Your first cruise ship

[foodsvcmgr]

My first cruise was also LEONARDO DA VINCI, in an inside single not too

far from Ernie's - Lido #20 - in 1978, 3 nights Pt. Everglades - Nassau.

 

Followed the next year by GUGLIELMO MARCONI (GALILEO's sister)

on one of the short lived series of 10 night Caribbean sailings from NY

run by Italia Crociere Inter****onale, the last gasp of the famous

Italian Line.

[JeffCoud]

First cruise...the lovely Konstantine Simonov, late December 1994 from Helsinki to St Petersburg. You know you're gonna have a good time on a ship with the hammer and sickle on it! lol... Almost everything about it was horrible! The food, the sheets and towels, the surly staff, etc., but St Petersburg was magical and we were back 8 months later on the same ship in August. When the other Americans on the august sailing found out we had been on the ship before we became minor celebrities on board. Also, drinking with the Finns is fun and quite a challenge, lol.... We actually had a great time!

 

Jeff

 

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Soviet_Russian/Konstantin_Simonov-01_IvoB.jpg

[eroller]

My first cruise was also LEONARDO DA VINCI, in an inside single not too

far from Ernie's - Lido #20 - in 1978, 3 nights Pt. Everglades - Nassau.

 

 

 

I love it! Another cruise veteran de-virginized by the LEONARDO DA VINCI. I hope you appreciated her as much as I did. Even though I was young when I sailed on her, I did all my homework and knew all her history. I loved exploring her three classes. It was interesting to see the divisions. I think we were both lucky to be up on Lido Deck. A quick walk aft to the pool. Even to this day, I think she was one of the most stunning, well proportioned ships ever built. If only ships could resemble the LDV today!

 

Ernie

[kalliekae]

Wow...So many replies!! Great thread!

 

Our first cruise was aboard the Noordam III to the Western Carribean in 1994. We loved it and the HAL experience. Once dh retires, we hope to take many more cruises and much longer ones. :)

 

Next cruise is aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam on November 7 and in December, we are going to enjoy the Oasis of the Seas. It will be quite a contrast and the first time we have sailed a line other than HAL.

[eroller]

 

Next cruise is aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam on November 7 and in December, we are going to enjoy the Oasis of the Seas. It will be quite a contrast and the first time we have sailed a line other than HAL.

 

 

I'm also sailing on NIEUW AMSTERDAM on 11/7. Looking forward to it.

 

I sailed on OASIS in January. It was an AWESOME experience.

 

Attached is a link to a lot of pictures I took if you are interested.

 

http://gallery.mac.com/ekroller#100556

 

 

Ernie

[jpa2011]

my first cruise was on the disney wonder. a 3night bahamas cruise in february 2010. we missed castaway cay because the magic was stuck in port. next up is the disney magic for a 5night bahamas double dip for new years!

[Copper10-8]

1980, NCL Skyward; Miami-Cap Haitien-San Juan-St. Thomas-Puerto Plata-Miami; Yes, I was very hooked!

 

ms Skyward (1969-present) Build in 1969 by the AG (Aktien-Gesellschaft) “Weser” Werk Seebeck werft/shipyard, Bremerhaven, (then) West Germany for Norwegian Caribbean Line (NCL). The 295-foot aft section of the vessel was launched on 27 April 1969 and she was delivered to her new owners on 10 December 1969. After her naming/christening ceremony at the yard, the 16,254 gross registered ton, 728-passenger ship crossed the Atlantic on her way to the Port of Miami, Florida from where she started operating 14-day cruises to the Caribbean from the new Dodge Island terminal on 3 January 1970.

 

Skyward became the third ship in the thriving NCL enterprise founded in 1966, after Norwegian Knut A. Kloster had entered into a joint venture with Israeli Ted Arison (the founder of Carnival Cruise Line in 1972). Kloster supplied the ship(s) through his own company, Klosters Rederi A/S, and Arison marketed them and was the sales agent. The joint operation would only last for five years however when, in 1971 Kloster cancelled the contract. Arison took him to court and a settlement was reached (out-of-court) in 1974. The two ships that preceded Skyward were Sunward (1966) and Starward (1968), her sister, with Southward following in 1971. The trademark of the fleet of four ships was a pair of flared funnels positioned aft, plus the hull of each of the four ships was decorated with a stylized orange sunburst.

 

Skyward would operate Caribbean cruises from Miami for much of her NCL career such as her 7-day run to the Western Carib with port calls at Cancun/Cozumel, Mexico, Georgetown, Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands and to Great Stirrup Cay, NCL’s little piece of paradise in the Bahamas. NCL had become the first cruise line to purchase its own private island in 1980, an idea soon followed by others.

 

On 9 September 1979 when Skyward was about 30 nautical miles out of Miami, a fire broke out in the ship's engine room. The ship was stopped and her passengers were sucessfully transferred at sea to the nearby Starward.

 

 

In late 1987, the name Norwegian Caribbean Line was changed into Norwegian Cruise Line (still NCL) after Southward started operating on the United States’ west coast. 1990 saw her operating 7-day cruises out of San Juan, Puerto Rico to the Southern Caribbean where she called at Tortola and Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands as well as at the Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba and Curacao.

 

In 1991 her 22-year NCL career came to an end when she was purchased by Sembawang Johnson Ship Management who renamed her Shangri-La World and operated her on cruises out of Singapore. A succession of four name changes in two years, Asian World (1992), Fantasy World (1992-1993), Continental World (1993) and Leisure World (1993) followed. 1994 saw her brought back to familiar territory when she entered dry-dock at the Atlantic Dry Dock Corporation in Jacksonville, Fl for a rebuilt and renovation. She gained a rather ugly addition to her stern and her passenger capacity was increased to 950 souls.

 

On 1 December 1995 she was purchased by Queenston Investments, Ltd. and since 2000 mv Leisure World has been operating as a casino ship ed by Singapore-based New Century Cruises.

 

 

She can usually be found anchored in international or Indonesian waters with her passengers transported to and from the ship from the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal in the Changi district of Singapore and/or the Nongsapura Ferry Terminal on the Indonesian island of Batam via ‘Batam Fast’ high speed ferries.

 

 

Her guests can either book one day or two day/one night cruises. Once onboard, public facilities on Leisure World include the Starlight Restaurant, the 70-seat Tropicana Karaoke Lounge (songs in the English, Chinese, Bahasa Indonesia or Malaysia and Thai languages) which is open daily from 10:00 to 3:00 am, the Main Gaming Hall, a 24-hour Sauna Center, a basketball/badminton court and a Miniature Golf Driving Range. On 3 April 2006 she switched from a Bahamian flag and registration (Nassau) to one of the Republic of Tuvalu (Funafuti).

 

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was the Carnival Ecstasy in November of 1991. DH's first cruise was Princess's Caribbean Princess in February of 2005....he has been hooked ever since!

 

ms Ecstasy (1991-present) Built in 1991 as ms Ecstasy 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 April 1991 and on 24 April crossed the North Atlantic without passengers to New York City. On 11 May 1991, she was officially named in the Big Apple by her godmother, television personality and Carnival company spokesperson Kathy Lee Gifford.

 

 

Ecstasy belongs to the 'Fantasy-class' of ships and was the second vessel built in the class of eight (the others are Fantasy - 1990, Sensation - 1993, 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. Ecstasy 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, Ecstasy 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).

 

Ecstasy feautures a variety of dramatic pulic spaces designed by Carnival's award-winning interior architect Joe Farcus. These areas range in style from the Chinatown Lounge, with design elements that include pagoda-style steet lamps, a 1930s Chinese restaurant supply truck and hanging Chinsese lanterns, and Stripes, a pulsating night club which, like the name implies, employs a decor of black and yellow stripes and features a high-tech sound and lighting system.

 

Other venues onboard Ecstasy include the Explorer's Club Library, a refined reading room offering the perfect venue for curling up with a good book; the Rolls Royce Cafe, which features an authentic 1934 Rolls Royce as its focal point; and the Blue Sapphire Lounge, a striking multi-level theater showcasing Vegas-style entertainment.

 

The Carnival Ecstasy offers a wide variety of formal and casual options at sea, including the Wind Star and Wind Song formal dining rooms and the poolside Panorama Bar & Grill, a casual eatery serving full breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets and a 24-hour pizzeria. The ship also features a patisserie, as well as complimentary 24-hour room service and ice cream and frozen yogurt

 

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.

 

One of the most expansive public areas is the area known as City Lights Boulevard on Promenade Deck. Promenade Deck gets especially busy at night as it connects the main "evening" lounges, such as the Blue Saphire Main Lounge, Neon Piano Bar, Stripes Dance Club/Disco, the Explorers Club Library, Starlight Aft Lounge, Society Cigar Bar, Chinatown Lounge, Rolls Royce Cafe and the Metropolis Bar, which is next to the Crystal Palace 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.

 

[/url]

 

On the afternoon of 20 July 1998, Ecstasy departed the Port of Miami and was en route to Key West, Florida, with 2,565 passengers and 916 crewmembers on board when a fire started in the main laundry shortly after 5:00 pm. The fire migrated through the ventilation system to the aft mooring deck where mooring lines ignited, creating intense heat and large amounts of smoke. As the Ecstasy was attempting to reach an anchorage north of the Miami sea buoy, the vessel lost propulsion power and steering and began to drift, causing her captain to contact the U.S. Coast Guard for assistance. The fire was evantualy brought under control by Ecstasy's fire response teams and was officially declared extinguished at 9:09 pm. It resulted in fourteen crewmembers and eight passengers suffering minor injuries. One passenger who required medical treatment as a result of a pre-existing condition was categorized as a serious injury victim because of the length of her hospital stay. Carnival estimated that losses from the fire and associated damages exceeded U.S. $17 million.

 

The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of fire aboard Ecstasy was the unauthorized welding by crewmembers in the main laundry that ignited a large accumulation of lint in the ventilation system as well as the failure of Carnival Cruise Lines to maintain the laundry exhaust ducts in a fire-safe condition. Contributing to the extensive fire damage on the ship was the lack of an automatic fire suppression system on the aft mooring deck and the lack of an automatic means of mitigating the spread of smoke and fire through the ventilation ducts.

 

Ecstasy 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 in February 2006, she entered dry-dock where shereceived some of the upgrades that are part of the Evolutions of Fun program (see below). These included a new minitiature golf course on Sports deck, the refurnishing of all her staterooms, new children's facilities plus the remodeling of her gift shop, Lido deck restaurant and her Panorama Bar and Grill.

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. Ecstasy became 'Carnival Ecstasy' in September 2009 while at the Grand Bahamas shipyard in Freeport.

 

 

Carnival Ecstasy was the fifth Fantasy-class ship (Carnival Imagination, Inspiration and, Sensation Fantasy preceded her) to enter dry-dock on 19 September 2009 and emerged with her "Evolutions of Fun" enhancements and upgrades twenty-eight days later on 17 October 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 Ecstasy'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.

 

 

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 Ecstasy's 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 Ecstasy is currently sailingfour and five-day Western Caribbean itineries out of Galveston, Texas. In late 2011, she will be homeported in New Orleans, LA from where she will continue to operate four and five-day Western Caribbean cruises.

[Himself]

John:

You sure know a lot about a lot of ships.

[Regal Eagle]

Thanks John! You are right, the aft-lift of the Skyward was an ugly addition!

[iancal]

Our first cruise was on the Crystal Symphony. It was a charter by a large company to recognize their world wide top achievers in 1996. We departed Rome and arrived Athens. The service was unbelievable =as was everything else on this fabulous ship. The company brought on board major entertainers and arranged for a private concert at Ephesus. When we first heard about the cruise I called our TA...she filled us in on Crystal. Having said that, starting with Crystal did not spoil us. We have subsequently cruised on Celebrity, HAL, Princess, RCI , Carnival, and NCL. We have never had a bad cruise. They have been different, but all very good in their own way. We are very flexible travellers. We have just as much fun and great experiences staying in 5 star hotels as we do in small pensions or B&B's. We have been fortunate to go on many subsequent cruises and to have met so many wonderful people-on these cruise and on our land vacations. Cruises are sometimes what you make of them. No use worrying about the small items or complaining about things that are of little consequence in the bigger picture.

[Tootsiesmom]

My First Cruise – Know the memory will be a little foggy and probably the oldest post on this thread, but it was on the Matsonia, part of the old Matson Line, from LA to Hawaii and back to San Francisco, in October of 1959. I was in 8th grade (12 or 13 years old) and sailing with my parents. We sat at the chief engineers table and it was a really awesome experience for a young girl. I remember that we spent a month touring several island and then came home. I think the cruise itself was 6 days and five nights, but might be wrong. I know that there were only about 6 young people on the return and don’t remember any on the way over. I do know that coming into San Francisco at dawn left a lasting impression on me.

Years later in October of 1983 took my husband of nearly 20 years on our first cruise on RCCL Song of America. Since then he’s been as hooked on cruising as I am.

As for my favorite ship the Crystal Symphony by far. But in truth the real answer would be, whichever one I’m on right now.

Heading out on the Oosterdam in last October, so guess that will be our next “favorite ship”.

[Copper10-8]

My First Cruise – Know the memory will be a little foggy and probably the oldest post on this thread, but it was on the Matsonia, part of the old Matson Line, from LA to Hawaii and back to San Francisco, in October of 1959. I was in 8th grade (12 or 13 years old) and sailing with my parents. We sat at the chief engineers table and it was a really awesome experience for a young girl. I remember that we spent a month touring several island and then came home. I think the cruise itself was 6 days and five nights, but might be wrong. I know that there were only about 6 young people on the return and don’t remember any on the way over. I do know that coming into San Francisco at dawn left a lasting impression on me.

Years later in October of 1983 took my husband of nearly 20 years on our first cruise on RCCL Song of America. Since then he’s been as hooked on cruising as I am.

As for my favorite ship the Crystal Symphony by far. But in truth the real answer would be, whichever one I’m on right now.

Heading out on the Oosterdam in last October, so guess that will be our next “favorite ship”.

 

Monterey (1932-2000) Built as ss Monterey by Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Quincy, Mass in 1932 for U.S.-based Matson Line destined for their Pacific Ocean liner service (Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia). She was one of four ships in the Lines' "White Fleet" which included ss Malolo, ss Mariposa and ss Lurline. She was the third of those four ships designed by William Francis Gibbs and was identical to Mariposa and very similar to her sister ship Lurline. Her positioning cruise from the East to the West coast on 12 May 1932, saw her take 83 passengers from New York City. Her subsequent maiden voyage took place on 3 June 1932 from San Francisco after which she made stops in Los Angeles, Honolulu, Auckland, Pago Pago, Suva, Syndney and Melbourne.

 

 

 

During World War II, Monterey served as a fast troop carrier, often operating alone so she wouldn't be slowed by formation navigation in a convoy. In 1941, before U.S. declaration of war, the United States Marine Corps chartered her to carry 150 Chinese, Korean and Japanese missionaries and stranded U.S. citizens from China to San Francisco. Back in the City by the Bay, she was quickly refitted to hold 3,500 troops. On 16 December 1941 she steamed to Hawaii with 3,349 fresh troops, returning with 800 casualties of the Japanese atack on Pearl Harbor.

 

On 22 August 1942, she was briefly acquired by the United States Navy and assigned the name/designation USS Alameda (AP-68). However, she was returned to the War Shipping Administration on 25 September 1942 so never served under that name. Her war-time service would see her travel to the South Pacific and Australia, via the Panama Canal and Key West to Scotland (Glasgow), England (Liverpool), North Africa (Casablanca and Oran), Italy (On the way to Naples off the coast of Algeria, she and her convoy were attacked by German bombers) and even one trip to Brasil.

After the war, on 26 September 1946 Monterey arrived at Bethlehem-Alameda Shipyard in Alameda, CA for refitting and return to passenger service with Matson. However, funding for the project ran out after only 30% of the work had been completed so for five years she sat idle in Alameda. She was then purchased by the U.S. Government in August 1952 and towed to the mothball fleet in nearby Suisun Bay.

 

Meanwhile, her former owners, Matson Line, were enjoying fair post-war success with Lurline and were looking to expand their passenger operation once more. Matson bought the old mothballed s Monterey back from the US Government on 3 February 1956 and, since they had named another vessel Monterey by then, had to come up with a new name for their first Monterey. They therefor rechristened her ss Matsonia, replacing their earlier Matsonia which had been sold to Home Lines. On 22 May 1957, Matsonia teamed up with her sister Lurline on the San Francisco-Los Angeles-Honolulu run providing a 'first class only' service between Hawaii and the American mainland.

 

Within five years however, profits from passenger service had fallen to the point where Matson decided to anchor Matsonia indefinitely in San Francisco Bay. Sister ship Lurline continued to operate but suffered a major turbine problem in February, 1963; one that would require costly repairs. Instead of repairing Lurline, Matson sold the popular ship to Greek-based Chandris Lines who rechristened her Ellinis. Stung from poor public opinion regarding that sale, Matson rechristened the former Matsonia (ex-Monterey) as the new Lurline on 6 December 1963 and returned her to service.

 

By 1970, passenger receipts were down so low that Matson chose to cease liner service altogether. On 25 June 1970, Lurline arrived in San Francisco also to be sold to Chandris Lines. Five days later she steamed under new ownership out of the Golden Gate on her way to Piraeus with the new name Britanis.

 

 

At Piraeus, she was greatly modified to hold 1,655 passengers, mainly by subdividing existing cabins and converting cargo holds to new cabin areas. She re-entered service on 21 February 1971, leaving Southampton, England bound for Sydney and back; a regular roundtrip she would make for three years. In 1974 she saw service as a cruise ship in the Caribbean during winter and in Europe during the summer. After another lay-up time in 1980, Britanis cruised between New York and Bermuda in May 1982 with a smaller capacity of 1,200 passengers. In the 1983-1984 winter season, she sailed from Miami to the Caribbean, switching back to New York in the summer of 1984.

 

She received a major overhaul in 1986 which included parts from her sister Ellinis (ex-Lurline), some of which had gone to Ellinis from Homeric (ex-Mariposa) when Homeric was scrapped in 1974. At this point, parts from three sister ships were now bound together in Britanis. This refit gave Britanis eight years of Caribbean cruising until 19 November 1994.

In 1994, Britanis was chartered by the U.S. Government for use as a floating barracks/accomodation ship for military personnel at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She suffered minor damage from an electrical fire and was repaired, at U.S. Government expense, and then laid up at Tampa, Fl in late 1996.

 

During that time, her owners, Chandris, opted to sell Britanis as part of a plan to cease cruise line operation. The ship was maintained in anchorage until 24 January 1998 when she was sold to AG Belofin Investments of Liechtenstein and renamed Belofin-1. Her new owners intended to recoup their investment by selling the ship to scrappers, but a downturn in steel prices held them up for more than a year. On 3 July 2000, Belofin-1 was towed by the Ukrainian ocean-going tug Irbis out of Tampa Bay with the CN Marine ferry Bluenose lashed to her port side. The group was bound for the ship breakers at Alang, India. Belofin-1 began taking on water and listing during the voyage but nobody was on board to right the list. The tugboat crew cut her free and Belofin-1 capsized and sank due to progressive flooding some fifty miles off Cape Town, South Africa on 21 October 2000, ending an illustrious 68-year career.

 

[ncovert]

What was your first cruise ship? What cruise line, the year and the itinerary? (if you remember;) ) Did it get you hooked?

 

Ours was Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's m/s Viking Serenade, a converted car ferry, back in NOV 1991, a 3-day L.A. - Catalina Island - Esenada, Mexico - L.A. cruise. Never forget our first impressions - we were hooked from that day on!

 

 

Viking Serenade (still sailing today as Island Escape)

 

 

Ours was the Carnival Pride on the Mexican Rivera and yes it did get us hooked, actually so hooked in fact to turn down a half way paid for trip to go to Ireland so we could spend time on our 6th cruise this October.

 

Thank goodness I was not hooked before said cruise because it was the one cruise that had been booked out more then 4 months in advance. I cannot handle having to wait so many months before getting on board. I do not regret my adicition, it is wonderful.

[mudscraper]

Thanks for posting the ss Monterey again. My dad was invited aboard by the U.S. Army to cruise to the Philipines during WW2. Took 30 days (zigzag) and seasick the entire time.

[TCF]

My first cruise ship was the Statendam....not the version now...but the one in 1980!

 

Travelled from Miami down the eastern Caribbean for ten days. It was a wonderful ship and great crew.

[Copper10-8]

Our first cruise was on the Crystal Symphony. It was a charter by a large company to recognize their world wide top achievers in 1996. We departed Rome and arrived Athens. The service was unbelievable =as was everything else on this fabulous ship. The company brought on board major entertainers and arranged for a private concert at Ephesus. When we first heard about the cruise I called our TA...she filled us in on Crystal. Having said that, starting with Crystal did not spoil us. We have subsequently cruised on Celebrity, HAL, Princess, RCI , Carnival, and NCL. We have never had a bad cruise. They have been different, but all very good in their own way. We are very flexible travellers. We have just as much fun and great experiences staying in 5 star hotels as we do in small pensions or B&B's. We have been fortunate to go on many subsequent cruises and to have met so many wonderful people-on these cruise and on our land vacations. Cruises are sometimes what you make of them. No use worrying about the small items or complaining about things that are of little consequence in the bigger picture.

 

Crystal Symphony (1995-present) Built by Kværner Masa-Yards at Turku/Åbo, Finland as ms Crystal Symphony and delivered to Crystal Cruises. Her owners operate the luxury cruise ship on world-wide itineraries. The 51,044 gross registered ton, 922-guest vessel is one of the most spacious cruise ships at sea. After crossing the North Atlantic, Crystal Symphony was named by her godmother, British screen actress Angela Lansbury, on 3 May 1995 in New York City. On the next day, she departed on her maiden voyage, a Panama Canal crossing to San Francisco, CA.

 

Crystal Symphony has 461 staterooms, ranging from Crystal penthouses to interior staterooms, of which 58% have verandas. Two Crystal penthouses feature personal butler service, complimentary beer and wine, a personal jacuzzi, a library, a private workout room, personalized stationery, Riedel glassware, and a dressing area with vanity. Standard staterooms feature flat-panel TV's with access to FOX, CNN, CNBC, ESPN and TNT, Wi-Fi access, personal voice mail and cellphone service, a telephone in the bathroom, personal safe and a refrigerator with bottled water and soft drinks.

 

The ship has 9 dining venues, including the Italian Prego, Japanese Silk Road and The Sushi Bar, the Bistro serving coffees, the outdoor Trident Bar & Grill, offering light snacks, Lido Cafe, and the Palm Court. Crystal Symphony has two swimming pools, one of which has a glass covered roof. The Crystal Spa has treatment rooms, dry sauna & steam room, which are combined with a salon and a fitness center. Her Sports deck features a golf driving range, putting greens and PGA golf instructors. There is also an Exercise studio offering high/low impact classes, Yoga, "Spinning" classes as well as personal training and Table Tennis, Paddle Tennis and Shuffleboard are offered. The ship has an exterior, 360-degree teak Promenade deck for walking and Health & Fitness-themed cruises on select sailings are offered.

 

Entertainment options on-board are 'The Hollywood Theater', equipped with translation equipment and audio enhancement for the hearing-impaired and the 'Galaxy Lounge' is a showroom equipped with a hydraulic stage. There is also a Children's playroom and an area for teens. The "Computer University@sea" offers classes and Internet access, a shopping arcade features upscale items and a library comes eqipped with DVDs and audio books. A casino features, among other things, Texas Hold 'em and there is an on-board Observatory lounge above the bridge.

 

In April 2004, she underwent a U.S. 12 Million, 21-day refurbishment at the Lisnave Shipyard in Setubal, a small city south of Lisbon in Portugal, which included the reconstruction of her spa, inspired by the principles of Feng-Shui. The number of spa treatment rooms was increased from six to eight, a new relaxation area and a private canopied teak sun deck were added, and the ship's steam showers and saunas were upgraded. In addition, separate rooms for Yoga, Pilates, and personal training instruction were added to the fitness area. Other highlights of the refit were the addition of The Vintage Room, an on-board winery and the expansion, to 25 seats, of a classroom area for "Computer Universityat Sea". The Crystal Dining Room was redesigned and all staterooms and penthouses were updated with new decors. Lastly, her library was moved to the atrium and a new Photo Gallery was added on deck 6.

 

Crystal Symphony was refitted a second time in 2006 at the BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair in Norfolk, VA. This process, which cost U.S. 23 Million, was the largest refit ever for Crystal Cruises. The highlights of this refurbishment was the addition of new "places of interest", such as the Starlite Club, the Crystal Casino, a new nightclub, the new Bistro Cafe, and new boutiques. Crystal Symphony's staterooms were again redesigned with a new "boutique hotel-look". Her Tiffany deck was reconstructed and the "Computer University@sea" was outfitted with new equipment. During this refit, Crystal employed over 750 external workers to join the existing 545 crew to ensure a timely completion.

 

 

From 17 September through 1 October 2009, Crystal Symphony underwent a third refit costing U.S. 25 Million at the Atlantic Marine Boston Shipyard, Boston, Mass. In this refit, her Crystal penthouses were remodeled, and floor-to-ceiling dining room windows and state-of-the-art audio-visual systems were added. Her 61 butler-served penthouses and penthouse suites were also redesigned with new color schemes and bathroom fixtures. In addition, her Lido Cafe was refined to achieve a more modern look and her pool deck furniture as well as the jacuzzi there were replaced. The Prego restaurant was redesigned with a modern look, and all staterooms were given new sofas. Lastly, the Broadcast center was overhauled, gettingh state-of-the-art facilities.

[/url]

 

In April 2010, Crystal Symphony sailed a 16-day Indian Ocean cruise from Singapore to Dubai. This was followed in May with a 14-day Red Sea cruise from Dubai to Athens and a 7-day Mediterranean cruise from Athens to Rome. In early Summer she sailed both the Mediterranean and the British Isles and the remainder of the 2010 Summer is spent in the Baltics, excluding a 15-day cruise to the Arctic Circle.

For the 2010 Winter season, she will embark on a 19-day Panama Canal cruise from New York City, followed by cruises to the Mexican Riviera and Hawaiian Islands.

Edited August 22, 2010 by Copper10-8

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise ship was the Statendam....not the version now...but the one in 1980!

 

Travelled from Miami down the eastern Caribbean for ten days. It was a wonderful ship and great crew.

 

 

ts Statendam IV (1957-2004) Built by Dok en Werfmaatschappij (Dock & Shipyard) Wilton-Feijenoord N.V., Schiedam, the Netherlands for Holland America Line as ts Statendam. Unlike on a slip, the ship was built in the yard's graving (dry) dock and floated out on 12 June 1956. She departed Schiedam and traveled down the 'Nieuwe Waterweg' (New Waterway) on 15 December for technical trials in the North Sea. However she experienced mechanical difficulties with a gearbox and on 16 December had to be towed back to the yard by the tugs Zeeland and Cycloop of the Dutch Weismuller salvage company. After repairs, a second series of hand-over trials between 23 and 25 January 1957 was competed without any hiccups. During those trials. on 24 January 1957, then Princess (now Queen) Beatrix of the Netherlands officialy named the ship Statendam by pouring champagne over her bell. She was the fourth ship in HAL's history to bear the name of Statendam.

 

 

Statendam departed Rotterdam on her maiden voyage to New York on 6 February 1957. Her arrival in New York coincided with a tugboat strike however Statendam's captain was able to dock her unaided by tugs. Some short duration cruises followed after which Statendam settled in on regular North Atlantic crossing schedule where she became an instant hit.

Statendam was mainly a tourist class vessel, but one of the keys to her success was the quality of her accommodation, which were of first class standards. For a predominantly tourist class ship, she was miles ahead of the competition and a vastly improved version of the pioneering, mainly tourist 'economy twins' Ryndam II (1951) and Maasdam IV (1952). On 7 January 1958, she departed New York on a 110-day 'Round the world' cruise, Holland America Line's first. Following the world cruise, she continued to operate on crossings during the summer season and cruising during the off season.

 

 

In late 1972, she was converted for full-time warm weather cruising at Wilton-Feijenoord. She would become the first ship in the Holland America fleet to be repainted in the new HAL house colors consisting of a dark blue hull with the new logo of three blue and white waves on her now orange-painted funnel. Public rooms on her Upper Promenade deck were replaced by new passenger cabins which were also added to her Sun deck. Also on Sun deck, her nursery was transformed into the Sunroom. On her starboard side, she gained the Stuyvesant lounge and bar while the Halve Maen (Half Moon) Bar and Hudson Lounge were added on her port side. She gained a Lido Cafe and only a few areas such as the purser's lobby, the movie theater, and the indoor pool remained unchanged.

 

 

On 5 March 1973, Statendam would once again cross the Atlantic to New York from where she started a series of cruises on 15 March. Her itineraries included New York to Bermuda in the summer (first cruise in 1974) and Caribbean cruising from Miami, Fl in the winter season. In December 1973, she was re-registered from Rotterdam to Willemstad, Curacao, the Netherlands Antilles.

 

On 3 September 1981, she was sold to New York-based, Panama-registered Artus Investors, Inc. and on 5 December 1982, she made her first cruise as Rhapsody under charter to Paquet Cruises. Her itinerary consisted of seven-day cruises from Miami to the western Carib. From June through September 1983, she was chartered back to Holland America Line-Westours for Alaska cruises from Vancouver, BC. On 28 March 1984, Rhapsody struck a reef outside Georgetown, Grand Cayman and ran aground. As a result, a decision was made to evacuate her passengers. Initial attempts by Dutch ocean-going tugs Smit Rotterdam and Smit Salvor and South African tug John Ross proved unsuccesful. But after additional attempts, Rhapsody was freed and set course for Galveston, TX under her own power for repairs to her damaged hull. After repairs were concluded, she was back in service in September 1983.

[Copper10-8]

On 11 March 1986, she was purchased by Universal Glow Inc. owned by Greek ship owner Antonis Lelakis. Managed and operated by United States-based Regency Cruises who renamed her Regent Star, she sailed a series of Caribbean cruises from Montego Bay, Jamaica. Continual problems with her boilers however, necessitated a refit at Piraeus, Greece where she arrived on 17 July 1986. Her refit included the change from ss (steam ship) to ms (motor ship) after four diesel engines were installed replacing her original steam turbines.

On 26 July 1987, Regent Star set off for Montego Bay and then on to Alaska for summer cruising. In August 1995, while sailing for Regency in Prince William Sound, Alaska, a fire broke out in her engine room that resulted in her passengers having to be evacuated. One of the ships that came to her aid and took in her passengers was Holland America's Rotterdam V, her one-time fleet mate. Regent Star receied repairs in Vancouver, BC and was then returned to service. Regency declared bankruptcy in October 1995. She returned to Eleusis Bay, Greece in November of that year and was laid up there.

 

 

In 1996, while still at Eleusis Bay, she was renamed Sea Harmony. The end came in March 2004 when she was sold for scrap. She departed Greek waters on 14 March 2004 on her final cruise to the breakers having been given the name of Harmony 1. Upon arrival at Alang, India, she was beached and broken up by October 2004.

 

 

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was also LEONARDO DA VINCI, in an inside single not too

far from Ernie's - Lido #20 - in 1978, 3 nights Pt. Everglades - Nassau.

 

Followed the next year by GUGLIELMO MARCONI (GALILEO's sister)

on one of the short lived series of 10 night Caribbean sailings from NY

run by Italia Crociere Inter****onale, the last gasp of the famous

Italian Line.

 

I love it! Another cruise veteran de-virginized by the LEONARDO DA VINCI. I hope you appreciated her as much as I did. Even though I was young when I sailed on her, I did all my homework and knew all her history. I loved exploring her three classes. It was interesting to see the divisions. I think we were both lucky to be up on Lido Deck. A quick walk aft to the pool. Even to this day, I think she was one of the most stunning, well proportioned ships ever built. If only ships could resemble the LDV today!

 

Ernie

 

 

ss Leonardo da Vinci (1960-1982) Built in 1960 by Gio. Ansaldo & C. S.A.S Shipyards, Genoa, Italy as ocean liner ss Leonardo da Vinci for the Società di navigazione Italia, aka the Italian Line. She was a replacement for their ss Andrea Doria which had been lost after just three years of service on 25 July 1956 when she collided with the Swedish American Line ship ms Stockholm.

 

 

 

The ship featured numerous technological innovations, including provisions for conversion to run on nuclear power, an option discussed but never taken up. The other new innovations and safety features introduced on Leonardo da Vinci, all after the Andrea Doria tragedy, included extended watertight bulkheads, lifeboat davits capable of launching lifeboats against a 25 degree list, motorized lifeboats, and two completely separated engine rooms, each powering their own propeller and capable of powering the ship independently from the other. In addition, the ship had infrared-heated swimming pools (though only in first class), retractable stabilizer wings, full air-conditioning, and private bathrooms in all cabins in first and cabin class, as well as in 80% of tourist-class cabins.

 

 

 

However, like the Andrea Doria and Cristoforo Colombo, Leonardo da Vinci proved to be an unstable ship in rough weather. The problem was accentuated by her larger size, and as a result, 3000 metric tons of iron had to fitted along her bottom to improve stability. This in turn made the ship too heavy for her engines and led to extremely high fuel expenses

 

On 30 June 1960, she set out on her maiden voyage from Genoa to New York City where she received the traditional festive welcome of a liner arriving in the city for the first time. Soon after she entered service, the Italian Line announced that by 1965 at latest the ship would be refit to run on nuclear power. This, however, did not come to pass, and at the time it was already known to executives of the company that by 1965 the Leonardo da Vinci would be supplanted on the North Atlantic service by the new ss Michelangelo and ss Raffaello, the planning for which had already started in 1958.

After Michelangelo and Raffaello were delivered in May and July 1965, respectively, Leonardo da Vinci was used almost exclusively for cruising, mostly around the Mediterranean, but also sometimes to the Caribbean and to South America. The majority of her tourist-class cabins were considered too spartan for cruise service, and hence were unused while the ship was used for cruising, further cutting the profitability of the ship. In 1966 she was re-painted in the new livery of the Italian Line, a white hull with a thin green decorative ribbon, instead of her original black hull with a white decorative ribbon.

 

 

 

In February 1970 she departed on her most exquisite cruise, a 41-day journey from the Mediterranean to Hawaii via the Panama Canal and back again. During the 1970's, competition from jet-powered passenger aircraft became more and more pressing on the North Atlantic service. In 1975 the Italian Line decided to withdraw both Michelangelo and Raffaello from service. However, despite the withdrawal of state subsidiaries, the Italian Line did not withdraw from the North Atlantic service just yet, and Leonardo da Vinci returned to her original route for a short period until June 1976, when she too was withdrawn from service and laid up. Doing this earned her the distinction of being the last Italian Line passenger liner to be used in service across the North Atlantic.

In 1977 she was brought back into service, this time for cruising under the banner of Italia Crociere (also known as Italian Line Cruises International), a newly formed subsidiary of Società di navigazione Italia. The ship was used for cruising from Miami to Nassau, Bahamas, but proved too large and expensive to operate on this service. In 1978, she returned to La Spezia, Italy and was laid up again.

 

 

Despite numerous rumors the ship never saw service again. After being laid up for two years, a fire started onboard on 4 July 1980. The ship burned for four days and eventually capsized. The burnt-out hulk was later righted and towed to the scrapyard at La Spezia where she was broken up in 1982.

[mudscraper]

delete

Edited August 22, 2010 by mudscraper

[Copper10-8]

HAL Statendam

 

I remember as a small child going to see my Godparents off to Scotland - my Godmother refused to fly back then so every other year it was six weeks on a ship. My brother and I were allowed to "run riot" around the ship until the All Ashore call was given. The crews were great and we never got into trouble (we were tame by today's standards).

 

My first cruise was on Statendam from Auckland to Sydney in 2008 and my next cruise will also be on Statendam from Vancouver to Anchorage in 2011. Vastly different destinations!

 

ms Statendam (1993-present) Built in 1993 as ms Statendam 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. ‘Staten’ in Dutch means ‘states’ so the ship is named after the seven original “states”, now provinces, of the Netherlands. She is the lead ship of the, initially three, later four-ship “S” or “Statendam” class, Maasdam (1993), Ryndam (1994) and Veendam (1996) are her sisters and the first ship to join the line since the 1988 acquisition of the Westerdam (ex-Homeric). At 720-feet, she was designed to carry fewer passengers while providing more space for maximum comfort. Many of her staterooms feature ocean views and, for the first time of a Holland America ship, 149 of them have private verandahs.

 

 

The first Statendam operated for Holland America Line from 1889 until 1911. She was HAL’s first passenger ship to exceed 10,000 tons as a twin screw 10,491 gross registered ton steamship. Built by Harland & Wolff in Northern Ireland, Statendam I was deployed on the transatlantic service between Rotterdam and New York. The ship was sold in 1911 to Allen Line who renamed her Scotian and used her for service between Great Britain, Canada and the United States. In 1915 Allen Line was sold to Canadian Pacific Line where the former Statendam became the Marglen. In 1927 she met her end at the hands of Italian shipbreakers.

The second Statendam was launched in 1914, also from the Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast. The First World War interfered and Statendam would never sail for HAL. She was completed in 1917 as the 32,234 ton British military troopship Justicia under White Star Line management. On 20 July 1918 she sank in the Irish Channel after being attacked with torpedoes by German submarines.

 

Statendam III was laid down at Harland & Wolff in 1921 but completed at Wilton-Feijenoord in Schiedam, The Netherlands in 1929. The 29,511 ton passenger liner was put to work on the Rotterdam to New York service, would become HAL’s flagship and was quickly known as the ‘Queen of the Spotless Fleet’. The Depression years hit the company hard so HAL began offering short cruises, mostly from American ports. She was withdrawn from service in late 1939 and laid up in Rotterdam. During the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940, Statendam III was repeatedly hit by bombs as well as caught in a cross fire. For three days, the ship burned out of control with the only two items salvageable being her ship’s bell and the Dutch flag that flew from her stern. She was scrapped in August of the following year.

 

The fourth Statendam was again built at the Wilton-Feijenoord yard in Schiedam and, upon completion, was named by her godmother, HRH Princess (now Queen) Beatrix of the Netherlands in January 1957. One year later in January 1958, she would be the ship that made HAL’s first ever world cruise lasting 110 days. After completing that cruise, Statendam IV operated on the Rotterdam to New York run and, from 1966, for cruising only. After a comprehensive refit that changed her from an ocean liner to a full-time cruise ship, Statendam IV operated Caribbean cruises from Miami in the winter and Bermuda cruises from New York in the summer season. Towards the end of her HAL career, she also operated Alaska cruises out of Vancouver, BC. In 1981 she was sold to New York-based Artus Investors and renamed Rhapsody in 1982, sailing for France-based Paquet Cruises (She was charted back to HAL for Alaska cruises in 1983 and again in 1988). 1986 found her purchased by Regency Cruises who renamed her Regent Star. In 1994, after her Greek owners went belly up, Regent Star was laid up at Eleusis Bay. She was sold for scrap in 2004 and broken up at Alang, India that same year.

 

After running technical trials in the Adriatic in July 1992 and again in October 1992, Statendam V was handed over to her owners on 7 January 1993. She then commenced a transatlantic crossing, with crew but without passengers, to Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. under the command of Captain Hans Eulderink, with Holland America Line since 1956. After a christening and naming ceremony there by her godmother, Marilyn “Lin” Arison, spouse of Ted Arison, founder of Carnival Cruise Line, on 23 January 1993, she commenced on her inaugural/maiden cruise, a sixteen-day cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles, CA via the Panama Canal. On 7 May 1993, she returned to Europe from New York City on a 35-day Grand Europe Cruise. This cruise, still under the command of Captain Eulderink and with Dirk Zeller as the ship’s hotel manager, concluded on 11 June in Tilbury, England. Since then, Statendam has been found in the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, Hawaiian Islands, and Australasia. In 1994, she conducted her first World Cruise and on 10 May 1996 she switched from a Bahamian flag and registration (Nassau) to a Dutch one (Rotterdam).

 

 

The four ships of the 'S' class are just about identical, having only small changes in their internal layout. However, each one has a different decorative theme. Statendam's theme is built around historical Dutch life and exploration, with more than $2 million worth of art and artifacts displayed throughout the ship. In the center of the ship, a three-story atrium showcases an elaborate 26-foot-high “Fountain of the Sirens” sculpture.

 

Statendam has one penthouse, 28 suites, 120 deluxe staterooms, 352 outside staterooms and 132 inside staterooms for a total of 633. She, along with her three sisters, were the first new HAL cruise ships to have features like an atrium, a multi (two)-story main dining room and main show lounge, and an indoor/outdoor Lido pool with retractable roof. When launched, Statendam 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), Erasmus Library, Puzzle Corner, Card room, Hudson room, Half Moon room (the latter two can be combined into one room for meetings and private parties), a 249-seat Wajang (movie) theater (also used for lectures, meetings and religious services), Photo Gallery, Shopping Arcade (plus Kiosk and Boutique), Casino (offering blackjack, Caribbean poker, roulette, craps and 97 slot machines), Beauty Salon, Ocean Spa and Gymnasium (with juice bar, massage area, two sauna and two steam rooms), 403-seat Lido (buffet) Restaurant, the 745-seat two-level Rotterdam dining room connected by a pair of sweeping, curved staircases with shiny brass railings and a ceiling canopy made from hand-blown Venetian glass, two small and private dining rooms initially known as the Noordam and Westerdam rooms and two outdoor swimming pools (one of which, the Lido pool, that can be closed off with a hydraulic sliding roof called a magrodome), two Jacuzzis plus a small children’s wading pool (since covered up) and, on Sports Deck, a jogging track around the base of the funnel (since changed to one practice tennis court on port, and one basketball court on starboard side).

 

 

The four “S” class ships were all designed with somewhat of a novelty at sea, a public escalator 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 (Statendam lost her escalator while in dry-dock in Freeport, the Bahamas in April 2010 and gained two interior staterooms in its place). That atrium, three-stories high, showcases the “Fountain of the Sirens,” designed by Dutch architect Fennis de Vlaming, and executed by sculptor Gilbert Le Bigre. The fountain is decorated with sirens and symbols in the form of sculptured statues, including dolphins and rams’ heads, that suggest mythical gods and heroes. The sculpture measures 14 ½ feet at its base which consists of three basins in the shape of twisted shells. At the forward end of Statendam’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 Van Gogh Theater/show lounge forward on both Promenade and Upper Promenade Decks commemorates Dutch 20th century post-Impressionist painterVincent van Gogh through his “Starry Night” and “Irises” paintings, and has a late 19th century French Art Noveau theme and a dance floor in front of the stage.

 

 

During a regularly scheduled dry-dock in Seattle, WA from 23 September through 2 October 2002, Statendam was one of two HAL ships (Ryndam was the other) to gain a second alternative restaurant, the 66-seat Pinnacle Grill featuring Pacific Northwest fare and fine wines (none of the four “S” class ships were built with one). In order to install the restaurant with ‘ocean views’ on Statendam, Ryndam and later, on their two “S” class sisters, the private dining room, known as the Kings room, a portion of the Explorers Lounge, the maitre d’s office as well as the small 'Video Arcade' were gutted and converted. 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 addition, a new and private concierge lounge, called the Neptune Lounge, was constructed on Navigation Deck for the exclusive use by Deluxe Verandah and Penthouse suite occupants (Statendam lost eight inside staterooms in order to build the lounge). The new lounge gives those guests a peaceful, private retreat where they can relax and get whatever assistance they need such as fresh towels, shore excursion reservations, etc, from their personal concierge. Lastly, some of her SOE soft goods were installed.

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: Sealy Posturepedic Premium Plush Euro-Top mattresses, 100% white cotton woven bed linens, waffle-weave and terry cloth bathrobes and extra-fluffy Egyptian cotton towels to all cabin categories; new massage-type showerheads and professional-grade quiet hair dryers in all bathrooms; new flat-screen LCD televisions, 5x magnifying make-up mirrors with halo lightning, fresh flowers, complimentary fruit baskets and stainless-steel ice buckets with serving trays in all cabins; plus comfortable bed duvets, fully-stocked mini-bars, personalized stationary, DVD players and access to a well-stocked DVD library in all suite-category staterooms.

 

Also new would be a Culinary Arts Center (inside the Wajang Theater) presented by Food & Wine magazine with a state-of-the-art show kitchen equipped with plasma video screens and on-stage counters for gourmet cooking demonstrations, tasting events and interactive classes; a Wine Tasting Bar and Gourmet Shop where guests can purchase culinary items including china and silverware from the Pinnacle Grill as well as HAL Master Chef’s Rudi Sodamin’s cook books, (in place of her Java Café); the introduction of the Pinnacle Grill alternative restaurant and private Neptune concierge lounge on all ships, two additional dining times in the main dining room, a casual dinner option with table-side waiter service inside the Lido Restaurant; an Explorations Café “powered by the New York Times”, which offers guests an opportunity to sip coffee, browse through one of the most extensive libraries at sea, enjoy a wide selection of music at one of several listening stations or surf the Internet; a refurbished Crow’s Nest; an expanded Greenhouse Spa and Salon with new treatment rooms offering a thermal suite with hydrotherapy and thalassotherapy hot tub/Jacuzzi as well as heated ceramic lounges plus the extension and expansion of the fitness facility/gymnasium, out and above the ship’s bridge.

 

 

In addition, changes were made for non-adults, including newly expanded youth facilities within the "Club HAL" program and the creation of the interior “Loft” and exterior “Oasis” (on the "S" and "R"-class ships) for teens. The younger cruisers (ages 3-7) can enjoy supervised, age-specific activities in a more comprehensive Youth Program (arts and crafts, face painting, candy bar bingo, a pajama party, story-telling, board games, drawing contests, ice-cream sundae parties, etc.) in Club HAL. Their room has art theme with paint can stools, palette tables, and vibrant colors. Tweens (ages 8-12) have their own arcade area with their own stage, a jukebox, air hockey, foosball, Karaoke, Sony Playstations, a Digital Dance Revolution machine (DDR), vending machines, miniature golf, ping pong, dance parties, sports events, scavenger hunts, etc. The Loft is a teens-only (ages 13-18) lounge designed to resemble a New York artist's loft and comes complete with dance floor, state-of-the-art sound and laser light system, big screen TV, music videos, DVDs, Sony Playstations, a DDR, comfortable couches, and Internet access. On the "S" and "R"-class ships, a spiral staircase leads up to the Oasis, a secluded, teens-only sun deck with covered snack areas where teens can soak up rays in hammocks and then cool off in a one-of-a-kind cave and wade pool complete with nine-foot high tropical waterfall.

Shipboard program changes under SOE #1 included an expanded Exploration Speaker series, unique Medallion and Collection shore excursions, i-Pod art tours of all ships, new wine packages, an early embarkation program (as early as 11:30 am) for guests, flexible As You Wish dining, an expanded Pinnacle Grill menu, exclusive flatware, china and stemware in all restaurants, and a broad expansion of the Greenhouse Spa and Salon facilities and treatments.

 

For Statendam, the SOE part 1 refit meant the disappearance of her Java Café, Erasmus Library, Puzzle Corner, Card Room and Fountain Terrace. Statendam completed her SOE part 1 upgrades to cabins and public spaces after a dry dock period at Victoria Shipyards in Esquimalt, BC, from 24 April through 12 May 2005, From 4 through 18 December 2007, Statendam spent two weeks in the Cairncross Dry Dock in Brisbane, Australia for standard maintenance and upkeep, including a new coat of paint for her hull and new carpeting in her public spaces.

 

In August 2008, HAL announced further enhancements to, as well as new features on, five of the line's most popular ships as part of its ongoing Signature of Excellence program. Over the next two years the four 'S' sisters as well as the lead ship of the 'R' class, ms Rotterdam, underwent and/or will undergo extensive dry docks to create new venues, new staterooms and new decor.

 

On 10 May 2009 while in Alaska, Statendam 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.

 

 

On 1 June 2009, HAL announced that, except for Veendam, completed at end of April 2009, and Rotterdam, completed in December 2009, the SOE part 2 enhancements will be accomplished in two phases. First, in a series of dry-docks in 2010 and 2011, Statendam, Maasdam and Ryndam will receive their stateroom upgrades, 16 Spa staterooms, the addition of Mix, Showroom at Sea, Canaletto, Merabella and other public area enhancements. The second series of dry-docks in 2012 and 2013 will add the Lanai cabins. After experiences leakage problem with the Retreat pool concept on both Veendam and Rotterdam, it is unclear if The Retreat pool as well as the new pre-fabricated block of twenty six new verandah and five inside staterooms on the stern will be added on Statendam, Maasdam and Ryndam during their next scheduled dry-dock period (for Statendam scheduled in December 2012).

 

For Statendam, the $200 million program began when she entered Dry Dock #3 on 26 March 2010 at the Grand Bahama Shipyard. While there, all of the ship’s existing staterooms were upgraded with new decor, modern wall sconces, carpeting, drapes, pillows and bed runners, resurfaced desks and vanities, and new vanities and cabinetry in the bathrooms. Sixteen staterooms (fourteen outside and two inside) on Verandah Deck, two decks below the nearby Greenhouse Spa, became “Spa staterooms” with a variety of enhanced amenities. Each offers exclusive items such as organic cotton bathrobes and slippers, a yoga mat, an iPod docking station, a countertop water feature, special room service menus and exclusive spa treatments.

 

The ship’s original Piano and Casino Bars were gutted and reconfigured into a multi-themed new bar concept called "Mix". It features three separate areas where either Champagne, for mid-day mimosas or anytime celebrations, Martinis, for Grey Goose cocktails and martini flights and/or Spirits & Ales for microbrews, single malts and sports updates are served. A number of Microsoft Surface tables can be found inside Mix on which electronic games can be played. In addition, her casino was redesigned and the entertainment area on Upper Promenade deck was opened up (walls were literally be knocked down) to create a better flow between shops, bars and the casino.

 

Inside a section of Statendam’s Lido restaurant (port side forward), Canaletto a complimentary casual-style Italian restaurant for dinner was created. 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 ships' 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 Putanesca, Penne alla Vodka, Veal Milanese and Chicken Marsala

 

Statendam's main show lounge was transformed into the Showroom at Sea with the ambiance of a nightclub and a new slate of shows, her Ocean Bar was upgraded and lastly, a Merabella luxury jewelry shop was added mid-ships adjacent the Explorers Lounge on Upper Promenade deck. Statendam emerged from the Freeport yard on 11 April 2010 and, after sailing the short distance to her winter home port of Ft. Lauderdale, Fl, departed that same afternoon on a 14-day Southern Caribbean cruise.

 

Statendam is scheduled for the second phase of SOE Part 2 in yet another visit to the Freeport dry-dock in December 2012. During that refit she is scheduled to receive:

 

- The addition/creation of thirty-eight new Lanai staterooms on Deck 6/Lower Promenade whose large sliding glass doors (with one-way-mirror coating to ensure privacy) 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.

 

- “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.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 23, 2010 by Copper10-8

[LynnObie]

Our 1st cruise was in early August, 1995, on HAL's old Noordam out of Vancouver, B.C. for 7 days through Alaska's Inside Passage. We caught the cruise bug and got hooked! We have yet to try the new Noordam but definitely want to.

[Copper10-8]

Our 1st cruise was in early August, 1995, on HAL's old Noordam out of Vancouver, B.C. for 7 days through Alaska's Inside Passage. We caught the cruise bug and got hooked! We have yet to try the new Noordam but definitely want to.

 

LynnObie, great ship! I'll work on her history tomorrow, okidoki? Just discovered that Wikepedia is down tonite:(

[Copper10-8]

HAL's old Westerdam in 1996.

 

Eastern Caribbean itinerary.

 

Cristop in the Rotterdam Dining Room would patiently take our order each night and then in addition to what we ordered he would bring us what we should have ordered to share. He was right every time.

 

HAL is our favorite "big" ship line and Star Clippers our favorite for "small" ships.

 

My two unmarried Aunts taught school and had their summers free to travel. We lived not far from New York City, and each June my father (and later I) would load their luggage and drive them to their ship for their summer adventure. This was in the 1950's, when there was no TSA and no Terrorists. If you were with a passenger, you could board the ships and tour for a few hours until the call "All Ashore Thats Going Ashore" came over the loudspeakers. In this way I had self-tours of the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Rotterdam, France and the Gripsholm. Each had it's own style, and on sailing day everything was polished and in full dress. Those early experiences brought me back to the ships on my own many years later. I think I stick with Holland America Line because of the Ocean Liner feel of their ships remind me of those happy days.

 

1986 Homeric (Bermuda) 5 days

 

 

ms Homeric (1986-present) Built by Jos. L. Meyer GmbH shipyard, Papenburg, (then) West Germany and delivered in 1986 as ms Homeric for Italian-based Home Lines. Homeric was planned during the first half of the 1980s as a replacement for the aging ss Oceanic in the Home Lines' fleet. The ship was named in honor of the company's earlier ss Homeric, a popular ship for the line that had been destroyed by a fire in 1973. The new ship was launched on 28 September 1985, performed her sea trials between 26 and 30 December 1985, but was not delivered to Home Lines until 6 May 1986.

 

 

She left Emden, West Germany on 12 May 1986 for her inaugural cruise to New York. Upon arrival there, and after her naming/christening ceremony, she departed on her maiden voyage from New York City to Hamilton, Bermuda on 31 May 1986. Home Lines used her on Bermuda cruises during the northern hemisphere summer season and to the Caribbean in the winter.

 

 

Homeric was built with a terraced forward and rear superstructure, with lifeboats placed fairly high. She had a relatively large funnel, with a large arch behind it to deflect some soot away from the rear decks. Unusually for a cruise ship of her time, Homeric was built with a somewhat ocean-liner-like layout, with her dining room in particular reflecting a liner-like design. She was also built with a sizeable promenade deck and a one-deck-high movie theater. She came out with two swimming pools, one to the rear of the ship and another mid-ships which was covered with a moveable roof, known as a magrodome. In her original Home Lines livery she had a white hull and superstructure, with a blue decorative riband separating them. Her funnel and radar mast, the structures immediately below them and the cranes on her forward deck were painted yellow. The ship's name was painted in tall letters on the side of the superstructure below the radar mast.

 

On 24 March 1988, Home Lines, including Homeric and Atlantic, was purchased by Holland America Line. Following their final seasons in Bermuda in October of that year, HAL chartered Atlantic to Premier Cruise Line for seven years (Premier outright purchased her in June 1990) and moved Homeric into a dry-dock and refit at the Norshipco yard in Norfolk, Va. Two lounges in the forward section of the ship were combined to create a large two-level main show lounge, while her original show lounge was converted into a movie theater. The ship received HAL's dark blue (known as Nieuw Amsterdam-blue) hull colors, with her funnel and radar mast painted white. Homeric was renamed Westerdam on 2 November 1988 by her HAL godmother, Clara van der Vorm, the spouse of then HAL president and CEO Nico van der Vorm. She departed Ft. Lauderdale, FL on her maiden cruise, a seven-day run to the Eastern Caribbean. Upon her return one week later, this was followed by a seven-day run to the Western Caribbean (George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; and Cozumel, Mexico). Westerdam's arrival expanded the HAL fleet to four ships and signaled the beginning of a new era of growth for Holland America that continues today. Her name translates to one of the four directions of the compass in the Dutch language; wester meaning, well, westerly.

 

She was the second ship in Holland America Line history to receive the name Westerdam. The first Westerdam sailed for Holland America Line from 1946 to 1965. While being constructed during World War II, Westerdam I was sunk three times: On 27 August 1942, she was bombed and sunk by Allied aircraft while in the shipyard in Rotterdam. The German occupiers raised the ship in September 1944, but she was quickly sunk again, this time by Dutch resistance fighters. After being raised a second time, the resistance again sank her on 17 January 1945. After the Netherlands were liberated in May, 1945, Westerdam I was raised a third time and finally completed. On 28 June 1946, Westerdam I finally departed Rotterdam on her maiden voyage to New York City. She would go on to be a regular on the transatlantic run, making two eight-day crossings each month between Rotterdam and New York. The 12,149 gross registered ton twin-propeller ship and her sister, Noordam II, each took eight days to make the crossing. Westerdam I was a combined cargo and passenger ship. She had five cargo holds and carried 143 first-class passengers as well as 126 crew members. The ship continued regular transatlantic service for 18 years until she was sold for scrap to Spanish breakers on 4 February 1965.

In October 1989, Westerdam II was sent back to her place of birth, Jos. L. Meyer GmbH, Papenburg, West Germany for a U.S. $65 million lengthening by having a 130-foot mid section inserted into the ship, emerging in March 1990 with a new grt of 53,872 (originally 42,092), an overall length of 798 feet (originally 668 feet) and a new passenger capacity of 1,476 souls (originally 1,132). The lengthening altered her exterior appearance somewhat. The windows of the added section are larger than those forward and aft. She immediately became the largest Holland America cruise ship ever and subsequently crossed the Atlantic and arrived in New York City to a welcome by spraying fireboats and tugs, resuming Caribbean cruises on 25 March 1990. In HAL service, Westerdam was primarily home-ported at Ft. Lauderdale, Fl, initially sailing 5 and 8-day Eastern Caribbean cruises (San Juan, Puerto Rico; Road Town, Tortola, BVI, Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, BVI; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI and Nassau, The Bahamas) in the winter and at Vancouver, BC for Alaska cruising in the summer months. During her HAL career, she also operated on Canada/New England cruises.

Westerdam’s passenger accomodation consisted of 495 cabins with outside views and 252 inside rooms for a total of 747. After the lengthening in Papenburg, Westerdam II came out with a new two-deck high, 680-seat Admirals main show lounge, a remodeled and expanded casual Lido Restaurant, the addition of a second Lido-type restaurant called the Verandah Restaurant, adjacent to the Verandah Pool on Sun Deck, and a completely renewed shopping area. The Amsterdam dining room was enlarged from 520 to 875 seats, extra acoustical material was installed in the ceiling to reduce noise, and had a raised central dome. The newly inserted section contained an Explorers Lounge, Ocean Bar and the Bookchest library, as well as new meeting rooms. A new sports as well as a sunbathing area were created on the topmost deck, above the Verandah Pool. Five self-service laundry rooms were also added, as were two extra elevators. Westerdam did not have any large suites or private verandahs.

In HAL service, Westerdam had a Sports Bar with ESPN programming, the Pear Tree Club disco/night club, the Stuyvesant Lounge (named for Pieter Stuyvesant, the last governor of New Netherland from 1647 until 1664), by day, an informal restaurant offering breakfast and luncheons, a quiet lounge for afternoon tea, after-dinner brandy and good conversation, the Piano Bar/Saloon, the Big Apple meeting room (also used by Club HAL), the Hudson Lounge, the Card room, the 237-seat (movie) Theater (also used for lectures, meetings and religious services), the Photo Shop, the Casino (offering blackjack, roulette, blackjack, craps and slot machines), The Square (including the onboard Shopping Arcade, the Main Lobby, Main staircase, elevators plus offices of the Hotel Manager, Purser and Cruise Director), the Barber Shop and the Beauty Parlor, the Ocean Spa (with massage room and dual steam saunas) and Gymnasium (with treadmills, rowing machines, stationary bikes, isometric pulleys and free weights), two outdoor swimming pools, one the Verandah pool on Sun Deck which could be covered with a magrodome roof, and the other on Upper Promenade Deck, one practice tennis and one volleyball court, as well as a 40 by 40 foot jogging area.

The tradition of exhibiting art objects on board the passenger ships of the Holland America Line began in 1938, during the golden era of leisurely ocean cruising. The company’s first grand collection was displayed on the second Nieuw Amsterdam. Westerdam II had a Dutch worldwide exploration theme and pays tribute to the Dutch East India Company or VerenigdeOostindische Compagnie(VOC) in Dutch, of the 17th and 18th centuries, with a collection of U.S. $2 million worth of art and artifacts displayed throughout the ship.

Some of the examples of art that was found onboard Westerdam II: In the ship’s Ocean Bar could be found a 17th century dolphin carved in white marble, an 18th century Dutch fountain, also made out of marble, and the famous Ming Dog of Fo that offered protection to all who entered the lounge. In the Explorers Lounge, were two Arita lacquer vases that depicted scenes of Chinese life and landscapes. Just outside the Explorers Lounge, was a huge bronze cannon, weighing over two tons, called “Old Rye” that once graced Dutch Admiral Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter’s warship in 1634. It lay at the bottom of the sea off France for 300 years until caught in the nets of a Dutch fisherman. Throughout the ship were several hand-colored 17th century maps of America, Africa and Asia, once commonplace tools used by Dutch sea captains to chart their courses. In addition, Oriental scrolls, screens and porcelains as well as an antique rosewood love seat could be found.

In 1997, the romantic comedy "Out to Sea" starring Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Rue McClanahan, Dyan Cannon, Gloria DeHaven and Brent Spiner, was partially filmed onboard Westerdam II.

 

In March 2002, After 643 cruises spanning over 13 years with Holland America, she was internally transferred within the Carnival Group to Italy-based Costa Crociere/Costa Cruise Lines who sent her to dry-dock in Genoa, Italy for refitting. During that dry-dock, the ship was refurbished, with some of her interior decorations changed to a brighter and more Southern European style. Her original theater (changed to a movie theater in HAL service) was converted into six balcony suites, and a new ballroom with a hardwood dance floor replaced the earlier lounge. Despite the refit, most of the ship's decorations were retained from her HAL days, resulting in Costa Europa having somewhat different interior decorations from her "Italian-style" fleet-mates. On 27 April 2002, she was christened Costa Europa and commenced cruising for the Italian company out of Genoa that same afternoon. With Costa, she operated mainly Mediterranean cruises on Greek Island itineraries, including visits to Corfu, Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, and Crete.

On 26 February 2010 at 4:45 am, Costa Europa carrying 1,473 passengers, collided with a pier at the Egyptian Red Sea port of Sharm al-Sheikh, after attempting to dock in bad weather, including fierce winds. The collision killed three crew members and injured four other individuals, three of them passengers. The incident tore a four-foot wide hole in her hull and forced Costa to cancel the remainder of the vessel’s voyage, which was an 18-night cruise from Dubai to Savona, Italy. Costa Europa’s passengers were accommodated at local hotels in Sharm el-Sheik and then flown home.

Edited August 23, 2010 by Copper10-8