Your first cruise ship

[Copper10-8]

Copper10-8, thanks. I just wanted to say you wrote about the Carnival Sensation, not the Carnival Celebration. While I'm sure Sensation is a fine ship to sail, I've never had the experience of doing so. ;)

 

My mistake; obvious lack of concentration and attention to detail!:o Sensation........Inspiration.........Imagination..............Celebration:eek:; I'll get you Celebration!;)

[MarkBearSF]

Interesting seeing all the replies and noting that most of the ships are no longer in service (or most often that they have been sold, renamed and are serving in less-glamorous situations)

 

In our case it was the Cunard Princess.

Our next cruise (number 21) will on the Eurodam, shortly followed by a 4-day outing on the QM2.

[sppunk]

My mistake; obvious lack of concentration and attention to detail!:o Sensation........Inspiration.........Imagination..............Celebration:eek:; I'll get you Celebration!;)

Hey, all these old Carnival ships can be at the bottom of the sea for all I care. :)

[Copper10-8]

Thanks John

 

The detective work you are putting in to this is amazing. So much information about Ivernia/Franconia/Fedor Shalyapin. Not sure if the next qualifies as a cruise - my parents and sister arrived in Australia from the UK in the fifties (as ten pound tourists) onboard the Sitmar (?) Castel Felice.

 

I've had not much luck digging up too much information on the ship. All we have are a few menus amazingly found at a friend's place who of course knew nothing of the significance of them.

 

peter

 

ss Kenya (1930-1970) Built in 1930 as ss Kenya by Alexander Stephen & Sons Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland for the British India Company. She operated initially between Indian and African ports (the Bombay - Durban run), carrying passengers (mainly Indian emigrants) and general cargo. On 18 December 1931, she commenced her maiden voyage, heading for Bombay, India.

During the Second World War, she was transferred to the British Royal Navy and in 1941 became the troopship HMS Keren. She returned to the United Kingdom, via the Suez, to be converted to an armed infantry landing ship. Renamed HMS Hydra, then HMS Keren, she participated in several important landings including those of Madagascar, Sicily and North Africa.

After the war, British India Line did not require her services, so she was sold in 1946 to the British Ministry of Transport, and in 1948, laid up in Holy Loch, Scotland for three years. Early in 1949 the Vlasov Group commenced negotiations to purchase her. However, during these negotiations, on 19 February 1949, she broke loose from her moorings during a storm and was badly damaged. The Vlasov Group continued with the sale, taking her to Glasgow for repairs. During this time, the Vlasov Group passed into the ownership of the Alva Steamship Company of London, who towed her to Rothesay Bay where she was laid up again. Prior to her eventually being renamed Castel Felice she had numerous other name changes; Kenya, Keren, then Kenya again. In 1950 her registry changed to the Panamanian flag and she was renamed Fairstone, only to become Kenya and Keren once again.

In October 1950 she was transferred to the Sitmar Line, renamed ss Castel Felice, and her registry was changed to Italy. On 15 October 1950, she was towed to Falmouth, England where initial rebuilding commenced. She departed under tow on 10 March 1951, heading for Antwerp, Belgium where further work was undertaken to transfer her back to a passenger ship. Finally, in August of that year, she headed under tow for Genoa, Italy, where she would receive the final “Italian touches” by her new owners. Both her profile and interiors saw many changes. Her funnel was shortened, a raked bow was fitted and her promenade deck was extended fully aft. Her main masts were removed while a new mast on top of her bridge and derrick posts were added. Her interiors were completely remodelled, with many new cabins added. Upon completion, she could accommodate 592 cabin class and 944 third class passengers.

 

With her bright new look, a gleaning white Castel Felice departed Genoa on 6 October 1952 on her maiden voyage to Australia, arriving in Fremantle (Perth) on 1 November. She then steamed to Melbourne on the 5th and to Sydney on the 7th of October. Following that voyage and upon her return to Genoa in January 1953, Castel Felice was transferred to the Genoa-Venezuela-Brazil-Argentina immigrant service for two years, and then pioneered the Bremerhaven-Quebec service, before returning to Australia on the Bremerhaven-Melbourne-Sydney route in October 1954

 

 

In 1954 she made several voyages to Canada and to the United States. Later that year she made her second voyage to Australia. As Castel Felice, she would become one of the most popular postwar immigrant ships in Australian service, carrying over 100,000 immigrants to Australia and New Zealand over 101 voyages between 1952 and 1970. At just 12,150 GRT, she might have been a relatively small ship, compared to other migrant ships, but she felt and looked bigger than she really was. Thousands of Italians, Dutch, Germans, and other nationalities sailed on her, heading for a new home in Australia.

 

In early 1955, air-conditioning was installed and her accommodations were changed to accommodate 28 First Class, and 1,173 Tourist class passengers. Upon completion, she departed Genoa on 26 February 1955 for her third Australian voyage, after which Sitmar returned her to their South American route

Late in 1957, Sitmar was able to obtain the lucrative contract to transport migrants from Great Britain to Australia. As a result, she was given another refit to make her ready for her new role. She departed Southampton on Thursday 6 March 1958 for Australia, arriving in Fremantle on 2 April 1958 and then in Melbourne on Monday, 7 April 1958. Castle Felice remained on the Australian (including some visits to New Zealand) service until 1970, when Sitmar lost the migrant contract to Greece-based Chandris Lines. At that time a decision was made by Sitmar to take her out of service by the end of the year.

On 15 August 1970, while berthed at Southampton, a fire broke out in part of her accommodations. Sitmar decided not to repair the damage and kept the involved cabins locked up. She was subsequently sold to Taiwanese shipbreakers. With a reduced number of passengers, Castel Felice departed on her last voyage to Australia, arriving in Sydney on 26 September 1970. She would remain there for eleven days. During this time all her crockery and linen was removed and forwarded to Italy, to be used on the recently purchased Cunard Liners, She departed Sydney on 7 October 1970 and headed for the breakers in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, where she arrived on October 21 ready for demolition

[Copper10-8]

 

One more as Castel Felice in 1958 in Bremerhaven, (then) West Germany

[diathoney]

My first was 1985, NCL Starward for my Honeymoon! It was an inside room. I remember the closet was just a rail hung over the foot of the bed! It took us a little while to find it! It think there was a very narrow closet cabinet too.

[jbeb]

:pWe were not on the ship more than 30 minutes having dumped our carry-ons and rushed to the rail to catch our push off (beverage in hand with big o grins firmly set).... Ed looked at me with wonder and said in a hushed voice "We're going to do this again aren't we?"

 

Oh My! Were we never more certainly hooked on anything. Cruising the Noordam cemented our love of all things Holland America. Only much later did we venture out to try other lines and assure we were not missing anything. We are relative light weights in the CC community with only a bit over 20 cruises under our belts but we still work and save hard for a chance to go off on another adventure at sea.:)

Jan

[Copper10-8]

The good 'ol Carnival Celebration, in 1989.

 

 

Celebration (1987-present) Built in 1987 as ms Celebration by Kockums Varv AB, Malmo, Sweden for Carnival Cruise Line. Celebration was the third and last ship of Carnival's Holiday class. She was delivered to her new owners in Fenruary 1987 and on 9 February 1987 departed Malmo on her transatlantic crossing to Miami, FL. After her naming ceremony, she departed Miami for her inaugural cruise to the Caribbean on 14 March 1987.

The Holiday class was the first class of newbuilds for Carnival Cruise Lines after their first new-build ship, the Tropicale. Only one of the three ships in the class are still sailing for Carnival. The first ship, the 46,052 gross ton vessel Holiday, was completed in 1985. In November 2009, Carnival Cruise Lines will retire her and she, like Celebration, will also be internally transfered to Iberocruceros where she will become the Grand Holiday in late 2009 or early 2010. A second and slightly larger sister ship, the Jubilee, was built in 1986 at 47,262 gross tons. In 2004, she was internally transferred to P&O Cruises Australia where she became the Pacific Sun. Celebration was the last of the class and would also find her way to Iberocruceros

Towards the end of her career with Carnival, Celebration was based out of Jacksonville, FL from where she operated four and five-day cruises to Key West, FL, Nassau and Freeport, the Bahamas. On 16 August 2006, Celebration struck the harbor floor in Nassau, the Bahamas as the ship, with over 1,100 passengers onboard, was preparing to dock. Her propeller was struck which, besides causing damage to the vessel, also released 53 gallons of lubricating oil into the sea. As a result, Celebration's captain was forced to cancel her port of call at Nassau and return her to her Jacksonville, FL homebase

In April 2008, she was internally transferred to Iberocruceros (Spain) and renamed Grand Celebration. The ship had an extensive refit before re-entering service with the Spanish line. The refit included new hull artwork. Unlike Carnival's other retired purpose- built ships, the trademark whale tail funnel was not altered or removed but only painted over. Grand Celebration entered into service for Iberocruceros in the summer of 2008.

Iberocruceros was founded in 2007 as a joint subsidiary of Carnival Corporation and Orizonia Corporacion. The cruise line is aimed at the Spanish-speaking market. Orizonia Corporación provided 2 ships from its existing Iberojet fleet, the Grand Mistral and the Grand Voyager. Carnival Cruise Lines provided Iberocruceros with the Grand Celebration and will transfer the Grand Holiday (the former Carnival Cruise Line ms Holiday) later this year.

 

Grand Celebration sails on mondays on seven-day cruises from Barcelona, Spain into the Mediterranean with stops at the Italian ports of Florence, Rome (Civitavecchia), Naples as well as at Valetta, Malta.

 

[crusinbanjo]

I'm going to show my age here. Mrs Banjo & I took our first cruise in 1989 to Alaska on the Island Princess. We booked an Eddy Bauer Package, I think this was offered only that one year.

 

We have come a long way since then, our first cabin was on Fiesta Deck, (deck 5), and was not much bigger than some of the walk in closets that we see in some suites today. In fact it was so small that we could not unpack at the same time and our luggage had to be taken out of the cabin stowed during the cruise! WE had a porthole for viewing, and a sofa that turned down into a berth at night. And the pool, Boy those things looked big on the TV show "Loveboat", but it was tiny!

 

We also sailed on her sister ship the Pacific Princess in Tahitti and in the Med. We were always spoiled by the small ship experience.

 

We actually ran into the the old Pacific Princess, 3 years ago in Puerto Rico, the ship was renamed, the Pacific I think, and still in use for cruising... ...just on a much lower end line, I'm sure, as it looked in need of repair!

 

What a fantastic time we had.... .....Still the cruise we compare everything too.

[Copper10-8]

I'm going to show my age here. Mrs Banjo & I took our first cruise in 1989 to Alaska on the Island Princess. We booked an Eddy Bauer Package, I think this was offered only that one year.

 

We have come a long way since then, our first cabin was on Fiesta Deck, (deck 5), and was not much bigger than some of the walk in closets that we see in some suites today. In fact it was so small that we could not unpack at the same time and our luggage had to be taken out of the cabin stowed during the cruise! WE had a porthole for viewing, and a sofa that turned down into a berth at night. And the pool, Boy those things looked big on the TV show "Loveboat", but it was tiny!

 

We also sailed on her sister ship the Pacific Princess in Tahitti and in the Med. We were always spoiled by the small ship experience.

 

We actually ran into the the old Pacific Princess, 3 years ago in Puerto Rico, the ship was renamed, the Pacific I think, and still in use for cruising... ...just on a much lower end line, I'm sure, as it looked in need of repair!

 

What a fantastic time we had.... .....Still the cruise we compare everything too.

 

 

 

Island Venture (1972-present) Built in 1972 by Rheinstahl Nordseewerke, Emden, Germany as Island Venture for Norwegian-based Flagship Cruises, she operated cruises between New York City and Bermuda.

In 1974 she was sold to P&O's Princess Cruises along with her sister ship, Sea Venture. She was renamed Island Princess (her sister, Pacific Princess). Both appeared in the 1970's television sitcom "The Love Boat", although Pacific Princess was the main 'star' of that show.

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In 1999, she was sold to South Korean-based Hyundai Merchant Marine (Hyundai Asian Cruises), named Hyundai Pungak in her role to transport South Korean pilgrims to religious sites in North Korea for two years.

In December 2001, She was purchased by Gerry Harrod and after a major refit that year, began sailing for UK-based Voyages of Discovery (Discovery World Cruises), as Discovery primarily out of Harwich, England.

After a brief stint as the Platinum for Feducia Shipping Co. S.A. in 2003 and another one as Andaman Victory in 2004, she is continuing to operate for Voyages of Discovery.

 

Voyages of Discovery describes itself as a "soft adventure" experience, a way for passengers to go to seldom visited destinations without the rigorous shore excursions and spartan accommodations of the "hard adventure" competitors. Exotic destinations include Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Norway's North Cape, Spitsbergen, the Amazon, Devil's Island, Easter Island and Robinson Crusoe Island, plus Antarctica and sub-Antarctic islands. It is the only non-Ecuadorian cruise ship with a port of call in the Galapagos Islands. She also cruises to Cuba but those trips are marketed only through its British brochures and Web site.

 

 

For the most part, she can be found in the Northern Hemisphere (Baltic, Scandinavia, Mediterranean, Aegean, North Africa) in the English Spring and Summer, and in the Southern Hemisphere (South America, Antarctica, and Indian Ocean) in the Autumn and Winter.

 

 

 

 

[url=http://boards.cruisecritic.com/"http://media.shipspotting.com/uploads/photos/rw/515257/Ship+Photo+Discovery.jpg&quot]

[Venado]

Holland America Line`s old Noordam in 1986. An 11-day Christmas & New Year`s cruise from Tampa, Florida. I was 16 and my grandparents invited the entire family (there were 16 of us) as our Christmas present. 23 years later and HAL is the only line I have ever cruised with!! Took the Eurodam from Copenhagen to New York last August, and am heading to Alaska on the Westerdam from Seattle in July.

[RedmondCruiser]

John - Help me out here. My first real cruise ship was the old Noordam in 1986 but my real first cruise ship was the Princess Kathleen ( 1925 - 1952) My parents took my on the triangle run between Seattle - Victoria to Vancouver and back to Seattle in the late 40's. Unfortunetly the only photos that I have of this CPR grayhound is of her sinking off Lena Point in Sept of 1952 http://vilda.alaska.edu/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=exact&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOROOT=all&CISOBOX1=Lena,+Point++Alaska&CISOSORT=descri|f

Do you have any other photos ??

Ron

[newfarmers]

 

One more as Castel Felice in 1958 in Bremerhaven, (then) West Germany

 

Thnaks so much John

 

just chatting with mum and dad on the phone and reading all of the info out to them. they came over in 57, arriving in Sydney in Nov so must have returned to the UK for the refit straight after

 

thanks again

 

wonderful

 

peter

[Copper10-8]

John - Help me out here. My first real cruise ship was the old Noordam in 1986 but my real first cruise ship was the Princess Kathleen ( 1925 - 1952) My parents took my on the triangle run between Seattle - Victoria to Vancouver and back to Seattle in the late 40's. Unfortunetly the only photos that I have of this CPR grayhound is of her sinking off Lena Point in Sept of 1952 http://vilda.alaska.edu/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=exact&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOROOT=all&CISOBOX1=Lena,+Point++Alaska&CISOSORT=descri|f

 

Do you have any other photos ??

 

Ron

 

 

ss Princess Kathleen(1925-1952) Built in 1925 as ss Princess Kathleen by John Brown & Co., Glasgow, Scotland for the Canadian Pacific Railroad. She would become their flagship and had been designed and built to operate on the coastal run for CP's British Columbia Coast Service. Princess Kathleen and her sister, Princess Marguerite, were 5,878 gross tons, 368 feet long, licensed to carry 1,500 passengers in 290 berths in 136 staterooms and had room for 30 automobiles. They were capable of running at 22 knots. Once in service, the new ships replaced CPR's Princess Victoria and Princess Charlotte, with the latter going to the growing Alaska cruise service.

 

 

 

Princess Kathleen's maiden voyage was from Glasgow to Vancouver, BC via a Panama Canal transit. Upon arrival, CPR put the passenger steamer on the famed triangle route from Vancouver, BC to Victoria, BC to Seattle, WA in the summer months.

 

In the twelve-month period from 1937 until 1938, Princess Kathleen steamed some 90,000 nautical miles. On 1 September 1941, during the Second World War, she was taken over as a troop transport by the British Royal Navy. During this time as a troopship, Princess Kathleen served mainly in the Mediterranean theater of war. Unfortunately, her sister Princess Marguerite was lost to enemy action on 17 August 1942.

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Princess Kathleen in the twenty two years between 1925 and 1946 steamed 1,750,000 nautical miles without engine overhauls or failure. Returned by the Royal Navy to the Canadian Pacific Railroad in 1947, she was refitted, overhauled and back in service along with the Princess Charlotte on the Triangle Route beginning on 22 June 1947, just in time for the busy summer season. Two years later, she was transferred to Canadian Pacific's Vancouver-Alaska cruise service.

 

Unfortunately, what war could not accomplish, a little poor weather and poorer seamanship by her chief officer did when Princess Kathleen was lost on the last summer Alaska cruise in the early morning hours of 7 September 1952. A full mile and a half off course due to miscalculation, she ran aground at a speed of nine knotts on a reef (Point Lena rock) at Lena Point, Alaska, some seventeen miles northwest of Juneau, AK. Fortunately her 307 passengers and 80 crew members were able to scramble down ladders to the beach before the ship slid off the rocks.

 

This happened when the tide rose, some ten and a half hours later, with her bow remaining aground while her stern was swamped causing her to sink in 130 feet of water. Her position and age of 27 years made salvage too costly and it was decided to leave her there.

At the inquest into her sinking, a company spokesman was quoted as saying, "Radar is turned on whenever the officer in charge deems it necessary. In this case it apparently was not deemed necessary." 300 of the passengers and crew later sued the CPR for $1,119,000. In May of 1954, those claims were settled with approval of a United States District Judge for $190,000.

 

The wreck of the Princess Kathleen now lies on her port side on a slope, with her bow only forty five feet below the surface and her stern at about one hundred forty five feet. The wreck has become a popular scuba diving site and is owned and managed by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.

[Copper10-8]

Holland America Line`s old Noordam in 1986. An 11-day Christmas & New Year`s cruise from Tampa, Florida. I was 16 and my grandparents invited the entire family (there were 16 of us) as our Christmas present. 23 years later and HAL is the only line I have ever cruised with!! Took the Eurodam from Copenhagen to New York last August, and am heading to Alaska on the Westerdam from Seattle in July.

 

 

 

m/s Noordam III (1984-present) Built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France and delivered to Holland America Line on 7 April 1984, registered in Sint Maarten, the Netherlands Antilles. She was the third ship in HAL's long history to bear the name Noordam and was the first built for luxury cruise service for the line. She was designed in the Netherlands but built in France.

Her name, Noordam, refers to the compass heading "North" as "Noord" in Dutch stands for "North". The first HAL ship with the name Noordam, built by Harland & Wolff Shipyard in Belfast, Northern Ireland, was launched in 1902 and served the line until 1928. The second "Noordam" was launched from the P. Smit Jr. Machinefabriek & Shipyard in Rotterdam and served the line between 1938 and 1963.

After a naming ceremony by her godmother, Mrs. van der Vorm-van der Wall Bake, daughter of former HAL president and CEO Nico van der Wall on 7 April 1984, she set off the next day on her maiden voyage from Le Havre, France to Tampa, Fl, via Horta, Azores and Bermuda. From Tampa, she would operate on Caribbean cruises in the winter season.

Noordam was identical to her sister, Nieuw Amsterdam III, but with art and decor in a Dutch East Indies theme. She would become a very popular ship with passengers as she cruised, primarily in the Caribbean in the winter and in Alaska in the summer. She made her final cruise for HAL from Barcelona, Spain to Lisbon, Portugal on 12 November 2004.

 

On 30 November 2004, the ship was acquired by Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines and was immediately placed on a long-term charter to British tour operator Thomson Cruises who renamed her Thomson Celebration. She is currently operating for them on low-price cruises around Europe.

 

[Copper10-8]

On 31 Mar 07 Terry my wife and me Stephen, embarked on a wonderful ten day New York, Tortola (cancelled by med evac), St Thomas, Roseau, Barbados, St Maarten and San Juan first cruise on the Noordam. What a fantastic introduction to cruising. At that time we really were quite willing to remain on board for the duration. But did not. We were in heaven. Working class types with all the service and attention made us feel very special. Thank you to the great staff and crew serving us. Our six dinner companions were also thrilled for us and made us most welcome. We shared many laughs and did enjoy one anothers company. It was the best surprise I sprang upon my willing and appreciative wife. PS Venice-Barcelona 05 Oct 09...more later.

 

 

Ms Noordam (2006-present) Built in 2006 as ms Noordam (IV) by Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A., Marghera (Venice), Italy for Holland America Line. She is the fourth ship in HAL history to bear the name Noordam and the last of the four ships in the 'Vista’ class (Zuiderdam, Oosterdam and Westerdam are her sisters). All four ships are named after/represent points of the compass: Noord (North), Oost (East), Zuid (South) and West (West). The Vistas were designed mainly for shorter, less than two week long, cruises in the Caribbean, Alaska, and Europe. The four ships are equipped with a diesel-electric power plant and an Azipod propulsion system. They were designed so that eighty-five percent of their staterooms have ocean views and sixty-seven percent have verandas; the extensive use of glass in the superstructure of the Vista-class ships is also reflected in the class name. The Vista’s feature "exterior glass elevators," located on both sides of the vessels and vertically traversing 10 decks, providing guests with panoramic sea views.

 

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At 82,500 grt, Noordam is almost 30% larger than HAL's "R" class and almost 35% larger than their "S" class ships. The Noordam has a length of 950ft and a 105.8ft beam. She has a speed of 24 knots, with a service speed of 22 knots. Noordam has a passenger capacity of 1,918 souls and she has 800 crew members. There were originally five Vista’s planned for HAL but that fifth hull was first transferred to Cunard Line in 2003 and then a second time to P&O Cruises to become their ms Arcadia.

 

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Noordam was the first Vista built to incorporate all of HAL’s 2003 Signature of Excellence enhancements into its design. As such, she came out with new stateroom amenities (luxury beds and bed linens upgrades, Euro-style mattresses and waffle-weave bathrobes to all cabin categories), new massage-type showerheads in all bathrooms, new flat-screen LCD televisions and DVD players in all cabins, a Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine magazine, for gourmet cooking demonstrations and interactive classes; a Greenhouse Spa & Salon, offering thermal suite treatment, a hydrotherapy and thalassotherapy pool and heated ceramic lounges; an Explorations Cafe to serve as a multidimensional venue for onboard programming, Pinnacle Grill alternate restaurant, a ”Loft” for teens, an area designed exclusively for teens (ages 13-17). In addition, Noordam differs from her three older sisters in certain ways: she has a Pinnacle Bar in place of the Windstar Café, a redesigned Ocean Bar as well as thirty-five additional cabins near her stern which, in turn, meant a redesigned aft end.

 

 

Noordam’s Atrium is dominated by a large Waterford Crystal gyroscope that changes color as it rotates. Examples of her onboard art include museum-quality paintings such as an oil painting of the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands, painted in 1842, as well as contemporary art such as a series of photographs of music greats Dizzy Gillespie and BB King. One of the most valuable pieces of furniture onboard the ship is an inlaid chest flanked by carved wooden 17th-century Baroque columns. Made in Germany in 1885, the chest is inlaid with ebony and precious stones.

 

After running technical trials in the Adriatic and having been accepted by her new owners, Noordam crossed the Atlantic under the command of Holland America Line Captain John Scott. This brought her to New York City where on 22 February 2006, she was christened by her godmother, actress Marlee Matlin. She later departed on her maiden voyage, a ten-day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. For the 2006 summer season, Noordam operated in European/ Mediterranean waters before returning to New York and the Caribbean in the fall. She has since been homeported out of Ft.Lauderdale for her Caribbean cruises.

 

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[carrie_me_away]

My first cruise was in 1983 aboard the P&O liner:Oriana. I loved it, but never got to do it again until last year, when I sailed on the Statendam from Vancouver to Alaska. I am counting the weeks until my next trip.

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was in 1983 aboard the P&O liner:Oriana. I loved it, but never got to do it again until last year, when I sailed on the Statendam from Vancouver to Alaska. I am counting the weeks until my next trip.

 

 

 

ts Oriana (1960-2005) Built in 1960 by Vickers-Armstrongs, Barrow, England as ts (turbine steam ship) and ocean liner Oriana for British P&O Orient Line (originally Orient Steam Navigation Company) for their England to Australia service. She was delivered on 15 November 1960 to her new owners and, at 27.5 knots, she cut the travel time to Australia to three weeks.

She departed Southampton on 3 December 1960 on her maiden voyage which would take her to Sydney, Australia, Auckland, New Zealand, across the Pacific to the U.S. West Coast, and via the Panama Canal and Atlantic back to Southampton. She would make additional journeys to Sydney and was also used on several cruises.

In 1965 Orient Line was fully absorbed into the parent P&O group (Prior to this, P&O had a controlling interest in the Orient Line since 1919). From 1973, Oriana was converted to operate as a full-time cruise ship for P&O Cruises and from 1981 until her retirement with P&O in March 1986, was home ported in Sydney. After a layup of two months, Oriana was sold to the Japanese Daiwa House Group and in 1987 moved to Osaka, Japan to become a floating hotel as well as a tourist center.

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On 17 July 1995, she was purchased by Chinese interests and towed to Qinhuangdao, China to became a hotel ship. In November 1998, she was sold again, this time to the Shanghai Oriana Entertainment Corporation and towed to Shanghai for use as floating hotel, museum and exhibition ship. On 28 September 2000, she was sold for the third time in five years, this time at public auction, to the Shanghai-based Hangzhou Jiebaie Corporation. They would spent $375,000 to refit her as a tourist attraction in Shanghai.

On 17 June 2004, she was caught by a severe gale that caused her to take on water and resulted in a severe list. Subsequent repairs over another year failed to correct the list and in July 2005 she was sold for scrap and broken up at the Zhangjiagang shipyard, Jiangsu Province, China later that year.

[Druke I]

I sailed twice on Oriana. First time, in 1964, she still had Orient Lines' corn-yellow hull, and had the 1st class Grille. We were in a Court Cabin, forward.

 

The 2nd time, Christmas 1970, she had white hull, with P&O's yellow funnel. We were down in a "convertible" cabin on F deck.

 

She was a lovely ship, and did seem huge. Actually, for the day, she was fairly large.

 

I always wanted to sail on her running mate, Canberra, but it did not work out.

[dukeysmom]

My first cruise was aboard RC Sovereign of the Seas, May 1992, Eastern Caribbean itinerary. Went with my best friend and her college-aged daughter. Her daughter and I were engaged (not to each other!) and this was our last "girls vacation" before our weddings. The memories are bittersweet - my friend passed away five years later from cancer. I'm so glad we had the chance to go on this cruise before she became ill.

 

On an upnote - I introduced my husband to cruising a few years later and he loves it!

[Copper10-8]

I sailed twice on Oriana. First time, in 1964, she still had Orient Lines' corn-yellow hull, and had the 1st class Grille. We were in a Court Cabin, forward.

 

The 2nd time, Christmas 1970, she had white hull, with P&O's yellow funnel. We were down in a "convertible" cabin on F deck.

 

She was a lovely ship, and did seem huge. Actually, for the day, she was fairly large.

 

I always wanted to sail on her running mate, Canberra, but it did not work out.

 

Some more pics of Oriana

 

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was aboard RC Sovereign of the Seas, May 1992, Eastern Caribbean itinerary. Went with my best friend and her college-aged daughter. Her daughter and I were engaged (not to each other!) and this was our last "girls vacation" before our weddings. The memories are bittersweet - my friend passed away five years later from cancer. I'm so glad we had the chance to go on this cruise before she became ill.

 

On an upnote - I introduced my husband to cruising a few years later and he loves it!

 

 

ms Sovereign of the Seas (1988-present) Built in 1988 as ms Sovereign of the Seas by Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, France for Miami-based Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL). She was the lead ship of a three-ship (Sovereign) class, her sisters being Monarch of the Seas (1991) and Majesty of the Seas (1992). They were the first modern megaships to be built and the first series of cruise ships to include a multi-story atrium with glass elevators. They also had a single deck consisting entirely of cabins with private balconies instead of oceanview cabins.

 

 

After having been delivered to her new owners on 19 December 1987, she then crossed the Atlantic to Miami, Fl. She was christened and named by her godmother, Rosalyn Carter, wife of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter on 15 January 1988. At the time of her maiden voyage on 16 January 1988, she was the largest cruise ship in the world at 73,192 gross tons. She held that record until 1990 when the ss Norway succeeded her after being refurbished with the addition of two more decks.

 

 

RCCL initially operated Sovereign OTS out of Miami, Fl on seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises. Later on during her RCI career, she operated on three and four-night sailings to the Bahamas, also from Miami. In 2006 however, she switched her home base to Port Canaveral, Fl with a smilar itinerary. Besides Nassau, these cruises also visited CocoCay (Little Stirrup Cay), RCI's (Royal Caribbean International - name change in 1997) privately-owned island in the Berry Islands

 

 

In October 2007, RCI announced that Sovereign of the Seas would receive an internal transfer to the fleet of their subsidiary, Spanish-based Pullmantur Cruises in November 2008. Sovereign of the Seas' last scheduled sailing for Royal Caribbean International was on 31 October 2008 and in November 2008, her sister Monarch of the Seas assumed her sailings out of Port Canaveral. Sovereign of the Seas received a refit and a new name 'Sovereign'. Beginning in March 2009, she has been operating Mediterranean cruises for Pullmantur out of Barcelona, Spain.

 

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[Seago2]

John- I can't tell you how much I am loving this thread!

 

I was on the Princess Marguerite in the 70's... seemed like it was a day trip from Seattle to Victoria Island, tho...

 

Thanks for my daily lesson!

[dukeysmom]

John,

 

Thank you for the background and update on Sovereign. I remember how "huge" she looked when I first saw her in Miami. Alas, brings back alot of memories....

 

Stephanie

[Copper10-8]

That's when the addiction started and it keeps getting worse.

 

ms Volendam (1999-present) Built in 1999 as ms Volendam by Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A., Marghera (Venice), Italy for Holland America Line. She is the third ship in HAL history to bear the name Volendam and the second ship of the four vessel 'R' class (Rotterdam, Zaandam, and Amsterdam are her sisters – really should be divided into two classes, the Rotterdam & Amsterdam and Volendam & Zaandam). She was named after the town of Volendam located in the Dutch province of Noord Holland (North Holland), in the municipality of Edam-Volendam.

At 61, 369 gross registered tons, Volendam is slightly larger than the “S” class ships and has three design changes that distinguish her from that class: Her aft swimming pool was moved from Navigation Deck up one level to Lido Deck, an alternate restaurant, at the time called the Marco Polo, later changed into the Pinnacle Grill, was incorporated and a mid-ship elevator bank and stairwell was added. Volendam is similar to the lead ship of the “R” class, Rotterdam, but is slower (basically the same speed as the “S” class ships). Volendam also has a single funnel (a different design than the “S” class funnels), whereas Rotterdam has a twin-funnel, side-by-side arrangement. Unlike ms Rotterdam, one of HAL’s two flagships designed for longer, world-wide cruises, Volendam was designed for yeoman duty in the Caribbean and Alaska but has also found her way to Hawaii, the South Pacific, Australia and Asia.

The first Volendam, built by Harland & Wolff Ltd, at Glasgow, Scotland, was launched on 6 July 1922 as a 15,434 ton ocean liner. Volendam I would sail between Rotterdam and New York through 1940. She then served as a troop transport during World War II. After the war, she was used to transport Dutch troops to the former Dutch East Indies and Dutch citizens back to the Netherlands. She was also used as an immigrant ship on runs to Australia and Canada. She was scrapped in 1952.

 

The second Volendam was launched as Brasil at Pascagoula, Ms for Moore-McCormack Line in 1958. She was purchased by HAL in 1972 and used for cruising out of New York during the summer and in the Caribbean during the winter season, interspersed with periods of lay-up and charter agreements. HAL sold her in 1983 and she joined her new owners in February 1984. (she was sold for scrap and broken up in 2004).

 

After running technical trials in the Adriatic, Volendam was delivered to Holland America Line on 15 October 1999 and then crossed the Atlantic. Upon arrival in Ft. Lauderdale, FL she was christened by her godmother, tennis star Chris Everet in a ceremony on 12 November, 1999. She departed that afternoon on her maiden voyage to the Caribbean.

 

The basic layout of Volendam’s public rooms are the same as that of ms Rotterdam VI, including her two-tier Rotterdam dining room, Lido buffet-style restaurant, an alternate restaurant initially known by the name of Marco Polo, as well as a Club HAL children’s room on her Sports Deck that can also be used as a meeting or reception room. Her main two-story show lounge, named after Dutch Golden Age painter Frans Hals, features colorful colonnades against dark wooden walls. The Frans Hals’ decor goes back to the Art Deco era with a design inspired by the famous Tuschinski Theater in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Her trade mark Ocean Bar attracts the pre- and post-dinner cocktail crowd and her 205-seat Wajang theater, the place for movies, meetings and presentations. The Crows Nest observation lounge has a 320-degree view for taking in port departures and arrivals. She has an Ocean Spa fitness center with massage, sauna and steam rooms. Volendam also came out with the Explorers Lounge, Piano Bar, a 24-seat Erasmus Library, an Internet center, shops stocked with duty-free goods, and a Casino. The Casino Bar, in addition to being the ship’s sports bar, features cinematic memorabilia, including costumes, props, photos and posters of movies and the stars who made them.

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Volendam has a floral theme for her interior décor, from the 17th to the 21st centuries. This is reflected in a floral motif throughout the ship’s public rooms and staterooms. “Flowers” can be found in abundance in the forms of floral fabrics and tapestries, as well as in large vases of tropical floral arrangements and chrysanthemums. In addition to fresh flowers throughout the ship, Holland America Line has drawn on its collection of artwork to enhance the interior of the ship’s public spaces. Everything from ceramic vases handcrafted by Royal Goedewaagen in Delft, Netherlands, pre-Columbian sculptures including a female figure in earthenware found near Jalisco that dates from about 100 BC and a jaguar vessel found in Central America around 1500 AD, to Renaissance-era fountains imported from Italy, are included in its hallway galleries. At the heart of the ship, Luciano Vistosi, one of Italy’s leading contemporary glass artists, created a light-filled sculpture combining red lacquered metal and blocks of glass. Vistosi is also responsible for the “Totem” sculpture on Maasdam and the “Jacob’s Ladder” sculpture on Veendam. For Volendam, he was inspired by the colors of a kaleidoscope or “Caleido” in Italian. A bronze sculpture of leaping dolphins by British artist Susanna Holt is located at her mid-ships Lido pool.

 

In November, 2003, Holland America Cruise Line announced a program of up-scaling their cruise ships, cruise line image and passenger cruise experience called the 'Signature of Excellence program'. This enhancement program included stateroom amenities (luxury beds and bed linens upgrades, Euro-style mattresses and waffle-weave bathrobes to all cabin categories), new massage-type showerheads in all bathrooms, new flat-screen LCD televisions and DVD players in all cabins, a Culinary Arts Center (in her Wajang theater), presented by Food & Wine magazine, for gourmet cooking demonstrations and interactive classes; a Greenhouse Spa & Salon, offering thermal suite treatment, a hydrotherapy and thalassotherapy pool and heated ceramic lounges, and the ”Loft”, an area designed exclusively for teens (ages 13-17). Volendam had her SOE enhancements installed while in dry-dock in December 2005.