco. A special edition of RCI's daily program (The Compass), called Explorations is published specifically for children. The Spa and Fitness Center can be found on deck 9. Adventure OTS has a three-level main dining room with three separate themed dining areas known as Vivaldi, Mozart and Strauss. The 1,350-seat main show lounge, known as The Lyric is located on decks 2 through 6. The ship also contains a conference center, a library at the end of the Royal Promenade located on deck 7, Café Promenade, serving Seattle’s Best Coffee and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, an internet center known as Royalcaribbean Online, a buffet called The Windjammer, Portofino, an Italian-themed alternate restaurant, Johnny Rockets, a 50s diner, two shuffle board courts, an In-Line Track, made specifically for in-line skating, the Adventure Dunes Golf Course, a 9-hole miniature golf course, a photo and art gallery and the other RCI trademark, the Viking Crown Lounge.

 

 

Adventure has 1,557 cabins, of which 757 are situated on the outside with balconies, giving a double occupancy capacity of 3,114 or 3,840 in total. Unusually for a cruise vessel, some 10% of the cabins face inwards with an atrium view, and these are priced higher than the equivalent ocean-view rooms. Almost all outward facing cabins on Adventure feature balconies as well as en-suite bathrooms and an innovative interactive television service. Special attention has been given to the 1,180 crew who are accommodated in 667 cabins fitted with TVs and refrigerators. The crew has a recreation deck, two whirlpools, a gymnasium, three dining rooms and a disco at their disposal for when they are not attending to the ship’s passengers.

 

 

After crossing the Atlantic, the clear and sunny Saturday afternoon of 10 November 2001, set the stage for the arrival and christening of Adventure of the Seas, the first passenger ship into New York Harbor following the September 11 terrorist attacks. She sailed into New York for a two-day tribute cruise for the families of the fallen firefighters and police officers who were victim to the devastation at the World Trade Center. Royal Caribbean also donated $50,000 to the Twin Towers Relief Fund. FDNY fireboats John D. McKean and John J. Harvey were waiting for her arrival positioned off Liberty Island and gave her a welcome water spray of red, white and blue. She was christened and named at Pier 88 by representatives of the New York Police and Fire Departments. The vessel’s godparents were Maggie McDonnell, widow of NYPD police officer Brian McDonnell, Tara Stackpole, widow of FDNY firefighter Captain Timothy Stackpole, FDNY firefighter Kevin Hannafin, who had lost his brother, firefighter Tom Hannafin; and Sergeant Richard Lucas of the NYPD Harbor Unit which assisted rescuers. They were joined by New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, RCI CEO Richard Fain and approximately 2,000 NYPD and FDNY family members.

 

 

On 18 November 2001, Adventure of the Seas departed on her maiden voyage, a seven-day cruise to San Juan, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Since 2001, she has been sailing seven-night Southern Caribbean cruises from her home port, San Juan with port calls at Oranjestad, Aruba, Willemstad, Curacao, Roseau, Dominica and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI. On 2 May 2010 she will depart San Juan on a 13-night transatlantic cruise to Barcelona, Spain with port calls at Santa Cruz, Tenerife and Lanzarote in the Canary Islands and Cadiz in Spain. Upon her arrival in Spain, she will conduct Mediterranean summer cruises with Malaga as her home port.

[archie401]

This is a great thread. Thanks, all, for your contributions.

 

My first cruise was with my parents in 1972 on the Song of Norway, but first liner voyage was in 1975, transat New York-Cannes, on Italian Line's Michelangelo. This was one of her very last voyages, the news of her withdrawal from service being announced in the ship's newspaper, which I still have. Looking at my ticket, I paid $584 for a First Class inside single on A Deck, a special student fare, with an additional discount for returning on the QE2. Nine days of superb food and service. The passenger list was very international with many Italian-Americans, of course. The actress, Hermione Gingold, author and Mexican Ambassador to France, Carlos Fuentes, and a Princess Lucie Shirazee who travelled with her parakeets and a dog. End of an era!

[Copper10-8]

NCL Starward to Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Nassau...August 1974. now that makes me feel old!

 

Beverly

 

 

Starward (1968-present) Built in 1968 as ms Starward by AG Weser Werk Seebeck in Bremerhaven, (then) West Germany. She was delivered to her owners, Norwegian Caribbean Line, which later would become Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), on 29 November 1968 and made her first cruise for them on 21 December 1968. She was their first purpose-built ship and originally had a stern car door as well as garage space to take trailers, specifically to Jamaica. This space was later converted to cabins.

 

 

A sister to NCL's Skyward, she initially operated out of Miami, Fl. on seven-day cruises to the Caribbean islands. She was later moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico for seven-day cruises to the southern Caribbean.

 

 

In 1994, Starward was sold to Greece-based Festival Cruises, their second ship, who renamed her Bolero and, after a refit in Piraeus, began operating her on Mediterranean itineraries. Her first cruise for them took place on 22 December 1995 out of Genoa, Italy. She would sail from there and from Savona, Italy to the Canaries and/or Portugal, Morocco and mainland Spain. In addition, she did Western and Northern Europe runs.

 

Summer seasons would find her sailing on seven-day cruises from Venice, Italy to Greece calling at Dubrovnik, Croatia, Kusadasi, Turkey, Katakolon, Delos, Mykonos, Patmos and Pylos, Greece. In December 1997, she operated a fifteen-night transatlantic crossing from Genoa, Italy to Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, followed by a series of one week charter cruises.

.

 

In 2000, she was chartered to Great Britain-based First Choice Cruises and in 2002 to Spanish Cruise Line (SCL), followed by charters to other travel companies.

 

 

When Festival collapsed in January 2004, she was laid up at Gibraltar, until being purchased by Orient Queen Shipping in November 2004 and renamed Orient Queen in 2005.

 

She was operated by Abou Mehri Cruises of Beirut, Lebanon and managed by Österreichischer Lloyd. At the time, she was the only Lebanese-owned cruise ship. Orient Queen cruised her first season out of Beirut in the spring of 2005. In November 2005, she was repositioned to Dubai to begin what would turn out to be an unsuccessful Persian Gulf cruise winter program, providing the first luxury cruise line service between Dubai and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Quatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates).

 

 

She was repositioned back to Beirut to begin a 2006 cruise season in the Mediterranean Sea. On 19 July 2006 however, Orient Queen was chartered by the U.S. Government and used to evacuate United States (and other countries') citizens from Lebanon as a result of the armed conflict between that country and Israel. She took those evacuees to the port of Larnaca in Cyprus.

[Copper10-8]

On 25 August 2006, Orient Queen was sold to Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines for which she sailed on Med cruises. In the spring of 2007, she ran a World Cruise charter for German-based Delphin Seereisen when construction of that lines' new Delphin Voyager was delayed. Upon the completion of that charter, the ship returned to Louis Cruises and continued sailing Mediterranean for them.

 

On 28 July 2009, Louis entered into an agreement with Brazil-based tour and cruise operator Agencia De Viagens CVC Tur Ltda to charter the ship to them from 20 November 2009 until 15 March 2010. During that time she is operating out of Recife, Brazil.

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

I am a newcomer.

Sensation, Carnival, 2007, 3 day Bahamas.

Yes it did get me hooked

ms Sensation (1993-present) Built in 1993 as ms Sensation by Kvaerner Masa Shipyard, Helsingfors (Helsinki), Finland for Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line for Caribbean cruising. She was handed over to her new owners on 18 October 1993. After a North Atlantic crossing, she was officially named in Miami, FL on 13 November 1993 by her godmothers Gerry Donnelly, Vicki Freed, Roberta Jacoby and Cherie Weinstein. Eight days later on 21 November 1993, she departed Miami on her maiden Caribbean cruise.

Sensation belongs to the 'Fantasy-class' of ships and was the third vessel built in the class of eight (the others are Fantasy - 1990, Ecstasy - 1991, Fascination - 1994, Imagination - 1995, Inspiration - 1996, Elation -1998 and Paradise -1998).

The Fantasy class has a so-called 'modern ocean/cruise liner design', with all of its cabins situated within the hull and only a handful of suites on the superstructure, similar to Carnival's Holiday-class ships which were built in the late eighties. Sensation and six of her sisters have two fixed propellors as opposed to the last two ships of the class, Elation and Paradise who have an Azipod azimuth thruster propulsion system. The class of eight were also the last cruise ships built with their lifeboats situated on their upper deck.

 

In terms of layout and function, Sensation is virtually identical to her sister Fantasy-class ships. The ship consists of ten decks with most of the public rooms concentrated on Atlantic, Promenade and Lido decks (8-10), while her passenger cabins are located on Riviera, Main, Upper and Empress decks (4-7). Like other Carnival ships, her public areas are designed and decorated in a flamboyant style by Carnival's award winning (interior) naval architect Joe Farcus, who has a penchant for augmenting the interiors with more than a dash of neon and glitz. While passenger opinions of the decor ranged from glamorous and elegant to gaudy and gauche, there is no denying that Farcus' whimsical design style enhances the Sensation's "Fun Ship" aura.

 

The ship's centerpiece is its six-story Grand Atrium complete with glass-enclosed elevators. A favorite gathering place before dinner is at the semicircular Grand Atrium Plaza & Bar on the floor of the Atrium where guests can enjoy pre-dinner drinks to the accompaniment of classical music performed by a trio. Sensation's public spaces encompass a diversity of styles and design elements celebrating the arts and literature. Among the venues that display those themes are the Fantasia Main Lounge, Touch of Class Piano Bar, the Kaleidoscope Dance Club/Disco and the Oak Room Library.

 

One of the most expansive public areas is the area known as Sensation Boulevard on Promenade Deck, which is decorated with striking columns featuring crafted classical reliefs of the Muses. Promenade Deck gets especially busy at night as it connects the main "evening" lounges, such as the Plaza Aft Lounge, Michael Angelo Lounge, Joe's Cafe and the Mirage Bar, which is next to the Club Vegas Casino. Other public areas include the Fun Shops shopping mall, the Video Arcade & Club O2 and the ship's photo gallery. There is also an Internet cafe while Wi-Fi is available in most public rooms.

 

 

Sensation was one of several cruise ships chartered by the U.S. Government/Military Sealift Command to provide accommodation for refugees and relief workers following Hurrican Katrina's path of destruction in August 2005. After being released from FEMA service, she moved to Port Canaveral, Fl, where she replaced her older sister Fantasy on Carnival's three and four-day cruises from that port to the Bahamas.

 

In late 2006, Carnival Cruise Line announced a massive multi-million dollar product enhancement initiative to its Fantasy class fleet known as "Evolutions Of Fun" which is expected to be completed in 2009. The refit will consist of new ship names, with all eight ships receiving a repainted name with the "Carnival" prefix (i.e. Carnival Fantasy, etc.) after their final refurbishment to their pools and outside decks. Sensation became 'Carnival Sensation' in November 2009.

Carnival Sensation was the fourth Fantasy-class ship (Carnival Imagination, Inspiration and Fantasy preceded her) to enter drydock in January 2009 and emerged with her "Evolutions of Fun" enhancements and upgrades thirty five days later on 12 February 2009. During this refit, ninety-eight existing ocean view staterooms were transformed into balcony cabins. In addition, eight of her suites on the Upper Deck received larger balconies. Twenty four balconies were 'extended' from the vessel mid-ships and another twelve near her stern. The remaining sixty two are now located at her aft section. In addition, all her staterooms were completely refurbished, as well as virtually all dining, dancing and entertainment venues. Guest corridors were renovated and a new “Circle C” facility catering to 12- to 14-year olds was added.

 

 

The adults-only area (around the funnel) was moved to Promenade deck aft and now known as the 'Serenity adults-only area', replacing the children's wading pool on the back of Promenade deck with the wading pool becoming part of the new waterpark. That area with multiple slides called "Carnival Water Works Aqua Park" was installed on Verandah Deck, aft. Carnival Sensation's main pool area on Lido Deck, midship, was completely refurbished and redesigned in a tropical theme with new materials and new spiral staircases and the original water slide was removed. Other renovations included new carpeting in public spaces and in her main dining rooms. A miniature golf course was added to the forward sun deck.

The ship's restaurant and the majority of her public areas received new decors as well as new electronic equipment. Except for the Carnival Elation and the Carnival Paradise which already have the feature, the sculpture found in the Sensations' atrium (and on the other six ships) was removed and replaced with an atrium bar and an orchestra platform. Finally, all staterooms received new decors, new beds and new flat screen televisions.

 

Carnival Sensation is currently sailing three and four-day cruises to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, FL. On this route, three-day cruises depart on Thursdays and call at Nassau, while four-day voyages depart on Sundays with port calls at Nassau and Freeport.

 

Edited January 30, 2010 by Host Walt
Correct Fantasy detail at Copper's request

[Copper10-8]

our first was 05 on Disney Wonder. A 4 night to Nassau and Castaway Cay...still new to this

 

ms Disney Wonder (1999-present) Built in 1999 as ms Disney Wonder by Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A., Marghera (Venice), Italy for Disney Cruise Line. She is the second cruise ship operated by the line, their first being her sister Disney Magic (1998). Both ships are virtually identical in their design, with a few variations in restaurants and entertainment venues. Both contain areas designed exclusively for various age groups, including toddlers, young kids, teens, and adults. Unlike most ships of their type, they do not include casinos.

 

After delivery on 1 July 1999, Disney Wonder had her inaugural cruise from the Fincantieri shipyard, stopping in Southampton, England before crossing the Atlantic and arriving at her homeport of Port Canaveral, FL. two weeks later. Her godmother is none other than Disney's character Tinkerbell.

 

 

Disney Wonder has a wraparound promenade deck and three swimming pools, including a children's pool with waterslide . Her Sports deck features paddle tennis, table tennis and basketball courts as well as a golf driving range. There are three themed main dining rooms with rotated guest usage and there is also a reservations-only Italian restaurant for adults only. Lots of fast food outlets and a cafe provide the informal eating options. Entertainment is provided in the four-deck Walt Disney Theater and an adult entertainment area offering a Jazz Piano Lounge, Rock and Country & Western Lounge and a Comedy Club. There is also a dedicated movie theater offering Disney and new release movies.

 

Disney Wonder has been alternating between three and four-night cruises, visiting Nassau and Disney's own private island, Castaway Cay, both in the Bahamas, The four-night cruise offers an additional day at sea. From 30 May through 22 August 2010, Disney Wonder will sail on five-night cruises, alternating between an itinerary that adds an additional stop at Castaway Cay and one that adds a stop at Key West, Fl.

 

 

In October 2006, the Wonder entered dry dock at the Norshipco shipyard in Norfolk, Va. for a general sprucing up and the addition of new features, many of which were introduced to her sister Disney Magic in 2005. A toddler pool was added that features interactive fountains and splash zones. A new computer simulator was put into the refurbished Oceaneer Lab that lets kids "steer" Disney Wonder in and out of port. A 24 x 14 foot LED screen was affixed to her forward funnel, overlooking the Goofy Pool and offering Disney movies and television programs.

 

In addition, her Vista Spa, her meeting and conference facilities as well as the Quiet Cove adults-only pool were renovated and expanded. Like Disney Magic, Disney Wonder also features a ship's whistle or horns which plays the opening seven-note theme from Disney's Pinocchio, "When You Wish Upon A Star", in addition to the traditional whistle. As on the Magic, Disney characters hang off the Wonder's stern and dominate her bow. The Magic’s Goofy has been replaced on the Wonder with Donald Duck and his nephew Huey on the stern, while Mickey on the bow has gone from Sorcerer Mickey to Steamboat Mickey.

 

 

On 22 February 2007, Disney Cruise Lines announced the order for two new ships which will be be added to the fleet in 2011 and 2012. The two ships are being built by the Meyer Werft in Papenburg, Germany and will be named Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy.

 

In addition, Disney Cruise Line has succesfuly negotiated with the Port Canaveral port authority to extend their contract for fifteen more years, through 2022. As part of this contract, the port authority will expand and upgrade the cruise ship dock in order to accommodate the new ships, both of which will be home-ported there. The cruise terminal will be enlarged to accommodate more passengers and luggage and,last but not least, a parking garage will be built and completed by 2011.

 

With the arrival of Disney Dream in 2011, Disney Wonder will be relocated to, and home-ported at, Los Angeles (San Pedro), CA. That agreement will be for two years, with a potential extension of an additional three years. On 11 September 2009, Disney Cruise Line announced that the Wonder will operate eighteen 7-night sailings to Alaska in 2011.

 

[Copper10-8]

I feel like such a newbie! We waited until we were retired before we found cruising. Now we're hooked. (I swear, they should put a warning labels on the boarding passes for first-time cruisers advising them that cruising can be addictive!) The trip was memorable because in five days we were caught in not one but two hurricanes, Wilma and Alpha. We still loved it.

 

Our first cruise (Civilian type - I spent 22 years in the Navy) was in 2005, on Carnival's Celebration, out of JAX. We were hooked.

 

Does anyone know the final disposition of Celebration? I know she was stricken from Carnival's fleet in 2006 or 2007. Her sister ship, Holiday makes her last run from here in Mobile the first week of next month. I don't know who is buying her. She'll be replaced by Fantasy until next spring when Fantasy will be replaced by Elation.

 

ms Celebration (1987-present) Built in 1987 as ms Celebration by Kockums Varv AB, Malmö, Sweden for Carnival Cruise Line. Celebration was the third and last ship of Carnival's Holiday class, also called "Super Liners" by Carnival and known as the "Fun Ships". Her sisters are Holiday (1985) and the slightly larger Jubilee (1986). She was delivered to her new owners in February 1987 and on 9 February 1987 departed Malmö on her transatlantic crossing to Miami, FL. After her naming ceremony by her godmother Kathie Lee Gifford, she departed Miami for her inaugural cruise to the Caribbean on 14 March 1987.

When she emerged from the yard, Celebration was 47,262 gross registered tons, 732.6 feet long, 92.5 feet wide with a 25.5 foot draft. She was Liberian registered with Italian Officers and an International crew and she is diesel propelled. Celebration continued the tradition begun by her two sisters, of a single, wide promenade, which, became the boulevard for each evening's activities. Every Carnival ship has its own particular bit of whimsy. On Celebration, it was a trolley car, parked outside of the casino.

 

The Holiday class vessels were the first class of newbuilds for Carnival Cruise Lines (Tropicale was a single-class ship). None of the three ships in this class are still sailing for Carnival though. The first ship, the 46,052 gross ton Holiday, was completed in 1985. Carnival Cruise Lines retired her in November 2009 and she, like Celebration, was internally transfered to Spanish operator Iberocruceros where she became the Grand Holiday. A second and slightly larger sister ship, Jubilee, was built in 1986 at 47,262 gross tons. In 2004, she was internally transferred to P&O Cruises Australia where she became the Pacific Sun. Celebration was the last of the class and would also find her way to Iberocruceros.

Following a multi-million, 70-day drydock in Freeport, the Bahamas in March and April 2003, Celebration resumed her year-round Western Caribbean service from Galveston, Tx on Monday, 7 April 2003. The refurbishment included an overhaul of the purser's lobby, redesigned dining rooms and cabins, and cosmetic enhancements to virtually all her public rooms and areas.

 

Celebration has been the subject of negative publicity as a result of a series of incidents while operating for Carnival Cruise Line.

On 10 February 1989, Celebration rammed the 352-foot Cuban cement/bulk carrier Capitan San Luis off the coast of Cuba. The collision sliced the Cuban ship in half, killing three crew members and injuring thirteen. Celebration incurred considerable damage to her bow and had to be repaired. A federal judge in Miami quashed the investigation after deciding that the NTSB had no authority over the foreign registered ship.

 

In June 1995, an electronic panel caught fire in Celebration's engine control room knocking out her propulsion and leaving her adrift 370 nautical miles south of Miami near San Salvador Island in the Bahamas. Her 1,700 passengers spent two days aboard the stalled ship without air conditioning and overflowing toilets and were eventually transferred to her stable mate Ecstasy.

 

On Wednesday 12 January 2000 around midnight when the ship was roughly 100 miles west north-west of Jamaica, one of Celebration's three auxiliary generators caught fire. The fire was put out within minutes by Celebration's automated firefighting equipment however, the ship was adrift for about six hours with emergency lighting activated but no running water, toilets or air conditioning. The fire resulted in a premature end to the cruise for her 2,253 passengers who were flown home from Jamaica after the ship pulled into Montego Bay the next day. Carnival was forced to cancel her next cruise.

On 16 August 2006, Celebration struck the harbor floor in Nassau as the ship, with over 1,100 passengers onboard, was preparing to dock. Her propeller was struck which, besides causing damage to the vessel, also released 53 gallons of lubricating oil into the sea. As a result, Celebration's captain was forced to cancel her port of call at Nassau and return her to her Jacksonville homebase for repairs.

 

 

Towards the end of her career with Carnival, Celebration was based out of Jacksonville, FL from where she operated four and five-day cruises to Key West, FL, Nassau and Freeport, the Bahamas.

In April 2008, she was internally transferred to Iberocruceros and renamed Grand Celebration. The ship had an extensive refit before re-entering service with the Spanish line. The refit included new hull artwork. Unlike Carnival's other retired/transferred purpose-built ships, her trademark "whale tail" funnel was not altered or removed but only painted over. Grand Celebration entered into service for Iberocruceros in the summer of 2008.

 

 

Iberocruceros was founded in 2007 as a joint subsidiary of Carnival Corporation and Orizonia Corporacion. The cruise line is aimed at the Spanish-speaking market. Orizonia Corporación provided two ships from its existing Iberojet fleet, the Grand Mistral and the Grand Voyager. Carnival Cruise Lines provided Iberocruceros with the Grand Celebration and the Grand Holiday (the former Carnival Cruise Line ms Holiday).

 

 

Grand Celebration sails on mondays on seven-day cruises from Barcelona, Spain into the Mediterranean with stops at the Italian ports of Florence, Rome (Civitavecchia), Naples as well as a port call at Valetta, Malta.

 

Edited January 30, 2010 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

I feel like such a newbie! We waited until we were retired before we found cruising. Now we're hooked. (I swear, they should put a warning labels on the boarding passes for first-time cruisers advising them that cruising can be addictive!) The trip was memorable because in five days we were caught in not one but two hurricanes, Wilma and Alpha. We still loved it.

 

Our first cruise (Civilian type - I spent 22 years in the Navy) was in 2005, on Carnival's Celebration, out of JAX. We were hooked.

 

Does anyone know the final disposition of Celebration? I know she was stricken from Carnival's fleet in 2006 or 2007. Her sister ship, Holiday makes her last run from here in Mobile the first week of next month. I don't know who is buying her. She'll be replaced by Fantasy until next spring when Fantasy will be replaced by Elation.

 

USS Niagra Falls AFS3, USS Franklin Roosevelt CVA42, USS Kalamazoo AOR6, USS Harry Yarnell CG19, USS Stark FFG31

 

Thanks for serving!

 

 

USS Niagara Falls AFS-3

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USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CVA-42

 

USS Kalamazoo AOR-6 (Laid up at ESCO Marine in the Brownsville,Tx ship channel in December 2008)

 

 

 

 

 

USS Harry Yarnell CG-17 off Portsmouth, England in 1992

 

USS Stark FFG-31