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Commodore Fleet History


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In response to a thread asking about the fate of the various Commodore vessels, here is a history I compiled a few years ago for the old boards (now obliterated) of the entire Commodore fleet. I have updated this to be current to the best of my knowledge.

 

BOHEME: Built 1968 at Oy Wärtsilä Ab, Turku, Finland, for Wallenius Bremen GmbH & Co KG Schiffahrtsgesellschaft, Bremen. Cruising for Commodore. To Hanseatic Caribbean Shipping Co. Inc. (Sally Shipping GmbH), Panama, 1981, continued cruising for Sally-owned Commodore. Sold 1986 to San Donato Properties Corp. (International Association of Scientologists), Panama. Renamed FREEWINDS. Presently in service as a cruise ship exclusively for the use of Scientologists.

 

BOLERO: Built 1972 at Dubigeon-Normandie S.A., Nantes, France, for Fred Olsen & Co., Oslo. Ordered for Södertälje-Travemünde service but chartered to Prinz Linien for Bremerhaven (later Hamburg)-Harwich service. After two months, transferred to Prince of Fundy Cruises for Portland-Yarmouth service; cruising in Caribbean during the winter for Commodore. Seasonal arrangement with Prince of Fundy Cruises and Commodore continued through summer 1976, after which she was returend to Fred. Oslen and put in Newcastle-Oslo service. Chartered 1978 to Stena Line Ab, Gothenburg; renamed SCANDINAVIA. Gothenburg-Kiel service. Refitted 1981 for expected service with Brittany Ferries as TREGOR which did not materialize. Following refit used on various domestic routes for Fred. Olsen, renamed BOLERO. Switched 1990 to Bergen-Newcastle service. Sold 1991 to Color Line A/S, Oslo; renamed JUPITER, returned to Norwegian domestic service. Chartered 1994 to SF-Line, Mariehamn. Used on Viking Line Kapellskär-Mariehamn-Nådendal service. Chartered to Linea Crucero Express 1994, renamed CRUCERO EXPRESS; engaged in Cartagena-Cristobal service. Laid-up St. Petersburg, Florida following end of charter, 1996. Later chartered to Emerald Empress Holdings and renamed SEMINOLE EMPRESS, but did not enter service because of a dispute between Color Line and Emerald Empress Holdings, and continued laid-up at St. Petersburg. Moved to Frederica, Norway 1998, continued laid-up. Sold to Alberta Trading Co., Nassau (Caspi Shipping Ltd., Haifa) 1999; renamed MAGIC I. Crusing from Haifa for Magic Cruise Lines from 2000, following refit at Eleusis. Chartered 2003 to Ocean Club Cruises for cruise service from Port Canaveral under marketing name CLUB MIRAGE. Ocean Club Cruises ceased operations February 2004. Sold March 2004 to Magic 1 Cruise Corp. (Isramco Inc.), Nassau. Chartered 2005 to Israeli tour operator Egged for cruising on the Israeli market. Presently in service.

 

CARIBE: Built 1968 at Orenstein-Koppel und Lübecker Machinenbau, Lübeck, West Germany, as FREEPORT for Miami Terminal Transport Co. (Freeport Cruise Line), Monrovia. Renamed FREEPORT I before entry into service. Miami-Freeport service and cruises. Sold 1973 to Oy Birka Line Ab, Mariehamn; renamed Freeport. Stockholm-Helsinki service. Sold 1974 to Rederi Ab Svea, Stockholm, reanmed SVEA STAR. Helsingborg- Travemünde service. Sold 1976 to Bremer Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG, Bremen; renamed CARIBE. Replaced BOLERO on summer Portland-Yarmouth service for Price of Fundy Cruises and winter Caribbean cruises for Commodore. Renamed CARIBE BREMEN 1981. Sold 1981 to Scandinavian World Cruises, Nassau; renamed SCANDINAVIAN SUN. Commenced Miami-Freeport service 1982. Transferred to SeaEscape Cruises Ltd. Nassau (successor company to Scadniavian World Cruises) 1985, continued in Miami-Freeport service. Sold 1992 to Belle Meade Shipping, Monrovia; renamed BALANGA QUEEN, placed in Karlskrona-Gydnia service for Corona Line. Chartered 1994 to Hansatee, Tallinn, transferred to Tallinn-Helsinki and Tallinn-Travemünde service for Tallink. Sold 1994 to Discovery Cruise Line, Panama; renamed DISCOVERY SUN, placed in day cruise service from Port Everglades from 1995. Presently in service.

 

CARIBE I: Built 1953 at A. Stephen & Sons Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland, for Transatlantic Shipping Corp. (Greek Line), Monrovia as OLYMPIA. Transatlantic service and cruising. Laid-up at Piraeus, 1974. Sold 1981 to Sally Shipping GmbH, Bad Schwartau. Originally intended for static use but, following the capsizing and classification as a constructive total loss of proposed future Commodore flagship NAVARINO (see Regency Fleet History, REGENT SEA), renamed CARIBE and extensively rebuilt for cruising at Perama, Greece, and Hamburg, Germany. Name amended to CARIBE I 1984, cruising for Commodore. Sold 1991 to International Shipping Partners, Nassau, renamed REGAL EMPRESS. Cruising for Regal Cruises. Regal Cruises ceased operations 2003, ship sold to Imperial Majesty Cruise Lines. Presently in service.

 

ENCHANTED CAPRI: Built 1975 at Oy Wärtsilä Ab, Turku, Finland, for USSR Black Sea Shipping Co., Odessa as AZERBAYDZHAN. Reflagged in Liberia and renamed ARKADIYA, 1996. To Winchester Navigation Co., Odessa 1996. Chartered to New SeaEscape Cruises, 1997, renamed ISLAND HOLIDAY. Chartered to Commodore 1998, renamed ENCHANTED CAPRI. Laid-up following bankruptcy of Commodore in 2000. Operated several cruises for New SeaEscape Cruises in 2003 while their ISLAND ADVENTURE was in drydock, then returned to lay-up at Freeport, Bahamas. Presently laid-up.

 

ENCHANTED ISLE: Built 1958 at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, Mississippi, as ARGENTINA for Moore-McCormack Lines Inc., New York. New York-Buenos Aires service. Sold 1972 to Nederlandsche-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschaappij (Holland-America Line), Rotterdam; renamed VEENDAM and converted to cruise ship. Laid-up 1972. Chartered 1972 to Agencia Maritima 'Intermares' Ltd. for cruising from Rio de Janiero. Renamed BRASIL. Charter ended 1975, returned to HAL service and renamed VOLENDAM. Transferred 1976 to subsidiary Monarch Cruise Lines Inc., Panama, renamed MONARCH STAR. Returned to HAL 1978, renamed VEENDAM. Sold 1983 to Billinghurst Shipping, Panama (Bermuda Star Line), renamed BERMUDA STAR. Bermuda Star Line bought by Commodore 1990, renamed ENCHANTED ISLE. Renamed HOTEL COMMODORE 1993, hotel ship at St. Petersburg, Russia. Renamed ENCHANTED ISLE and returned to Commodore service, 1994. Following bankruptcy of Commodore in 2000, laid-up at Violet, Louisiana. Renamed NEW ORLEANS September 2003. Departed Violet for breakers at Alang, India, 24 October 2003. Arrived Alang 4 December 2003, breaking up commenced 9 December.

 

ENCHANTED SEAS: Built 1958 at Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp., Pascagoula, Mississippi, as BRASIL for Moore-McCormack Lines Inc., New York. New York-Buenos Aires service. Laid-up 1969. Sold 1972 to Nederlandsche-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij (Holland-America Line), Rotterdam; renamed VOLENDAM and converted to cruise ship. Chartered to Monarch Cruise Lines Inc., Panama, 1975, renamed MONARCH SUN. Monarch bought by HAL 1976. Returned to HAL and renamed VOLENDAM 1977, continued under Panamanian flag. To Netherlands Antilles flag 1982. Sold to Banstead Shipping Ltd. (Orient Overseas Line/C.Y. Tung Group), Panama, 1984, renamed ISLAND SUN. Transferred to Tung-owned American Hawaii Cruises 1987, renamed LIBERTE. Remained under Panamanian flag; cruising in Tahiti. Sold to Bermuda Star Line, Panama, 1987, renamed CANADA STAR; QUEEN OF BERMUDA 1988. Bermuda Star Line bought by Commodore, 1990, renamed ENCHANTED SEAS. Chartered to World Explorer Cruises/Semester-At-Sea for service as cruise ship and floating university 1998. Full-time floating university from 2002. Replaced as floating university 2004. Initially to be chartered to World Explorer Cruises for full-time cruising, and refurbishment commenced at Hong Kong June 2004, however charter fell through August 2004 when structural problems were discovered. Sold for breaking up and renamed UNIVERSE November 2004. Departed Hong Kong for Alang, India 19 November 2004. Beached at Alang 7 December 2004 and breaking up commenced shortly after.

 

ENCHANTED SUN: Built 1974 at Kynossoura Dock Yard Ltd, Kynossoura, Greece, for Hellenic Mediterranean Lines, Piraeus. Brindisi-Patras service. Sold to Stena Gulf Line Ltd., Nassau, 1988, renamed SCANDINAVIAN SAGA and chartered to SeaEscape. Chartered to California Cruises, Nassau, renamed PRIDE OF SAN DIEGO, 1991. Renamed TROPIC STAR II, 1992. Renamed STENA ARCADIA 1994, laid-up at Venice, Italy. Sold to Empress Cruise, Nassau, 1997, renamed EMERALD EMPRESS. Laid-up at Freeport, Bahamas. Sold to Yucatan Shipping, Nassau, 1998. Sold to Triple Shipping, Monrovia, 1998, renamed SOFIA. Sold to Commodore Holdings Ltd., Nassau, 1999, renamed ENCHNATED SUN. Laid-up at Freeport following bankruptcy of Commodore in 2000. Sold 2001 at auction to Cardinham International, Nassau, renamed TALISMAN. Sold 2002 to International Shipping Partners, Nassau; Renamed MANISTAL. Continued laid-up at Freeport. Sold to Circle Line Cruises, Nassau, 2003; renamed ST. TROPEZ and commenced service on casino cruises from Ft. Lauderdale. Presently in service.

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Doug,

 

My first and second cruises were on Commodore. Caribe I in 1988 and Enchanted Isle in 1996. There have been many more since then on various lines, but those two will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you so very much for your Commodore Fleet History report. And also thank you for all your hard work on the boards!

 

Kat 060104_emM12_prv.gif

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ZydeDiverDC - We sailed on the Enchanted Isle several times, including Nov. 1999. We really loved her and everybody on her.

 

I Miss Enchanted Isle - We miss her too. We sailed the Isle several times but don't remember a Bobo Mike. We did get to know a waitress named Wendy and her husband also. The staff on that ship were the friendliest we've seen. We saw the ship several times while it was tied up and waiting to go to India and were very sad at the prospect of its destruction.

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Hello RonAth..!

So glad to hear that people loved sailing this very intimate and fun ship! We were on the Zydeco Cruise and had such a wonderful time! see pix. Were you also on board same time? Hope so.. it was a fun and magical time!:)

zydeco99small.jpg.8eda4a146e68e55793fac9bdf3aa4d7e.jpg

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My wife and I sailed on her from 1996-2000 usually in either August or September. The first 2 years we saw the late great Trumpeter Al Hirt. It always brings a smile to my face when I think about all the terrific crew and fun activities. Anybody remember Waxx Radio, " We're always in your ear", or the anouncement before dinner over the loud speaker. Main seating dinner is now being served in the Riviera dining room, and as always we wish you bonnnnnnnnnnn appetite. How about D.J. Danny, Alan Lee in the Spyglass lounge, Head Waiter Samuel, the Ray Kennedy Entertainers, and of course the cruise director Dan Stapleton. I could go on and on but I guess I have been long winded enough.

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our 3rd & 4th cruise were on the isle out of san diego in may 91 and aug. 92. we went on her again in may 98 out of new orleans. loved that ship and the crew. we are happy with princess and celebrity but it isn't the same.

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  • 2 months later...

56 chevy cruise,

We sailed in on the Enchanted Isle in 97 & 98. That was the best vacation we ever had.

I remember Waxx Radio, " We're always in your ear" and the anouncement before dinner over the loud speaker. I still have my Waxx Radio t-shirt. Thanks for bringing that memory back!!!

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Geez . .this has been great .. ! So glad to have met so many others that had the fun of sailing Commodore.. Surely do wish there was another cruise Line that had the same aura and fun those Commodore ships had...

ah such is life.. Thank you all for the wonderful mem's and funny times!!

Geez Deb 79 any way you could post a pix of that tshirt.. I think I remember but .. i must be getting old or something.. ha!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I was delighted to see this thread. We sailed on Enchanted Isle's last cruise for Commodore, landing in New Orleans on December 23, 2000. This was the second half of a RT from Big Easy. We caught it in San Juan for 11 days. I remember many chats with the ship's doctor, a "retired" GP from New York who had attended Regis High School with a couple of guys who were my classmates at Georgetown. I also remember - an entertainer whose claim to fame was that he could juggle bowling balls - a very cute singer who did her own great arrangement of "Summertime" - a two man real Jamaican steel drum combo playing Christmas carols on the back deck at night - the Captain who was very available around the ship. We have been on fancier ships, but this was our second cruise after a Carnival Mexican Riviera, and the contrast was delightful.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Doug' date='

 

My first and second cruises were on Commodore. Caribe I in 1988 and Enchanted Isle in 1996. There have been many more since then on various lines, but those two will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you so very much for your Commodore Fleet History report. And also thank you for all your hard work on the boards!

 

Kat 060104_emM12_prv.gif

Our 1st and aboaut 4th cruises were on the Caribe 1: I think it was probably 85 or maybe even 84. I remember buying this awesome T shirt sleeveless (when I could wear sleeveless) it was lavender with turquoise lettering. To this day, I think I remember every detail about that cruise. Not that we don't fully enjoy all our cruises, but oh how I wish there were some lines out there today just like Commodore. NMNita

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  • 3 months later...

My first five cruises were with Commodore. I loved Dan Stapleton and Alan Lee. I ran into Alan Lee a couple of years ago on a Norwegian cruise out of Houston. I also enjoyed the WAXX Radio. Remember the bread pudding? That was the best.

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  • 2 weeks later...

In June of 1995, my family cruised out of New Orleans on the Enchanted Isle. We were originally scheduled to sail on the Enchanted Seas but 2 or 3 weeks prior to the sailing date, the Enchanted Seas was damaged by a fire. Commodore brought the Isle to New Orleans and as we were sailing down the Mississippi, the Enchanted Seas could be seen down river as it was getting ready to go into drydock.

This cruise was a memorable one for several reasons. We sailed with our two children(one -7 and the other 17 months old), my parents on their first and only cruise and an aunt. My 17 month old was obviously the youngest on board and by the end the most spoiled one as well. We would go to dinner and the maitre d or a server would materialize next to her high chair and hold out their arms..off she would go..making the rounds of the dining room. My son had a great time as well with the Commodore Kids' Club. It was his first night of dancing in a disco that he remembers as well as the movies that they would watch at night.

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  • 11 months later...

I had the singular advantage of not only cruising on the Enchanted Isle, but worked for Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp. which built the ship. I was very sorry to see the cruise line go bankrupt, but these small ships could never compete financially in today's environment (more's the loss).

 

By the way, I've still got a couple of the WAXX radio T-shirts which I picked up on my last cruise ...

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We were scheduled for our third Enchanted Isle cruise about three weeks after Commodore filed for bankruptcy. It was a sad sight seeing her tied up and deteriorating in Violet.

 

Twice, we were in a cabin with a brass pole in the middle of it. Not sure what that was for, but was an interesting piece of decor.

 

We often went to The Riverwalk to watch her sail. The ship was so small that we were on eye level with the pool deck, and could hear the band playing and see people dancing as she sailed away.

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