Norway Goes to the Breakers

[bdjam]

While some choose to disagree with the traditions of cruising, those of us who embrace them have certain affinities for ships. So tomorrow will be a sad day for some. Cruise News Daily (www.cruisenewsdaily.com) reports that Norway will be run aground on the beach in India tomorrow in preparation for the breakers to dismantle her. She was one of the last transatlantic liners built (as France) and when Knute Kloster rescued her from lay up in the 70s, he remodeled her and started sailing her around the Caribbean for Norwegian Cruise Line – basically reinventing cruising.

 

Since she carried the name Norway, they should take her out and give her a Viking funeral and sink her at sea. Seeing a beautiful ship broken down is stomach turning. Long may her memory live.

[WCAB]

I always wanted to go on the Norway. Even as there were new ships, this one seemed to be very elegant.

 

Is this a standard way to break apart a ship. It just seems so strange that the breaking up a ship is done this way. Do they let the broken parts just drift until they sink or do they have a crew picking up as the ship breaks up?

 

Carol

[wwinfl91]

I also agree although we never sailed on her. We had been looking at taking a cruise on her out of Miami when they had the fire in the boiler room and then they towed her away supposingly to fix and put her back in service.

 

I suspect with the new regulations and the damage to the boilers and the rest of the ship it was just too expensive to do. It would have been nice if someone would have decided to do something with her like they did with the Queen Mary in California but again I guess like almost everything it comes down to money.

 

It's too bad they didn't run into a bad storm somewhere between Europe and India that would have sunk her rather than have her broken up by the Indians.

 

Thanks for posting the news even if it is sad news.

[Colo Cruiser]

It is sickening, I sailed on her with my Dad as the France, and with my sons as the Norway. 6 times total. :(

[bubbadog]

i think she should be taken out to see and sunk,this would make a nice home to lots of marine life,and more of a proper burriel,just like they do for decomishioned naval ships:))):rolleyes:

[DeepWaterMariner]

I read an interesting post by a renowned marine artist and former master mariner on the HAL board about ships going to the breakers. He said that mariners, the people who make a career of the sea, would rather see a ship go to the breakers than to have them sink. Going to the breakers is part of the life of a ship...a circle of life thing. Sinking amounts to a premature end which is a sadder event than going to the breakers.

 

Anyway, I sailed on the Norway. I'm nostalgic for nearly every ship I've ever sailed on. An edition of Cruise Travel sometime in the last year had an article on the breakers in India. In the article there were 4 ships being broken up that I had sailed on at least once. It put a lump in my throat.

[bdjam]

I always wanted to go on the Norway. Even as there were new ships, this one seemed to be very elegant.

 

Is this a standard way to break apart a ship. It just seems so strange that the breaking up a ship is done this way. Do they let the broken parts just drift until they sink or do they have a crew picking up as the ship breaks up?

 

Carol

There was an article about the breakers in India a few editions of Cruise Travel back. I believe – don’t hold me to it – that Dawn Princess 1 was one of the ships being broken in the pictures. But what they do is run the ships aground on this huge beach and then cut the ships apart. The pieces are sold for scrap metal.

[woodofpine]

WCAB - I'm sure some posters will cross reference some articles. Nothing sinks here - this is probably the world's most brutally thorough recycling imaginable. I'm not sure what they'll do with the old asbestos on a ship like Norway... probably inhale it all...

 

When I was a youngster (late 60's) Time/Life published a book series on food cuisines of the world. The one on French cuisine ran a chapter on the galleys and food prep of the S.S. France (pre-Norway). It was amazing. I thought "Wouldn't that be great!". I missed my opportunity. It prompted me to take a shorty last year on Regal Empress though (a much smaller and less prestigious ship back "in the day"). Heck, I think Norway still retains the length record - she's well over Pana/Max.

 

Oh well, time waits for no one (ships neither).

[WCAB]

The whole concept from captains having a preference as to the end of the ship to salvaging/scrapping parts of the ship sounds interesting and when I have time I am going to read up on it.

 

Carol

[JotWorld]

This was a Most Elegant Ship, The Last Great Transatlantic Ship & The First Mega Cruise Ship all in one.

We thoroughly enjoyed Our first 5 Cruises on this Grande Dame :)

Via La France!

Bill & Irene

[shirtboy]

Wikipedia has several links to photos and essays about how old ships get dismantled. It is really eye-opening to see how the ships are recycled and what people have to do to make a living.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_breaking

The links are at the bottom of the page.

[gatour]

I read an article where a guy flew to India, and went to the area where the ships are broken. He bought several shipping containers worth of stuff like chairs, railings etc that came from the ship from shop in the area.

[DeltaOne]

I read an article where a guy flew to India, and went to the area where the ships are broken. He bought several shipping containers worth of stuff like chairs, railings etc that came from the ship from shop in the area.

About two months ago there was a great show on Discovery's HD channel about Alang, India. Alang is where the old ships go to be taken apart.

 

The workers work in terrible conditions for very little money. The injury and death rate is very high. And the entire area is one of the most polluted cities on the face of the earth.

 

It was sad to see how they "park" the ships. They simply get the ship lined up and drive it right up on the beach until it won't go any farther. Then they take off everything that can be sold (appliances, equipment, bedding...everything). Then they cut the ship apart and sell the steel to recyclers.

[Pam in CA]

When I was a youngster (late 60's) Time/Life published a book series on food cuisines of the world. The one on French cuisine ran a chapter on the galleys and food prep of the S.S. France (pre-Norway). It was amazing. I thought "Wouldn't that be great!". I missed my opportunity. It prompted me to take a shorty last year on Regal Empress though (a much smaller and less prestigious ship back "in the day"). Heck, I think Norway still retains the length record - she's well over Pana/Max.

When the S.S. Norway first sailed into New York harbor in 1962, I was working for Time/Life on the 32nd floor, facing the river. I will never forget the welcome she received with all of the boats, the ships' horns blowing, the fire boats' water christening. It was an awesome display.

[ggo85]

It seems odd to be sad when a metal object meets its end. I don't feel that way about my old cars or airplanes on which I've flown. However, ships are special. Or at least this ship.

 

Norway was my very first cruise in 1985. Since then, I've been on other ships -- large and very small -- but nothing compares. I took my mother on her first cruise on the Norway. We were fortunate to eat dinner at the Captain's Table. Until the day she died, she never forgot walking down the grand staircase into dinner or the magnificence of the public spaces.

 

It's hard to put into words why this feels like losing a family member. I know I wouldn't feel this way if the other ships on which I've sailed met similar fates.

 

Maybe it's the majesty of the ship. Maybe it's the majesty of the memories.

 

Regardless, it's very sad.

[SingerEsq]

I read an article where a guy flew to India, and went to the area where the ships are broken. He bought several shipping containers worth of stuff like chairs, railings etc that came from the ship from shop in the area.

 

You're referring to Peter Knego, who is an expert regarding former ships and liners, and is now starting to collect fixtures from ships being broken up. Here's his website: MidShipCentury Art

[peterv]

A sad, sad day for those that love the true liners. :(

 

I'll always have my memories of sailing on her though and strolling along the long promenades and wandering the odd deck layouts below.:)

 

 

Cheers,

Peter

[pooflady]

I was on the Norway in '94. My first cruise. What a beautiful ship. DH and I still laugh over the fact that some of the public restrooms had hot water in the toilets. Very hot water.

[LUVTOKRUZ]

I do share the sadness of the disappearance of such a grand old lady. I certainly appreciate the thought of possibly sinking ship as artificial reefs as opposed to breaking them up. However, one’s misfortunes are someone else’s fortunes.

 

In addition, the following is of interest:

 

http://www.20thcenturyliners.com/ol_news.htm

 

 

Cruise Industry News - [02 Aug 2006]

 

* The Supreme Court of India has granted the Gujarat Maritime Board permission to beach and break the former NCL ship "S.S. Norway". She will be beached sometime today [sic a bit premature].

 

Cruise Industry News - [28 Jul 2006]

 

* The word on the "Blue Lady" is that she does in fact have about 1,240 tons of embedded asbestos materials onboard. The court as conducted by the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), says that they are equipped to handle the problem locally.

 

It is perhaps better that she be broken up in Alang and her asbestos be safely disposed of.

[zydecocruiser]

When was the last sailing of the France? I think I might have been on it. Look out Ebay!!!

 

 

[Cruise38]

I cruised on the Norway in 1986. I could almost hear the ghosts of past cruisers on the SS France. Vic Damone was the headliner that week and I remember listening to the grand piano in the Club Internationale and walking down the grand staircase in the Windward dining room.

 

Barbara

[peterv]

I must confess that I "liberated" one of the charger plates from Le Bistro when we dined there. Oddly enough the waiter didn't even bat an eye that there was one less charger to clear. Lovely huge plate with a dark blue rim and "S/S Norway" in gold. :cool:

 

Cheers,

Peter

[CL-JW]

Very sad, if not entirely unexpected.

 

At least she had 20+ years of life post-France.

 

I remember as a kid being so excited about the Norway. I rushed out to the local TA to get brochures. Never did get to sail her though.

[Host Caroline]

Sailed the Norway twice and loved loved that ship... it's disappointing to see so many of the liners head for Alang. First time I saw her in Miami I knew I had to sail that ship and she remains one of my most favorite cruising memories.

A toast....

[richandkathynaplesfl]

We too had the great pleasure of sailing the SS Norway. I'll never forget

Club International with the statue of Poseiden. That was an amazing room. Our very first cruise was on the Norway. We also went on a few

" Theme Cruises " which were Rock and Roll cruises with some of the oldies including Paul Revere and the Raiders and Dion on the Norway...

Great memories of a Great ship...