Your first cruise ship

[MMDown Under]

I noted how all the life vests were tied up the same, so we must have paid attention! :)

 

Thanks for the memory!

[Copper10-8]

I believe it was Enchanted Sea. I had to find the pictures. Two of the ladies are now deceased. Died 2008. My mother, and thank God me, are still alive.

 

ss Brasil (1958-2004) Built in 1958 as luxury ocean liner ss Brasil (her younger sister was named ss Argentina and would operate as Veendam for HAL) by Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation, Pascagoula, Ms for United States-based Moore McCormack Lines. On 16 December 1957 she was launched after having been christened by Mrs. Emmet J. McCormack , the wife of the Line's Chairman of the Board. On 12 September 1958, Brasil departed on her 31-day roundtrip maiden voyage from the Big Apple to Buenos Aires, Argentina via Barbados, Rio de Janeiro, Santos and Montevideo under the command of Captain (Commodore) Thomas N. Simmons.

 

She would operate this service from New York City along the U.S. East coast to various ports in South America until 1969.

 

From 16 March until 14 June 1963, she was rebuilt at Bethlehem Steel Company at Fort McHenry (Baltimore), Md. where she received two new decks, called the Sun and the Navigation, which together added 61 new staterooms and increased her capacity by 163 passengers (her total capacity was 670 pax at the time). In addition, new public rooms were added and other public areas were enlarged. On 5 September 1969, ss Brasil, along with her sister, ss Argentina, were laid up in Baltimore, Md due to unprofitability.

 

In April 1971, she was acquired by Holland America Line for ten Million Dollars, however approval from the United States Congress took another year. (Her initial construction had been partially funded by a U.S. government grant so she could converted to a troop carier if need be). HAL renamed her ms Volendam, the second ship in the line's history to carry that name. Volendam is a fishing village not far from Amsterdam on the shores of the former Zuiderzee (Southern Sea) and current IJsselmeer (IJssel Lake). They also purchased her sister, ss Argentina, and after the same refit, named her Veendam (III).

 

On 10 August 1972, her Dutch crew sailed her from Baltimore to Bremerhaven, (then) West Germany, ariving on 18 August, for a refurbishment/rebuilt into a full-time cruise ship at LLoyd Werft that would last until 14 February 1973. After her interiors were completed in Rotterdam, Volendam left on her HAL maiden voyage from Rotterdam to New York, via Southampton, England and Cobb, Ireland, on 16 April 1973. In the Summer of 1973, she started operating out of New York City on various cruises to the Caribbean.

She was laid up Hampton Rhoads (Norfolk), Va starting on 6 January 1974, mainly due to the world-wide oil/fuel crisis. On 29 June 1975, she was chartered by Miami-based Monarch Cruise Lines as Monarch Sun for two years and used by them on three and four-day cruises out of Miami, Fl to the Bahamas and Caribbean.

 

 

In 1976 however, Monarch Cruise Line was taken over by HAL and so the ship (and her sister) once again was being managed by Holland America Line.

 

 

In January 1978 after Monarch was completely absorbed by HAL, she returned to Holland America Line for a second tour as Volendam, cruising for them from New York to Bermuda in the summer and in the Caribbean in the winter season. Her last HAL cruise took place on 21 January 1984.

 

 

In October 1983, she was sold to Panama-registered Banstead Shipping Ltd. (owned by the Hong Kong-based C.Y. Tung Group). After another refit at Newport News, Va, she was renamed Island Sun on 27 February 1984 and started cruising from various U.S. ports. On 29 May 1984 she sailed from Hampton Roads, Va via the Saint Lawrence River to Quebec City to be used as a hotel ship by the Jacques Cartier Group until 20 July 1984. On that day, the operators who had chartered her went belly up and she in turn sailed to Newport News to be laid up.

 

On 10 November 1984, after a Panama Canal plus a trans-Pacific crossing, she arrived in Sasebo, Japan for a major refit (new public rooms and side thrusters installed). December 1985 found her sailing as Liberte for American Hawaii Cruises (but still owned by the C.Y. Tung Group) between Papeete, Tahiti and several Pacific islands (i.e. Bora Bora, Rarioa, Huahine, etc.). This would last until January 1987 when the service was terminated.

[Copper10-8]

 

In May 1987, after yet another layup, this time in San Francisco, she was chartered to the Bermuda Star Line who named her Canada Star. After a north-bound Panama Canal transit, she began operating cruises from New York on 13 June 1987 to Bermuda, Cape Cod and the Canadian Maritimes. The Winter of 1987 saw her cruising from New Orleans, La to Key West, Cozumel and Playa del Carmen.

 

 

In the Summer of 1988, Bermuda Star Line decided to give her yet another name, Bermuda Star. This was an actual name swap with her sister, the former Argentina/Veendam, who was no longer allowed to sail to Bermuda by its government. Bermuda Star Line wanted to keep that name, Bermuda Star, on the route so gave it to Canada Star. However, towards the end of 1988, that name was indeed changed to Queen of Bermuda.

 

In August 1990, Bermuda Star Line was purchased by/consolidated with Commodore Cruise Lines and, after a refit in Avondale, La. (starting to sound like Joan Rivers here), she was renamed Enchanted Seas. Commodore would use her for cruises out of New Orleans, La to the Caribbean.

 

 

On 15 July 1995, she was purchased by V-Ships/Azure Investments, Inc and renamed Universe Explorer. From October 1995 through January 1996, she was modified to prepare her for operating under charter to the Institute of Shipboard Education, which runs a college program, then in association with the University of Pittsburgh. In January 1996, she set off on a cruise to the Caribbean and from Febuary to mid-May 1996, she took off on her first semester voyage for the Institute for Shipboard Education.

On 27 July 1996, while en route from Juneau to Glacier Bay, Ak, carrying 732 passengers and 274 crew members, a fire started in the main laundry room. The fire was contained after four hours but tragically, five crew members died from smoke inhalation and fifty five crew members and one passenger sustained injuries. Universe Explorere limped to Juneau, Ak where her passengers disembarked. Damage to the ship was estimated at $1.5 million.On 2 August 1996, she arrived in Vancouver, BC for repairs.

 

In November 2002, she was purchased by World Explorer Cruises.

On 3 June 2004, she was on her way to Hong Kong with plans for extensive refurbishment and a return to full-time cruising in the winter of 2004. On 30 August however, all work on her came to an abrupt halt as a result of a dispute over the condition of the ship between World Explorer Cruises and the owner, Azure Investments.

 

On 9 November 2004, she was sold to Indian scrappers (Rikan Shipping, Inc.) and renamed Universe. She departed Hong Kong on 19 November 2004 and arrived at the beaches off Alang, India on 5 December 2004. She was beached on 7 December to meet her demise at the hands of the breakers.

 

[Copper10-8]

 

Our 1st cruise was on NCL Sea. We did a 3 day cruise to the Bahamas! We had an inside cabin which was 110 sq ft. Pretty cosy!! We cruised in the November after 911 & docked in Maimi the day the plane crashed into a residential area in NYC. We were "locked" on board until early afternoon when the officials realized the crash was due to mechinal issue & not a terrorist attack.

 

 

ms Seaward (1988-present) Built in 1988 by Oy Wartsila Ab/Wartsila Marine Shipyard, Abo, Finland as ms Seaward for Kloster Cruise/Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). She was delivered on 16 May 1988 and,upon completion of her maiden voyage, she spent most of her early career cruising in the Caribbean.

 

 

In 1997 she was refurbished, renamed Norwegian Sea and assigned to the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) fleet. Her multimillion dollar renovation included the addition of a fifth restaurant called The Pasta Cafe. In addition, her bars and lounges and other public areas, and some of its suites were refurbished with new looks, including fresh upholsteries, furniture, draperies and color schemes.

 

 

She was the third ship in NCL's fleet to embrace Freestyle Cruising, which, according to NCL, bucks the regimented scheduling typical on some other lines. Passengers can eat whenever they want with whomever they please – at the eatery of their choice! – and such flexibility also extends to disembarkation times and dining attire.

 

 

 

In November 1998, Norwegian Sea replaced the trouble-plagued Norwegian Star by starting to operate year-round seven-night "Texaribbean" itineraries from Houston, TX with stops in Cozumel, Roatan, Belize City, and Cancun. She received another refurbishing in January 2003 at Freeport, the Bahamas.

 

 

In August 2005, she was transferred to the fleet of NCL parent, Malaysia-based Star Cruises, rebuilt at Sembawang, Singapore where additional cabins were added, and renamed SuperStar Libra. In September 2005, she operated on cruises from Mumbai, India.

 

In the summer of 2006, she sailed a variety of cruises in the Mediterranean, Adriatic, and Aegean seas before redeploying to Mumbai, India in late September 2006. SuperStar Libra was based in Taiwan in 2007 and 2008 and sailed from Keelung. She operated from Singapore from November 2008 until January 2009 when she was laid up at Port Klang, Malaysia.

 

[Copper10-8]

Our first cruise was on NCL, 2007 to the Western Caribbean, and I am absolutely hooked. Trying to figure out were to next

 

 

ms Norwegian Dawn (2002-present). Built in 2002 as ms Norwegian Dawn by the Jos L. Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany for Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). She was the second in a line of two ships with the same design, her sister being Norwegian Star which entered service in November 2001. Norwegian Dawn entered service with NCL at the end of 2002. She was originally intended for NCL's owner, Malaysia-based Star Cruises as SuperStar Scorpio, but a decision was made that she would go to NCL instead. Her maiden voyage found her crossing the Atlantic from Southampton, England to New York City on 7 December 2002. Upon arrival, she was officially christened in an elaborate ceremony in the New York borough of Manhattan by actress Kim Catrall from 'Sex and the City' fame.

 

 

At the time of their initial order with Meyer, the two ships were designated as belonging to the Libra class - NCL redesignated her as belonging to the Dawn Class, because they felt the Libra class designation was due top her original assignment to Star Cruises.

 

 

Similar to her sister Star, Norwegian Dawn has a wide variety of restaurants, bars, entertainment and activity areas, and an eight-deck high atrium. One of her more distinctive features are twin Garden Villa staterooms. At 5,750 sq ft., they are among the largest at sea and come complete with living room, dining room and three separate bedrooms each with king or queen-size beds, a private luxury bath and a full CD/DVD library. Two bedrooms also feature a full bath with whirlpool tub and separate shower. Each Villa features a private garden with hot tub, outdoor dining area and terrace.

 

Norwegian Dawn was the first NCL vessel to utilize hull art. Originally planned as a way to further promote the vessel, the concept was extremely well received and, as a result, hull art was incorporated to the majority of NCL's other vessels, with the exception of those ships scheduled to transition out of the fleet.

 

On 16 April 2005, after having sailed into rough weather off the coast of Georgia, Norwegian Dawn encountered a series of three 70-foot waves. The third wave damaged several windows on the 9th and 10th decks cuasing several of her decks to become flooded. Damage, however, was not extensive and the ship was quickly repaired. Four passengers were slightly injured in this incident.

 

 

Norwegian Dawn has sailed from New York City since 2003 on itineraries to Port Canaveral, FL, Miami, FL, Nassau, the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay, the Bahamas and Bermuda. In October 2007, she was repositioned to Miami from where she sailed seven-day Caribbean itineraries. Her Summer 2008 season found her operating on the seven-day New York to Bermuda run on which she spends two or three-days docked in King's Wharf aka the Royal Navy Dockyard, or a possible day anchored in the bay with tender service into the city of Hamilton. She has also operated on a series of Canada-New England cruises from the Big Apple.

 

[Copper10-8]

I sailed on the Ryndam about five years ago, when I was about 12-14. It was an Alaskan trip and was a ton of fun. Since then I have acquired almost 100 days. :)

 

 

m/s Ryndam (1994-present) Built by Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A., Monfalcone, Italy for Holland America Line. She is the third ship in HAL history to bear the name Ryndam and the third of the four ships in the 'S' class (Statendam, Maasdam and Veendam are her sisters). She was named after the river Rhine (Ryn or Rijn in Dutch) and a dam built by the Dutchies somewhere in that great river. (There is no city or town called Ryndam but the Dutch like building dams and dikes and are pretty good at it too!;))

 

Upon leaving the yard for the first time, she ran technical trials in the Adriatic for three days in June 1994. She was handed over to her Holland America Line/Carnival Corporation owners on 9 September 1994. She then took off on a transatlantic crossing to Ft. Lauderdale, Fl. where on 20 October 1996, she was christened by her godmother, Madeleine Arison, wife of Micky Arison, CEO of Carnival Corporation.

 

Her inaugural/maiden voyage that same afternoon took her to the Caribbean, an area that she would become very familiar with in the future. The summer season usually finds her in Alaska after having made the crossing via the Panama Canal. One of her most popular HAL captains, Capt. Frans Consen when assigned to her, can be heard bellowing her name with the addition of several 'rolling r's' as in Rrrrrrrrryndam, on his 'voice from the bridge' talk around noon time on sea days;)

 

 

The four ships of the 'S' class are just about identical, having only small changes in their internal layout. However, each one has a different decorative theme. Ryndam's theme is built around the Dutch age of exploration, with her decor featuring art and artifacts from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries,

In April 2005, Holland America Cruise Line announced a program of up-scaling their cruise ships, cruise line image and passenger cruise experience called the 'Signature of Excellence program'. This enhancement program included stateroom amenities, luxury beds and bed linens, a Neptune Lounge, Pinnacle Grill, Explorations Cafe, Greenhouse Spa & Salon, and a Culinary Arts Center on all ships and the extension of the gym out and above the bridge. In addition, changes were made for non-adults including newly expanded youth facilities with the "Club HAL" program and the Loft and the Oasis for teens. Ryndam had her SOE enhancements installed while in dry-dock in October 2004

 

 

In August 2008, HAL announced further enhancements to, as well as new features on, five of the line's most popular ships as part of its ongoing Signature of Excellence program. Over the next two years the four 'S' sisters as well as the lead ship of the 'R' class, ms Rotterdam, will undergo extensive dry docks to create new venues, new staterooms and new decor. The 18-month, $200 million program will begin when Veendam enters an extended dock in spring 2009, and the last ship Maasdam is slated for completion in late 2010. Passenger capacity of the five ships, based on a two per cabin, will be increased to 1,350 for the 'S' class and to 1,404 for the Rotterdam

 

 

[Copper10-8]

MY first cruise in 1969 was around the Mediterranean on the SS Nevasa an old British India ship used a a troop ship in World War 2 and in the Korean War.

 

The cruises were set up for British school children and their teachers with only a very small number of other adult passengers. Each day there were lectures on ports of call and European and Middle Eastern history by guest professors and lecturers which adult passengers were invited to.

 

There was certainly plenty of noise on board

 

ss Nevasa (1956-1975) Built in 1956 as ss Nevasa by Barclay Curle and Company Ltd., Glasgow, Scotland for the British India Steam Navigation Company/British India Line. She was launched on 30 November 1955 by Mrs. J. A. Boyd-Carpenter, the wife of the then British Minister of Transport and completed on 12 July 1956. It was the third time the name Nevasa was used in the British India fleet history. The British India Line was formed in 1856 and was acquired by P&O in 1914. In the post-war years, the company was the first to build ships expressly for carrying military troops.

Nevasa was specifically designed as a troop transport, one of Britain's largest, and chartered to the British Ministry of Transport for fifteen years for service between the UK and her overseas possessions. With accommodation for 500 officers and their families and 1,000 NCOs and men on the troopdeck, Nevasa introduced a new era of trooping by sea. A twin screw, turbine-driven ship, she came with many comforts compared to older vessels, including stabilisers to reduce rolling in rough seas. She set off on her maiden voyage on 27 July 1956 to Famagusta, Cyprus.

However, her career as a troop transport lasted just six years. The British government's decision to abandon transporting troops by sea in favor of air transport made her redundant, and after making her last trooping voyage, she was laid-up in the River Fal on 13 October 1962.

 

 

She would remain there, near the King Harry Ferry, for two years until a decision was made to convert her to an educational cruise ship, B.I.'s third and largest. On St.Andrew's Day 1964, she was moved from her lay up berth to the Silley, Cox and Co., shipyard Ltd., Falmouth, England where he refitting and conversion would take place.

After the conversion work was completed, sea trials were carried out from 15-18 September 1965, and Nevasa left Falmouth on 17 October on her shakedown cruise with a large party of guests onboard. On 28 October 1965, she departed Southampton on her maiden voyage as a school ship bound for Madeira, Tangier and Lisbon. After this, she maintained a full cruise program each year, carrying 307 adult cruise passengers in private cabins (including some 70 odd teachers) and 1,090 students:eek: in dormitories.

She carried a permanent education staff on board who would arrange lectures in the assembly hall, classroom periods, organised deck games, bridge and engine room visits and many other activities.

As an education ship, she would make nearly 200 voyages, steamed around 750,000 miles and carried 187,000 students.

 

 

 

On 1 October 1971, her operation and management was transferred to the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. (P&O's) passenger division, however she would continue to carry the livery of British India SN Co. On 12 May 1972 however, she was internally transferred along with all remaining B.I. ships to P&O. On 11 January 1975, when her owners were faced with huge rises in oil costs, Nevasa was suddenly withdrawn from service after having arrived in Malta. In February 1975, she made her final voyage from Malta via Dakar and Cape Town, crossing the Indian Ocean to the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra, ultimately arriving at Kaohsiung, Taiwan breaker's yard on 30 March 1975. On 2 April 1975, she was sold to the Nan Feng Steel Enterprise Co. Ltd for demolition and on 10 June 1975, scrapping work commenced.

[Copper10-8]

Our first cruise was on HAL's Zuiderdam in Aug. of '03 and we've been hooked ever since. We have been to several AI resorts in the Caribbean and the experience doesn't compare. My dream is to be one of those people who have logged more than 300 days at sea. Right now we're at 28 days............I can dream

 

 

ms Zuiderdam (2002-present) Built in 2002 as ms Zuiderdam by Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A.' date=' Marghera (Venice), Italy for Holland America Line. The first of a class of four 'Vista' ships (Oosterdam, Westerdam and Noordam are her sisters), she was the largest-ever passenger ship to join the HAL fleet at the time. [/color']The names of the four ships translate to the four directions of the compass in the Dutch language; Zuid meaning south, Oost for east, Noord is north and West for, you guessed it, .........west. The Vista class was so named for the extensive use of glass in their superstructures. Zuiderdam shares similar exterior dimensions with Carnival's and Costa's Spirit class while Cunard's Queen Victoria is an enlarged version of the same design, as is HAL's Signature Class ship Eurodam and future Nieuw Amsterdam. At 85,000 grt, Zuiderdam is almost 30% larger than HAL's "R" class and almost 35% larger than the "S" class of ships.

Zuiderdam was the third ship in Holland America Line's history to carry the prefix "zuider" or "southerly". The first vessel was launched in 1912 as the 5,211 ton cargo ship Zuiderdijk. At the time, "dijk" or "dyk" was the suffix used by HAL for cargo vessels while "dam" was used for their passenger ships. Zuiderdijk would sail between Rotterdam and Savannah, GA through 1922. She then served as a troop transport during Worl War I.

 

The second "Zuider", and the first "Zuiderdam", was launched from a shipyard in Rotterdam for outfitting in 1941. However, a month later she was damaged and capsized during a British air raid. The German occupiers raised her hull but later sunk her again to block the port of Rotterdam to allied forces. She was raised once again after World War II, but never completed.

 

At the time of her launching on 14 December 2001, Zuiderdam embraced the latest industry and environmental technologies such as the use of a diesel-electric power plant for optimal energy efficiency and an Azipod propulsion system. She was also the first ship to offer data ports in every stateroom for internet and e-mail access.

Her art collection carries a Venetian theme throughout the ship. Suspended in a three-story atrium, a Waterford Crystal Seahorse sets the mood for several art pieces which can be found throughout the ship. Examples of these include a painting of HRH Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands by pop culture artist and icon Andy Warhol, medallions by Frank Lloyd Wright, Carnival in Venice, created by Daniel Ogier, cast aluminum elevator doors inspired by the art deco work of the New York Chrysler Building, a massive floral painting by Charles Ben and a large collection of antiques and centuries-old paintings. Eighty-five percent of her staterooms have ocean views and sixty-seven percent have verandahs.

After crossing the Atlantic, Zuiderdam arrived in Ft. Lauderdale where on 14 December 2002, she was christened by her godmother, broadcaster and TV anchor Joan Lunden. Dignitaries present for the event included Carnival chairman and CEO Mickey Arison, his wife Madeline, HAL president and CEO Kirk Lanterman and his wife Janet, Fincantieri shipyard executive chairman Corato Antonini, Zuiderdam's 'take out' captain Jack van Coevorden, HAL interior designer Frans Dingemans and Reverend David Mesenbring, who would bless the vessel.

She then set off on her maiden voyage, a cruise to the eastern Caribbean. Her itineraries since then have taken her from the Caribbean via the Panama Canal to the North American west coast, Alaska's inside Passage and Glacier Bay, as well as various ports of Europe.

In April 2008, Zuiderdam entered dry dock in Palermo, Sicily for a refurbishment where a new block of thirty four prefabricated cabins was lowered into place and installed on her stern, an Explorations Cafe added on, and internet center moved to, the starboard side of her Crow's Nest, a dedicated movie theater, called the "Screening Room" added, shops expanded and other routine maintenance performed.

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[Copper10-8]

Hi Copper,

Mine was a three night cruise from Miami on the Dolphin IV in 1991. The itinerary was Nassau, and a private island. It was an introductory cruise before deciding to book our honeymoon on the Dolphin Oceanbreeze, a 7-night Southern Caribbean from Aruba. I believe Dolphin Cruise line later was sold to Premier. The ships were older, but we loved them. Oh yes, we were hooked from the start, and our cruises only keep getting better

 

ss Zion (1956-2003) Built in 1956 as ss Zion by Deutsche Werft, Hamburg, (then) West Germany for Israeli Zim Lines as part of Germany's World War II reparations (Reparation Payments Agreement)to Israel. As the second passenger-cargo carrier ever built for the young Jewish state, Zim operated her on their Haifa to New York (Kent Street, Brooklyn) service alongside her sister ship ss Israel. She had four cargo holds with a capacity of approximately 4,000 tons each, including refrigerated space. In addition she had a drive-in car deck for up to 30 vehicles.

 

 

Her primary route would take her from Haifa, Israel to New York City across the Atlantic with stops at Palma de Mallorca and Gibraltar in the Mediterranean. Return trips to Israel would include stops at Gibraltar and Piraeus, Greece. On some journeys, stops at Naples, Italy and Halifax, Nova Scotia were included. During 1961 and 1962, she worked a route from Haifa to Marseilles, France with stops at Limassol, Cyprus and Genoa, Italy (or Naples). Although she could accommodate a total of 323 passengers, only 24 of them were in First Class. Those cabins were located on Boat Deck, comprising of two berths with some upper Pullmans. First Class lounges were located forward on Promenade deck with Tourist class cabins mid-ships and a Veranda Cafe, serving strictly Kosher food, aft. Additional Tourist Class cabins were located on Main Deck with a synagogue mid-ships and a Tourist Class Smoking Room as well as a swimming pool aft. The dining rooms were located on A-Deck, as were the balance of the Tourist Class cabins, most with private facilities.

 

 

In 1966, she was purchased by Portugal-based Sociedade Geral de Industria e Commercio, who renamed her ss Amelia de Mello and operated her between Lisbon, Portugal, their West African colonies of Guinea and Angola and their Atlantic Isles (Sao Vicente, Madeira, etc). In 1967, they sent her back to the Deutsche Werft for upgrading and refitting. As the Portuguese colonies achieved their independence, liner services came to a halt and Amelia de Mello was withdrawn from service in 1971. A plan to convert the Amelia do Mello into a full time cruise ship was considered but before it could be executed her owners sold her in late 1971 to Greek interests, specifically the London-based Vlassopoulos family.

 

 

John and Nick Vlassopoulos had her extensively rebuilt as a full-time cruise ship at Bilbao, Spain from which she reappeared, now having a total capacity of 780 passengers, as the ss Ithaca, named after their hometown/island, for their newly created Ulysses Line. Converting the ship into a 13,000 ton cruise liner entailed extensive reconstruction of all existing spaces as well as extension fore and aft of her superstructure to provide room for the entertainment and lounge areas required for her planned 700+ passengers. Involving no pretense of grandeur, designers and owners opted for simplicity and convenience, building well over 200 new cabins and fitting private facilities in all 294 cabins aboard. She emerged a substantially new ship but with her once pleasing profile ruined by a top heavy look forward. Worst was an unusual "bonnet" cladding her funnel, installed both to deflect smoke and disguise her origins further.

 

While in Ulysses Line service, she would operate on Mediterranean and Atlantic Isles cruises that were largely marketed by UK tour company Thomson Holidays from 1973 on very inexpensive cruises with British passengers. Following severe increases in oil prices, Thomson decided that cruising was no longer economically and financially feasible so the charter was not renewed at the conclusion of the first four year period.

 

During 1977 and 1978, Ithaca was chartered to Canadian tour operator Strand Cruises for two years offering fourteen-day Mediterranean fly-cruise packages to both Canadian and American passengers. When Strand went belly-up, Vlassopoulos moved her to the Caribbean in 1979 under the new name Dolphin IV. This would be her area of operations for the rest of her career. Ulysses Line/theVlassopoulos family had entered into a joint venture sales and marketing agreement with French shipping company Paquet, known as Paquet Ulysses Cruises, to operate her onthree and four-day cruises to the Bahamas from Miami, FL.

 

 

In 1984, Paquet pulled out and Dolphin Cruise Line was born (once again owned by the Vlassopoulos family) taking over heroperation. The Vlassopoulos family later formed a holding company called Cruise Holdings which bought out both Premier and Seawind Cruise Lines. By 1996 however, Dolphin IV did not fit in, even with the aged Cruise Holdings fleet and with the impending merger of their three lines into a reborn but ill-fated Premier Cruise Line, they sold her in 1998.

 

 

Their new owners were a company called Cape Canaveral Cruise Line who would operate her under her same name of Dolphin IV on short cruises to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, FL. In 2000 however, she was taken out of service because of corroded fresh water and sewage tanks. Cape Canaveral Cruise Line attempted to find a replacement for her but was unsuccessful and went under. Dolphin IV was subsequently laid-up at Freeport, the Bahamas due to reoccurring problems with her fresh water and sewage holding facilities. In February 2003, she was sold for scrap to Indian Breakers. Upon her arrival at Alang, India in April 2003, she was beached and broken up.

 

[antmaril]

My late husband and I took our first cruise in 1982 on the NCL Starward. We stopped in Nassau and St. Thomas. We didn't cruise again until we went on the Big Red Boat in 1991 with our then four year old son.

[Copper10-8]

My late husband and I took our first cruise in 1982 on the NCL Starward. We stopped in Nassau and St. Thomas. We didn't cruise again until we went on the Big Red Boat in 1991 with our then four year old son.

 

 

Starward (1968-present) Built in 1968 as ms Starward by AG Weser Werk Seebeck in Bremerhaven, (then) West Germany. She was delivered to her owners, Norwegian Caribbean Line, which later would become Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), on 29 November 1968 and made her first cruise for them on 21 December 1968. She was their first purpose-built ship and originally had a stern car door as well as garage space to take trailers, specifically to Jamaica. This space was later converted to cabins.

 

 

A sister to NCL's Skyward, she initially operated out of Miami, Fl. on seven-day cruises to the Caribbean islands. She was later moved to San Juan, Puerto Rico for seven-day cruises to the southern Caribbean.

 

 

In 1994, Starward was sold to Greece-based Festival Cruises, their second ship, who renamed her Bolero and, after a refit in Piraeus, began operating her on Mediterranean itineraries. Her first cruise for them took place on 22 December 1995 out of Genoa, Italy. She would sail from there and from Savona, Italy to the Canaries and/or Portugal, Morocco and mainland Spain. In addition, she did Western and Northern Europe runs.

 

Summer seasons would find her sailing on seven-day cruises from Venice, Italy to Greece calling at Dubrovnik, Croatia; Katakolon, Delos, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos and Pylos, Greece. In December 1997, she operated a fifteen-night transAtlantic crossing from Genoa to Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic, followed by a series of one week charter cruises.

.

 

In 2000, she was chartered to Great Britain-based First Choice Cruises and in 2002 to Spanish Cruise Line (SCL), followed by charters to other travel companies.

 

 

When Festival collapsed in January 2004, she was laid up at Gibraltar, until being purchased by Orient Queen Shipping in November 2004 and renamed Orient Queen in 2005.

 

She wasoperated by Abou Mehri Cruises of Beirut, Lebanon and managed by Österreichischer Lloyd. At the time, she wasthe only Lebanese-owned cruise ship. Orient Queen cruised her first season out of Beirut in the spring of 2005. In November 2005, she was repositioned to Dubai to begin what would turn out to be an unsuccessful Persian Gulf cruise winter program, providing the first luxury cruise line service between Dubai and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Quatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates).

 

 

She was repositioned back to Beirut to begin a 2006 cruise season in the Mediterranean Sea. On July 19, 2006, Orient Queen was chartered by the U.S. Government and used to evacuate United States (and other countries') citizens from Lebanon as a result of the armed conflict between that country and Israel. She took those evacuees to the port of Larnaca in Cyprus.

[Copper10-8]

In August 2006, Orient Queen was sold to Cyprus-based Louis Cruise Lines for which she sailed on Med cruises. In the spring of 2007, she ran a World Cruise charter for German-based Delphin Seereisen when construction of that lines' new Delphin Voyager was delayed. She returned to Louis when that cruise was completed and is currently sailing for them.

 

 

 

 

 

[sppunk]

The good 'ol Carnival Celebration, in 1989.

[newfarmers]

Fedor Shalyapin, Black Sea Shipping Co. Had always loved going down to the overseas passenger terminal in Sydney and looking at the ships - the Lloyd Triestino ships were the most beautiful (to my young eyes). Hooked before I ever boarded my first cruise and then nearly thirty years till I managed to board for my second. Now 58 days from three cruises.

[sillysailor 1955]

Our first cruise was in 1979 NYC to Nassau & Bermuda on the Rotterdam. It was an oceanview room which at that time had bunk beds!!!! It was myself, a male friend and my now husband. We were really young adults but I remember the ship being so "classy" and the service was top notch. (Just as it still is today on HAL) Unfortunately, we were about 50 miles or so behind Hurricane David... boy I was so seasick I wanted to die... I just remember a few crew members taking me to the Lido getting me so apples and crackers and getting me to a rail - I am not kidding I have never been so sick. :eek: Have only recent started cruising again (within the last 5 years). But I will always have fond memories of the Beautiful Rotterdam :)

[WATERSHY]

On 31 Mar 07 Terry my wife and me Stephen, embarked on a wonderful ten day New York, Tortola (cancelled by med evac), St Thomas, Roseau, Barbados, St Maarten and San Juan first cruise on the Noordam. What a fantastic introduction to cruising. At that time we really were quite willing to remain on board for the duration. But did not. We were in heaven. Working class types with all the service and attention made us feel very special. Thank you to the great staff and crew serving us. Our six dinner companions were also thrilled for us and made us most welcome. We shared many laughs and did enjoy one anothers company. It was the best surprise I sprang upon my willing and appreciative wife. PS Venice-Barcelona 05 Oct 09...more later.

[baroness51]

This thread has really gotten the responses. My (our) first cruise was on the Delta Queen in 1972. I was very young. 20 I think. But the cruise that really got me hooked was on the Rotterdam V in 1997 on her final cruise north out of Vancouver to Alaska. What a party. They pulled out the stops. It was the first leg of the trip back to Holland. We took our son who 12 at the time and the only kid on board. When I told him I thought he might be the only kid his reply was " that's ok, I like old people". We had so much fun. He still talks about it.

 

I won the Jackpot on the snowball bingo and did well in the casino. Paid for a good part of the trip. Since then it's been HAL.

 

We're on the Westerdam May 10 with 5 other couples all who have never cruised before. I convinced them HAL was the only way to travel. They better like it or I'm in trouble. I'm sure they will.

 

Smooth sailing to all, (to quote Captain Puget, for those who live in the Great Northwest)-

 

Linda

[Williebill]

Our first cruise was aboard the Carnival Mardi Gras in about 1990. The cruise was a three day cruise out of Port Canaveral to the Bahamas. The cruise ship was in such bad condition, the cruise was so rough because of Hurricane Bob, my wife got sea sick because of the rough seas and the air conditioner in our cabin didn't work. Because of this cruise, we almost decided to never cruise again. Thankfully, we tried cruising again a couple of years later and loved it; we have cruised ever since.

[Copper10-8]

The good 'ol Carnival Celebration, in 1989.

 

 

Sensation (1993-present) Built in 1993 as ms Sensation by Kvaerner Masa Shipyard, Helsinki, Finland for Miami-based Carnival Cruise Line for Caribbean cruising. She was handed over to her new owners on 18 October 1993. After a North Atlantic crossing, she was officially named in Miami, FL on 13 November 1993 and eight days later, she departed on her first Caribbean cruise. Sensation belongs to the 'Fantasy-class' of ships and was the third vessel built in the class of eight (the others are Fantasy - 1990, Ecstasy - 1991, Fascination - 1994, Imagination - 1995, Inspiration - 1996, Elation -1998 and Paradise -1998)

 

Elation and Paradise differ from their sisters in that they have Azipod azimuth thruster propulsion as opposed to two fixed propellors on the first six ships of the class. They were also the last cruise ships built with the lifeboats situated on the upper deck. The Fantasy class has a so-called 'modern ocean/cruise liner design', with all of its cabins situated within the hull and only a handful of suites on the superstructure, similar to Carnival's Holiday-class ships which were built in the late eighties.

Sensation was one of several cruise ships chartered by the U.S. Government to provide accommodation for refugees and relief workers following Hurrican Katrina's path of destruction in August 2005. After being released from FEMA service, she moved to Port Canaveral, Fl, where she replaced the Fantasy on Carnival's three and four-day cruises from that port to the Bahamas. On this route, three-day cruises depart Thursdays and call at Nassau while four-day voyages depart Sundays and visit both Nassau and Freeport.

 

In late 2006, Carnival Cruise Line announced a massive multi-million dollar product enhancement initiative to its Fantasy class fleet known as "Evolutions Of Fun" which is expected to be completed in 2009. The refit will consist of new ship names, with all eight ships receiving a repainted name with the "Carnival" prefix (i.e. Carnival Fantasy, etc.) after their final refurbishment to their pools and outside decks. Sensation became 'Carnival Sensation' in November 2009.

A miniature golf course will be added to the forward sun deck. The aft pool deck will be replaced by a 'Carnival WaterWorks aqua park' with multiple slides. The main pool will be completely refurbished and redesigned in a tropical theme with new materials and new spiral staircases to the top deck and their original waterslides will be removed.

 

The adults-only area (around the funnel) will be moved to Promenade deck aft and will be known as the 'Serenity adults-only area', replacing the children's wading pool on the back of Promenade deck with the wading pool becoming part of the new waterpark. The restaurant and the majority of the public areas will receive new decors as well as new electronic equipment. Except for the Carnival Elation and the Carnival Paradise which already have the feature, the sculpture found in the atrium on the other six ships will be removed and replaced with an atrium bar and an orchestra platform. Finally, all staterooms will receive new decors, new beds and new flat screen televisions.

 

Carnival Sensation will add balconies to ninety-eight existing cabins transforming them from the current ocean view staterooms. In addition, eight of her suites on the Upper Deck will get larger balconies. Twenty four balconies will 'extend' from the vessel mid-ships and another twelve near her stern. The remaining sixty two will be located at her aft section.

 

In addition, all her staterooms will be completely refurbished, as well as virtually all dining, dancing and entertainment venues. Guest corridors will be renovated and a new “Circle C” facility catering to 12- to 14-year olds will be added, as well.

 

Carnival Sensation was the fourth Fantasy-class ship (Carnival Imagination, Inspiration and Fantasy preceded her) to enter drydock in January 2009 and emerged with her refurbishments and upgrades thirty five days later in February 2009. She is currently sailing to the Bahamas from Port Canaveral, FL.

 

[url=http://boards.cruisecritic.com/"http://media.shipspotting.com/uploads/photos/rw/767595/Ship+Photo+CARNIVAL+SENSATION.JPG&quot][/url]

[Copper10-8]

Fedor Shalyapin, Black Sea Shipping Co. Had always loved going down to the overseas passenger terminal in Sydney and looking at the ships - the Lloyd Triestino ships were the most beautiful (to my young eyes). Hooked before I ever boarded my first cruise and then nearly thirty years till I managed to board for my second. Now 58 days from three cruises.

 

RMS Ivernia (1955-2005) Built in 1955 as RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Iverni by the John Brown & Company, Clydebank (Glasgow), Scotland for the Cunard Line's Dominion service to Canada as the second of the Saxonia sisters quartet. They were the largest Cunard liners ever built purely for the company’s Canadian service.

 

Near the end of 1951, Cunard Line decided to design two new ships for their Liverpool-Montreal route. They origianlly planned to built only the two ships but later on, two more sisters were built in Clydebank. They were designed for luxury as well as speed and all ships of this new class (Saxonia, Ivernia, Carinthia and Sylvania) were built to meet the requirements of Canada’s rapidly growing population and increasing volume of overseas trade.The first two ships were named Saxonia and Ivernia. Their basic design combined a large passenger capacity, in maximum comfort, with space for a substantial amount of cargo – all within the biggest dimensions which would permit safe navigation of the St. Lawrence River up to the terminal port of Montreal, Quebec.

 

Ivernia was launched on 14 December 1954, just nine days after Saxonia steamed into New York for the first time. The original plan had the wife of the Canadian Prime Minister name her but this was changed and instead, Mrs D. C. Howe, the wife of the Canadian Minister of Trade, did the honors. As with the winter-time launching of her sister, Ivernia’s naming was not blessed with good weather. As she took to the water, she was caught by a strong crosswind which found her dangerously close to the river bank, her stern being within just a few feet of a storage quay. It took six tugs to guide her out of danger and into her fitting-out berth.That process, the fitting, like that of Saxonia, took nearly six months. On 13 June 1955, she sailed from Glasgow on a series of sea trials that lasted until 17 June.

 

Her original maiden voyage had her sail from Liverpool to Quebec City and Montreal on 30 June. However, Cunard was struck by an industrial labor action which caused a change in those plans. Therefor, on 25 June 1955, Cunard announced that Ivernia would sail her maiden voyage from Greenock instead of Liverpool. Thus, Ivernia set off on her maiden voyage on 1 July 1955 with 900 passengers and crew onboard, arriving in Montreal on 19 July 1955.

 

As was usual on that route, once the St Lawrence became impassable due to winter ice, the liners were temporarily transferred to the Liverpool to Halifax, Nova Scotia and Liverpool to New York run. Ivernia’s first such sailing left Liverpool on 2 December 1955. She called at Cobh, Ireland on 3 December, Halifax on 8 December, and made her maiden arrival into New York City on 10 December 1955. She remained there, unloading and loading her cargo until 15 December, when she set sail back to Liverpool, arriving just two days before Christmas.

 

The original plans were for the new Cunarders to replace the old pre-war ships that had been operating the Canadian service. At the time Carinthia entered service however, the Franconia, Ascania and Scythia were still fully employed on the route. On 12 October 1956, Cunard announced that Franconia and Ascania would be withdrawn from service in November 1956. Then early in 1957, Scythia was transferred to the Liverpool to New York route and in January 1958 sold for scrap. This left the Canadian service entirely in the hands of the four new sisters.

 

In June 1962, Sir John Brocklebank, chairman of Cunard Line, announced that both Saxonia and Ivernia would be taken out of service and given an extensive rebuild to make them more suitable to cruising. On 11 October Ivernia arrived at her place of birth, John Brown’s on the Clyde for her refit which would last until June 1963. This refit involved a considerable amount of structural alterations and also included a completeley new interior design for her new role as a dual purpose Atlantic ocean liner and cruise ship. In the process, she was renamed Franconia. Cunard’s plan was to operate her between Southampton and the St Lawrence during the summer with calls at Rotterdam, and on a cruise schedule from Port Everglades, Fl to the Caribbean in the winter.

 

Franconia made her Caribbean debut with a series of cruises out of New York. She departed on the first of these on 23 November 1963, sailing to St. Thomas, USVI, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Kingston, Jamaica and Nassau, the Bahamas. A series of similar cruises continued until 24 April 1964 when she sailed for Southampton to join the Carmania (her former sister Saxonia) in a summer transatlantic service. By winter 1964-1965, both Franconia and Carmania were well-established on the cruise scene. Following an overhaul and refit in April 1965, she ventured into the Mediterranean for the very first time in October. Cunard had scheduled her to undertake an Iberian cruise, departing Southampton on 25 September, calling at Malaga and Cadiz, Spain, Lisbon, Portugal and Pauillac (Bordeaux), France. She followed this with a similar cruise, which called at Casablanca, Morocco, instead of Malaga.

 

 

In 1967, Franconia became a full-time cruise ship. That same year, Furness Bermuda Line ceased operations and Cunard saw this as an ideal opportunity to establish themselves in the year-round cruise market out of the United States. Arrangements were made with the Bermudan government for Franconia to become the weekly cruise ship between New York and the island. It was at this time during their winter refits, that both Carmania and Franconia underwent further changes with their cruising green livery replaced by a more conventional white hull and upper structure.

 

In 1971, Cunard suddenly found themselves facing the most important event of their long and illustrious history – a takeover bid. In August 1971, a successful 26 Million Pound Sterling bid came from Trafalgar House Investments Ltd. The new owners of Cunard Line were soon faced with the fact that both Carmania and Franconia were in need of further refitting and modernisation. With several new purpose-built cruise ships coming into the market, the two sisters were beginning to look dated, particularly when compared with their new fleetmates, the flagship Queen Elizabeth 2 and the cruise ship Cunard Adventurer. Cunard and Trafalgar House, realised that bringing Carmania and Franconia up to standard would be an expensive undertaking. It was eventually decided to withdraw the two ships, lay them up and put them up for sale.

 

 

Franconia arrived in Southampton on 17 October 1971, her career with Cunard at an end. She was laid up and joined by her sister Carmania on 31 October. Carmania and Franconia remained there for almost seven months. When it was apparent that there were no immediate buyers, Cunard decided to place them in a more permanent lay up and on 14 May 1972, the two ships sailed for the River Fal in Cornwall.

 

In 1973, Franconia (and Carmonia) were sold to the (then) Soviet Union-based Far Eastern Shipping Company. Before entering service with them, the two sisters were overhauled by Swan Hunter on the River Tyne. Franconia was the first to leave the River Fal, sailing on 14 August 1973 and arriving on the River Tyne three days later. There, it was announced that she would be renamed Fedor Shalyapin.

 

 

Far Eastern would use her for cruising beteween the Soviet Union and Australia. Upon arrival in Australia in November 1973, both ships embarked on a program of cruising out of Sydney herbor. Fedor Shalyapin would remain in Far Eastern and Pacific waters and June 1974 found her in Yokohama, Japan. From there, she sailed to a variety of Far Eastern ports before arriving back in Fremantle and then Sydney.

 

Between May and November 1976, she undertook a series of Pacific cruises under charter to Shaw Savill Cruises of Australia. It was during this charter that a much reported, but unverified, incident took place. Fedor Shalyapin was crossing the Tasman Sea on her way from Auckland to Sydney when, in the early morning hours, she suddenly stopped and all of her lights went out. Her cranes started up, a submarine suddenly came alongside and there was a transfer of personnel and cargo between the two vessels. The incident was denied by the Soviet Embassy and Shaw Savill also denied any knowledge resulting in this unusual incident remaining a mystery today.

 

 

In December 1979, Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan and, as a result, the Australian government banned all Russian passenger ships from calling at Australian ports. In 1980, Fedor Shalyapin was re-registered in Odessa and transferred to the ownership of the Black Sea Shipping Company. Shortly after, she could be found on regular cargo and passenger runs from the Black Sea across the Atlantic to Cuba.

 

 

The beginning of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 changed the future of the two former Cunarders. At first they became part of the Ukrainian fleet. Although both ships were registered in Odessa as part of the Black Sea Shipping Company, at some point Fedor Shalyapin was listed as being owned by the Far East Shipping Company again. The ship no longer carried the Hammer and Sickle emblem on her funnel. Instead, she had a broad blue band with a white and gold logo of a bird in flight on her stack.

 

 

For a while, both ships continued to sail, looking pristine and well maintained. In mid summer 1994, Fedor Shalyapin made an extended cruise from St Petersburg, calling at 20 ports around Europe and in the Mediterranean, ending in Odessa. It became clear however, that the end was in sight. By the fall of 1995, both ships were laid up at Ilichevsk, a Black Sea port some 80 miles south-west of Odessa.

 

In January 2004, after having been sold to Indian interests, she set sail from Ilichevsk under her own power bound for the scrapbreakers. On 11 February 2004, the former Fedor Shalyapin, now renamed Salona, was beached at Alang, India and the breaking up commenced soon after.

[Copper10-8]

Our first cruise was in 1979 NYC to Nassau & Bermuda on the Rotterdam. It was an oceanview room which at that time had bunk beds!!!! It was myself, a male friend and my now husband. We were really young adults but I remember the ship being so "classy" and the service was top notch. (Just as it still is today on HAL) Unfortunately, we were about 50 miles or so behind Hurricane David... boy I was so seasick I wanted to die... I just remember a few crew members taking me to the Lido getting me so apples and crackers and getting me to a rail - I am not kidding I have never been so sick. Have only recent started cruising again (within the last 5 years). But I will always have fond memories of the Beautiful Rotterdam

 

 

ss Rotterdam V (1959-present) Built in 1959 as ss Rotterdam by the Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (Rotterdam Drydock Company), Rotterdam, the Netherlands for the Holland Amerika Lijn/Holland America Line for which she would become their very popular flagship. At 748 feet long, 94 feet wide and weighing 38,650 tons, she would be the largest ship ever built in the Netherlands and she would sail for HAL for 39 years!

 

She was the fifth ship in the line's history to bear the name of Rotterdam, the principal city in the Dutch province of Zuid (South) Holland, second largest municipality in the Netherlands and the largest port in Europe. The name 'Rotterdam' originally comes from a dam built on the river Rotte.

 

On 13 September 1958, Rotterdam V was launched by her godmother, HRH Queen Juliana of The Netherlands. Upon the completion of succesful sea trials, she set out on her maiden voyage from Rotterdam to New York, via Le Havre, France and Southampton, England, on 3 September 1959, arriving in New York on 11 September. One of her passengers was the then Crown Princess of The Netherlands, Princess, now Queen, Beatrix.

 

She then departed New York on her first cruise on 11 December, 1959, a 49-day cruise circumnavigating South America. She would make her first world cruise in 1961, a seventy seven-day roundtrip from New York. In 1969, Rotterdam made her last regularly scheduled transatlantic crossing and was converted to a one-class cruise ship. She would, however, make four more world cruises in 1993, 1995, 1996, and 1997.

 

 

From September until October 1989, she received a $15 million dollar (mostly interior) refit at a Portland, Oregon shipyard. On 31 January 1996, HAL announced that the much loved ship would be taken out of service as of 30 September 1997. The reason given by her owners (later disputed) was the new SOLAS (Safety Of Life At Sea) requirements coming into effect and the funds, supposedly U.S. 40 million, required to update the thirty-eight year old vessel. Rotterdam would make a farewell cruise at the end of her Alaska season from Vancouver, BC to Ft Lauderdale, Fl.

 

In October 1997, she was purchased by Premier Cruises who had her upgraded to SOLAS standards and renamed Rembrandt. Premier kept her classic ocean liner 'feel' and on 21 December 1997, she departed on her first cruise to South America. The summer of 1998 found her cruising in the Mediterranean. Premier however, also had grandiose plans to rename the ship 'Big Red Boat IV' and to paint her hull a bright red, an idea not very popular with her fans. As Big Red Boat IV she would sail out of Los Angeles on three and four-day party cruises to Mexico in the winter and out of Vancouver, BC on seven-day Alaska cruises in the summer.

 

As faith would have it, Premier Cruise Line ran into financial difficulties. On 13 September, 2000 during a northbound New England/Canada cruise, her captain was ordered to return his ship to Halifax, Nova Scotia. After off-loading her passengers, the ss Rembrandt was placed under arrest. As a special condition of her warrants, she was allowed to depart for Freeport, the Bahamas where she arrived on 30 December 2000 and was laid-up pending sale. Premier Cruise Lines filed for bankruptcy and went out of business.

 

 

On 7 May 2003 Rembrandt became the property of s.s. Rotterdam BV (part of RDM holding or Rotterdamse Droogdok Maatschappij, her original builders). On 17 June 2004, the Polish ocean-going tug 'Englishman' towed her from the Bahamas to the Camell Laird yard at Gibraltar where she arrived on 12 July 2004 and where renovation work was scheduled for her. She would remain docked at the British Crown Colony until October 2005 (see below). By that time, she also had new owner, 'Rederij De Rotterdam BV'.

 

 

On 25 October 2005, after a tow from Gibraltar by the Spanish tug 'V B Artico', she arrived at Cadiz, Spain, for additional (dry) dock maintenance including the repainting of her hull in her original light gray color. In addition, she was renamed Rotterdam and registered in the same city. 'V B Artico' would tow her again, this time from 10 to 27 February 2006, from Cadiz to Gdansk, Poland where her asbestos was removed and further renovating would take place (see below).

 

 

On 25 August 2006 she received yet another tow, this time to Wilhelmshaven, Germany (see below) where she stayed until August 2008 for additional exterior restoration work.

 

[Copper10-8]

 

On 2 September 2008, she left Wilhelmshaven and on 4 September 2008, she made her triumphant return (see above and below) to her city of birth, Rotterdam, where she was berthed at the “Katendrechtse Hoofd” (Head of Katendrecht) located on the northern edge of Rotterdam Zuid (South) in the Maashaven (River Maas harbor) and where she will serve as a floating hotel, static museum ship and conference center.

 

[newfarmers]

Thanks John

 

The detective work you are putting in to this is amazing. So much information about Ivernia/Franconia/Fedor Shalyapin. Not sure if the next qualifies as a cruise - my parents and sister arrived in Australia from the UK in the fifties (as ten pound tourists) onboard the Sitmar (?) Castel Felice.

 

I've had not much luck digging up too much information on the ship. All we have are a few menus amazingly found at a friend's place who of course knew nothing of the significance of them.

 

peter

[sppunk]

Copper10-8, thanks. I just wanted to say you wrote about the Carnival Sensation, not the Carnival Celebration. While I'm sure Sensation is a fine ship to sail, I've never had the experience of doing so. ;)

[sillysailor 1955]

WOW - Thanks for all the great pics and history of the Rotterdam! That was very interesting. They just don't build them like that anymore!!!;)