Old Cruise Ship--Drydock Tampa

[CaptChris]

A couple of months ago, while leaving for our cruise on the Nordic Empress, I noticed an older ship that looked like a cruise ship in a drydock in the Port of Tampa, across from the Holland American Veendam berth.

 

I totally forgot about it, until I started reading these boards on old cruise ships tonight, so I thought I would ask if anyone knows what ship that might be.

 

Nordic Empress 3/2004

4/2005 Undecided!

[TampaMike]

I believe the ship you saw is Titan Cruises, Spirit of St Petersburg. It was a RoRo ferry ship that was purchased by upstart Titan to run 1 day casino cruises from St Petersburg. I has been slow starting and already months behind schedule.

 

I sailed on Veendam in March, followed the Nordic Empress (now Empress of the Seas)for much of the Voyage. What was your opinion of her? Tampa gets the Splendour of the Seas next season to replace the Empress.

 

Retired CD & ShorEx from Royal Cruise Line, Celebrity, Holland America, Radisson Seven Seas, Premier, NCL.

 

 

[CaptChris]

The Nordic Empress was our first cruise, and we loved it. There was a lot of pitching and rolling but that was due to choppy seas pretty much all week.

 

The service and everything that RCI did was phenomenal (sp?). I would definitely sail her again. I am hoping she comes back stateside in the next few years for 7 day Caribbean cruises. I would definitely book it again.

 

How was the Veendam? My wife and I are not party people, and would consider a cruise on HAL especially out of Tampa.

 

Nordic Empress 3/2004

4/2005 Undecided!

[TampaMike]

I believe both Royal Caribbean and Holland America are excellent products.

 

In my opinion, I favor HAL for the more traditional style cruising, quiet atmosphere and larger (much larger than Empress') staterooms. The activity / entertainment on HAL is much more subdued than RCCI, but I find the service warm & gracious. The HAL ships trend to being less dense (fewer pax for ship size). Also, HAL is known to cater to mature clientel and you will find fewer families and children than RCCI.

 

Retired CD & ShorEx from Royal Cruise Line, Celebrity, Holland America, Radisson Seven Seas, Premier, NCL.

 

 

[xyzjo]

I believe the ship you saw is Titan Cruises, Spirit of St Petersburg. It was a RoRo ferry ship that was purchased by upstart Titan to run 1 day casino cruises from St Petersburg. I has been slow starting and already months behind schedule.

 

I sailed on Veendam in March, followed the Nordic Empress (now Empress of the Seas)for much of the Voyage. What was your opinion of her? Tampa gets the Splendour of the Seas next season to replace the Empress.

 

Retired CD & ShorEx from Royal Cruise Line, Celebrity, Holland America, Radisson Seven Seas, Premier, NCL.

MIKE, WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE NOW DEFUNCT REGAL CRUISELINE OUT OF PORT MANATEE? I AM A TAMPA NATIVE BUT I NEVER SAILED ON ANY OF THEIR SHIPS BUT I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE AND THEY ENJOYED IT.:confused: :)

[TampaMike]

You are correct. Regal Cruises went under a year or so ago. It was big news in Tampa as pax were boarding a cruise that was not to happen. They closed and the Regal Empress (ex Caribe I, Olympia) was auctioned off to Imperial Majesty Cruise Line. She is now the Imperial Majesty sailing out of FTL on short Bahama trips. She replaced the younger, but more expensive running Imperial Majesty (ex Ocean Breeze, Azur Seas, Calypso). The Regal Empress had been re-engined awhile back and her diesel engines were cheaper to run than the steam turbines the former Azur Seas.

 

Sadly, the former Ocean Breeze wound up scrapped in India.

 

In an update to the posting earlier...Titan Cruises re-emerged as Ocean Jewel Casino Cruises and now up and running from St Pete.

[Mr Veendam]

Hi Tampa Mike . Did you know Rick Spath . He was and still is a CD . He's a friend . He worked on our first cruise on the Home Lines Oceanic back in 1981 we also cruised with him on Sitmar and HAL . Now he works on the Disney ships .He stated working on cruises when we stated going on them .We Cruised with him alot . He's from NJ so are we !! And yes your right about HAL being more traditional . We have been on 60 cruises we just got off the Carnival Miracle a few weeks ago . from Tampa . We couldn't get back to Tampa we docked in Ft Louderdale they bused us up to Tampa .becouse of the hurrican !! First time cruising out of Tampa .Great port to go from !!Just booked the New Crown Princess out of NYC on a 9 day cruise next july . We're cruise HAL alot and RCCI to maybe we cruised with you .

Mr Veendam

[TampaMike]

Hello Mr Veendam,

 

Yes I know Rick. I worked with Rick on Rotterdam V in the mid 90s. Last I heard he left Disney for Crystal.

 

We have several parallels. I sailed Oceanic in the ealy 80s from New York to Bermuda & Nassau. Later, I worked aboard her under Premier. Now I am retired from the sea, but still sail HAL frequently. I was aboard Veendam in June to Alaska, and will be back aboard in December for a 10 day sailing from Tampa. I sail her every year from Tampa as well....very convienant. Capt Schoonderbeck & his wife are friends, that I also worked with aboard Rotterdam V.

 

Last, I was also born & raised in NJ (Woodbridge) and a Rutgers grad. Glad to see the Scarlet Knight playing some football this season.

 

Cheers.

[surfklutz]

If I am not mistaken - the ship in Tampa port is one of the Regency Ships - Regent Star maybe? It has been there for years.

 

I was surprised to see the Regal Empress tied up in Nassau just the other week. I always wondered where that landed.

[TampaMike]

There currently are no cruise ships laid up in Tampa.

 

The former Regent Sun (originally Shalom, Doric, Royal Odyssey)was laid up for some time in Tampa as the 'Sun', in a failed attempt to be made a gambling ship. She was towed from Tampa several years ago and while enroute to the breakers, sunk off Africa.

 

The Regent Star (former Statendam, Rhapsody) was laid up in Pireaus for several years until more recently meeting the breakers in India.

 

The ship that was mentioned at the beginning of this thread was likely the Spirit of St Petersburg, during it's conversion from RoRo Ferry to gambling ship for Titan Cruises, which now also has reached it's end.

[JimnKaren]

There was another Regent ship...the Regent Sea. What happened to her?

 

Jim