what ever happened to the ts bremen?

[liz12540]

My parents sailed her in January of 1968 on a 14 day carribean cruise. Many of our relatives sailed her to Europe. Was wondering what happened to her . When was she built and did she have other names and other history on her. Thanks Liz.:)

[StephenJohnson]

Couldn't find anything specific to the 1960s iteration of the ship. ND Lloyd has had multiple ships of that name, though, and IIRC there's a (probably more recent one) still sailing.

 

Sorry I couldn't be more help. Maybe the all-knowing Host Doug can point you in the right direction.

[dougnewmanatsea]

Your all-knowing Host here, coming to the rescue ;) .

 

"Your" BREMEN is a fascinating ship with a rather chequered career. She was built in 1939 as PASTEUR for service from France to South America, but due to the outbreak of World War II never entered service, becoming a troopship under the management of Cunard-White Star. In 1945, after the end of the war, her management was transferred back to her French owners, and continued as a troopship, now carrying French troops to Indochina. After being laid-up in 1956, she was sold to Norddeutscher Lloyd who were left without a fleet after the end of the war. They rebuilt her completely as the new Atlantic liner BREMEN, and she entered service in 1959. She was a successful ship, but unfortunately NDL did not replace her original powerplant, and by the late 1960s she was becoming mechanically unreliable. NDL merged with Hapag in 1970 to form Hapag-Lloyd, and in 1971 the mechanically ageing BREMEN was sold to Chandris and renamed REGINA MAGNA.

 

Unfortunately, Chandris had no better luck with the ship's mechanicals than NDL had, and REGINA MAGNA was used only until 1974. Thereafter she became an accomodation ship at Jeddah for Filipino workers, called FILIPINAS SAUDI I. In 1980 she was sold for breaking up in Taiwan, and sank on her way to the breakers.

 

Stephen mentioned the present BREMEN - this is an entirely different ship, dating only to 1990. She was built as FRONTIER SPIRIT by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for a new company called Frontier Cruises, which was a joint venture amongst, among other companies, Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), Hapag-Lloyd, and Mitsubishi themselves. (NYK, the world's largest shipping company, were large players in the passenger market before WWII and in the late 1980s, they returned with a bang to the cruise industry, building the ultra-luxury ship ASUKA for the domestic market, and introducing Crystal Cruises and the joint-venture Frontier Cruises for the international market. ASUKA, CRYSTAL HARMONY, and FRONTIER SPIRIT were all built in Japan at Mitsubishi, though subsequent Crystal ships have been built at European yards.) Frontier Cruises aimed at the very high end of the expedition cruise market, and FRONTIER SPIRIT was the most luxurious ship ever built for expedition cruising. Unfortunately, unlike Crystal, Frontier Cruises was not a success and the ship passed on to former joint-venture partner Hapag-Lloyd who renamed her BREMEN. She continues with them today, with a principally German clientele, though in 2005 she will be chartered to a new US company called Expedition Leaders and renamed LEADERS' DISCOVERER. She will continue to be operated by Hapag-Lloyd, and marketed by Hapag-Lloyd in the German market in addition to being marketed by Expedition Leaders in the US.

 

So the name BREMEN will once again be available - I would not be at all surprised to see it turn up on a new Hapag-Lloyd ship soon, as along with EUROPA it is probably the most prestigious name in Hapag-Lloyd's repertoire (this dates from 1929 when NDL's magnificent twins BREMEN and EUROPA smashed the Atlantic speed record and captured the Blue Riband from MAURETANIA which had held it for a whopping 22 years).

[liz12540]

Doug,thankyou for all the infomation on the Bremen. I did some searching too,didn't know she had so many different names. It was sad to hear that she sank. She was some ship in her time,look foward to a new Bremen someday soon.Liz.:)

[seadays4me]

Thank you for the information. The Bremen was the first ship I was ever on. Sailed on her from Europe across the pond to NYC in 1965 with my family. I was 13 years old. I remember that the Captain had died during our voyage. Other than that I do remember having a great time.

[dougnewmanatsea]

I remember that the Captain had died during our voyage.

Now that is one thing I never hope to experience!