Ship Name - Miami to Grand Bahama - 1972 or 1973

[Joanandjoe]

We think of our Alaska cruise in 1998 as our first cruise, but we actually had a 1 nighter 25 years earlier. Joan's parents bought some land in Cape Coral, Florida, and were given a one night cruise from Miami to Grand Bahama. We took the cruise, in 1972 or 1973. We don't remember the name of the ship.

 

Can anyone help, either directly or by suggesting a web site for research?

[dougnewmanatsea]

Was it perhaps the FREEPORT?

[Joanandjoe]

Thanks, Doug. When I have time this weekend I'll see what info I can get on the Freeport. That sounds familiar and logical, since that's the name of the town on Grand Bahama.

[Joanandjoe]

That must be it, Chase. Thanks. How did you find it?

[chasetf]

That must be it, Chase. Thanks. How did you find it?

Great source of pictures and history on the following site.

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/

[dougnewmanatsea]

Sorry for not getting back to this thread sooner - I've had my hands full the past few days with other business.

 

For more information on FREEPORT, you might want to take a look at this article. It comes from the now-defunct web site Ferry Voyager (fortunately still archived on http://www.archive.org) which was written by my friend Bruce Peter, an expert on Scandinavian shipping. I hope you enjoy it.

[Brianinidaho]

We think of our Alaska cruise in 1998 as our first cruise, but we actually had a 1 nighter 25 years earlier. Joan's parents bought some land in Cape Coral, Florida, and were given a one night cruise from Miami to Grand Bahama. We took the cruise, in 1972 or 1973. We don't remember the name of the ship.

 

Can anyone help, either directly or by suggesting a web site for research?

It might have been a ship named the Emerald Seas. It ran 3 and 4 night cruises in the 1970's. It was my first cruise when I was in the 4th grade. It was run by a firm named the Eastern Steamship company or something like that. A few years later we went on its sister ship, the Azure Seas, out of Los Angeles, down to Mexico, operated by the Western Steamship company (sister companies). They were big to us at the time.. about 35-40,000 tons. (Grand Princess is what, 130,000 tons or so).

 

Hope this is what you are looking for. Brian

[Joanandjoe]

Our "cruise" was a one-nighter, so it probably was the Freeport, not the Emerald Seas (which apparently did longer cruises).

[travel girl23]

JoanandJoe - I love your BB name. Same as ours - LOL. :D Joan and Joe (from Fort Worth). (aka TG23)

[Joanandjoe]

JoanandJoe - I love your BB name. Same as ours - LOL. :D Joan and Joe (from Fort Worth). (aka TG23)

 

Hi, travel girl. We didn't think we were the only couple in the country named Joan and Joe. Maybe we'll cruise together some day. Wouldn't that confuse everyone! Joe

 

Celebrity Zenith 5/13/06

HAL Noordam 11/23/06

[travel girl23]

Especially if we sat at the same table - LOL.:eek: Have a great cruise in May.

Joan (aka Travel Girl23)

[RevSmith]

Thanks for the websites.

[auburn77]

It might have been a ship named the Emerald Seas. It ran 3 and 4 night cruises in the 1970's. It was my first cruise when I was in the 4th grade. It was run by a firm named the Eastern Steamship company or something like that. A few years later we went on its sister ship, the Azure Seas, out of Los Angeles, down to Mexico, operated by the Western Steamship company (sister companies). They were big to us at the time.. about 35-40,000 tons. (Grand Princess is what, 130,000 tons or so).

 

Hope this is what you are looking for. Brian

 

We went on the Emerald Seas in 77 on our honeymoon. Does anyone know what happened to it?

[flsun]

Bought by Festival Cruises in 1992 and renamed Sapphire Seas. Laid up in 1991. Renamed the Ocean Explorer 1 in 1998 as a hotel ship in Lisbon for Expo 98. Returned for lay up in Greece. Brought out for cruises in Canada thru 2000 then returned to Greece.

 

Thoughts of using her as a hotel for the '04 Olympics in Greece never materialized. At age 60, she is now believed to have been sold for scrap metal :(.

[Joanandjoe]

Great source of pictures and history on the following site.

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/

 

 

Thanks, Chase. We followed all of the leads on this thread, and confirmed that the ship was, indeed, the Freeport, now known as the Discovery Sun. Amazing that it's still in service, albeit as a day trip ship, after 39 years. Our marriage and the Discovery Sun were both "born" in the same year, 1968. We wish the Discovery Sun calm seas and smooth sailing as it, and we, approach our 40th anniversary.