New Life for Old Star Princess

[Shogun]

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=6860

 

 

yours Shogun

[waltd]

We sailed on the Star in 1996 to Mexico. Was only our 2nd cruise. Loved the ship and cruise. By then we were hooked on cruising.

[Tiffanymom]

We sailed on the first cruise of the Star. Princess brought Sitmar before the Star was finished. It was our second cruise. Boy, does that make us old!

[GUT2407]

Interesting article.

[exalaskans]

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=6860

 

 

yours Shogun

 

When I click on this link I get an article about the Pacific Pearl. Nothing about Star Princess. Am I doing something wrong?

[ar1950]

When I click on this link I get an article about the Pacific Pearl. Nothing about Star Princess. Am I doing something wrong?

 

This should fill in the blanks (read the first paragraph):

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Pacific_Pearl

 

Ships tend to get sold and renamed all of the time. Sometimes multiple lines and multiple times.

Edited March 8, 2016 by ar1950

[Astro Flyer]

When I click on this link I get an article about the Pacific Pearl. Nothing about Star Princess. Am I doing something wrong?

The article explains the history of this ship:

 

"It has had a fascinating history, starting life as Sitmar Fair Majesty in 1987, before being renamed Star Princess and christened by Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn in 1989".

Edited March 8, 2016 by Astro Flyer

[Colo Cruiser]

The article explains the history of this ship:

 

"It has had a fascinating history, starting life as Sitmar Fair Majesty in 1987, before being renamed Star Princess and christened by Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn in 1989".

 

She never made it to Sitmar.......

 

She was built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, at their shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, and launched in 1988 as Sitmar FairMajesty. Originally ordered for Sitmar Cruises, she was sold and first entered service with Princess Cruises as Star Princess in 1989. From 1997 to 2003, she served in the P&O Cruises fleet as MV Arcadia. She was renamed Ocean Village in 2003 when the brand was established.[2] Ocean Village was the sole cruise ship of the Ocean Village brand after the Ocean Village Two became the Pacific Jewel. She was transferred to P&O Cruises Australia and renamed Pacific Pearl.

 

It was further announced on March 7, 2016 that the ship will be transferred to Cruise & Maritime Voyages as the Columbus becoming their new flagship.

 

Hard to believe we sailed her 27 years ago!

Edited March 8, 2016 by Colo Cruiser

[exalaskans]

This should fill in the blanks (read the first paragraph):

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Pacific_Pearl

 

Ships tend to get sold and renamed all of the time. Sometimes multiple lines and multiple times.

 

Okay that explains it. Thanks.

[exalaskans]

Thanks for the replies. Very interesting.

[Alessandrina]

I sailed on her in 1989; it was my first time to Alaska.

I've always liked the metal art structure that hung in the Atrium.

 

Cheers.

[TheNightfly]

I worked for Princess for 5 years in the 90's. The Star was my first ship and to this day my favourite ship ever. I began with Princess as a DJ and worked my way up to ACD and the CD. I did a 14 month contract just so I could sail on her last voyage before the transfer. The new ships may be bigger and have all sorts of amazing facilities but nothing compares to the kinship the officers, staff and crew had on the Star. So many passengers sailed again and again no matter the itinerary.

 

When she came over from Sitmar it was the beginning of the integration between the Italian Sitmar officers and the British Princess (P&O) officers. I can tell you that many, many people requested the Star and so many of the same people would come back after a break rather than going to a different ship. Yes, the Crown and Regal were newer and bigger when they launched but the Star was always the jewel of the fleet until she left in 1997.

 

I was aboard when she ran aground in Auk Bay Alaska and stranded all 1,250 passengers. Quite an adventure I can tell you.

 

For anyone who is interested in the Star or what Princess was like back then, I'll be happy to share some stories.

 

Someone mentioned the last voyage of the Star. I was on board as ACD to Mark Iannazzo and on the last night, passengers and crew were literally taking anything they could stuff into a suitcase as a souvenir including the paintings and plaques off the walls. Yes, I also bought a bunch (25) of the little silver ship pendants.

 

I worked in the industry for 14 years, sailing with Princess, NCL, HAL, Celebrity, RCCL and Carnival. There has never been another ship like the Star.

[Astro Flyer]

Wasn't Mark Iannazzo originally a Sitmar CD? I seem to recall that he was the CD on our summer 1988 Fairwind cruise.

 

Sailing the same ship 6 months later as the Dawn Princess the great pizzeria had been removed. :(

[TheNightfly]

Yes, Mark came over along with Janet (Planet) Edwards, Roger Lundblade and others. I can tell you that Princess had some of the best CD's at the time with John Lawrence, Billy Hygate, Peter Coleman (one of the youngest at the time but very talented and beloved by passengers), Jim Everett... The British CD's cut their entertainment teeth at the holiday camps back in the UK and brought a lot of the Princess staples along with them such as London Pub Night and "If I were not upon the sea".

 

It is a shame that today there are so many ships and so few capable Cruise Directors. The whole industry is so watered down. The truth is however that the ships are so big and so full of built in activities that the days of a Cruise Director actually knowing all of the guests and being known by all are long behind us. Today, they just throw some kid on stage and don't care that he or she has no talent or entertainment ability. Anyone who cruised 20 to 30 years ago will know exactly what I mean

[gotta cruise again]

I can tell you that Princess had some of the best CD's at the time with John Lawrence, Billy Hygate, Peter Coleman (one of the youngest at the time but very talented and beloved by passengers), Jim Everett...

 

I believe you meant "Pea'-tah" :D as I remember his name was pronounced!! I also remember he was firm that the cruise line name is pronounced "Prin-CESS' " with the accent on the second syllable. He also did a great job of acclimating new cruisers to a ship by describing forward and aft as the "pointy end" and the "blunty end" :D

 

Star was my first cruise; 10 days in the Caribbean with Pea-tah as the CD. Fond memories even if the stabilizers weren't working well and, well, you know :o:eek: We had an inside cabin (never did that again!) that was about as far forward as you could get...I seem to remember that the outer wall was curved as the hull was (but maybe I was imagining that in my ill state--lol)

[TheNightfly]

Yes, the one and only "Pea-tah". He got that name from one of the comedians who used him in his routine and it really stuck with the passengers.

 

I'm not an old man by any means but I just have to say, "Oh, the good ol' days...".

[easyboy]

Interesting stories!

[caribill]

As it looked in 1995

 

[TheNightfly]

I really believe that she was one of the most beautiful ships of her time and to this day I'm hard pressed to find a ship that comes close to her personality. The personality of a ship is made up of the staff, officers and crew plus the general feeling of the majority of the guests. So many people would return to the Star, contract after contract, voyage after voyage and year after year that the overall feeling onboard was truly something magical. Had you been on board the last night before she retired from the fleet you would have know how special she was to everyone.

 

I worked on the Sun, the (old) Golden, the (old) Crown and Regal, The original Pacific and Island, the Sky (Skytanic) and over 30 other ships between 5 other cruise lines, not to mention the numerous vessels I've sailed on as a passenger so I do know what else is out there. The Star was just a very special ship.

[ccruzer123]

I sailed on the old Star Princess many times, she still remains in the top 3 (Pacific, Coral & old Star) on my favorite list. The ship was a very special ship with a wonderful crew. My last cruise on her was in a suite with a balcony, I think I lived on that balcony the whole Caribbean cruise. Good memories.

[caribill]

When I click on this link I get an article about the Pacific Pearl. Nothing about Star Princess. Am I doing something wrong?

 

Only thing you might have done wrong is not read the entire article which includes the following:

 

Pacific Pearl will be 30 years old when it joins the CMV fleet. It has had a fascinating history, starting life as Sitmar Fair Majesty in 1987, before being renamed Star Princess and christened by Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn in 1989.