Rotterdam

On 6/9/2019 at 8:57 PM, hennpaul said:

Well, this has little to do with the topic, but it's fun, and funny.

 

 

 

OMG.....It's like they captured a CARNIVORE CRUISE LINE cruise.,..

Always know your source...after dozens of cruises on many lines since the mid 1970's & several on MSC...  . I've been quite happy w MSC & it's product...it's not the RITZ in Paris.

The best l ever heard was a man coming out if the buffet on the MERAVIGLIA one afternoon complaint all they had was hamburgers & hotdogs.,..oiy.

People are expecting a RITZ Carlton experience at a HAL cost......lol

It's called covid...the op seems to have a lot of complaining time on his hands & his game is to beat out a low balled priced cruise...no matter the line.

Still hoping the MSC 2022 WORLD CRUISE WILL BE A GO.....

WHATS THE WORD SO FAR??? 

6 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

It would take Presidential support along with both houses.

Or a check from Jeff bBezos, Michael Bloomberg, the Sackler family,  Mark Schmuckerberg and a host of others.

3 minutes ago, HuliHuli said:

Over smaak valt niet te twisten

LOL... how true👍 I'm just a believer in simple elegance 🙋🌞😎🤗

1 hour ago, marinaro44 said:

Sorry, but I think the song business is pretentious.  Just put up the sails.  Or do it the first time the sails go up on a cruise, and leave it at that.  No reason for it on the motor yachts.

I totally agree...when one is on a beautiful ship sailing the ocean what else do you need...there are some on another cruise line here that everyone they sail Louis Armstrong is played singing "what a wonderful world"...after the first time its like they drank too much or have alzheimers. Kitch sells i guess or there's no accounting for bad taste.

I grew up w the midnight buffets on the Italian Lines...ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS to say the least.

One note is that we always had late seating dinner so the buffets were for show & maybe a nibble or cookie.

The portions in the dining room were also of European size..so even w 4 courses,  including pasta I would be full but not stuffed. Part of the cruise experience was the great & varied food onboard.

I usually don't go to buffets...saying that 2 years ago I did a 13 day repo cruise on MSC & 12 OF THOSE NITES I ATE AT THE BUFFET...IT WAS so varied & the pizza delicious. The choices were so many..something for everyone.

In the afternoons at 4 or so have a glass of wine & grab some guacamole & chips & sit on the aft deck & watch the sea go by...that was luxury..having the choice.

I had a balcony cabin where each morning I had coffee, croissants, fresh fruit  & yogurt delivered.

Cruising has changed..its just tweaking it a bit ...one thing is if its a late nite..I need pizza....MSC delivered😎🤗😊

There is a group headed by Susan Gibbs trying to save the liner for another purpose/ maritime museum.  Of course $$$ is a major obstacle.

Personally I wish the shop would be towed to NYC WESTSIDE PIERS, next to the INTREPID AIRCRAFT CARTIER.

THERE SHE COULD BE RESTORED FOR MIXED USE, MUSEUM, RESTAURANTS ETC.

I know one of the senior officers on the ship is gay & he's quite social, cocktails etc...be he says RCCL has gotten strict about socializing w the passengers.

Hestoldme thereusually are lots of gay passengers, mostly from. The west coast of florida.

The Ritz Carlton Room from the RTTERDAM V would be a good start. 🚢 

12 hours ago, CGTNORMANDIE said:

Every ocean liner enthusiast would love to see the great liners recreated.  They are actually building a replica of the Titanic in China.  Should be ready by next year.  There isn’t enough money in the world to recreate Normandie.  It cost over 50 million in 1935, some say more than 70 million dollars, and featured the greatest artists of the day.  Just the art work today would be in the billions.  There were 400 First Class cabins…every one of them was decorated differently by famous artists.  
 

The SS France, to me, was a bit of a disappointment.  It did not have the chic designer looks or palatial dimensions of Normandie.  I’ll admit the two decks that were added ruined the profile but those suites were necessary.  The France was in need of more upscale cabin space.  The suites had floor to ceiling windows with great views.  We stayed in one of those suites in 1993 and enjoyed it very much…sure beat looking out a porthole!

CGT...

LOL...yes I understand the limitations $$$wise but a ship w the Normandie's profile w cost effective cabin furnishings w spectacularly designed public rooms, promenade decks, aft pools.

For instance I am in a 1960' hotel on the beach in Broward County, florida. 

The man that owns this & 11 similar hotels has started a preservation project for the neighborbood..there's a small deli/misc shop, a small bakery w delicious baked goods, scones to sausage rolls. Next to that there is a wine garden w pizza to fish & steak a gift shop a couple of hotel bars, a mid century antique store even a couple of food trucks 1 of which is vegan. All the buildings are painted white & 90 % of the furnishings are from ideal!

Even the kitchenettes are equipped w ikea.

The bars & stores are decorated individually.   I love it...its also the reason I'm looking to furnish my apartment w oceanliner furniture.

Yes the suites are nice ...I now always sail midship balcony cabins.  My first cruise we were in a top deck suite & I remember being tossed around along w the furniture during a storm.

2 features I would insist upon is a full circle open promenade & an aft pool...so let's start...we may not get Lalique but we can copy.

I just thought today about the best of the old liners & if someone rebuilt them would there be enough demand for this type of cruise ships.

With respectful recreation & some modernization i would love it. With  the FRANCE, I liked the first redo but hated it when they added extra decks.

It would be nice to see some new "SHIPS OF STATE" w the best of artists, designers & engineering.

What do you all  think??? 🚢 

I just thought today about the best of the old liners & if someone rebuilt them would there be enough demand for this type of cruise ships.

With respectful recreation & some modernization i would love it. With  the FRANCE, I liked the first redo but hated it when they added extra decks.

It would be nice to see some new "SHIPS OF STATE" w the best of artists, designers & engineering.

What do you all  think??? 🚢 

On 6/25/2021 at 1:34 PM, WanderingBrit said:

I'm assuming it's somewhat shallow on that side of the island, and that's why she's moored so far out?

Actually most mid & larger shipshape to tender into St George because of the very small/narrow passage into the harbor.  The last time we did it(dock in St George that is) was on the old celebrity Zenith.

14 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Thanks for your reply.  Was the need to have an efficient method of transferring guests to the private island the reason for the development of these tenders?  Or, as what I saw in St. Thomas, was the Norway so large and would occupy so much of the dock space at that time that the Port Authorities required her to anchor in order to allow smaller vessels to dock at their port?  

If I may add something here...

The FRANCE & QE2 were built as true ocean liners w first & "second class"..w the ability to do one class cruises.

The ships were built w extra strong hulls to withstand the North Atlantic and also deeper drafts. 

Cruise ships 🚢 later on were built w shallower drafts enabling them into ports such as the Carib, Mediterranean etc.

Since the draft of the FRANCE was so deep,  she & QE2 were not able to dock in ports w shallow harbors like St. Thomas.

The tenders on the NORWAY  not only facilitated the off loading of passengers & crew but also added years to her life.

Anyone that sailed in FRANCE & QE2 know the difference between those great oceanliners & the newer cruise ships .

I loved sailing in the FRANCE, THE NORWAY & QE2.

Knut Kluster took a big risk & certainly was much more a visionary,  creative, imaginative & quality driven business man. Fortunately for some of us, we were able to experience his dream.

Since the rules have changed a bit now it seems we'll be able to cruise again(on this high seas)....

I was just wondering who is ready to go & booked a cruise in the next 6 months???

🚢 ⚓ 🛳 

Thanks ShipGeeks...will do.... I did see some chairs from the FRANCE &  dining set w 4 chairs from the ss United States...

Ideally I'd like to put together a room from the FRANCE or the Italian Line....

Thank you all for the info.

When QM2 had its  first couple of years we sailed on a FEBRUARY, 13 day carib cruise out of NYC/MANHATTAN WESTSIDE PIERS...I'd  do it again in a second

15 hours ago, rbtan said:

Because of the large crowd. It's hard to tell who might be gay & who isn't. Could be quite embarrassing if one gets it wrong.

Or you could kiss someone thats wants to be...

🤗🤪🍹🍹🍹🍹🥂

16 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

No, it is not.  I had forgotten about Mr. Knego.  I have no contact information for him.  But, he might be a better source for furniture than the site that I mentioned.  I hope Rotterdam sees this and tries to find a web site for Mr. Knego, if he has one.  

 

There are other maritime memorabilia dealers, but I have only dealt with two of them; the gentleman's web site that I listed being the most frequent.  

Hi RKA...Thanks so much...I've been busy but did check your link & actually found something.

I also did an online search for  "ocean liner furniture for sale" & found a few more pieces.

I'm excited about the idea dea that I may be able to do this...thanks again

51 minutes ago, marco said:

We just booked the Divina for January '22.  It will be our 4th time on the ship. Still, not quite the "Italian experience" as was the Italian or Hmes LInes.

Marco.. I've found sailing on MSC ships vs the old Italian, Home & SITMAR Lines is much like a recipe ones mom use to make, then being made by someone else....its not quite the same but the flavor is there🤗

5 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

We sailed on MSC Seaside, a large ship, and greatly enjoyed it.  Since then, we've been booked, and cancelled, twice on MSC's Armonia, a much smaller ship.  We're still determined to do so.

Our first cruise on MSC was either on the OPERA or POESIA....when first sailing...I believe they have been stretched since then...they were nice and we very much enjoyed them both.

That is why I was so surprised to have enjoyed the MERAVIGLIA so much...totally different ships 🚢 

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Romy Formica and The Favolosi was the group that was playing in the Italian Hall when I sailed on the Oceanic.  Great group and their full LP record can be found on You Tube.

 

 

I imagine that you are aware of maritime artifact dealers that often have such items from both the Oceanic and the Italian Line vessels.  I know the dealer with whom I have bought does and is a very reputable gentleman/company.  If you would like a contact for him, I think I can provide it on CC and not break any of the rules by doing so.  

Thanks so much...I'll listen to the music this week.

Its so kind of you & I certainly would appreciate the contact information for the furniture......can you imagine recreating the ITALIAN HALL in my living room...smaller scale 9f course but a good bar!!

Thank you

19 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

La dolce vita!  

 

Carnival Cruise Lines and some Princess cruises throw a darn good sailaway party as well!  

 

I wonder what the sailaway Party was like when I sailed on MSC Meraviglia in January, 2020.  The ship sailed at 7:00 P. M. when many were dining.  The actual party occurred at a very aft deck venue when I was dining.  

The sailaway on Merviglia from NYC IN NOV 2019 amusing playing on the aft deck...it was cold but sailing out of MANHATTAN at nite was spectacular....

The Bon Voyage parties  that e referred to previously were when passengers  were allowed to have visitors come& see them off....Saturday afternoons there would literally be thousands of visitors seeing the shops off.... people did have food & drink 🍸...a popular spot was by the pools aboard OCEANIC as the magradome would be opened & closed depending on the weather.  It was horrible to be threesheets to the wind & get off the ships.  Someone I know had too much cold duck & the long shore men literally  threw him on a baggage dolly & wheeled himthe pier. pier.

I believe visitors paid a $1 to board & that went to the SEAMAN's FUND

GREAT FUN & MEMORIES