Your first cruise ship

[peaches from georgia]

Back in 1996, RCCL (now RCI) was sailing Song of Norway on 7-Day Mexican Riviera cruises. Starting in late November 1996, she was replaced by the larger Song of America

Glad you said SofAm replaced SofN in 1996. I said our first cruise was mid-80s; meant mid-90s.

[DFD1]

We loved Song of America. Sailed her down thru the islands a long time ago. Beautiful ship. I think she's still sailing somewhere.

[Tiggertastic]

Mine was on a cruise line that no longer exists - it was Ocean Village, owned by carnival and was marketed to the UK. They announced the sale of them whilst we were on board in 2008 for the 2nd time (my I remember the sudden change of good service to 'we don't give a damn') finished the season in 2010 and they went to Australia and rebranded them.

 

We did the Mediterranean - it only had 2 restaurants, both buffet and although we've been on over 25 cruises - this ship had the best storage and shower I've ever had on a ship.

 

Great times were had

 

I'd get on it again if we had the chance in Australia - brilliant cabins bit not a single balcony to be had

Edited April 18, 2013 by Tiggertastic

[Copper10-8]

We loved Song of America. Sailed her down thru the islands a long time ago. Beautiful ship. I think she's still sailing somewhere.

 

ms Song of America (1982-present) Built in 1982 as ms Song of America by Oy Wärtsilä Ab (Wartsila New Ship Yard), Helsingfors (Helsinki), Finland, for (then) Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL). At 37,584 grt, she was one of the largest cruise ships built at the time.

 

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line had operated throughout the 1970s with three ships; Song of Norway, Nordic Prince and Sun Viking, that had been built at the same yard in Finland, two of which (Song of Norway in 1978 and Nordic Prince in 1980) had been lengthened. Due to increased demand, RCCL decided to order a new and larger ship, again from the Wärtsilä shipyard, which was to become Song of America.

For the interior layout of this new ship, RCCL decided to adapt a system with cabins stacked towards the front, furthest away from engine noise, with public spaces to aft. This layout, widely used on large ferries built by Wärtsilä at the time, had rarely been seen on cruise ships. The public spaces on decks five and seven were built with one and a half times the standard deck height, leading to deck six only existing in the forward part of the ship. Unlike Song of Norway, Nordic Prince and Sun Viking, Song of America's Viking Crown Lounge, the trademark of all Royal Caribbean ships, completely surrounded her funnel providing passengers with a 360 degree view

 

 

She was delivered to her owners on 11 November 1982 and after a transatlantic crossing arrived in Miami, Fl. from where she operated a cruise to nowhere for media and travel professionals. On 3 December 1982, she was christened by her godmother, American opera soprano Beverly Sills, in a lavish ceremony. On 5 December, she departed Miami on her maiden voyage, a seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruise to Nassau, the Bahamas, San Juan, Puerto Rico and St, Thomas, USVI with former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalyn among her guests.

 

During the early part of her RCCL career, this seven-day itinerary from Miami would be her staple. Later on starting in November 1996, she would make several trips to the U.S. west coast via the Panama Canal, operating on the Alaska run in the summer season and down to the Mexican Riviera (Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta) out of Los Angeles, CA (San Pedro) during the winter months. RCCL also operated her on 7-day Bermuda runs out of New York City.

 

She was sold in May 1998 for U.S. $94.5 million to Sun Cruises, a subsidiary of UK-based package holiday company Airtours Group plc. Sun Cruises immediately chartered the ship back to RCCL until March 1999. Unlike earlier ships sold by RCCL, her Viking Crown lounge was not removed when she was handed over to her new owners. Sun Cruises had her refitted with additional suites on deck nine, renamed her ms Sunbird, and operated her for cruising around Europe, mainly in the Mediterranean. In 2002, Airtours Group plc, re-branded under the new company wide banner of MyTravel Group plc and, as a result, Sunbird received MyTravel house colors.

 

 

In 2004, MyTravel Group plc ran into financial difficulties in 2004 and decided to pull out of the cruise vacation and ship ownership business. So on 26 July 2004 Sunbird was purchased by Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Line, a subsidiary of travel and tourism group Louis plc. History repeated itself when Louis Cruises immediately chartered the ship back to Sun Cruises until February 2005 which is when she was laid up in Pireaus, Greece.

 

[url=http://boards.cruisecritic.com/"http://media.shipspotting.com/uploads/photos/rw/1060569/Ship+Photo+Thomson+Destiny.JPG&quot][/url]

 

On 3 May 2005, she was placed on long-term charter until 2012 by UK-based Thomson Cruises, one of Airtours/MyTravel Group's main competitors, who renamed her Thomson Destiny. Since that time, Thomson has used her for cruising in the Mediterranean as well as Red Sea, to the Canary Islands and to the west coast of Africa. In the winter of 2009, she returned to the Caribbean, her initial area of operations with RCCL back in the early eighties.

On 14 May 2012, Thomson Destiny returned to Cyprus-based Louis Cruises and was renamed Louis Olympia. After spending some time in Trieste, Italy as an accommodation ship for contractors working on the Carnival Destiny, she herself, went into dry-dock at the Viktor Lenac shipyard in Rijeka, Croatia for refurbishing.

 

 

[BillB48]

Well a little bit of a squirt when my dad snapped this pic, this could have been the first "cruise" ship I was on, but it is hard to say with certainty. In any event it was one of the identical sister ships.... so it did look like this one! A little history, the ship in the pic is the Panama, one of three identical ships, the other two were the Ancon and Cristobal. The Panama was eventually sold to American President Lines and became the President Hoover. She was later sold to Chandris and became the Regina Prima, scrapped sometime in the 80s. The picture was taken when the Panama and the ship my dad was on (one of the sisters) met in Port au Prince Haiti.

 

[OleSalt]

The Panama Railroad Company, a subsidiary of the Panama Canal Company owned and ran three ships, Known as the ABC ships: Ancon, Balboa and Cristobal. They were used to carry freight in support of the Canal Company and also employees of the Canal on their scheduled vacations back to the States. I remember seeing them tied up at the pier in the Hudson River. Thanks for the memory.

[rrogers123]

It was in 1983 on the Cunard Princess Coastal Cruise (Vancouver to Los Angeles) with two other friends (I got the upper bunk).

[BillB48]

The Panama Railroad Company, a subsidiary of the Panama Canal Company owned and ran three ships, Known as the ABC ships: Ancon, Balboa and Cristobal. They were used to carry freight in support of the Canal Company and also employees of the Canal on their scheduled vacations back to the States. I remember seeing them tied up at the pier in the Hudson River. Thanks for the memory.

 

That was Pier 64, if I remember correctly Pier 64 was a little down river from where all the big trans Atlantic liners docked.

[DKNYC]

That was Pier 64, if I remember correctly Pier 64 was a little down river from where all the big trans Atlantic liners docked.

 

Hi

I believe that would be about 24th Street . Where the Chelsea Pier complex is now.

Denise

 

Sent from my YP-G70 using Tapatalk 2

[I Luv Crusin]

My first cruise was a Princess ship out of San Juan sometime in 1983 or 84. I don't remember her name.

 

Trying to plan my 3rd Holland America cruise for next June to NE/Canada but I NEED a schedule!

[OleSalt]

In June of 1950 after a grueling academic year I boarded the Training Ship “Empire State” of the New York State Maritime College. After several days of hauling cases of food, etc on board we were given two hours to move all our belongings on board and given gym lockers for storage. (This is my first lesson in packing for a cruise.) Was issued a piece of canvas 24'”X 72” and two pieces of clothesline. We were told to lash the canvas to the plain pipe racks we saw stored four high, These were our luxury sleeping accommodations. Upper classes in the upper bunks and us “mugs” in the bottom.

We left New York on a sunny June day and as soon as we were out of sight of the dock were sent below to don dungarees (now called jeans and I still refuse to wear them) and taken to the engine room. So much for the sunny day.

Seventeen days across the Atlantic. Work from 0800 to 1600 and then stand watch for four hours. There were luxuries, if you stood the Mid Watch (0000-0400) you could sleep in 'til 0700 vice 0630.

No showers, the ships evaporators couldn't produce enough fresh water for 450 Cadets and Officers so we made do with a washbasin of water. Wash first and then shave with the residue. THEN polish the washbasin. The rest of the sanitary facilities will not be described except to say they might look normal in Yemen. The Deck guys were somewhat lucky. They could get up at 0530 to wash down the ship with saltwater hoses. Turning the hoses on each other in a water fight resulted in something close to a shower, plus your clothes were washed (sort of) at the same time.

Emergency drills were held weekly. Lifeboats were lowered by hand, rowed around the ship and raised and stowed, again by hand.

The ship had two engine rooms, twin screw turbo-electric. We steamed on one engine room and did maintenance on the other. This was a great opportunity to see the inside brickwork of a large boiler and examine the interesting material that accumulated in the bilges. Trouble was, after the examination, we had to clean it all up.

Food in the Mess Deck (Lido) was served by surly Filipino messmen who specialized is doling out just enough on your tray to keep body and soul together.

On the Deck side we stood watch in the Crows Nest never seeing anything but the occasional patch of seaweed. Being high up on the foremast and with the swaying pendulum action of the mast, many neophytes discovered the true meaning and consequences of seasickness. Of course, there were no little plastic bags so ones round sailor hat had to be the receptacle. Then, when you came down from the watch you got yelled at for not wearing a hat.

[Copper10-8]

In June of 1950 after a grueling academic year I boarded the Training Ship “Empire State” of the New York State Maritime College. After several days of hauling cases of food, etc on board we were given two hours to move all our belongings on board and given gym lockers for storage. (This is my first lesson in packing for a cruise.) Was issued a piece of canvas 24'”X 72” and two pieces of clothesline. We were told to lash the canvas to the plain pipe racks we saw stored four high, These were our luxury sleeping accommodations. Upper classes in the upper bunks and us “mugs” in the bottom.

We left New York on a sunny June day and as soon as we were out of sight of the dock were sent below to don dungarees (now called jeans and I still refuse to wear them) and taken to the engine room. So much for the sunny day.

Seventeen days across the Atlantic. Work from 0800 to 1600 and then stand watch for four hours. There were luxuries, if you stood the Mid Watch (0000-0400) you could sleep in 'til 0700 vice 0630.

No showers, the ships evaporators couldn't produce enough fresh water for 450 Cadets and Officers so we made do with a washbasin of water. Wash first and then shave with the residue. THEN polish the washbasin. The rest of the sanitary facilities will not be described except to say they might look normal in Yemen. The Deck guys were somewhat lucky. They could get up at 0530 to wash down the ship with saltwater hoses. Turning the hoses on each other in a water fight resulted in something close to a shower, plus your clothes were washed (sort of) at the same time.

Emergency drills were held weekly. Lifeboats were lowered by hand, rowed around the ship and raised and stowed, again by hand.

The ship had two engine rooms, twin screw turbo-electric. We steamed on one engine room and did maintenance on the other. This was a great opportunity to see the inside brickwork of a large boiler and examine the interesting material that accumulated in the bilges. Trouble was, after the examination, we had to clean it all up.

Food in the Mess Deck (Lido) was served by surly Filipino messmen who specialized is doling out just enough on your tray to keep body and soul together.

On the Deck side we stood watch in the Crows Nest never seeing anything but the occasional patch of seaweed. Being high up on the foremast and with the swaying pendulum action of the mast, many neophytes discovered the true meaning and consequences of seasickness. Of course, there were no little plastic bags so ones round sailor hat had to be the receptacle. Then, when you came down from the watch you got yelled at for not wearing a hat.

 

 

 

 

Great story, thanks for posting!:)

Empire State II was the former USS Hydrus AKA-28, an Artemis-class attack cargo ship named after the southern constellation Hydrus. She was built by Walsh-Kaiser Co., Inc. at Providence, Rhode Island and launched on 28 October 1944. Hydrus departed Providence on 22 December 1944 for Hampton Roads, Va and her shakedown training, completing this phase of her operations early in January 1945. The attack transport got underway on 7 January 1945 for the Pacific theater, sailing via the Panama Canal to Pearl Harbor, Hi, where she arrived on 27 January 1945.

With the island campaign in the Pacific then entering its final phases, Hydrus sailed on 1 February 1945 for Guadalcanal to participate in the extensive training operations for the projected invasion of Okinawa, the last objective before the mainland of Japan itself. Arriving on 11 February, she took part in practice landings on Guadalcanal until 15 March, when her group, Task Force 53, sailed for the final staging area, Ulithi. The period after her arrival, from 21-26 March 1945, was spent in final preparations for the giant invasion and 27 March found Hydrus and other transports of Task Force 53 steaming towards Okinawa with Marines and their equipment. They arrived off the beaches on 1 April 1945 and under the command of Vice Admiral Kelly Turner carried out the successful assault. Hydrus discharged her troops and equipment off the Hagushi beaches. Between 1-9 April 1945 the ship remained off the bitterly contested beaches, often undergoing heavy air attack. She departed on 10 April for Guam and Pearl Harbor, arriving on 26 April 1945.

Hydrus got underway on 5 May 1945 for the United States, and arrived in San Francisco six days later. After loading fresh cargo she once again sailed for Pearl Harbor, arriving on 26 May. The next two months saw Hydrus operate temporarily as an inter-island cargo carrier, transporting supplies of various types among the islands in the Hawaiian chain. After brief repairs, she sailed with a cargo for Christmas Island and Canton Island, and then returned to Honolulu on 3 August 1945.

Slated for return to the western Pacific, Hydrus sailed on 7 August for Ulithi and Okinawa. During this passage she received word of the war's end, and arrived at Okinawa to unload her cargo on 3 September. Except for 16–18 September, when she got underway to ride out a typhoon, Hydrus remained at anchor off Okinawa until 25 September 1945. She then sailed to Manus, Papua New Guinea to embark units of a Marine Air Group destined for China service. The transport arrived at Tsingtao on 17 October to put ashore her cargo and passengers, thus helping to stabilize the explosive internal situation in China. She subsequently embarked additional troops in the Philippines and carried them to Taku, China on 14 November 1945.

Her role in the Chinese occupation over, Hydrus was assigned duty with "Magic Carpet", the gigantic operation for the return of our Pacific veterans. She sailed from Shanghai, China on 6 December and arrived in Seattle, WA on 23 December 1945

Designated for return to the Maritime Commission, the ship sailed on 11 January 1946 for the East coast and arrived at New York on 2 February. There, Hydrus was selected as a training ship for the New York State Maritime Academy, and steamed up the East River to Fort Schuyler in the Bronx on 6 March 1946. With twin screws, two engine rooms and turbo-electric power, Hydrus was considered an ideal replacement for the Academy's Empire State I. She decommissioned at Fort Schuyler on 26 March 1946 and was christened as TS Empire State II in an impressive ceremony attended by New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey

After a 10-year career as a training ship for future maritime officers, the ship was placed in the Maritime Commission's National Defense Reserve Fleet in June 1956. She remained there until being sold in April 1964 to Union Minerals & Alloys Corp., of New York, and scrapped. Hydrus received one battle star for her World War II service.

The current Empire State VI continues the tradition as training ship for the State University of New York Maritime College

[glypnir]

In the summer of 1966, I went with my parents, brother and sister on the MS Venus from Bergen to Newcastle. I don't remember much. We had a little five berth cabin. I don't remember a porthole. I was 10 or 11, my brother was 8, and my sister was 6. My main memory is that the ship was a great maze to chase each other around in.

 

Other than a 1 week SCUBA liveaboard in Turks and Caicos a few years ago, that's the only time I've spent a night afloat.

 

Now my wife's got us set up for the Oosterdam from Seward to Vancouver on June 15 2014. I'm studying the maze.

[arewethereyet]

Now we are going waay back. My first trip was in 1957 on the District of Colombia operated by the Baltimore Steam Packet Co. It was overnight service between Washington and Norfolk. I was thrilled. Everything about the ship excited me. I saw my first major league baseball game in NY just a week or two before, then this. Summer of 57 was a great vacation for me.

 

Edited April 23, 2013 by arewethereyet

[dec0803]

My first cruise was RC Radiance of the Seas February 2003 to the Western Caribbean - loved just listening to and watching the ocean go by on the balcony. It was the second best experience of my life at that point, only second to the birth of my DD of course.

 

Finally, 10 years later I am getting to go on a second cruise, this time with my Mom and Sister. Can't wait for it to be December.

 

I first found this board and read everything I could, but have been gone for 10 years and have come back now for my next cruise and love all the information that I find that will only enhance the awesome experience of cruising.

[CCRUZER]

Well a little bit of a squirt when my dad snapped this pic, this could have been the first "cruise" ship I was on, but it is hard to say with certainty. In any event it was one of the identical sister ships.... so it did look like this one! A little history, the ship in the pic is the Panama, one of three identical ships, the other two were the Ancon and Cristobal. The Panama was eventually sold to American President Lines and became the President Hoover. She was later sold to Chandris and became the Regina Prima, scrapped sometime in the 80s. The picture was taken when the Panama and the ship my dad was on (one of the sisters) met in Port au Prince Haiti.

 

I was born in the good ole Canal Zone and we sailed on the Panama Line ships every summer to and from New York as we spent every summer in the states.The last two trips were to New Orleans after the PCL relocated there.I figure I sailed on those ships 29 times and still have a lot of childhood memories.

[Himself]

Great story, thanks for posting!:)

Empire State II was the former USS Hydrus AKA-28, an Artemis-class attack cargo ship named after the southern constellation Hydrus. She was built by Walsh-Kaiser Co., Inc. at Providence, Rhode Island and launched on 28 October 1944. Hydrus departed Providence on 22 December 1944 for Hampton Roads, Va and her shakedown training, completing this phase of her operations early in January 1945. The attack transport got underway on 7 January 1945 for the Pacific theater, sailing via the Panama Canal to Pearl Harbor, Hi, where she arrived on 27 January 1945.

With the island campaign in the Pacific then entering its final phases, Hydrus sailed on 1 February 1945 for Guadalcanal to participate in the extensive training operations for the projected invasion of Okinawa, the last objective before the mainland of Japan itself. Arriving on 11 February, she took part in practice landings on Guadalcanal until 15 March, when her group, Task Force 53, sailed for the final staging area, Ulithi. The period after her arrival, from 21-26 March 1945, was spent in final preparations for the giant invasion and 27 March found Hydrus and other transports of Task Force 53 steaming towards Okinawa with Marines and their equipment. They arrived off the beaches on 1 April 1945 and under the command of Vice Admiral Kelly Turner carried out the successful assault. Hydrus discharged her troops and equipment off the Hagushi beaches. Between 1-9 April 1945 the ship remained off the bitterly contested beaches, often undergoing heavy air attack. She departed on 10 April for Guam and Pearl Harbor, arriving on 26 April 1945.

Hydrus got underway on 5 May 1945 for the United States, and arrived in San Francisco six days later. After loading fresh cargo she once again sailed for Pearl Harbor, arriving on 26 May. The next two months saw Hydrus operate temporarily as an inter-island cargo carrier, transporting supplies of various types among the islands in the Hawaiian chain. After brief repairs, she sailed with a cargo for Christmas Island and Canton Island, and then returned to Honolulu on 3 August 1945.

Slated for return to the western Pacific, Hydrus sailed on 7 August for Ulithi and Okinawa. During this passage she received word of the war's end, and arrived at Okinawa to unload her cargo on 3 September. Except for 16–18 September, when she got underway to ride out a typhoon, Hydrus remained at anchor off Okinawa until 25 September 1945. She then sailed to Manus, Papua New Guinea to embark units of a Marine Air Group destined for China service. The transport arrived at Tsingtao on 17 October to put ashore her cargo and passengers, thus helping to stabilize the explosive internal situation in China. She subsequently embarked additional troops in the Philippines and carried them to Taku, China on 14 November 1945.

Her role in the Chinese occupation over, Hydrus was assigned duty with "Magic Carpet", the gigantic operation for the return of our Pacific veterans. She sailed from Shanghai, China on 6 December and arrived in Seattle, WA on 23 December 1945

Designated for return to the Maritime Commission, the ship sailed on 11 January 1946 for the East coast and arrived at New York on 2 February. There, Hydrus was selected as a training ship for the New York State Maritime Academy, and steamed up the East River to Fort Schuyler in the Bronx on 6 March 1946. With twin screws, two engine rooms and turbo-electric power, Hydrus was considered an ideal replacement for the Academy's Empire State I. She decommissioned at Fort Schuyler on 26 March 1946 and was christened as TS Empire State II in an impressive ceremony attended by New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey

After a 10-year career as a training ship for future maritime officers, the ship was placed in the Maritime Commission's National Defense Reserve Fleet in June 1956. She remained there until being sold in April 1964 to Union Minerals & Alloys Corp., of New York, and scrapped. Hydrus received one battle star for her World War II service.

The current Empire State VI continues the tradition as training ship for the State University of New York Maritime College

 

John:

You continue to amaze me with your knowledge of ships that have sailed the High Seas.

[Ians Grandma]

Carnival Carnivale- worst of the worst; the next year it was out of service. I'll never forgive the TA for booking us on that ship.

My first cruise was on the Carnivale also. I swore that I would never cruise again. Our cabin was tiny, just two sets of bunk beds, nearly everything in the cabin was broken or damaged. The paint on the shower floor came off on our feet. The only interesting thing that I remember about it is that it had an indoor pool.

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was on the Carnivale also. I swore that I would never cruise again. Our cabin was tiny, just two sets of bunk beds, nearly everything in the cabin was broken or damaged. The paint on the shower floor came off on our feet. The only interesting thing that I remember about it is that it had an indoor pool.

 

ss Empress of Britain (1956-2008) Built in 1956 as ss Empress of Britain by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering, Govan (Glasgow), Scotland for the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company. She was launched on 22 June 1955 by HM Queen Elizabeth II, nearly fifty years after the first CP Empress of Britain was launched from Govan in November 1905. Eleven months later, she set off on a maiden voyage from Liverpool to Montreal, Quebec departing on 20 April 1956.

 

 

The 25,516-ton vessel had a length of 640 feet, and her beam was 85.2 feet. The ship had one funnel, one mast, twin screws and an average speed of 20 knots. The ocean liner provided accommodation for 160 first class passengers and for 984 tourist class passengers. She would sail for Canadian Pacific Line until 1964 when she was sold to the Greek Line and renamed Queen Anna Maria.

 

 

Her new owners had her rebuilt at the Marriotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy to 21,716 gross tons with accommodations for 168 first class passengers and for 1,145 tourist class passengers. She sailed on the Piraeus, Greece to Naples, Italy to New York route. Towards the latter part of her career with the Greek Line, she provided service on the Haifa, Israel to New York route. In 1975, after her owners ran into financial problems and ultimately collapsed, she was laid up at Perama (Piraeus), Greece.

 

 

She was sold to Carnival Cruise Line in 1976. Her former stable mate with Canadian Pacific, the third Empress, the Empress of Canada, was already at Carnival as their Mardi Gras. Queen Ana Maria entered drydock in Newport News, VA and emerged as Carnivale in February 1976. Carnival placed her on weekly cruises from Miami, FL to the Caribbean, alongside Mardi Gras. By the late eighties, she had been placed on three and four-night "party cruise" runs to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, FL.

 

[url=http://boards.cruisecritic.com/"http://media.shipspotting.com/uploads/photos/rw/844563/Ship+Photo+CARNIVALE.jpg&quot][/url]

 

As Carnival's market expanded and the company was able to afford buying new ships, the ship was transferred in to a Carnival Latin market subsidiary cruise line by the name of Fiesta Marine Cruises in 1993. With Fiesta Marine, and as the Fiesta Marina (her new name), she became something of a test ship in a cruise-line expansion venture, sailing out of San Juan,Puerto Rico and Caracas, Venezuela. After only three months, this ultimately proved to be unsuccessful.

 

 

In 1994, Fiesta Marine sold her to Greece-based Epirotiki Line. She sailed for Perama, Greece and emerged in the spring of 1995 as the Olympic for Epirotiki's Mediterranean cruise program. She was loved by her passengers and for a while, was once again "queen" of a Greek fleet. In 1996, Epirotiki Lines merged with longtime competitor, Sun Lines, to form Royal Olympic Cruises.

 

 

In 1997, the former Olympic was sold to Greece-based Topaz International and, after a rebuilt at Eleusis, Greece, the ship was re-named Topaz on a bare boat charter to British tour operator Thomson Holidays in the spring of 1998.

[Copper10-8]

In 2003, the vessel was placed on a long-term charter through 2006 with the Tokyo, Japan-based Peace Boat International organization, still as Topaz for world-wide cruising.

 

 

Peace Boat is an international non-governmental organization based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, seeking to establish a global network among people, grassroots movements and NGOs working on issues such as peace, human rights development and environmental protection.

 

 

In the past 15 years it has chartered passenger ships to make 25 voyages and taken over 10,000 people to more than 80 ports.Through personal exchange and co-operation with people in other countries, particularly in areas of conflict and former conflict, it works to increase mutual understanding and bridge the gap between peoples, countries and cultures. By inviting guests from all over the world to join the voyage and participate in conferences on board it offers a global perspective on events and issues.

 

[url=http://boards.cruisecritic.com/"http://media.shipspotting.com/uploads/photos/rw/663136/Ship+Photo+Collision+on+Singapore+Roads.jpg&quot][/url]

 

In April 2008, she was retired from the Peace Boat organization; and she was laid up at Singapore Roads. On June 15, while she was anchored there, she was struck by the chemical tanker Champion Brali. The collision severed off part of her bow.

 

She was subsequently sold for scrap to Indian shipbreakers and in the late summer of 2008, she arrived at Alang, India where she was beached awaiting to be scrapped. She was placed not too far away from where the remains of the former liner ss France (later NCL's ss Norway) were located. The ship's demolition was started a few months after the beaching and completed in 2009

Edited April 24, 2013 by Copper10-8

[Himself]

in 2003, the vessel was placed on a long-term charter through 2006 with the tokyo, japan-based peace boat international organization, still as topaz for world-wide cruising.

 

 

peace boat is an international non-governmental organization based in shinjuku, tokyo, japan, seeking to establish a global network among people, grassroots movements and ngos working on issues such as peace, human rights development and environmental protection.

 

 

in the past 15 years it has chartered passenger ships to make 25 voyages and taken over 10,000 people to more than 80 ports.through personal exchange and co-operation with people in other countries, particularly in areas of conflict and former conflict, it works to increase mutual understanding and bridge the gap between peoples, countries and cultures. By inviting guests from all over the world to join the voyage and participate in conferences on board it offers a global perspective on events and issues.

 

[url=http://boards.cruisecritic.com/"http://media.shipspotting.com/uploads/photos/rw/663136/ship+photo+collision+on+singapore+roads.jpg&quot][/url]

 

in april 2008, she was retired from the peace boat organization; and she was laid up at singapore roads. On june 15, while she was anchored there, she was struck by the chemical tanker champion brali. The collision severed off part of her bow.

 

she was subsequently sold for scrap to indian shipbreakers and in the late summer of 2008, she arrived at alang, india where she was beached awaiting to be scrapped. She was placed not too far away from where the remains of the former liner ss france (later ncl's ss norway) were located. the ship's demolition was started a few months after the beaching and completed in 2009

 

wow!

Edited April 24, 2013 by Himself

[sailorbill]

The first time I sailed on the ocean was at age 6 in 1949. My family sailed from Los Angeles 26 miles across the sea to Catalina. I have no memory of the crossing, but I do remember the motel where we stayed in Avalon, the bird aviary and the glass bottom boat.

 

My next sailing experience was as an employee of our Uncle Sam. In 1966, fresh out of college and a bit wet behind the ears, in 120 days the Navy made me an officer and a gentleman. I have a certificate signed by President L. B. Johnson that says so. (some recommendation!!!) I was ordered to the USS Essex, a world war II aircraft carrier assigned to anti-submarine duty. The Essex was home ported at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, which is across Narragansett Bay from Newport, Rhode Island. While I was aboard the Essex we made two Mediterranian cruises of about 4 months each. We would exercise for around 10 days at sea and then spend four or five days in a port. I stood watch on board every other day when in port so had limited time on shore. In spite of the negatives of being a junior officer, I have many fond memories of my time at sea. I loved the ocean in all of its moods and I loved going places. After two years on the Essex I was reassigned to shore duty in San Francisco at the Radiological Defense Laboratory. I lived in the bachelor officer quarters on Treasure Island and had a room with a bay view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Very nice! I was discharged from the Navy during a big downsizing at the end of 1969. I became a working landlubber for the next 21 years.

 

My first cruise as a paying passenger came about in 2000. I was enticed by Renaissance Cruises to take a 24 day Mediterranean cruise from mid December to mid January for a singles fare of $84 per day. How could I refuse? Had a wonderful time on board the R6. Loved the size of the ship, the small number of passengers and the ports we visited. I still think those 8 R ships are some of the finest ever built. I am soon to take my 18th cruise. This time it will be on the Ryndam, my 7th Holland America ship. I have also sailed on Princess, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean ships. So you could say I am hooked.

 

Bill

[Maverick430]

 

My first cruise (1997) was the Westerdam pictured above. I have yet have a cruise that trumps it. We tried others but HAL is the best.

[Copper10-8]

 

My first cruise (1997) was the Westerdam pictured above. I have yet have a cruise that trumps it. We tried others but HAL is the best.

 

ms Homeric (1986-present) Built by Jos. L. Meyer GmbH shipyard, Papenburg, (then) West Germany and delivered in 1986 as ms Homeric for Italian-based Home Lines. Homeric was planned during the first half of the 1980s as a replacement for the aging ss Oceanic in the Home Lines' fleet. The ship was named in honor of the company's earlier ss Homeric, a popular ship for the line that had been destroyed by a fire in 1973. The new ship was launched on 28 September 1985, performed her sea trials between 26 and 30 December 1985, but was not delivered to Home Lines until 6 May 1986.

 

She left Emden, West Germany on 12 May 1986 for her inaugural cruise to New York. Upon arrival there, and after her naming/christening ceremony, she departed on her maiden voyage from New York City to Hamilton, Bermuda on 31 May 1986. Home Lines used her on Bermuda cruises during the northern hemisphere summer season and to the Caribbean in the winter.

 

 

Homeric was built with a terraced forward and rear superstructure, with lifeboats placed fairly high. She had a relatively large funnel, with a large arch behind it to deflect some soot away from the rear decks. Unusually for a cruise ship of her time, Homeric was built with a somewhat ocean-liner-like layout, with her dining room in particular reflecting a liner-like design. She was also built with a sizeable promenade deck and a one-deck-high movie theater. She came out with two swimming pools, one to the rear of the ship and another mid-ships which was covered with a moveable roof, known as a magrodome. In her original Home Lines livery she had a white hull and superstructure, with a blue decorative riband separating them. Her funnel and radar mast, the structures immediately below them and the cranes on her forward deck were painted yellow. The ship's name was painted in tall letters on the side of the superstructure below the radar mast.

 

On 24 March 1988, Home Lines, including Homeric and Atlantic, was purchased by Holland America Line. Following their final seasons in Bermuda in October of that year, HAL chartered Atlantic to Premier Cruise Line for seven years (Premier outright purchased her in June 1990) and moved Homeric into a dry-dock and refit at the Norshipco yard in Norfolk, Va. Two lounges in the forward section of the ship were combined to create a large two-level main show lounge, while her original show lounge was converted into a movie theater. The ship received HAL's dark blue (known as Nieuw Amsterdam-blue) hull colors, with her funnel and radar mast painted white. Homeric was renamed Westerdam on 2 November 1988 by her HAL godmother, Clara van der Vorm, the spouse of then HAL president and CEO Nico van der Vorm. She departed Ft. Lauderdale, FL on her maiden cruise, a seven-day run to the Eastern Caribbean. Upon her return one week later, this was followed by a seven-day run to the Western Caribbean (George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; and Cozumel, Mexico). Westerdam arrival expanded the HAL fleet to four ships and signaled the beginning of a new era of growth for Holland America that continues today. Her name translates to one of the four directions of the compass in the Dutch language; wester meaning, well, westerly.

 

She was the second ship in Holland America Line history to receive the name Westerdam. The first Westerdam sailed for Holland America Line from 1946 to 1965. While being constructed during World War II, Westerdam I was sunk three times: On 27 August 1942, she was bombed and sunk by Allied aircraft while in the shipyard in Rotterdam. The German occupiers raised the ship in September 1944, but she was quickly sunk again, this time by Dutch resistance fighters. After being raised a second time, the resistance again sank her on 17 January 1945. After the Netherlands were liberated in May, 1945, Westerdam I was raised a third time and finally completed. On 28 June 1946, Westerdam I finally departed Rotterdam on her maiden voyage to New York City. She would go on to be a regular on the transatlantic run, making two eight-day crossings each month between Rotterdam and New York. The 12,149 gross registered ton twin-propeller ship and her sister, Noordam II, each took eight days to make the crossing. Westerdam I was a combined cargo and passenger ship. She had five cargo holds and carried 143 first-class passengers as well as 126 crew members. The ship continued regular transatlantic service for 18 years until she was sold for scrap to Spanish breakers on 4 February 1965.

 

In October 1989, Westerdam II was sent back to her place of birth, Jos. L. Meyer GmbH, Papenburg, West Germany for a U.S. $65 million lengthening by having a 130-foot mid section inserted into the ship, emerging in March 1990 with a new GRT of 53,872 (originally 42,092), an overall length of 798 feet (originally 668 feet) and a new passenger capacity of 1,476 souls (originally 1,132). The lengthening altered her exterior appearance somewhat. The windows of the added section are larger than those forward and aft. She immediately became the largest Holland America cruise ship ever and subsequently crossed the Atlantic and arrived in New York City to a welcome by spraying fireboats and tugs, resuming Caribbean cruises on 25 March 1990. In HAL service, Westerdam was primarily home-ported at Ft. Lauderdale, Fl, initially sailing 5 and 8-day Eastern Caribbean cruises (San Juan, Puerto Rico; Road Town, Tortola, BVI, Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda, BVI; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, USVI and Nassau, The Bahamas) in the winter and at Vancouver, BC for Alaska cruising in the summer months. During her HAL career, she also operated on Canada/New England cruises.

 

Westerdam's passenger accommodation consisted of 495 cabins with outside views and 252 inside rooms for a total of 747. After the lengthening in Papenburg, Westerdam II came out with a new two-deck high, 680-seat Admirals main show lounge, a remodeled and expanded casual Lido Restaurant, the addition of a second Lido-type restaurant called the Verandah Restaurant, adjacent to the Verandah Pool on Sun Deck, and a completely renewed shopping area. The Amsterdam dining room was enlarged from 520 to 875 seats, extra acoustical material was installed in the ceiling to reduce noise, and had a raised central dome. The newly inserted section contained an Explorers Lounge, Ocean Bar and the Book Chest library, as well as new meeting rooms. A new sports as well as a sunbathing area were created on the topmost deck, above the Verandah Pool. Five self-service laundry rooms were also added, as were two extra elevators. Westerdam did not have any large suites or private verandahs.

 

In HAL service, Westerdam II had a Sports Bar with ESPN programming, the Pear Tree Club disco/night club, the Stuyvesant Lounge (named for Pieter Stuyvesant, the last governor of New Netherland from 1647 until 1664), by day, an informal restaurant offering breakfast and luncheons, a quiet lounge for afternoon tea, after-dinner brandy and good conversation, the Piano Bar/Saloon, the Big Apple meeting room (also used by Club HAL),the Hudson Lounge, the Card room, the 237-seat (movie) Theater (also used for lectures, meetings and religious services), the Photo Shop, the Casino (offering blackjack, roulette, blackjack, craps and slot machines),The Square (including the onboard Shopping Arcade, the Main Lobby, Main staircase, elevators plus offices of the Hotel Manager, Purser and Cruise Director),the Barber Shop and the Beauty Parlor, the Ocean Spa (with massage room and dual steam saunas) and Gymnasium (with treadmills, rowing machines, stationary bikes, isometric pulleys and free weights),two outdoor swimming pools, one the Verandah pool on Sun Deck which could be covered with a magrodome roof, and the other on Upper Promenade Deck, one practice tennis and one volleyball court, as well as a 40 by 40 foot jogging area.

The tradition of exhibiting art objects on board the passenger ships of the Holland America Line began in 1938, during the golden era of leisurely ocean cruising. The company’s first grand collection was displayed on the second Nieuw Amsterdam. Westerdam II had a Dutch worldwide exploration theme and pays tribute to the Dutch East India Company or Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie(VOC) in Dutch, of the 17th and 18th centuries, with a collection of U.S. $2 million worth of art and artifacts displayed throughout the ship.

 

Some of the examples of art that was found onboard Westerdam II. In the ship’s Ocean Bar could be found a 17th century dolphin carved in white marble, an 18th century Dutch fountain, also made out of marble, and the famous Ming Dog of Fo that offered protection to all who entered the lounge. In the Explorers Lounge, were two Arita lacquer vases that depicted scenes of Chinese life and landscapes. Just outside the Explorers Lounge, was a huge bronze cannon, weighing over two tons, called “Old Rye” that once graced Dutch Admiral Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter’s warship in 1634. It lay at the bottom of the sea off France for 300 years until caught in the nets of a Dutch fisherman. Throughout the ship were several hand-colored 17th century maps of America, Africa and Asia, once commonplace tools used by Dutch sea captains to chart their courses. In addition, Oriental scrolls, screens and porcelains as well as an antique rosewood love seat could be found.

 

 

In 1997, the romantic comedy "Out to Sea" starring Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Rue McClanahan, Dyan Cannon, Gloria DeHaven and Brent Spiner, was partially filmed onboard Westerdam II.

 

In March 2002, After 643 cruises spanning over 13 years with Holland America, she was internally transferred within the Carnival Group to Italy-based Costa Crociere/Costa Cruise Lines who sent her to dry-dock in Genoa, Italy for refitting. During that dry-dock, the ship was refurbished, with some of her interior decorations changed to a brighter and more Southern European style. Her original theater (changed to a movie theater in HAL service) was converted into six balcony suites, and a new ballroom with a hardwood dance floor replaced the earlier lounge. Despite the refit, most of the ship's decorations were retained from her HAL days, resulting in Costa Europa having somewhat different interior decorations from her "Italian-style" fleet-mates. On 27 April 2002, she was christened Costa Europa and commenced cruising for the Italian company out of Genoa that same afternoon. With Costa, she operated mainly Mediterranean cruises on Greek Island itineraries, including visits to Corfu, Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, and Crete.

 

On 26 February 2010 at 4:45 am, Costa Europa carrying 1,473 passengers, collided with a pier at the Egyptian Red Sea port of Sharm al-Sheikh, after attempting to dock in bad weather, including fierce winds. The collision killed three crew members and injured four other individuals, three of them passengers. The incident tore a four-foot wide hole in her hull and forced Costa to cancel the remainder of the vessel’s voyage, which was an 18-night cruise from Dubai to Savona, Italy. Costa Europa’s passengers were accommodated at local hotels in Sharm el-Sheik and then flown home.

 

[Copper10-8]

In July 2009, Carnival Corporation announced that Costa Europa would join British tour operator Thomson Cruises under a 10-year bareboat charter beginning in April 2010. Under the agreement, Thomson has an option to purchase the ship after five years. In Thomson’ service, the ship was renamed Thomson Dream with a capacity for 1,506 passengers. At 54,000 gross registered tons, she currently is Thomson’s biggest and most luxurious ship.

 

Thomson Dream is operating out of Palma de Mallorca, one of Spain’s Balearic islands, where she is joining Thomson Destiny during the summer months. She is sailing 3 and 7-night itineraries with port calls at Civitavecchia (Rome) and Florence, Italy as well as at Barcelona, Spain and La Goulette in Tunisia. During the winter months, she operates in the Caribbean

At the conclusion of her 2012 summer season in November, Thomson Dream underwent an extensive refurbishment in drydock at Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, Germany as part of Thomson Cruises’ new Platinum cruise collection, with modern contemporary designs added in both her public and private areas. New restaurants were created offering Thai and French speciality dining and all staterooms received a makeover, with features such as flat screen televisions and tea and coffee-making facilities added. Her Spa facilities were upgraded and spa cabins added. The upgrade of the ship was part of an extensive long-term modernization of the Thomson fleet. Thomson Dream re-entered service in time for her 2012 winter Caribbean program

Edited April 26, 2013 by Copper10-8