Your first cruise ship

[Copper10-8]

On 22 December 1995, she was chartered to German tour operator Neckermann Seereisen for a period of five years. Her first cruise for them was to the Caribbean. On 6 January 1998 however, Neckermann had developed financial problems and Italia Prima was laid up in Genoa. For a five-month period, the ship was then positioned in Lisbon, Portugal as an exhibition ship for the World Expo 98, held there from 22 May to 30 September 1998.

 

In November 1999, the ship was chartered to a Rome, Italy-based operator called Club Valtur. The ship was renamed Valtur Prima, and was kept on her West Indies itinerary, with Cuba as her specialty. This operation was successful, but after two years the situation would change dramatically. The terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington D.C. on 11 September 2001 ultimately forced Club Valtur to cancel their sailings. Valtur Prima was laid up at Havana, awaiting an uncertain future.

 

The former Stockholm once again found employment when she was chartered on a five-year basis to Festival Cruises in December 2002 and renamed Caribe. They sailed her on 7-day cruises out of Havana to Montego Bay, Jamaica, Calica, Mexico, Georgetown, Grand Cayman, and Isla de Juventud, Cuba, not sold and marketed in the U.S.A. As it was, this failed to generate much profit for Festival and she was once again laid up in Havana before being transferred to Lisbon, Portugal. In 2004, she was sold to the Portugal-based Nina SpA, and re-registered to that country.

 

On 7 January 2005 the ship was once again renamed, this time to Athena, and operated by Classic International Cruises on varied itineraries to the Baltic, the Adriatic & Ionian Islands and New England/Canada.

On 3 December 2008, Athena was attacked by so-called pirates in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia. There were reported to be 29 pirate boats surrounding the ship at one stage until a U.S. Navy P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft arrived on scene and started orbiting the area which led to some of the “pirates” fleeing. Athena’s crew prevented the pirates from boarding the cruise ship by deploying high pressure water hoses at them. No one was injured and the ship escaped without damage and continued on her voyage to Australia.

 

 

On 5 May 2009, Athena was send on another charter to German tour operator Phoenix Reisen as a replacement for another of their chartered ships, Alexander von Humboldt, which was placed under arrest in Bremerhaven, Germany due to financial problems of her owner. Incredibly, as a 60-year old ship, she is currently back sailing for Classic Int’l. Cruises.

 

[Copper10-8]

Cunard Vistafjord

 

March 6-20, 1993

 

Fort Lauderdale, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Aruba, Grenada, Barbados, Martinique, St.Thomas, Fort Lauderdale.

 

Please accept my apologies for the quality of the photos

 

ms Vistafjord (1972-present) Built in 1972 as ms Vistafjord by Swan Hunter Shipbuilders, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England for Norske Amerikalinje or Norwegian American Line (NAL). Just like Queen Elizabeth 2, she was designed and built for a dual role and so her classic lines reflected the best of the transatlantic liners’ evolution, combined with an emphasis on the image of a floating resort.

Vistafjord was a (near) sister ship to the 1965 French-built Sagafjord. Their hulls were almost identical and both were propelled by the same two-stroke direct-coupled engines. There were, however, some differences between them: Between the delivery dates of Sagafjord and Vistafjord, a new passenger ship stability and damage control regulation came into effect, which meant that much fresh internal design work was necessary. For example, Vistafjord was built entirely with noncombustible materials. The massive use of aluminum in her superstructure allowed Vistafjord to have one more deck than her sister, and, together with a superstructure extended fore and aft, allowed her to carry 100 additional passengers than Sagafjord. Her main dining room was very bright and spacious, located on one deck with lots of natural lighting from side picture windows, in contrast to Sagafjord’s rather dark dining room which spanned two decks.

However, as the cost of building Sagafjord had put her French builders, Forges et Chantiers de la Mediterranee, out of business, Vistafjord had to be built at a different shipyard. She was launched on 15 May 1972 and delivered to Norwegian America Line exactly a year later on 15 May 1973, four months ahead of schedule. She was the last cruise ship to have been built in the United Kingdom. Vistafjord was built with a very traditional ocean liner profile, with her funnel placed amidships and a notable sheer on her hull. Her superstructure is terraced both at the fore and aft of the ship. In Norwegian America Line service, Vistafjord carried the traditional NAL livery, with a gray hull, white superstructure, yellow mast and a yellow funnel with red, white and blue (the colors of the Norwegian flag) stripes.

After a naming ceremony in Oslo, she initiated her maiden voyage, a transatlantic crossing to New York on 22 May 1973. Later that year she begun to make long distance cruises for NAL’s loyal clientele, together with her (near) sister Sagafjord. Her only real transatlantic crossings turned out to be (re)positioning cruises between Europe, North America and the Caribbean. Those years in the mid and late-seventies were a period of increased competition in the luxury cruise market from other Norwegian owners such as Royal Viking Line, as well as from other foreign operators. As a result, there were merger talks with Royal Viking in 1980 which did not pan out. Also in 1980, the two Norwegian America Line cruise vessels were transferred to a new company, Norwegian America Cruises A/S (NAC), a joint venture with Norway-based Leif Hoegh & Co. At the time, the Norwegian-flagged Vistafjord was considered to be among the most luxurious cruise ships in the world, sharing the top five in Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising with her fleet mate Sagafjord, Royal Viking Line’s Royal Viking Star, Royal Viking Sky and Royal Viking Sea for several years.

Although their ships were high-rated, Norwegian America Line had trouble making profit. In May 1983 the then owners of Cunard Line, the Trafalgar House Company, announced the completion of negotiations to purchase the fleet of Norwegian American Line and her two ships for $73 million. Both ships joined the Cunard fleet in October 1983, Vistafjord retaining her original name and the gray NAL hull color, but received red and black Cunard Line funnel colors. Her mast was painted white and she was re-registered to the Bahamas. Lastly, a red "Cunard" text was later added to her superstructure. Despite the flag change, she retained a Norwegian command staff. At first, Vistafjord and Sagafjord were marketed as Cunard-NAC, but later they were fully put under Cunard's main umbrella.

In 1984, shortly after this purchase, Vistafjord was heavily rebuilt in Valetta, Malta. Her main alteration was the building of a 90 ton aluminum structure that was installed in the old NAC Viking Club and on the shuffle board deck. It formed a new luxury two level night club with a large double glazed skylight and automatic door from where one could move into two screened balconies, covered with teak decking. Her casino and her library were also transferred to other locations and her main dining room was enlarged. Some of her Sun Deck cabins were fitted with balconies and she gained thirteen additional cabins.

 

Eleven years later in 1995, Vistafjord was sent back to Malta to undergo another refit to the tune of U.S. $30 million. During this refit, she was internally re-built. This refit also symbolized the changing passenger demands, which resulted in the addition of two very large "owners suites" to her Bridge Deck. In addition, more of her cabins on Sun Deck were fitted with balconies; almost all of her lower deck cabins were rebuilt and fitted with new furniture and baths. The upper level of the old Viking Club was rebuilt and converted into an alternative dining room.

Just after this refurbishment, the Trafalgar House Co. slipped into deep financial trouble. Vistafjord's older sister, Sagafjord was due for retirement in late 1996, but a fire cut her life at Cunard short and she was later sold to British tour operator Saga Holidays and renamed Saga Rose. The remaining Cunard fleet continued to sail on an altered schedule to try and make as much money as possible for the line. In 1997, Cunard Countess and Cunard Dynasty were sold to Mediterranean shipping interests. Vistafjord and the remainder of the Cunard fleet (along with parent Trafalgar House) were finally sold to Anglo-Norwegian Kvaerner Shipbuilders ASA in late 1996.

 

Vistafjord continued to cruise as a 5 star ship, but by early 1998, she and the rest of the fleet were in desperate need of a refit. Kvaerner would not commit to maintain the fleet and the question of selling or scrapping the fleet was brought up several times at Kvaerner board meetings. However, this option was less appealing than a resale of Cunard. Finally in April 1998, the Carnival Corporation bought the Cunard Line. Carnival merged Cunard with their Seabourn Cruises and put the newly formed line under the direction of Larry Pimintel as President and CEO.

 

 

In early 1999 a decision was made to split the fleet, with the luxury liners going to Cunard, while the luxury yachts were merged with the Seabourn operation. As a result of this, QE2 and Vistafjord were matched as fleet mates in the Cunard division of Cunard Line Limited, with Royal Viking Sun and the two Sea Goddess' going to Seabourn. The plan was to rebuild the Cunard side as a 'British Luxury Cruise Line' and the Seabourn side as 'Luxury Norwegian style cruising'. As a result of this, the decision was made to re-name Vistafjord.

Edited February 24, 2010 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

Pimentel restored Cunard's classic heritage and tradition which had been somewhat lost during the prior twenty years. The first step for Vistafjord was a U.S. $5 million refit at the Lloyd Werft GmbH in Bremerhaven, Germany, which lasted from 20 November to 9 December 1999. Her refit there was under the direction of Tilberg Design, which had also been in charge of her 1995 refit. Among the work carried out on Vistafjord, her Viking Club became the Piccadilly Club, the North Cape Bar became the Golden Lion Pub, her restaurant was renamed the Franconia dining room and the White Star Bar was added. Other public spaces were added or relocated such as a new business center built forward of the reception desk, the Regent Shops relocated in the former Card Room as well as new carpeting, furnishing and wall coverings in all passenger cabins. About the same time, a decision was made to rename Vistafjord with a more traditional Cunard Line name so on 14 December 1999 she was renamed ms Caronia and re-registered in the United Kingdom. Coinciding with her name change, Caronia’s hull was painted Cunard black

 

During her renaming ceremony on 14 December, she was berthed at the Pier Head in Liverpool, England in front of the original Cunard building, which flew the Cunard flag for the first time in many years. During the ceremony she was renamed by her godmother, Pamela C. Conover, vice president of strategic planning at the Carnival Corporation. The ceremony, witnessed by hundreds of guests, ended with a fireworks display.

 

 

After this event, Caronia sailed to Southampton, England to begin her first cruise on 18 December 1999, a Caribbean Millennium voyage that lasted until 11 January 2000, with calls at the Azores, St. Kitts, Dominica, St. Lucia, Barbados and Madeira. On 31 December 1999, she anchored with QE2 off Bridgetown, Barbados for the Millennium New Year's Eve party and fireworks. Later, Caronia made some liner voyages to South Africa, prior to beginning her Mediterranean season.

 

 

As Cunard's Caronia, the ship enjoyed ongoing support from her loyal client base, many of whom had followed her from her days as Vistafjord, until it was announced in 2003 that she had been sold to UK-based Saga Holidays (Saga Cruises). Caronia would depart from Cunard service in November 2004. She was originally intended to leave as Queen Victoria was to enter service with Cunard, but due to that ship's late arrival, there was a significant gap left by her departure.

 

 

Following a £17 million refit at Valetta, Malta, Caronia reappeared as ms Saga Ruby in March 2005. Her hull was repainted dark blue and her funnel yellow, with a dark blue top and a narrow white stripe separating the two colors. In the Saga Cruises fleet she joined her former Norwegian America Line fleet mate Sagafjord, herself renamed Saga Rose. The 25,000 ton vessel now accommodates 655 passengers. Aside from her ballroom and movie theater, Saga Ruby also boasts a card room and a library where passengers can surf the Internet. She has two swimming pools, a spa, and laundry facilities. Most of her staff is made up of friendly and helpful Europeans and Filipinos who are very attentive to every need of the ship’s passengers. Saga Holidays does not allow passengers younger than 50 years aboard Saga Ruby. (The only exceptions are accompanying persons for whom the age limit is lowered to 40 years). Saga Ruby’s cruises combine traditional ports of call in Europe, North America, the Caribbean, etc. with more unusual destinations during her annual world cruise.

 

 

Saga Cruises announced in 2009 that Saga Ruby’s (near) sister, Saga Rose, would be retired from service in December 2009 as it turned out to be impractical to upgrade her to meet SOLAS 2010 requirements. A source close to Saga Cruises has indicated that Saga Ruby is to continue in service beyond 2010 and is not likely to be retired until 2014.

[dseres]

Carnival Festivale 1984 it was awesome!

[Copper10-8]

Our first ship was Celebrity's Meridian...their first ship...a really old Grand Dame we fell in love with cruising on her...and still look for the older style decor (The Avant Gard looks of the new Celebrity ships leave me cold!..!) the "R" ships have suited us since we first went on R 2' date=' then again on the R4. Oceania kept that nice decor. Since we've been on the Azamara version...(very strange changes to the Decor I hated! Celebrity has awful artwork as far as I'm concerned!)[/quote']

 

ss Galileo Galilei (1963-1999) Built in 1963 by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico, Monfalcone, Italy as ss Galileo Galilei for Trieste, Italy-based Lloyd Triestino di Navigazione S.p.A. Galilei and her younger sister, Guglielmo Marconi, were designed to replace the line’s three older ships, Australia, Neptunia and Oceania on the immigrant service from Italy to Australia.

 

 

The 27,888 gross registered ton ocean liner was launched on 2 July 1961. Her new owners took delivery of her on 23 March 1963 and she operated some Mediterranean cruises for them. She would then depart on her official maiden voyage from Genoa to Sydney on 22 April 1963, arriving there on 15 May 1963. Due to their increased speed, both Galileo Galilei and Guglielmo Marconi were able to reduce what used to be a month-long voyage to twenty three days, simultaneously introducing a new standard of luxury to immigrant travel.

 

Originally the ships traveled to Australia via the eastern route, passing through the Suez Canal in both directions, but in the later years the return trip to Europe was via the Panama Canal. Both ships sailed successfully for several years until the 1973 oil crisis struck which, combined with the increasing use of commercial airliners, contributed to the demise of the ocean liners. Galilei was scheduled to operate a cruise from Sydney in December 1973 however this was cancelled and she laid idle until 3 January 1974. On 13 January 1975, she struck a reef off the coast of West Africa which forced her to divert to Monrovia, Liberia. She sustained substantial damage to her hull plating and sailed for Genoa where she entered dry-dock for repairs, returning to service in March of that year.

 

 

Galileo Galilei continued to operate on the Italy-Australia run until quietly departing Sydney on 13 April 1977. (Her sister Marconi had left Australia for the last time on 23 November 1974). It had been originally planned for Galilei to operate the Aussie service until the end of 1977, however a 23 May 1977 departure was suddenly cancelled without explanation, stranding some 1,000 passengers. Upon arrival back in Genoa, she was withdrawn from service and laid up. Her lay-up was short however, and on 21 October 1977 she arrived at the Cantieri Navali Riuniti’s Palermo, Sicily yard for a lengthy reconstruction into a full-time cruise ship.

 

On 24 March 1979, Galileo Galilei started Mediterranean cruise service from Genoa for Italia Crociere (owned by Italia di Navigazione S.p.A., also known as the Italia Line). However, this venture proved unprofitable as soon as 29 September 1979 when Galilei was withdrawn from service and laid up again, this time for four years, interspersed with occasional charters. (Italia Crociere ceased trading in 1980).

 

In August 1983, the vessel was purchased by the Greek-owned Chandris Group. She was again rebuilt, this time with additional cabins on her forward deck, and her name was shortened to just Galileo. In 1984, Galileo began operating Caribbean (short) cruises from Miami, Fl on charter to Fantasy Cruises. This was followed in May 1985 with summer cruises, mostly to Bermuda from New York, but also to Nova Scotia, the Bahamas plus some cruises to ‘nowhere’. After her summer season, Galileo returned to Miami from where she operated five-day cruise to Key West, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel.

 

In October 1985, Chandris purchased Fantasy Cruises outright, making it their new subsidiary, Chandris Fantasy Cruises, and operating the Galileo (but also their Amerikanis, Britanis and the Victoria) under that banner. Galileo would receive a refit in early 1986 and would continue to operate Caribbean cruises during the winter and Bermuda cruises during the summer seasons.

 

 

When Italy-based Home Lines collapsed in 1988, Chandris made a decision to enter the upscale market. Galileo was therefore sent to the German Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven for a multi-million dollar refit between October 1989 and February 1990. Most of her interiors were rebuilt, and externally her rear superstructure enlarged. On 1 March 1990 she emerged as the ss Meridian, the first ship of Chandris’ new subsidiary, Celebrity Cruises. She received a more stylished white “X” (Greek for “CH” or Chandris) on her funnel, dark blue markings on the upper part of her hull and would operate Caribbean cruises from Port Everglades, Fl as well as a Boston/New York to Bermuda run during a very successful Celebrity career.

 

 

In 1997, following Royal Caribbean International’s acquisition of Celebrity Cruises, Meridian was sold to Singapore-based Sun Cruises, which operated her as ss Sun Vista, cruising throughout the Malaccan Straights from her home port of Singapore. In doing this, Sun Cruises took on giant Star Cruises (the owner of Norwegian Cruise Line) who operated similar itineraries but with newer and superior ships, a battle Sun Cruises would lose.

 

 

During the night of 20 May 1999, while enroute back to Singapore from Phuket, Thailand in the Straits of Malacca, a fire broke out in Sun Vista’s engine room. During the following morning, only a small amount of smoke was observed near the ship’s funnel. However, the fire would spread uncontrollably and this would ultimately result in a total loss of power on the ship. During the late afternoon of 21 May 1999, Meridian’s master, Captain Sven Hartzell ordered the ship abandoned. All 472 passengers and 632 crew were safely evacuated and rescued. Sun Vista went down on 22 May at 0121 hours, 45 nautical miles west of Penang Island in the Andaman Sea.

 

[Copper10-8]

Some additional pics of Galileo Galilei:

 

 

In Naples, Italy in 1965

 

 

Off Fremantle, Australia in 1975

 

 

Off Fremantle, Australia in 1975

 

In 1980 at London (Tillbury)

 

 

As Meridian at Nassau, the Bahamas in 1990

 

 

As Sun Vista in 1998 in Singapore

[Copper10-8]

Carnival Festivale 1984 it was awesome!

 

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.

[caltnl]

John,

 

You asked on another thread if my SOL knew Capt. Gordon Graham. He told me this evening that he meet him while he was gong thru the academy several years ago.

 

Question why are your post so much wider than the rest of the posts? I always have to make my pages smaller to see the posts.

 

Also if my understanding is correct you recently retired.

 

Congratulations.

[Copper10-8]

John,

 

You asked on another thread if my SOL knew Capt. Gordon Graham. He told me this evening that he meet him while he was gong thru the academy several years ago.

 

Question why are your post so much wider than the rest of the posts? I always have to make my pages smaller to see the posts.

 

Also if my understanding is correct you recently retired.

 

Congratulations.

 

Evenin' Bill; the posts are sometimes wider depending on the size of the photos, especially in this thread!

Gordon Graham is a character! I first met him when I just started out in my career at the PD. He was a Sgt with the CHP and has been lecturing ever since (he's a captain now). Around 2001, I was in charge of all the training for my Dept and was able to schedule him for three days worth of risk management lectures for our PD and Fire Depts. Great guy and funny as heck!

Tell your SIL to take care, be safe and watch his back! Central L.A. is one busy area with a bunch of knuckleheads (gangbangers) living there!

Yep, retired as of Christmas; leading the good life and spending way too much time here with all the usual suspects!:o

[tino1028]

Caribbean Princess - Eastern Caribbean Cruise - 2005 :)

[Copper10-8]

Caribbean Princess - Eastern Caribbean Cruise - 2005

 

ms Caribbean Princess (2004-present) Built in 2004 by Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A., Monfalcone, Italy as ms Caribbean Princess (she was originally to be named Crown Princess)for Santa Clarita, California-based Princess Cruises.

 

[/url]

The design for the Caribbean Princess derives directly from the original three "Grand" class vessels, however she has none of the later five "Gem" class ships innovations. Strictly speaking, Diamond Princess (2004), Sapphire Princess (2004), Crown Princess (2006) Emerald Princess (2007), and Ruby Princess (2008) are "Gem" class ships but they are usually grouped under the "Grand" class for marketing purposes. Even though Caribbean Princess uses the original "Grand" class design, she has an additional deck of cabins, called Riviera deck, that increases her passenger capacity from 2,600 to 3,622.

 

 

This gave the ship the largest carrying capacity of the Princess fleet and has made her be known as the Grand daddy of the Princess fleet. She has 880 balcony staterooms and also has an entire deck of mini-suites. Caribbean Princess is slightly larger than her three "Grand" class sisters, Grand Princess (1998), Golden Princess (2001) and Star Princess (2002) due to that additional Riviera deck. No new public areas were added to absorb the increase in passengers, which can result in her main theater filling up sooner than the ones on her sister ships. Caribbean Princess also differs from the other Grand class ships in that, being initially designed to cruise the Caribbean year-round, there is no sliding roof over the pool area for shelter in poor weather.

 

 

She was the first modern cruise ship to replicate a drive-in movie theater outdoors, called "Movies Under The Stars". This feature was initially intended to provide an additional evening entertainment venue to prevent her additional passengers from overcrowding the ship's theater. Caribbean Princess has also added Cafe Caribe, a buffet-style restaurant aft of her Horizon Court, which offers Caribbean-themed food in a slightly more upscale environment.

 

Following successful sea trials in the Adriatic in March 2004, Caribbean Princess was delivered to her new owners. The ship then sailed via the Adriatic to the Mediterranean and, following a trans-Atlantic crossing, arrived in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl on 31 March 2004. On 2 April 2004, she was officially named by her godmother, actress and radio talk show host Jill Whelan (she played Vicki Stubing, daughter of Captain Stubing, in the televison hit series "The Love Boat"). On 3 April 2004, Caribbean Princess departed Port Everglades on her maiden voyage into the Caribbean on alternating eastern and western itineraries.

Caribbean Princess' decks are filled with amenities and entertainment. Her passengers can relax at any one of her four swimming pools, including one "swim against the current" pool, enjoy a massage at the Asian-themed Lotus Spa or bid on fine artwork at an art auction. Sports-minded guests can take advantage of the Princess Links putting green and golf simulator, multi-purpose sports court and state-of-the-art fitness center. Her entertainment venues besides "Movies Under the Stars", include three show lounges, the nautical-themed Wheelhouse Bar and Skywalkers Nightclub, which is suspended sixteen decks above sea level (often compared to the "handle of a shopping cart"). A huge youth center offers indoor and outdoor play areas, a kids-only splash pool and the "Off Limits" teen center.

Besides the ship's three formal dining rooms (Coral, Island and Palm), there is Sabatinis Trattoria, the Trident (hamburger and hotdogs) Grill, the Crown Grill (steak and seafood), Prego, a poolside pizzeria, Scoops, a pool-side ice cream bar plus the aforementioned Cafe Caribe and Horizon Court. Guests can also dine with the ship's chef at The Chef's Table or on their Ultimate Balcony Dining where fresh lobster, steak, etc. is served on stateroom balconies.

In February 2009, Caribbean Princess entered a three week dry-dock at the Grand Bahama shipyard at Freeport, the Bahamas to add a number of signature features from Princess' then newest ships (Crown Princess, Emerald Princess and Ruby Princess).The vessel was fitted with a piazza-style atrium which features outdoor seating with an Interational Cafe area, serving coffees, pastries and tapas on one side, and Vines wine bar, serving wine by the glass along with seafood, meat and cheeses, on the other.

Princess' adults-only Sanctuary area was also added to Caribbean Princess, along with seven new suites and a more centrally located casino. Work completed on the ship's Crown Grill

restaurant featured an open kitchen where chefs prepare meat and seafood, including live lobsters. Other changes to the ship include a new location for the sports court, a new Limelight boutique plus new shore excursions and Captain's Circle desks, a new library and Internet cafe, and the addition of new flatscreen televisions in all staterooms.

The 112,894-ton Caribbean Princess now sails the Caribbean in the winter and spring seasons with cruises to Canada-New England and Bermuda in the summer and fall seasons. In her Caribbean seasons, she is home ported at San Juan, Puerto Rico from where she sails 7-night "classic" Southern Caribbean cruises to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI, Tortola, BVI, St. John's, Antigua, Castries, St. Lucia and Bridgetown, Barbados, alternating with Southern Carib "Explorer" cruises from San Juan to Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI, Roseau, Dominica, St. George's, Grenada, Kralendijk, Bonaire and Oranjestad, Aruba.

 

 

Edited February 27, 2010 by Copper10-8

[gwenmarie]

Our family took a Mexico Riveria cruise March 1990 from LA. We had a very small inside cabin for this three of us. You could barely turn around in the shower stall,but we had a blast and some years later my DH and I took a Panama Canal cruise on HAL Maasdam and enjoyed a outside cabin. Our next cruise was a balcony in Tahiti and it has been a balcony ever since.

[Copper10-8]

Song of America

 

Our family took a Mexico Riveria cruise March 1990 from LA. We had a very small inside cabin for this three of us. You could barely turn around in the shower stall,but we had a blast and some years later my DH and I took a Panama Canal cruise on HAL Maasdam and enjoyed a outside cabin. Our next cruise was a balcony in Tahiti and it has been a balcony ever since.

 

 

You can find Song of America on page 77/1533 + 1534

ms Maasdam (1993-present) Built in 1993 as ms Maasdam by Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A., Monfalcone, Italy for Holland America Line. She is the fifth ship to bear the name in Holland America Line’s more than 130-year history. She was named after the river ‘Maas’ and the town by that same name in the Dutch province of Zuid Holland (South Holland), located about 14 km south of the city of Rotterdam, in the municipality of Binnenmaas. Maasdam is the second ship of the four-ship “S” or “Statendam” class. Statendam (1993), Ryndam (1994) and Veendam (1996) are her sisters. At 720-feet, she was designed to carry fewer passengers (1,266) while providing more space for maximum comfort. Many of her staterooms feature ocean views and, for the first time on a Holland America Line ship, have private verandahs.

[/url]

The first Maasdam operated for Holland America Line from 1883 until 1884. She was built by Henderson, Coulbourn & Co. in Renfrew, Scotland as a brig-rigged, steel-hulled steamer and was initially named ‘Maas’. On 24 October 1884, while underway from Rotterdam to New York, she caught fire which resulted in all passengers and crew having to abandon her. Maasdam I subsequently sank in the Atlantic Ocean.

The second Maasdam was launched on 4 July 1871 as the Republic for UK-based Oceanic Steam Navigation Co. She was purchased by the Holland Amerika Lijn on 15 June 1889 and, after a refit in Rotterdam, named Maasdam. After plying the Atlantic for HAL for thirteen years, she was sold to Italy-based Fratelli Bozzo in March 1902. She was ultimately sold for scrap and, as Citta Di Napoli, broken up in 1909.

Maasdam III was launched on 21 October 1920 at the Rotterdam-Feijenoord yard, the Netherlands as an 8,800 grt cargo-passenger vessel. She could carry 14 passengers in First Class accommodation, 174 in Second Class plus 800 in Third Class. She was initially operated by HAL on their Mexico run. After a refit in 1934, she was used between Rotterdam and New York. After the Netherlands were invaded and occupied by Germany in 1940, Maasdam III was operated by the British Ministry of War Transport. On 26 June 1941 while sailing from Halifax, NS to Liverpool, England, she was attacked and torpedoed by the German Kriegsmarine (Navy) sub U-564. She sank as a result of this attack with two loss of life among her crew.

Maasdam IV was built at Dok en Werfmaatschappij (Dock and Shipbuilding Co.) Wilton-Feijenoord in Schiedam in the Netherlands during 1952. She and her two-year older sister Ryndam were known as HAL’s ‘Economy Twins’. At 15,000 grt, they could carry 854 passengers. The fourth Maasdam was used on the transatlantic liner service between Rotterdam and New York (with some voyages to Montreal, Quebec), on cruises to Bermuda and on some trips to Australia. She was eventually sold to the Polish Ocean Lines in 1968 who renamed her Stefan Batory. After additional owners and periods of layup, she met her end at the scrap yard of Aliaga, Turkey where she was broken up in 1999

Maasdam V’s keel was laid down at Monfalcone on 4 April 1991.

After running technical trials in the Adriatic, she was handed over to her owners on 30 October 1993. She then commenced a transatlantic crossing, with crew but without passengers, to Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. under the command of Captain Coenraad Menke, with Holland America Line since 1956. After a christening and naming ceremony there by her godmother, actress June Allyson, on 3 December 1993, she sailed her inaugural/maiden voyage, a ten-day Caribbean cruise. Since then, she has sailed to the Caribbean, Canada/New England, Europe, the Panama Canal, Central and South America, Alaska, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. In 1994, she conducted her first World Cruise. On 10 May 1996 she along with her fleet mates (except Veendam) switched from a Bahamian flag and registration (Nassau) to a Dutch one (Rotterdam).

The four ships of the class are just about identical, having only minor changes in their internal layout. However, each one has a different decorative theme. Maasdam features a theme of Dutch worldwide exploration (more specifically, the Dutch East and West India companies of the 17th through 19th centuries), with more than $2 million worth of art and artifacts displayed throughout the ship.

When launched, Maasdam came out with a Java Café coffee bar, Explorers Lounge, Piano Bar, Ocean Bar (a HAL trademark), Crow’s Nest (observation lounge by day/nightclub by night), Leyden Library, Puzzle Corner, Card room, Hudson room, Half Moon room (the latter two can be combined into one room for meetings and private parties), the 249-seat Wajang (movie) theater (also used for lectures, meetings and religious services), Photo Gallery, Shopping Arcade (plus Kiosk and Boutique), Casino, Ocean Spa and Gymnasium, Lido (buffet) Restaurant, the 657-seat two-level Rotterdam dining room connected by a pair of sweeping, curved staircases with shiny brass railings, a ceiling canopy made from Venetian glass and an antique marble fountain from Argentina, two small and private dining rooms known as the Queens and Kings rooms and two outdoor swimming pools (one that can be closed off with a magrodome), two Jacuzzis and a small wading pool. The “S” class ships were all designed with somewhat of a novelty at sea, a pair of public escalators that could be used by embarking passengers on Main deck to reach their cabins on Lower Promenade deck while getting a glimpse of the ship’s atrium. That atrium, three-stories high, showcases Italian artist Luciano Vistosi’s “Totem”, a monumental sculpture consisting of nearly 2,000 pieces of (mostly green) colored glass modules. At the forward end of Maasdam’s Lido Pool there is a 12-foot high cast bronze sculpture of five leaping bottlenose dolphins created by the British artist Susanna Holt. The 600-seat Rembrandt Theater/show lounge forward on both Promenade and Upper Promenade Decks commemorates Dutch 17th century Master Rembrandt van Rijn.

In November 2003, Holland America Cruise Line announced a U.S. $225 million program of up-scaling their cruise ships, cruise line image and passenger cruise experience called the 'Signature of Excellence program'. This enhancement program included stateroom amenities (Premium Plus Euro-style mattresses, 100% Egyptian cotton bed linens, waffle-weave bathrobes and extra-fluffy Egyptian cotton towels to all cabin categories); new massage-type showerheads and professional-grade hair dryers in all bathrooms; new flat-screen LCD televisions, magnifying make-up mirrors with halo lightning, fresh flowers and complimentary fruit baskets in all cabins; bed duvets, fully-stocked mini-bars, personalized stationary, DVD players and access to a well-stocked DVD library for all suite-category staterooms; a Culinary Arts Center (inside the Wajang Theater) presented by Food & Wine magazine with plasma video screens and on-stage kitchen for gourmet cooking demonstrations and interactive classes; a Wine Tasting Bar’ a Gourmet Shop; a 66-seat Pinnacle Grill alternate restaurant (none of the four “S” class ships were built with one); a casual dinner option inside the Lido Restaurant; an Explorations Café, a combination internet café, coffee shop and library; a private Neptune concierge lounge for the exclusive use by Deluxe Verandah and Penthouse suite occupants; a refurbished Crow’s Nest; an expanded Greenhouse Spa and Salon offering thermal suite treatment, a hydrotherapy and thalassotherapy pool and heated ceramic lounges; an early embarkation program (as early as 11:30 am) and the extension of the fitness facility/gym, out and above the bridge. In addition, changes were made for non-adults, including newly expanded youth (toddler and tween) facilities within the "Club HAL" program and the creation of the interior “Loft” and exterior “Oasis” for teens. For Maasdam, this refit meant the disappearance of her Java Café, Leyden Library, Puzzle Corner, Card Room and Kristal Terrace.

As a result, Maasdam paid a visit to the Grand Bahama Shipyard at Freeport, the Bahamas in April 2006 for a three-week makeover that incorporated the major SOE part 1 enhancements. Another one of the changes during the ship’s dry-dock was that the her Lido Buffet was upgraded to feature separate food stations instead of the two long buffet lines on each side, similar but due to physical lay-out, not the same as those found on the four Vista’s and on Eurodam. In order to install the PG alternative restaurant on Maasdam and her three “S” class sisters, HAL had the private Kings dining room as well as the small 'Video Arcade' gutted and converted that space into a Pinnacle Grill restaurant with 'ocean views’. On the “S” class ships, the PG is located on Upper Promenade Deck starboard side in between the main dining room and the Explorers Lounge.

In August 2008, HAL announced further enhancements to, as well as new features on, five of the line's ships as part of its ongoing Signature of Excellence program. Over the next five years the four “S” sisters as well as the lead ship of the 'R' class, ms Rotterdam, will undergo extensive dry docks to create new venues, new staterooms and new decor. The 18-month, $200 million program began when Veendam entered dry dock #3 on 2 April 2009 at the Grand Bahama Shipyard at Freeport, the Bahamas.

On 30 January 2009, Maasdam gained a Digital Workshop program by Microsoft which is comprised of complimentary classes led by a Microsoft-trained “techspert”. As part of the program, located in the Queen’s Room, her passengers can learn to use computers to enhance photos, produce and publish videos onto a DVD and create personal web pages or blogs. In addition, one-on-one coaching, called “Techspert Time” is available for more than 20 hours each week.

 

Maasdam is scheduled to enter dry-dock in Freeport, the Bahamas from 4-24 April 2011 for the first phase of her SOE part 2 enhancements. During that dry-dock she will receive:

 

- “Mix”, a multi-themed new bar concept with three separate areas where either Martinis, Champagne and/or Spirits & Ales are served. Mix will come with computer table games as well as a dude (or dudette) playing the piano. In order to accomplish this, Maasdam’s original Piano and Casino Bars will be gutted.

- “Showroom at Sea,” a new Jazz nightclub-style show lounge taking the place of the current main show lounge, where a new slate of shows will be performed at night.

- “Canaletto”, a complimentary casual-style Italian restaurant for dinner. Canaletto, named for the famous 18th century Venetian artist, which debuted on the ms Eurodam in 2008, will come to life for dinner nightly between 5:30 and 9:30 pm when a section of the ship’s Lido restaurant is transformed into the Italian restaurant. Canaletto's menu begins with an antipasti plate that changes nightly, followed by soup choices, salad, four pasta dishes and entrees like Veal Milanese, Chicken Marsala Scaloppini, Osso Bucco and Cod Putanesca. Canaletto is open for dinner from 5:30 to 9:30 pm.

- The addition of “Merabella”, an exclusive luxury jewelry boutique and adjoining viewing room on Upper Promenade Deck in between the Explorers Lounge and “Mix”.

- The refurbishment of the Ocean Bar.

 

- The addition of a canopy and windscreens to create additional covered seating for the Lido Restaurant.

 

- The upgrading of all existing staterooms with new decor, modern wall sconces, carpeting, drapes, pillows and bed runners, resurfaced desks and vanities, and new vanities and cabinetry in the bathrooms.

 

Maasdam’s first Cruise after that 2011 dry-dock will be a 13-day Canada/New England from Fort Lauderdale, Fl to New York, NY on 24 April 2011.

 

The ship is scheduled for the second phase of SOE Part 2 in yet another visit to the Freeport dry-dock in the fall of 2013. During that dry-dock she is scheduled to receive:

 

- “The Retreat”, a new resort-style pool area on the aft of the Lido deck. The Retreat’s pool is divided into three main sections separated by low, curving walls running the length of the pool. The middle section is 16 inches deep so guests can sit on built-in benches in the water. The two side sections feature forty-four lounge chairs in eight inches of water. Water falls and spouts were added to enhance the overall decor and located at the aft end of the pool a hot tub was installed.

- “Slice”, an upscale pizzeria, serving signature pizzas, whole pies and slices to order. Tables and padded chairs under a sunscreen will provide a place to dine al fresco. In order to provide live music, a stage will be added near the pool, while for additional entertainment, a large LED screen and sound system will be integrated into the ship's superstructure, providing both movies and video to The Retreat.

 

- Her aft end lengthened to accommodate the addition of a prefabricated block of 32 verandah staterooms, and a smaller number of inside staterooms.

 

- The creation of thirty-eight new Lanai staterooms on Deck 6/LP whose large sliding glass doors will provide direct access to the walk-around teak promenade. Each Lanai room will offer its passengers two reserved teak lounge chairs just outside the cabin, and their glass doors will have a one-way-mirror coating to ensure privacy.

- The creation of a total of fifteen (twelve outside with verandahs and three inside) new Spa staterooms near the Greenhouse Spa on Verandah Deck with earth-toned decor and a variety of in-room spa amenities including a exclusive spa treatments and a spa room service menu.

 

Edited March 1, 2010 by Copper10-8

[gwenmarie]

I was informed by sails7seas that the Maasdam is not going to get a poolette. I am hoping this is true. Anything new on this?

[Copper10-8]

I was informed by sails7seas that the Maasdam is not going to get a poolette. I am hoping this is true. Anything new on this?

 

Unless things change in Seattle, Maasdam is scheduled to get her "Retreat Pool" aka "Poolette" when she re-enters drydock in Freeport in the fall of 2013

[Copper10-8]

Royal Viking Sun (1988-present) Built in 1988 by Oy Wärtsilä Ab/Wärtsilä Marine Industries, Åbo/Turku, Finland for Royal Viking Line (part of the Kloster Group) for luxurious worldwide cruising. She was launched in May 1988 and upon her handing over on 26 November 1988, she would become the line’s flagship. Royal Viking Sun departed Turku on 29 November 1988 and, after a port call at Greenwich, England, she crossed the Atlantic and via the Panama Canal arrived at San Francisco. On 8 January 1989, she was christened there by actor James "Jimmy" Stewart and shortly after departed on her first commercial voyage, a 100-day world cruise.

 

The vessel quickly became renowned for her exquisite service and loyal passenger following becoming a popular addition to the fleet of global cruisers employed in Royal Viking service.

 

On 30 June 1994, the Cunard Line purchased Royal Viking Sun and the Royal Viking brand and Royal Viking Line ceased operations in that same year. Cunard opted to keep the ship's name as is and they placed her into their newly formed Cunard Royal Viking division. As with Royal Viking Line, the 5-plus star ship was rated the finest vessel afloat for most of her life with Cunard, an honor she held from her Royal Viking Line days. She undertook World Voyages as Cunard's "global roamer", and was a popular and highly sought after ship for passengers and crew alike.

 

 

On 04 April 1996 while in the Gulf of Aqaba near Jordan,Royal Viking Sun ran aground on a reef, sustaining serious damage and taking on water. Her captain decided to beach her so the damage sustained could be inspected. She was subsequently towed into Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt where her passengers, who were on a world cruise, were disembarked and flown home. After temporary repairs, Royal Viking Sun transited the Suez Canal and sailed for Valetta, Malta, arriving on 22 April, where additional repairs were carried out. She was back in service on 12 June 1996.

 

 

In 1999 the Cunard Line and the Seabourn Cruise Line were merged by parent company Carnival Corporation and a decision was made to move Royal Viking Sun to Seabourn. On 26 November 1999, she emerged from the Lloyd Werft GmbH in Bremerhaven, Germany as the Seabourn Sun after an extensive refit and continued exploring the world. She would sail for Seabourn only until 28 April 2002 however, her last cruise with them being a circumnavigation of South America.

 

In 2002,Seabourn decided to concentrate on more intimate vessels so in April of that year she finished her last cruise for the line, a circumnavigation of South America.

On 23 April 2002, Seabourn Sun was internally transferred (within the Carnival Group) to Holland America Line. HAL renamed her Prinsendam and sent her to the Detyens Internationalshipyard in Charleston, SC for an extensive 35-day long refurbishment in dry-dock. She is the second ship in HAL's long history to bear that name.

 

At the shipyard, she gained a total of ten "Lanai" state rooms by removing her existing Midnight Sun Room lounge. These cabins will have private lanais and share a private, covered deck and a hot tub.

Her Compass Rose Room was converted to HAL’s Explorer’s Lounge complete with large mural and her main dining room, the La Fontaine, was reduced in size in order to accommodate two dinner seatings.

 

Prinsendam gained a new alternative restaurant named Odyssey, featuring Italian cuisine and a Mediterranean decor, an Internet Center with eleven computer stations, a new dedicated Art Gallery, and a revamped Queen’s Lounge (show lounge). HAL trademarks like a traditional Ocean Bar with bandstand and dance floor (opposite the Odyssey), Lido Restaurant with two serving lines and a Neptune concierge lounge (Deck 11, port-side, behind the navigation wing with private balcony) were added.

 

Her Shore Excursion Office was modified and her movie theater, renamed the Wajang in HAL tradition, had her furnishing upgraded. Lastly, her remaining public rooms were completely refurbished. Rooms that received minor modifications were the HAL trademark Crow’s Nest lounge/night club, Java Café and Bar, Oak Room, a dedicated smoking room, and Ocean Spa/fitness center. Seabourn Sun's golf putting course was replaced by a combination volleyball/basketball court however, as Prinsendam, she will gain a golf simulation center on Main Deck.

 

A special signature sculpture that dominates Prinsendam’s three-story atrium was commisioned, featuring etched fish, turtles and dolphins climbing a cylinder of Bolle glass and lit with state-of-the-art fiber optics. Other works of art include an abstract marble sculpture of a Viking ship by contemporary Norwegian artist Nicholas Widerberg, a series of paintings by impressionist painter Neil Pinkett, and a collection of Roman Amphorae from 50 - 150 AD. Prinsendam is the only ship in the HAL fleet which does not have a two-story main dining room, nor a retractable ‘magro dome’ roof over her mid-ships Lido pool.

 

Last but not least, the vessel was repainted in HAL’s familiar “Nieuw Amsterdam-blue” hull and white upper structure and her passenger capacity was extended to 794. Her staterooms now included one Penthouse Verandah suite, 18 Deluxe Verandah suites, 50 Superior Verandah suites, 82 Deluxe Verandah suites, 220 large double outside cabins, 2 single outside cabins and 25 double inside cabins. Of these, 151 or 38% of her total staterooms, have verandahs.

 

The first Prinsendam (1973-1980) was a smaller 8,566 grt ship, built in Hardinxveld-Giessendam in the Netherlands. She was used by HAL on cruises in the Orient (Singapore/Indionesia) in the winter and moved to Vancouver, BC for Alaska cruising in the summer season. While transitioning back to the Far East from Vancouver, a fire broke out in her engine room while the ship was sailing in the Gulf of Alaska. This fire ultimately caused the ship to be abandoned with all 319 passengers and 201 crew succesfully evacuated without serious injuries. Prinsendam I turned over and slipped beneath the waves 120 miles south of Yakutat, AK on 11 October 1980.

 

 

 

When she emerged after 35 days in drydock, her destination was Terminal 88 of the New York City, NY Passenger Ship Terminal on 01 June 2002. After two one-day preview cruises from the Big Apple, she was officialy christened on 03 June 2002 by her godmothers, a delegation of three HAL executives; Rose Abello, vice president public relations, Eva Andresen, vice president information technologies, and Linda Ehlenberger, vice president sales, representing all of the other 10,000 employees of the line.

 

Later that day, she would set off for Southampton, England on a 10-day maiden voyage with port calls at Halifax, NS, Cobh (Cork), Ireland and Plymouth, England. Departing Southampton on 13 June 2002, her inaugural season saw her sailing ten to twenty two-day cruises in the waters of northern Europe, the Mediterranean, west and east Africa, Asia and Australia/New Zealand/South Pacific.

 

One of her two captains has always been Norwegian Hale Thon Gunderson. He was part of the team supervising the daily building operations of the vessel at the Wartsila yard in Turku back in 1988 and upon her completion, he sailed her around the world as captain. He has served as one of this ship's permanent Masters ever since and came over to Holland America when the line purchased the vessel.

Since Prinsendam, nicknamed the "Elegant Explorer" by Holland America Line, is smaller than most dam ships, she is able to stop in exotic ports of call. Annually, the ship completes Grand Voyages that usually last between 30-70 days. Her first such cruise was in 2005.

 

In November 2003, Holland America Cruise Line announced a program of up-scaling their ships, cruise line image and passenger cruise experience called the 'Signature of Excellence program'. This enhancement program included stateroom amenities (luxury beds and bed linens upgrades (Euro-style mattresses and waffle-weave bathrobes to all cabin categories), new massage-type showerheads in all bathrooms, new flat-screen LCD televisions and DVD players in all cabins. For those ships that did not already have it, a private Neptune Lounge for the two highest category suites, the addition of a Pinnacle Grill alternate restaurant, an Explorations Café (a combination coffee shop/library/internet center), an extended Greenhouse Spa & Salon, a refurbished Crow’s Nest, as well as a Culinary Arts Center would be added and for some ship classes, the fitness facility/gym would be extended out and above the bridge. In addition, on some ship classes changes would be made for non-adults, including newly expanded youth (toddler and tween) facilities within the "Club HAL" program and the creation of the “Loft” and the “Oasis” for teens.

Prinsendam completed her Signature of Excellence upgrades after going in drydock at Freeport, the Bahamas in January 2005. Added were a Culinary Arts Center as well as the SOE stateroom amenities. The ship already operated with a full Greenhouse Spa, Neptune Lounge and alternate restaurant (Her original Odyssey had been changed to a Pinnacle Grill featuring Pacific Northwest dishes). Since Prinsendam sails mostly longer voyages attracting a more mature audience, she did not receive the expanded youth facilities. Due to space lmitations, the vessel also did not gain an Explorations Cafe during her SOE part 1.

 

From 23 November until 16 December 2007, Prinsendam entered drydock at the Grand Bahama shipyard in Freeport, the Bahamas again for yet another upgrade to the tune of $20 Million. This makeover included new luxury bathrooms for every cabin as well as redesigned closet spaces, new carpeting, desks, chairs and other stateroom furniture. In addition, her public areas were upgraded with new carpeting and her seating areas received a facelift. Her library was expanded, onboard shops renovated, an Explorations Cafe with an internet center installed and a Croquet court, Bocce court and two new putting greens were added on the sports deck. Lastly, a new Stuyvesant Room was created to serve as a meeting room, with the option of transferring same into Club Hal space.

 

 

As part of the continuing Signature of Excellence enhancement program, Prinsendam entered dry-dock for a third time in five years at Freeport from 4-13 January 2010. This time, she gained 21 additional staterooms aft, her pool deck was expanded with more space and deck chairs, plus a new Seaview bar was installed port-side behind the Ocean Spa. Fifteen of her new staterooms are Deluxe Verandah suites and the remaining six are standard inside staterooms. As is customary with all Prinsendam staterooms, appointments feature Mariner Dream Beds, 250-count linens, recently redesigned closet space, elegant bathrooms with Elemis amenities, flat panel televisions and DVD players.

In addition, several of her lounges and public areas received new carpeting and her Wajang Theater/Culinary Arts Center were updated with furniture and carpeting in more lighter colors. Other standard maintenance and technical service also took place along with upgrades of laundry and galley equipment. When Prinsendam departed Freeport on 13 January 2010 on a 70-day South America Grand Voyage, her guest capacity had been increased from 793 to 835.

Following her 13 January, 70-day South America Explorer Grand Voyage cruise, Prinsendam sails a 54-day Quest of the Argonauts voyage, departing 24 March 2010 roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale to the Mediterranean and Black Sea. The ship will sail a leisurely eastbound course across the Atlantic for an extensive Mediterranean exploration with port calls in more then ten countries, including Morocco, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Russia, Georgia, Greece and Turkey. This cruise includes overnight stays in Barcelona, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal and Istanbul, Turkey, as well as late-night departures in Athens and Santorini, Greece; and Lisbon, Portugal. Prinsendam will then visit Bermuda and New York City before returning to Port Everglades.

[Copper10-8]

Some add'l Royal Viking Sun/Prinsendam pics:

 

As Royal Viking Line's Royal Viking Sun

 

As Royal Viking Sun while being towed by the Egyptian Salvage Tug Baraka I inside the Suez Canal in April 1996. She had run aground on a reef in the Gulf of Aqaba and sustained serious damage

as Holland America Line's Prinsendam

Prinsendam in the Kiel Canal in Germany - Not her foremast folded backwards to clear the bridge

 

 

 

Before........

 

And after the January 2010 refit - Note the additional cabins on her aft deck and the addition of a Seaview Bar by the pool on her port side aft.

Edited March 3, 2010 by Copper10-8

[Goldensea]

Hi Copper. You may already be aware of this. Saw a great documentary on the SS United States last night called Lady in Waiting. You can check http://www.bigshipfilms.com for info.

 

Cheers

 

Goldensea

[Copper10-8]

Hi Copper. You may already be aware of this. Saw a great documentary on the SS United States last night called Lady in Waiting. You can check www.bigshipfilms.com for info.

 

Cheers

 

Goldensea

 

Hi Goldensea; wasn't aware! Thanks a bunch! Will check it out!:)

[Pete&Cat]

Wow, what a blast from the past. Ours was the NCL Wind to Alaska, I was still an active duty Marine and Cat was an active duty Navy Corpsman assigned to us. An Alaska inside passage voyage and it took :)

 

and to think, I hesitated

 

Pete

[Copper10-8]

Wow, what a blast from the past. Ours was the NCL Wind to Alaska, I was still an active duty Marine and Cat was an active duty Navy Corpsman assigned to us. An Alaska inside passage voyage and it took

 

and to think, I hesitated

 

Pete

 

Semper Fi, Pete!

 

Windward (1993-present) Built in 1993 by Chantiers de l’Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France as ms Windward for Klosters Rederi A/S-owned Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). Windward was the second of a pair of identical sister ships, the other was Dreamward (1992). Windward is 164 feet tall, has a draft of 22 feet, an average speed of 20 knots and a maximum speed of 21 knots. She was launched at the French yard on 14 November 1992 and delivered to her new owners on 4 May 1993. She crossed the Atlantic without passengers, arriving in Ft. Lauderdale, Fl on 13 May 1993 and then departed on her maiden cruise, a Panama Canal transit to Los Angeles, CA and San Francisco, CA on 14 May 1993. Upon arrival at Los Angeles (San Pedro) in June 1993, she was officially christened and named by her godmother, then former First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush.

 

 

Originally both Dreamward and Windward carried the early-nineties Norwegian Cruise Line livery with a white funnel and red & blue decorative stripes on the hull. Sometime before 1998 they received the new NCL livery consisting of a dark blue funnel and an all-white hull. As with the rest of NCL's fleet, Norwegian Wind operated with the "Freestyle" cruising concept, which allows guests to dine in any number of restaurants, in casual attire, at times of their own choosing.

 

 

Both sisters were planned with a gross register tonnage of 39,127 and a maximum passenger capacity of 1,246 persons. However, they were also designed from the start with the concept of lengthening in mind, making it possible for the company to easily expand their capacity without having to order entirely new ships. The lengthening was accomplished between March and May 1998 when Windward was split in two at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany and a new 131-foot, 3-inch midsection was inserted to bring her new length to 754 feet. In the process she acquired 256 new cabins of which twelve were balcony cabins (six on each side) on Deck 11, the Marina Buffet restaurant on Deck 9 and four additional lifeboats (two on each side). These additions allowed her to carry 512 additional lower berth passengers, increasing her passenger capacity by 29%. In addition to the ‘stetching”, the ship's funnel and radar mast were adapted so that they could be folded down, allowing her to pass under the bridges of the Kiel Canal.

 

She re-emerged at 51,039 gross registered tons and with a new maximum passenger capacity of 2,156. Coinciding with this lengthening, the ship also emerged with a new name, Norwegian Wind. Her older sister underwent the same process and became Norwegian Dream. Norwegian Cruise Line was purchased by Malaysia-based Star Cruises in 2000 and shortly thereafter the fleet was systematically rationalized with new builds going to NCL and older tonnage being transferred to Star.

 

 

Besides Alaska from Vancouver, Norwegian Wind has operated western Caribbean cruises (Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Roatan, Honduras, Belize and Cozumel, Mexico) from both Miami, Fl and New Orleans, La. Between October and December 2001, Norwegian Wind made her first-ever series of cruises to Southeast Asia. After a 21-day "Northern Circle" cruise from Vancouver to Beijing, China she made port calls at Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Singapore, combining five different seven-night cruise itineraries with land packages. Norwegian Wind has also operated from San Francisco, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Miami, FL and New Orleans, LA. Norwegian Wind was also the NCL ship who pioneered Hawaii cruises offering voyages from Honolulu to Hilo, the gold coast of Kona on the Big Island, the rainforest near Nawiliwili, Kauai and the volcanoes that rise above Lahaina and Kahului, Maui, then finishing up with a trip to Fanning Island in order to satisfy the infamous Passenger Service Act.

 

In 2004 ownership of the Norwegian Wind was transferred to parent company Star Cruises, in anticipation of an internal transfer of the ship to the Star Cruises' fleet. This transfer was realized in April 2007, when the ship joined the Star Cruises fleet under the new name SuperStar Aquarius. She received a refit and refurbishment in Singapore in order to cater to the Asia-Pacific market, as well as a new livery to match the rest of the Star Cruises fleet. The ship came out of that refit with two significant changes. The first was that a large portion of her public rooms were converted for use as gambling venues. Secondly, due to superstition, (especially when it comes to gambling), the vast majority of her cabins were re-numbered to exclude the number 4. In Chinese, the number 4 means 'die', as in death. As a result, none of her cabins contain the number 4 except for those on the lowest passenger level which is deck 4. SuperStar Aquarius can accommodate around 2,100 passengers in all berths, with approximately 1,000 staying in the lower berths. She has a crew of approximately 700 personnel and ten decks that are all accessible to her passengers.

 

 

SuperStar Aquarius offers a wide variety of international cuisines; Thai, Chinese and Western. Thai and Chinese food can be found at the Grand Ocean Palace Restaurant while the Marco Polo Restaurant offers Italian dishes. The Blue Lagoon Café, open 24 hours, offers an open-air barbecue. Additional dining establishments on the ship are the Champ's Bar, Oceana Barbecue, Mariner's Buffet, Dynasty Restaurant and Spices Restaurant. The Lagoon Bar and Aquarius Lounge offer cocktails and pre-dinner drinks.

 

SuperStar Aquarius is normally home-based at the Ocean Terminal in Hong Kong with her itineraries including one-night high sea cruises and occasionally, two-night cruises to Xiamen and Haikou, China. Between March and October 2008, SuperStar Aquarius was based in Singapore from where she offered a variation of one-night, two-night, and four-night cruises. She returned to Hong Kong in late October 2008 and resumed her current itinerary.

 

[tedandalice]

Our first cruise was also the Big Red Boat to Bahamas...yes, it was owned by Premier Lines, which later went bankrupt. At any rate, we were hooked on cruising from then on, and have cruised Holland America exclusively except for one unfortunate cruise on Carnival...no comparison, as far as I am concerned! We love Holland America cruising and hope to be able to do more now in retirement years.

[Copper10-8]

My first ever cruise was back in 1962 when my college roommate and I boarded the S.S. Yarmouth, that was brought around from Miami to San Francisco to sail to the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. The Yarmouth was with Eastern Steamship Lines. I have tried to discover what ever happened to her with no luck. Her sister ship, the Yarmouth Castle burned but no mention of the Yarmouth. Here is a picture :

Quite a bit smaller than today's ships.

BTW, I also sailed on the Jubilee out of Galveston. Here she is docked in Cozumel.

 

Our first cruise on a large ship was back in 1999 when DH and I sailed on the Celebration out of New Orleans. From then on, we were addicted.

 

ss Yarmouth (1927-1979) Built in 1927 as ss Yarmouth by William Cramp & Sons Ship And Engine Building Company, Philadelphia, PA for Eastern Steamship Lines (formerly Eastern Steamship Company), one of the last companies to specialize in short-haul ocean voyages with United States-flagged vessels. Yarmouth was put to use on the seasonal (summer) coastal service between Boston, Mass and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. During the winter months she operated on the New York-Bermuda and New York-Nassau (Bahamas) service. Her older sister, but only by months, would be the ill-fated Evangeline, later renamed Yarmouth Castle.

 

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Yarmouth was delivered to the U.S. government for wartime service in 1942. She would be pressed into action as a troopship transporting thousands of soldiers and Marines to their areas of operation. When the war concluded, Yarmouth was converted from wartime to peacetime service by being refitted and refinished at the Bethlehem Steel Corporation's shipyard between 1946 and 1947 at a cost of U.S. $1.5 million. She returned to passenger service in May of 1947 on her old summer run to Nova Scotia.

 

 

In April 1954, Yarmouth, her sister Evangeline as well as the company name, were acquired by Frank Leslie Fraser, a Scottish-Jamaican businessman. Fraser renamed Yarmouth the Yarmouth Castle, and started cruising her out of Miami, FL. He then negotiated a contract with the Government of the Bahamas. As a result, he again renamed the now Yarmouth Castle as the Queen of Nassau and began operating her on short cruises between Miami and Nassau. When the contract ended after two years, the ship reverted back to Yarmouth Castle and received some modernization. She ultimately reverted back to her original name of Yarmouth.

 

After Fraser passed away in 1962, both ships were purchased by Florida businessman W.R. Lovett. He changed the company's name to Eastern Steamship and began operating both ships, dubbed the 'twin fun ships', in tandem on twice-weekly three and four-night pleasure cruises between Miami and Nassau, using the old downtown Miami seaport as their point of departure.

 

In 1962, Yarmouth was acquired by Stanley B. McDonald, a Canadian businessman and the subsequent founder of Princess Cruises, who brought her to the United States west coast by sending her via the Panama Canal to Pacific Northwest. She operated ten-day package tours from San Francisco, CA to the Seattle World Fair and back (with a stop at Victoria, BC as a result of the Passenger Vessel Services Act). After the Fair closed down, Yarmouth retraced her route back to Miami.

 

By the end of 1964, Yarmouth Castle was operated by the Yarmouth Steamship Company, Inc. aka Yarmouth Cruise Lines. The ship once again ran pleasure cruises on the 186-mile stretch between Miami and Nassau.

 

Yarmouth' sister, by now renamed Yarmouth Castle, departed Miami for Nassau on 12 November 1965 with 376 passengers and 176 crew aboard for a total of 552 individuals. The ship was due to arrive in Nassau the next day. Shortly before 1:00 AM on 13 November, a mattress stored too close to a lighting circuit in a storage room caught fire. The room was filled with mattresses and paint cans, which fed the flames. The fire swept through the ship's superstructure at great speed, driven by the ship’s natural ventilation system. The flames rose vertically through the stairwells, fueled by the wood paneling, wooden decks and layers of fresh paint on the walls. The whole front half of the ship was quickly engulfed, causing passengers and crew to flee to the stern of the ship.

 

Two ships that came to Yarmouth Castle's aid, the passenger liner Bahama Star and the freighter Finnpulp, were able to rescue 240 passengers and 133 crew and 51 passengers and 41 crew respectively. The aftermath of this tragedy at sea resulted in eighty-seven casualties plus three of the rescued passengers who later died at hospitals, bringing the final death toll to ninety souls.

 

Yarmouth was scheduled to begin her own cruise to Nassau on the afternoon of 13 November 1965 but due to the disaster involving Yarmouth Castle that morning, her cruise was canceled. She would eventually cruise again but the damage had been done, The Yarmouth Castle tragedyhastened the demise of the company.

 

After a period of lay-up and yet another name as San Andres, she was sold in 1966 to Greek interests which, upon her arrival in Piraeus, renamed her Elisabeth A. Whatever plans her new owners had never reached fruition. Elisabeth A. never operated again and after a lay-up of some thirteen years, was sold for scrap and broken up in 1979.

 

As a side note, the Yarmouth Castle disaster led to the creation of the Safety of Life at Sea law, or SOLAS, in 1966. This law brought new maritime safety rules, requiring fire drills, safety inspections and structural changes to new ships. Under SOLAS, any vessel carrying more than 50 overnight passengers is required to be built entirely of steel. This is because Yarmouth Castle's largely wooden superstructure was found to be the main cause of the fire's rapid spread.

 

[Copper10-8]

Our first cruise was also the Big Red Boat to Bahamas...yes, it was owned by Premier Lines, which later went bankrupt. At any rate, we were hooked on cruising from then on, and have cruised Holland America exclusively except for one unfortunate cruise on Carnival...no comparison, as far as I am concerned! We love Holland America cruising and hope to be able to do more now in retirement years.

 

 

Can you trace a ship named the Oceanic: probably Italian line for us? Thanks, Ann

 

s/s Oceanic (1965-present) Built in 1965 by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico in Monfalcone, Italy. She was the first newbuild to be purpose-built for Home Lines and was designed as a two-class liner. Planned in the twilight years of the age of the ocean liner, she had many features that are commonplace in cruise ships today, like an engines-aft design, balcony suites, and a midships swimming pool with a "Magradome", a retractable roof over the pool.

 

She was to operate in summer on the Homes Lines' Canadian route from Cuxhaven, Germany, Le Havre, France and Southampton, England to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. However, by the time of her delivery and due to the increasing popularity of the jet airliner, the company had dropped the their regular trans-Atlantic line voyages. So, she headed for New York instead, where she operated seven-day cruises to Nassau, the Bahamas throughout the summer, whilst in the winter she operated extended cruises throughout the Caribbean. When leaving from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada for New York City on her maiden voyage, an interesting incident occurred when she arrived in NYC. The stevedores happened to be on strike and thus would not accept the ropes required for docking. They were there on the wharves, but they just kept throwing them back in the river. However, her captain was able to dock Oceanic just the same.

 

 

 

After 21 years of service, Home Line decided to sell the Oceanic, and she was sold to Premier Cruises in 1985, renamed StarShip Oceanic and in 1986 was initially placed on three and four-day cruises from Port Canaveral, Fl to Nassau, the Bahamas. This cruise could be combined with a stay at Walt Disney World.

 

 

Later during her career with Premier Cruises she was often marketed as "The Big Red Boat", and in 2000 she was renamed Big Red Boat I, with no change to her itineraries. When Premier folded in the fall of 2000, the ship was detained by port authorities and then laid up. Premier Cruises was forced to put the ship up for sale.

 

The ship was purchased by the Spanish-owned Pullmantur Cruises in late 2000. Her hull was painted white and she reverted back to her original name, beginning service with Pullmantur in May 2001 on cruises around the Mediterranean with Barcelona as her starting port.

 

 

In March 2009, Pullmantur sold Oceanic to Japanese interests. She left the Pullmantur fleet in April 2009 and is currently on charter with the slightly ajusted name of "The Oceanic" to the Japan-based Peace Boat organization for world wide cruising. On 23 April 2009, she departed Yokohama, Japan on Peaceboat's 66th "Global Voyage for Peace" which, for the first time, featured extensive visits to various ports in Scandinavia. During that voyage, The Oceanic was detained by the U.S. Coast Guard in New York City on 26 June 2009 for having 16 deficiencies, including a cracked hull. After being released, she was detained again, this time by the Canadian Coast Guard in Vancouver, BC on 30 July 2009 for having discharged a large quantity of heavy oil in the harbor. The ship is currently conducting the 68th "Global Voyage for Peace"

 

[Copper10-8]

Mine was Carnival Tropicale back in 198?. We went to the Mexican Riviera. Had a nice time but the one that really got me hooked was my second cruise on the RCCL Sovereign of the Seas to the Eastern Caribbean back in 89 or 90 I think. What a difference between these two ships.

 

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.