The Love Boat

[Scrapnana]

The beginning of the end...bummer.

 

http://maritimematters.com/2013/11/former-pacific-princess-scrapping-begina/

 

Seeing any ship in that condition is sad but this was the Love Boat! (where is my emoticon with dripping tears?).

[CPADWJ]

It is sad to see it go.

 

We sailed on its last voyage as the Princess Love Boat in Oct-Nov 2002 on a 17 day cruise from NYC to Rome. It only had about 750 passengers and 350 crew.

Our room was nothing like those shown on the TV show, small with separate bunks in an L shaped configuration. The crew and passengers got to know one another very well.

 

Gavin MacLeod came to an on-board party in the NY harbor and acted has the captain as we left the port. It was filmed for the Travel Channel and we saw the program on TV months later after we returned home.

 

It is one of our most memorable cruises.

[belowdecks123]

I had the privilege of serving on the original Pacific Princess, Island Princess and Sky Princess.

 

I first joined the Pacific Princess in late 1989 and trained as the Stage (Show) Production Manager. I then went to the Island Princess 1990 - 1991 until transferring to the Sky Princess, where I met my wife, a purser. We have been married for 22 years and have three wonderful sons, so for us, it really was a Love Boat experience.

 

Unfortunately all three of these classic ships have been scrapped and ironically the Pacific and Sky, my first and last, were scrapped alongside each other in Turkey and the Island was scrapped in India.

 

I loved these ships and because they were small we got to really know the passengers and spend time with them. many came back time after time and were like extended family.

 

Unfortunately, I have very few photos or video footage of those days, especially the shows, I could also kick myself for not saving the Princess Patters!

[Host Walt]

I think you may be on to something. ..A hotel ship docked at an embarkation port. One could enjoy coffee on deck to watch the arrival of their ship. Luggage could be forwarded to the terminal.

 

Cruise lines could use retired ships for pre and post cruise hotel service.

Holland America did just that with the last Rotterdam (Rotterdam V) which is now a hotel and tourist attraction in Rotterdam Holland. She is permanently located near the Hotel New York, the original headquarters building of Holland America back in the early part of the 20th century. The ship was victim of the SOLAS rules and the retrofit for it to remain at sea was too expensive. BTW, unrelated fact...to my knowledge the Rotterdam is the only mass market cruise ship sporting twin stacks.

 

 

While it's too late for the Love Boat and her sister, the Island Princess, I think it would be a real winner for the cruise lines to do just that. The only problem is that the rooms in most of the older ships are small and unable to accommodate the amenities, like TV and telephone, expected by all travelers.

 

But the older ships could operate like the Queen Mary with several restaurants, show rooms with actively booked shows from classical music to extravaganzas. And the ship can be a museum displaying the grandeur of cruising back in the golden years.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Host Walt

[StanandJim]

BTW, unrelated fact...to my knowledge the Rotterdam is the only mass market cruise ship sporting twin stacks.

 

 

 

If you're talking about those twin "Goal Post" style stacks, then you're so wrong, Walt.

 

Moore-McCormacks' twin Brasil & Argentina of 1957-58 had them, although they also had a dummy traditional funnel midships for good measure.

 

- as did the 1964 French built Shalom of the Israeli Zim Lines.

 

All three of these ships had forty year careers, each flying the house flag of numerous cruise lines, and under a variety of names.

Edited August 18, 2015 by StanandJim

[Host Walt]

 

If you're talking about those twin "Goal Post" style stacks, then you're so wrong, Walt.

 

Moore-McCormacks' twin Brasil & Argentina of 1957-58 had them, although they also had a dummy traditional funnel midships for good measure.

the 1964 French built Shalom of the Israeli Zim Lines.

 

All three of these ships had forty year careers, each flying the house flag of numerous cruise lines, and under a variety of names.

 

Actually, you are so right. ;) I said "to my knowledge." I didn't know about Moore-McCormack's ships or the Israeli ships...but I am aware of one more twin stack ship that is still operating. MS Rotterdam (VI) is the only twin stack ship in HAL's fleet. (It isn't a goalpost configuration, however.)

 

Edited August 18, 2015 by Host Walt

[StanandJim]

Actually, you are so right. ;) I said "to my knowledge." I didn't know about Moore-McCormack's ships or the Israeli ships...but I am aware of one more twin stack ship that is still operating. MS Rotterdam (VI) is the only twin stack ship in HAL's fleet. (It isn't a goalpost configuration, however.)

 

 

LOL, well if you're talking twin stack as in "more than one" what about the Disney Ships?

....and there are four of them. The Magic, the Wonder, the Dream and the Fantasy. They are all still sailing.

Edited August 18, 2015 by StanandJim