What happened to NCL MS Southward ?

[doctoranna]

The Southward was our second cruise, a 3-day out of LA, to Catalina and Ensenada, back in about 1991. I recently had to dig up the receipt from that cruise to prove to NCL that we were "past guests". Would you believe we paid more for that cruise than we paid last June for a 3-day out of Miami to the Bahamas?

[Childcarema]

WOW!! So did we! Sept 24, 1988. Ours was a 4day to San Diego, Catalina & Ensenada. Great fun and it got us hooked but we didn't cruise again until 2004, and have been every year since then. Will be on Sapphire Princess 3/31! for the California Coastal! Yay!!
~Darnell & Sherrie~
Yeah, always wondered what happened to the ship...

[scrapper830]

This was also our first cruise but I can't remember the exact year -- I know it was mid 1980's. We are cruising NCL again this July in Hawaii and they don't have a record of us being previous cruisers with them. I need to look up the old pics so I can email them to show we should already be Latitude members. We have cruised 5 time since then and have 3 more planned. I can't believe how small that ship seems now and how big it felt back then....LOL!!!

[abisha]

I know this thread is old, but I came across it as I was curious about it and searched on it. It was also my very first cruise in the early 90's. I cannot believe how small it was back then, compared to what we sail on today. I remember the food was fantastic and the service was outstanding. My cabin was literally at the very front/tip of the ship. It was a cabin for a solo cruiser...and literally like a broom closet..lol! I felt every bit of movement up and down and got very seasick. Somehow I remember the CD's name..Bruce (don't ask me how I remember after all these years). Ports were Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic..the place looked like ground zero and I swore I'd never go back there), St.Thomas, Puerto Rico and Nassau. I also remember entering the costume party, which was something they often did back on cruise ships back then.

[smeck]

Sounds like many fond memories of the Southward. Nice to see she still sails in our heads.

[teese]

My DH and I also sailed on the Southward for our honeymoon, Dec 1987. We just absolutely loved her. It was an 8 day western caribbean out of Miami. I still think the dining was the best we ever enjoyed. I have the fondest memories of our table mates. They were an older couple, maybe even in there 80's. They'd sailed on dozens of cruises and had so many fun stories. The one thing I do remember that we still laugh about happened at the last dinner onboard everyone gave their tips as we were being seated. Then all the wonderful service came to a halt. They never picked up a single plate, and we sat with all the dishes stacking up as we finished each course. The couple we ate with had warned us this would happen. But it was the only time we ever experienced it. I guess after receiving their tip they were done for the cruise. It was hysterically funny.

[Beforethemast]

The M/S Southward was my first cruise in 1982. I was only 16 at the time and it started a love for cruising. I went with my dad in June of '82 to the Western Caribbean. I believe our waiter or busboy's name was Hong and was one of the best servers I've ever encountered. He was so much fun. I met a girl from Chattanooga and it became a Love Boat Experience that I'll never forget. I've been on several since but nothing compares to the first. I would have stayed on the ship for another month if they would have let me.

[Ex-NCL]

I joined NCL in May of 1992 and was first assigned to the Seaward then to the Norway. My time on the Norway was cut short (thankfully) as they needed someone on the Southward. When I saw the ship for the first time in March of 1993, the first thought in my mind (coming from the Norway) was "Where's the rest of the ship?". I served on her from that day until it left San Pedro on January 2, 1995. Luckily, when Air Tours bought the ship, they had no clue how to run it so part of the sale agreement was that NCL would furnish the crew for the first two years. I sailed the ship from San Pedro to Palermo, Sicily for refurbishing to Air Tours specs, and then on to Palma de Mallorca as our first home port. I finally left the Seawing in March 1996 when I was diagnosed as having cancer and was sent back to Miami. In all I spent 3 years on that ship and can honestly say she was the BEST ship I was on. I made many friends on that ship, both PAX and crew, especially in California, and mantain those friendships until today! This thread certainly brought back many, many pleasant memories!

[Essiesmom]

She's not doing well at present:

http://maritimematters.com/2012/08/v...ted-in-israel/

[randb67]

Our first cruise was on the Southward. We sailed out of Miami in May, 1972. Wow! That was a long time ago!

[clairopt]

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.

[miznitic]

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