Big Red Boat?

[Enchantment 04]

I have seen that ship in so many signatures on this website and know nothing about it!! Does anyone care to fill me in on the situation?? :D:eek:

 

 

 

Joe

[rclcruzer]

I have seen that ship in so many signatures on this website and know nothing about it!! Does anyone care to fill me in on the situation?? :D:eek:

 

 

 

Joe

isn't that the Disney cruise lines ship? I THINK they used that "reference" back about 10 years ago???? May be mistaken.........:confused:

Happy Cruisings!!

[montlee]

It was the Premier Cruise Line. They had (I think) three ships. I was on them several times. They did have cartoon characters, but I don't think they were Disney. The only ones I remember were Chip and Dale.

 

They had a great entertainer, Tommy Treadway, who did an act that involved the audience.

 

The company went bankrupt and the cruises that were at sea at that time literally 'stopped sailing' and they sent all the passengers home -including Tommy, who I kept in touch with.

[Spurs Fans]

Premier Cruise Line was a separate company from Disney. They had an operating agreement with Disney for many years. I was first on their ships in 1987. They indeed did have Disney characters on their ships and cooperated with Disney in advertising the company.

 

Disney ended the contract with Premier in @1996 when Disney decided it would be more profitable to build their own ships. The company had severe financial problems after that and eventually went bankrupt. It was very sad because it was a great cruise line and made a cruise/Disney combination vacation very affordable. Something that Disney no longer makes available.

[billfish]

My introduction to crusing was done on the Big Red Boat Majestic. Iwent kicking and screaming knowing that cruising had to be the most boring way to spend a vacation.

 

I may have been just a little off base with that evaluation and promptly booked my second cuise on the another one of the Premier Ships, Oceanic ?

 

Like one of the previous posts I found while the ships were older the line did a great job and I'm sad to see them gone

[greenskpr1]

I to miss the Big Red Boats they were sall and so passenger friendly. staff were always great. it was very sad to see them go.

[firefly333]

isn't that the Disney cruise lines ship? I THINK they used that "reference" back about 10 years ago???? May be mistaken.........:confused:

Happy Cruisings!!

 

It was a big red boat that I was on Im guessing about 13 years ago. It was cheap cheap cheap out of Ft. Lauderdale. Two could go for the price for one for instance to Freeport for the day for about $99.

 

When I was on it, I thought it was kind of a tub of a boat, not too impressed but great price.

[chessbriar]

This page will give you a little insight.

 

http://www.cruiseserver.net/travelpage/cruiselines/premier.asp

[RhondaC]

It was a big red boat that I was on Im guessing about 13 years ago. It was cheap cheap cheap out of Ft. Lauderdale. Two could go for the price for one for instance to Freeport for the day for about $99.

 

When I was on it, I thought it was kind of a tub of a boat, not too impressed but great price.

 

I remember going on a "Sea Escape" cruise that went to the Bahamas for just the day. They always had a 2-for-1 coupon in the Entertainment/Happenings book!

 

It was a very small cruiseship. You could book a stateroom if you wanted, just for changing, etc. Or you could just spend the day on deck. They also served 3 full meals.

[FreewayFortune]

THanks for posting the link. It was interesting to read all the descriptions.

[robert3556]

It was good to see this and a few other cruise lines go belly up. Passenger's area was okay, but below deck a nightmare!

[The Big Booper]

Most of the Premier fleet came from Dolphin Cruise Line. The SeaBreeze, OceanBreeze, IslandBreeze (nee Carnival Festivale) and the SS Dolphin. They were all older ships that had been converted from multi class to single class cruising. The food service on Dolphin was by Apollo Catering, the same company that ran Celebrity's catering (before the RCI merger).

 

None of these ships could survive in today's environment, both economics and SOLAS so they all have been broken up in India except for the SeaBreeze whose engines stalled during a bad storm and since the ship could not turn, sunk.

[JTJ]

Premier had three ships, my 1st cruise was on Premier's Oceanic. I believe it actually docked at Port Lucaya instead of Freeport GB. The Premier class cabins had a separate room off the bath that had a bidet toilet, that was fun.

 

The Sea Escape didn't go anywhere, it was billed as a voyage to nowhere. If you gambled you got on for free, most people just laid out in the sun.

[sunlover5]

Our first family cruise and it got us hooked. One of our DD wanted to go to Disney and the other was complaining so we compromised and did 3 day cruise 4 day at Disney. All 5 of us did not want to get off. We had a blast and to this day our children say it was the best vacation ever!!! We took it out of Port Canaveral!! Our characters on board were Looney Tunes!!!:)

[Spurs Fans]

The Looney Tunes characters came on board after the Disney brand pulled it's characters.

 

As I recall, Premier was probably the first cruise line to sail out of Port Canaveral. It originally offered 3 or 4 day cruises combined with 3 or 4 days at Disney. I still have one of the promotional videotapes from 1988 or so that we received to check out the cruise. I watch it once a year or so just for the memories of our kids first cruise.

[Cruising89143]

Most of the Premier fleet came from Dolphin Cruise Line. The SeaBreeze, OceanBreeze, IslandBreeze (nee Carnival Festivale) and the SS Dolphin. They were all older ships that had been converted from multi class to single class cruising. The food service on Dolphin was by Apollo Catering, the same company that ran Celebrity's catering (before the RCI merger).

 

None of these ships could survive in today's environment, both economics and SOLAS so they all have been broken up in India except for the SeaBreeze whose engines stalled during a bad storm and since the ship could not turn, sunk.

 

Actually the Seabreeze started out as a BRB and was named Starship Royale and was then purchased by Dolphin who was later purchased by Premier.

[Cruising89143]

The Looney Tunes characters came on board after the Disney brand pulled it's characters.

 

As I recall, Premier was probably the first cruise line to sail out of Port Canaveral. It originally offered 3 or 4 day cruises combined with 3 or 4 days at Disney. I still have one of the promotional videotapes from 1988 or so that we received to check out the cruise. I watch it once a year or so just for the memories of our kids first cruise.

 

 

For a while Premier marketed their BRB's as the AbacoCadabra cruises. They were the only cruise line at the time sailing to the Abaco islands.

[Enchantment 04]

Thanks everyone!! :)

[KJHorton]

I remember the Big Red Boat went bankrupt during our first RCL cruise in September 2000. We were in Nassau with one of their ships and all of the passengers were stranded. Glad we decided to try Royal Caribbean because we are still here.

[NAHA]

Oceanic was my very first cruise in June of 1987. I still have wonderful memories of that three day cruise, which was combined with 4 days in Disney.

[tw67]

We did the "Big Red Boat" for our Honeymoon, when it was still the Disney combo, with the Disney Characters. That was my first cruise, and the one that got us hooked! I was curious what ever happened to their private island in the Bahamas? Did another cruiseline take it over? I remember it being nice, and we had a great day there.

[The Big Booper]

All the "--Breeze" ships started out in life in the 50s and 60s. The OceanBreeze was the first ship to have a single rear funnel. These ships had character. Dolphin never had a lot of money so the Cruse Director's staff had to be very creative since these ships did not have much in the way of indoor facilities and when it rained, there was no Promenade or indoor lounges. Think the 12 days of Christmas sung as a cruise ditty with flushing toilets, etc.

[FloridaLaura]

We did the "Big Red Boat" for our Honeymoon, when it was still the Disney combo, with the Disney Characters. That was my first cruise, and the one that got us hooked! I was curious what ever happened to their private island in the Bahamas? Did another cruiseline take it over? I remember it being nice, and we had a great day there.

 

 

The private island we were at on our Big Red Boat Cruise, was Great Guyana Cay (part of the Abaco Islands) It was almost uninhabitated at the time. The cruise ship brought out a bbq buffet, there was swimming with the dolphins for an extra charge, parasailing etc. I man asked a few of us if we wanted to ride to the other side of the island (he had a John Deere tractor pulling a flatbed trailer, 6 or 8 of us piled in) he took us to the most secluded beach. It has the 3rd largest barrier reef. That was the best snorkeling day ever. We went back to the main part of the island for lunch, but quickly went back to the secluded side. I have checked around and no other cruiselines use that island. It now has a few motels and cottages to rent. You can fly into Marsh Harbor and ferry over to Great Guyana Cay. I have considered this very seriously because it was that great. the price to fly and ferry and hotel and food though would add up quickly in comparison to cruising:( But maybe someday !

[MTinGA]

My very first cruise was on BRB Oceanic...it had the Looney Tunes characters and was for 3 days to the Bahamas...Nassau and Port Lucaya. True, you cannot compare it to the ships that are being built now. But for a first timer, the ship and its crew were fantastic. I was hooked! I have not stopped cruising since. A true cruise addict was born on the BWB!!

[celtic_beauty]

Little red dingy err big red boat was my first ever cruise( I believe I was 12 ??) ....

 

We were in port( on the Disney Wonder) and they were side by side ( Big red boat & Disney Wonder) so that is why I now refer to it as the little red dingy.