As I recall, there were 2 "Bahama Stars"...the first was at one point named the Arosa Star (as previously mentioned) and was grounded on the west coast of the USA. The other sailed originally for Zim Lines (an Israeli outfit) and I believe was named "Jerusalem", but I'm going strictly from memory here.
Anyway, the first Bahama Star ceased Bahamas operations around 1970 and then the second ship took up the task. She was at first named "New Bahama Star" and then her name later changed to "Bahama Star".
The second Bahama Star cruised from Miami to the Bahamas during the early 1970's, but was later retired. As I recall, this particular ship later sank on the way to the scrapyard after having been laid up in Mobile, AL, for a time.
Garnett
This is correct: I was the drummer in the show band on the New Bahama Star in 1970/71. We were flown out from England to join her in Jacksonville where she was being refitted. I'm not sure if that was the actual conversion from the Jerusalem or if she had already been in service for Eastern, but not everything had been refitted - when we were allocated our cabins on arrival, the bandleader discovered that his had been the Synagogue - very spacious with a large Star of David on the floor!
As I recall, we sailed out of Miami on Friday afternoons at 4pm and arrived Nassau Saturday morning, departing Sunday night to arrive back in Miami Monday morning. We sailed again Monday afternoon, arriving Nassau Tuesday morning, sailing Wednesday night for Freeport, arriving Thursday morning and departing that night to arrive back in Miami Friday morning to start the cycle all over again.
This was early days cruising, and about as far away as you can get from today's floating blocks of flats (which I would never board): these were 'proper' ships with a funnel in the middle, and although pretty basic by today's standards, there was an intimacy and sense of adventure that has perhaps been lost as the vessels have become so much bigger and more lavish.
Our job was to back the visiting cabaret which changed every few weeks, and play for dancing in the main showroom (The Star Lounge): there was also a really good little jazz trio playing in the forward bar / lounge and a Jamaican steel band.
On the last night of each trip, when the meal reached the dessert course, the dining room lights were extinguished, and with my snare drum strapped around my waist, and our saxophone player immediately behind, I led a procession of all the waiters on a march round and round the room, each holding aloft a large Baked Alaska with 3 blazing half eggshells on the top. This was real living in those days!
The waiters and bar staff were Italian, most of the crew were Bahamian, Haitian or Hondurasian, and the officers hailed from every corner of the known world. The captain was Bill Makrinos, (an Omar Sharif lookalike), the Cruise Director was Frank Dorman and the purser's name was Palmer Purser. Frequently we would have announcements consisting of "Attention: would Mr Purser, the Chief Purser, please come to the Purser's Office!
Her sister ship was the Ariadne, which sailed weekly to the Yucatan peninsula.
When our contract came to an end, we returned to the UK, and I spent the summer of 1972 cruising the Mediterranean on Shaw Savill line before sailing out to Australia to cruise out of Sydney for a couple of years. At the end of this I had fallen in love with one of the dancers, and came back to settle in England, hang up my lifejacket, and settle down to family life.
Happy days - I couldn't imagine any other job which would pay me to travel the world, doing the one thing I loved, and meeting lots and lots of delightful young ladies, many of whom seemed quite attracted to my Scottish accent!
Who sailed on the Bahama Star
in What Ever Happened To........???
Posted
This is correct: I was the drummer in the show band on the New Bahama Star in 1970/71. We were flown out from England to join her in Jacksonville where she was being refitted. I'm not sure if that was the actual conversion from the Jerusalem or if she had already been in service for Eastern, but not everything had been refitted - when we were allocated our cabins on arrival, the bandleader discovered that his had been the Synagogue - very spacious with a large Star of David on the floor!
As I recall, we sailed out of Miami on Friday afternoons at 4pm and arrived Nassau Saturday morning, departing Sunday night to arrive back in Miami Monday morning. We sailed again Monday afternoon, arriving Nassau Tuesday morning, sailing Wednesday night for Freeport, arriving Thursday morning and departing that night to arrive back in Miami Friday morning to start the cycle all over again.
This was early days cruising, and about as far away as you can get from today's floating blocks of flats (which I would never board): these were 'proper' ships with a funnel in the middle, and although pretty basic by today's standards, there was an intimacy and sense of adventure that has perhaps been lost as the vessels have become so much bigger and more lavish.
Our job was to back the visiting cabaret which changed every few weeks, and play for dancing in the main showroom (The Star Lounge): there was also a really good little jazz trio playing in the forward bar / lounge and a Jamaican steel band.
On the last night of each trip, when the meal reached the dessert course, the dining room lights were extinguished, and with my snare drum strapped around my waist, and our saxophone player immediately behind, I led a procession of all the waiters on a march round and round the room, each holding aloft a large Baked Alaska with 3 blazing half eggshells on the top. This was real living in those days!
The waiters and bar staff were Italian, most of the crew were Bahamian, Haitian or Hondurasian, and the officers hailed from every corner of the known world. The captain was Bill Makrinos, (an Omar Sharif lookalike), the Cruise Director was Frank Dorman and the purser's name was Palmer Purser. Frequently we would have announcements consisting of "Attention: would Mr Purser, the Chief Purser, please come to the Purser's Office!
Her sister ship was the Ariadne, which sailed weekly to the Yucatan peninsula.
When our contract came to an end, we returned to the UK, and I spent the summer of 1972 cruising the Mediterranean on Shaw Savill line before sailing out to Australia to cruise out of Sydney for a couple of years. At the end of this I had fallen in love with one of the dancers, and came back to settle in England, hang up my lifejacket, and settle down to family life.
Happy days - I couldn't imagine any other job which would pay me to travel the world, doing the one thing I loved, and meeting lots and lots of delightful young ladies, many of whom seemed quite attracted to my Scottish accent!
Robbie