Jeanne1807

I remember the diving for coins and the vendors that would float next to the ship and their wares would be lifted up on ropes.

We went onto a little island where vendors were spread out on blankets selling embrodried blouses and all kinds of hand work.

It was a most interesting trip. I am so sorry to see the ship sunk! She was a beauty and I would love to find another ship like that one for a really nice cruise rather than the now 'shorts and flip flop' type cruises being offered with so many on board! Sigh for the good old days.

June, 1990, dh and I sailed out of Miami to Western Caribbean aboard a beautiful, old ship Britanis of the cruiseline Chandris. She had a fascinating history. Launched in 1931, maiden voyage 1932, then served as a personnel transport during WWII. It was a small ship, by today's standards, but was elegant. One thing I remember most about her is the beautiful mahogany paneling throughout the ship. We had a VERY small cabin with two twin beds (not very romantic ). Near the end of our cruise, we learned that some passengers had to share a public bathroom with other cabins. We then considered ourselves very lucky! LOL

 

In her cruising days, pre and post-war, some of her passengers included Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, the Rockefellers, Ronald and Nancy Reagan, and other dignitaries. There was a guest register book on display, opened to where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard had signed.

 

I looked up this ship to see if she was still sailing. Sadly, she was being towed to the far East to be scrapped when she sank, just off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa in 2000.

Hubby and I had our first cruise aboard the Chandris Fantasy Cruise line. Britanis was our ship. We boarded in Jamica and sailed all the way to Cartegena, Columbia. I remember the fishermen with their families in small canoes diving for coins we threw from the ship in I think Belize.

We visited Aruba and Grand Cayman Island. It was a wonderful trip for us celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary. Such happy memories...sigh.

I remember the special dress up dinners and all the waiters dancing and singing as they brought Baked Alaska to our table.

The stairways were wide and beautiful and there was a very limited number of passengers on our cruise. Not sure how many the ship would accomidate.

That cruise pretty much set the bar so high no other cruise we have taken can compare.

The elegance, staff, clean and just a beautiful adventure and memory!