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What happened to NCL MS Southward ?


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Our first cruise was 2/15/1987. Here are a few photos of the Southward. This Ship was our first experience to cruising and hooked us for life on cruising. Although the cabin was small and the ship was small to today's standards, we had such a nice time.

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Our first cruise was 2/15/1987. Here are a few photos of the Southward. This Ship was our first experience to cruising and hooked us for life on cruising. Although the cabin was small and the ship was small to today's standards, we had such a nice time.

 

 

 

I was on the same ship as you then, (honeymoon - 2/14/87 married) small world.

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My wife and I had been married for almost a year at that time. We were a young couple of 28 years old. I know that we did a lot with others our age, we probably were together during the activities. Ironically we are leaving Thursday for a cruise back to eastern Caribbean. I will post a photo of my wife and I some time. That ship started many fun vacations for us, this upcoming cruise will be our 13th.

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Sadly, the Southward is to be no more. She is presently being scrapped.

 

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Very sad our first cruise in March 88 on the Southward. In fact I found all the cruise documentation the other day. Funny looking at the prices back in those days.

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My wife and I had been married for almost a year at that time. We were a young couple of 28 years old. I know that we did a lot with others our age, we probably were together during the activities. Ironically we are leaving Thursday for a cruise back to eastern Caribbean. I will post a photo of my wife and I some time. That ship started many fun vacations for us, this upcoming cruise will be our 13th.

 

Yes we probably could have met! Too funny, I was 23 at the time (and no longer married to that man) lol, but loved the Ship, it also started the "Cruise bug" for me too! Just came back from Bermuda cruise on the Celebrity Summit. Absolutely loved it! Enjoy your cruise this week, cannot wait to hear all about it.

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miznitic - That picture brought tears to my eyes! That wonderful ship was my "home" from March 1993 through March 1996. Sailed it across the Atlantic after it was sold to Air Tours in 1995. Final cruise out of LA was the Trans-Atlantic voyage to Palermo for retrofitting prior to going on our new itineraries in the Mediterranean. Wonderful memories and lasting friendships on that ship! One thing I will always remember was that voyage across the Atlantic. We ran into a storm that did NOT appear on our radar and we went up and down like an amusement park ride for several hours. Everyone on board was sick, including the ship's doctor. (Big help HE was!) Not feeling it too much, I spent a lot of time on the bridge watching the bow rise up and slap down in the water. It was fascinating to watch! My cabin was on the same deck as the bridge (right next to the radio room) and it had two small windows, together about 1 ½ times the size of a standard house window. I had ocean spray hitting those windows! You can get a feel of how much we were bobbing up and down by checking out the location of the bridge in the photo. Well, as the saying goes, "Getting there is half the fun"!

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I remember in the 80's touring the Southward in a port in the Caribbean I thought it was a very cool ship. I loved being able to "ship hop" back in the day and tour other ships. It gave you an idea of what different lines were like.

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Wow, What memories you guys have provided for us! It is so sad to see her gone since we had our honeymoon onboard back in June of 1983. I remember going from Miami to San Juan, St. Thomas, and Freeport. The big song onboard was a reggae song called "Oh Matilda!"

 

Z and TB

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Hi all!

 

I was on the Southward in 1979. I was 23, went by myself and was with the Singleworld group. I met some really nice people from New York and California. I took a later vacation to California and saw two of the ladies I met on the cruise. That was great!

 

The ship left from Miami and went to Cozumel, Mexico, Georgetown, Grand Cayman Island, Ocho Rios, Jamaica and Freeport, Bahamas.

 

I remember being in the dining room and watching the ship rock back and forth. That was a bit disorienting. I didn't get seasick but that was kind of a strange sensation. I do remember one evening in which the seas were a bit choppy and the crew spread sick bags everywhere.

 

I remember some of us from the Singleworld party were in the disco and got kicked out because someone brought a bottle of wine up there.

 

Memories...!

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I know this is an old thread, but I had to chime in. I too took my first cruise on the Southward on August 24, 1986. Miami, Puerto Plata (Wonder where that bull ship I bought went?) St. Thomas, Puerto Rico and Nassau. It was my honeymoon and to date has been my only trip to the Caribbean. Honeymoon was great, marriage not so much. lol The ship has been on my mind for the past week or so because I'm finally headed back to another Caribbean cruise in November on the Gem. I decided to google it and found this thread. :)

 

So sad to see she's gone now. I'll drink a sail-away toast to her in November.

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I know this is an old thread, but I had to chime in. I too took my first cruise on the Southward on August 24, 1986. Miami, Puerto Plata (Wonder where that bull ship I bought went?) St. Thomas, Puerto Rico and Nassau. It was my honeymoon and to date has been my only trip to the Caribbean. Honeymoon was great, marriage not so much. lol The ship has been on my mind for the past week or so because I'm finally headed back to another Caribbean cruise in November on the Gem. I decided to google it and found this thread. :)

 

So sad to see she's gone now. I'll drink a sail-away toast to her in November.

 

 

Same itinerary we had when we sailed her all those many years back.

 

Beth

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  • 3 months later...
I know this is an old thread, but I had to chime in. I too took my first cruise on the Southward on August 24, 1986. Miami, Puerto Plata (Wonder where that bull ship I bought went?) St. Thomas, Puerto Rico and Nassau. It was my honeymoon and to date has been my only trip to the Caribbean. Honeymoon was great, marriage not so much. lol The ship has been on my mind for the past week or so because I'm finally headed back to another Caribbean cruise in November on the Gem. I decided to google it and found this thread. :)

 

So sad to see she's gone now. I'll drink a sail-away toast to her in November.

 

My wife and I were on this same cruise (first cruise as well) for our honeymoon as well.

 

We were on the Celebrity Constellation last week (2/2/2015). We were seated at a table for eleven in the MDR for dinner. We were talking about previous cruises. My wife asked once couple when was there aniversery, they said August 23. My wife then asked what year, 1986. Next question, what did you do on your honeymoon, took a cruise. Final question, which ship, the Southward. We were all on the same cruise for our honeymoon.

 

Very fond memories of that ship and cruise.

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ImageUploadedByForums1463256268.341197.jpg.d3a5bae07887f1910abfa335b13b01d9.jpg

 

I still have a t shirt I bought to ho snorkeling off this ship. Since it us long sleeved, I rarely wear it. Dont remember much about the ship or when I sailed. Must have been over 20 years.

 

I seem to recall the snorkeling was in St Lucia. Loved that cruise line

ImageUploadedByForums1463256255.144735.jpg.b17876110b8aaadbb2aeb68fb7d0634a.jpg

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Not positive but I believe she is re flagged and doing service somewhere in the Med. I remember seeing pictures of her while doing a search not that long ago titled, 'ships, where are they now?' and recognized her.

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300px-%22Southward%22_-_Miami%2C_1986.JPG MS Southward leaving the port of Miami, 1981

History

Name:

  • MS Southward(1971-1994)
  • Seawing(1994-2004)
  • Perla(2004-2007)
  • The Aegean Pearl (2007-2010)
  • Rio(2010-2011)
  • Venus(2012-2013)

Operator:

  • Norwegian Cruise Line (1971-1994)
  • Airtours (1994-2004)
  • Louis Cruise Lines (2004-2005)
  • Pearl Navigation, Ltd. (2008-2009)
  • Eagles Shipholding SA (2010-2011)
  • Mediterranean Cruises, Ltd.

Port of registry:

  • 23px-Flag_of_the_Bahamas.svg.png Nassau, Bahamas (1971-2004)
  • 23px-Flag_of_Greece.svg.png Piraeus, Greece (2004-2012)
  • 23px-Flag_of_Malta.svg.png Valletta, Malta (2012-2013)

Ordered: 1971 Builder: Cantiere navale di Riva Trigoso Yard number: 288 Launched: June 5, 1971 Christened: November 30, 1971 Completed: 1971 Maiden voyage: November 30, 1971 In service: 1971 Out of service: 2013 Identification: IMO 711078

 

Fate: Sold for scrap in 2013

Edited by Host Walt
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Not positive but I believe she is re flagged and doing service somewhere in the Med. I remember seeing pictures of her while doing a search not that long ago titled, 'ships, where are they now?' and recognized her.

 

See the photo in posts #52 & #59.

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  • 3 weeks later...
I sailed the Southward in 1980 and remember the hammocks they had on the in between open deck area.I loved that section of the ship and spent many hours in the hammock having afternoon cocktails.

Does anyone remember the hammocks?

Ginnie

 

 

I sailed the Skyward back in '71. It did not have hammocks but it did have wicker chairs suspended from a single point. They would swing back and forth with the motion of the ship. Quite relaxing and enjoyable.

 

I realize that by shoehorning passengers into these gigantic seagoing amusement parks keeps fares low and makes a lot of profit, but it's not what I want in an ocean voyage. I will never be seen on one of them. Pay more and get a real cruise.

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I sailed the Skyward back in '71. It did not have hammocks but it did have wicker chairs suspended from a single point. They would swing back and forth with the motion of the ship. Quite relaxing and enjoyable.

 

I realize that by shoehorning passengers into these gigantic seagoing amusement parks keeps fares low and makes a lot of profit, but it's not what I want in an ocean voyage. I will never be seen on one of them. Pay more and get a real cruise.

 

I remember sipping drinks on the deck to the sound of a steel drum band it was wonderful.

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