Premier Cruises

[DarthGrady]

anyone know where I can find pix of the Majestic, doesnt need to be new, any of its former incarnations would be welcome.

[TampaMike]

anyone know where I can find pix of the Majestic, doesnt need to be new, any of its former incarnations would be welcome.

 

 

Google images has several pics. Try Starship Majestic, also Spirit of London, Sun Princess, Flamenco and New Flamenco.

[zdcatc12]

anyone know where I can find pix of the Majestic, doesnt need to be new, any of its former incarnations would be welcome.

 

Try this http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/ and do a search for Premier or Majestic. They have some great postcards of ships from both their old and new line.

[DarthGrady]

Those are all great for exterior shots, but I'm hoping for some interior shots.

[Sashas]

Our first cruise was in May 1993 on the BRB Atlantica. It was still connected with Disney and a fun time was had by all.

 

Our second cruise was in May 1994 on Costa Britannis. Horrible Ship did not cruise again until May 1999. After our experience on the Britannis I was afraid to cruise again. :eek:

 

In May 1999 we went on the SeaBreeze and had a great time. We then got a crew of friends together and went again in May of 2000. By todays standards the SeaBreeze was a tiny ship with "Old Fashion" character, entertainment and cabins, but we loved her. Since then we have cruised a couple of times a year. Been on ships of all sizes and class, but the SeaBreeze will always hold a special place in my heart. The casino was tiny, the Dinning room ceiling you could touch easily when you stood up and the decks and public rooms were very small, but it was fun. Best memories are setting on the Promenade deck listening to the steel drums and Caribbean music with friends and a great crew...who could ask for more. We use to get up early and set on deck waiting to see who would wonder out first or last from the night befores adventures. Good memories, great time, "The original fun ship." :)

Lois & Dan

 

 

More than you want to know::confused:

This ship was built in 1958 by the Ansaldo Sestri Ponente shipyard in Italy as the Federico C. The ship was the first new ship built for the Costa Line. The ship was initially liner service between Genoa, Italy and Buenos Aires, Argentina via Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1966, she began service between Genoa, Italy and Florida, the Caribbean and Venezuela. The ship had a major refit in 1968, then added Caribbean cruises between trans-Atlantic trips. Federico C did cruises exclusively from 1972 to 1983, when the boat was sold.

In 1983, Premier Cruises obtained the ship and named it the Royale; it became the StarShip Royale' in the same year. In 1988, the ship was renamed the SeaBreeze when it was placed in service for Dolphin Cruise Lines. One year later, the ship was refurbished. Premier took possession of the ship when it acquired Dolphin in 1997. When Premier went out of business in September 2000, the ship was ordered to immediately cease operations. At the time, it was docked at a Canadian port.

December 2000, it sank off the coast of North Carolina/Virginia. when the ship's boiler allegedly broke off and damaged the ship.

The investigation into the sinking of the Seabreeze I caused international concern, based upon numerous suspicious incidents, including the fact that the ship was likely to fetch only between $5 and $6 million for scrap, but had a $20 million insurance policy on it. The cruise ship sank in international waters flying the Panamanian flag, making Panama responsible for the investigation of the sinking of the boat.

The ship's captain told U.S. Coast Guard rescuers that his boat was in imminent danger of sinking as a result of its engine room being flooded in high winds and 25-foot seas. At the time, the Coast Guard rescuers believed that it was highly unlikely for a ship that large to sink that quickly, and were astonished when the Greek captain demanded that he be exfiltrated from his boat, rather than stay aboard it and try to shepherd it to shore and recovery. Subsequently, all 34 crewmembers were rescued; there were no passengers onboard.

 

See Wikapedia for full details of Premier Cruise Line demise.

[mnmstaller]

We took our first cruise on the Premier Atlantic -"Big Red Boat". It was a wonderful ship, does anyone know what happened to her?

 

She is now owned by MSC under the new name MSC Melody. I sailed on this ship after cruising on Admiral cruise Line Emerald of the seas. I did not like the Atlantic at the time. It looks great now as the Melody

[skinsfan73]

Premier had the best food ,hands down

[CruiseDirections]

We were on the Rembrandt in August 1998 from Barcelona to France, Monaco, Italy, Sicily and Mallorca. Wonderful trip, the ship was HAL's Rotterdam and is now in its namesake city in the Netherlands. Loved it!

[tw67]

Twenty years ago my husband and I did the Premiere Big Red Boat/Disney cruise/vacation for our honeymoon. What was the name of their private island in the Bahamas, and whatever happened to that island? Did another cruise line take it over?

 

Thanks!

 

Terry

[PaulMedik]

Twenty years ago my husband and I did the Premiere Big Red Boat/Disney cruise/vacation for our honeymoon. What was the name of their private island in the Bahamas, and whatever happened to that island? Did another cruise line take it over?

 

Thanks!

 

Terry

 

 

Terry,

 

The island is privately owned and known as Salt Cay. Currently there's an excursion from Paradise Island Nassau known as Blue Lagoon that offers a Dolphin Encounter or a beach day.

 

The island was ripped in half by a hurricane and now the beach area is inland in the cove, but the area that was once the beach is slowly gaining sand with tidal movements.

 

The island is still beautiful and accessible via a water taxi ride from Paradise Island. CLICK HERE for pics from our recent visit to Blue Lagoon. Pics of the water taxi and the island start on page six.

 

The middle picnic table is where my wife and I enjoyed our lunch on the island during our time there;

 

[tw67]

Terry,

 

The island is privately owned and known as Salt Cay. Currently there's an excursion from Paradise Island Nassau known as Blue Lagoon that offers a Dolphin Encounter or a beach day.

 

The island was ripped in half by a hurricane and now the beach area is inland in the cove, but the area that was once the beach is slowly gaining sand with tidal movements.

 

The island is still beautiful and accessible via a water taxi ride from Paradise Island. CLICK HERE for pics from our recent visit to Blue Lagoon. Pics of the water taxi and the island start on page six.

 

The middle picnic table is where my wife and I enjoyed our lunch on the island during our time there;

 

 

Thank you so much for this information! I had actually read about Blue Lagoon when I was looking for things to do while in Nassau. I had no idea it was the same island! Next time I am in the Bahamas I may have to do a beach day there!!

 

Terry

[bluesuedeboy]

Been feeling very nostalgic the last couple of years and have been 'trolling' the internet for a way to get back in touch with people I might have known.

 

I worked as an entertainer (Elvis in "Legends" show) on the S.S. Rembrandt from '98 until about midway through 2000. My friend Brian (Roy Orbison in show) wrote an 'original' show while we were on board (in between trips to the bar) I remember the CD was John Perrino, and his theme song was "St. Thomas" which the band played whenever he walked in the room. The music directors name was Vaughn (although he was replaced by Simon!?!?) I also remember a husband/wife dance team, the crew was awsome, and alot of fun to hang out with. I think the asst. cruise director was Gabrielle!?! If you worked on the rembrandt let me know. I'd love to get back in touch.

:cool:

[Cruising Photographer]

My very first cruise: The Big Red Boat's Star/Ship Majestic, Tampa to Cozumel and back. David Graham was the cruise Director. We thought it was quite a large ship. It was 17,300 Gross Tons. I still have the sale brochure and the daily programs in a notebook. I remember getting to Cozumel, renting a Jeep, and driving around the island all day seeing various sites. The ship didn't leave Cozumel until 12:30 AM, so we had the evening to explore the town and enjoy the port after every other ship had left. On Captain's night, the captain shook hands with each guest as they entered the captains party. The Looney Toon characters were great! 13 cruises later...and it started with "The Big Red Boat" in 1994.

[Cruising Photographer]

Just did a search of Majesic/Flamenco on Wikipedia this evening. How sad. The Majestic has been scrapped in India this last year:

In 1974, P&O bought Princess Cruises and transferred the Spirit of London to their fleet, with Princess operating her as Sun Princess, alongside the Island Princess and Pacific Princess.

 

"1988 saw the sale of the Sun Princess by P&O to Premier Cruises, where it was initially named Majestic, becoming the Starship Majestic in 1989. In 1994, she was purchased by CTC and was renamed the Southern Cross. She was renamed again in 1998 when Festival Cruises began operating her as the Flamenco. When Festival Cruises collapsed in 2004, she was sold for $12.25 million at a bankruptcy auction to Cruise Elysia, who renamed her New Flamenco. In 2007 Club Cruise acquired New Flamenco.[3]

 

End of service: Club Cruise had New Flamenco serve as a hotel ship in New Caledonia until they failed in late 2008. The vessel was sold for scrap after over a year of lay up off Singapore, and is arriving at Alang, India. [4]"

 

Good-bye to a Great Ship!

[RanchoDeluxe]

Reminiscing today about the Britanis, which made me think about my first cruise on the StarShip Royale.

I found this link with a Premiere Cruise Line History http://www.sealetter.com/Jan-01/prem.html and this link with ship pictures! http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/PremierPCs.html#anchor79065

I would love to find a picture equivalent to our first cruise cabin – complete with four bunk beds and one porthole. Two couples in their first years of marriage – what a hoot that cruise was!

[zcorvette1989]

This is a picture of me, standing in the water of Great Guana Cay, the private island for Disney's the Big Red Boat. I was eleven years old. The Star / Ship Majestic is sitting gloriously behind me, waiting for the passengers to return to the ship. This photograph was taken in August, 1991.

 

 

I remember that we had a package deal, where we stayed at the Contemporary Beach Resort in Disney, and then we had our stateroom on the ship. What a tiny room! I was on the upper bunk, while my parents fought for space on the double bed with the port hole. I think my dad either hit his head on the port hole screw, or on the bunk bed. All I remember is him uttering some words that I wasn't allowed to repeat.

 

I thought our ship was huge! I couldn't find my way around it, but I had a good sense of where I was going as far as my directions were concerned. We had a party on that private island. One evening, the Pirates from Peter Pan were looking for wenches. They picked up the entertainment director, who was sitting one table over from us. She was just sitting down to eat, and was "kidnapped" by the pirates. Then, when we were on the island, celebrating, they "kidnapped" the cruise director.

 

We had chocolate "ship" cookies at the kids' club. They had us playing games, and going on a scavenger hunt. My parents were a little miffed that the ten years and up crowd could do whatever we pleased, and we could check in and out of our activities without a parent. It was a trip that we'll never forget, and I LOVED it!!!

[zcorvette1989]

Eight years ago, my friend and I were at Red Lobster in Danbury, CT. Oliver was our waiter. I recognized him, but of course, he didn't remember me. I thought it was funny that he had taken to living on land, and no longer was working for the cruise industry. He was one of the best waiters we had when we were on vacation.

[TampaMike]

Very detailed memory!

 

I was aboard Majestic as Shore Excursions Manager / ACD during that time. The CD your recall was Barbara. I would have been the pirate that kidnapped the wench (likely Faye the Hostess) in the dining room with Captain Hook, Mr Smee, Chip and Dale and then again from the stage at the begiining of the island show. You may remember the island show singer Marvin Hemfield. He wore a rediculously large bucanneer hat and got the crowd shouting 'Day-oh!'. A night unter the stars in a torchlit ampitheater, island music, dancing with a brillantly illuminated Majestic as a backdrop. Even for those who worked aboard, it was magical.

 

You must have been aboard one of the sailings just after the Majestic was repaired from the fire of July 1991 (which I was aboard as well). If you remember, there were generators on the aft deck to supplement the damaged engines still being repaired.

 

Majestic's 'Abacodabra' product was amazing. And Great Guana in the Abacos was spectacular, provided the weather was good. Premier was a wonderful product during its Disney days, it was very hard work but we had a wonderful time.

 

Your vivid memory of that cruise affirms we did a good job. Thanks for sharing.

[zcorvette1989]

Very detailed memory!

 

I was aboard Majestic as Shore Excursions Manager / ACD during that time. The CD your recall was Barbara. I would have been the pirate that kidnapped the wench (likely Faye the Hostess) in the dining room with Captain Hook, Mr Smee, Chip and Dale and then again from the stage at the begiining of the island show. You may remember the island show singer Marvin Hemfield. He wore a rediculously large bucanneer hat and got the crowd shouting 'Day-oh!'. A night unter the stars in a torchlit ampitheater, island music, dancing with a brillantly illuminated Majestic as a backdrop. Even for those who worked aboard, it was magical.

 

You must have been aboard one of the sailings just after the Majestic was repaired from the fire of July 1991 (which I was aboard as well). If you remember, there were generators on the aft deck to supplement the damaged engines still being repaired.

 

Majestic's 'Abacodabra' product was amazing. And Great Guana in the Abacos was spectacular, provided the weather was good. Premier was a wonderful product during its Disney days, it was very hard work but we had a wonderful time.

 

Your vivid memory of that cruise affirms we did a good job. Thanks for sharing.

 

I'm so glad you remember all those names. I would have remembered their names, however, it was so many years ago. I had my picture taken with one of the pirates when I left the dining room. It's a cute picture, with the pirate holding a knife in front of me. I LOVED that cruise line, and everyone did a spetacular job!

[TampaMike]

The pirates that did the photos at the dining room exit were typically the Splash Down Divers that ran the snorkeling program. The ships photograhers used them for the photo ops when the DIsney characters were being shuttle ashore for the Island Night activities.

 

If you post the pic, I may be able to tell you who it was.

[PaulMedik]

The pirates that did the photos at the dining room exit were typically the Splash Down Divers that ran the snorkeling program. The ships photograhers used them for the photo ops when the DIsney characters were being shuttle ashore for the Island Night activities.

 

If you post the pic, I may be able to tell you who it was.

 

 

TampaMike,

 

Aaaaarrrrrhhhh, here's a pic of one of the Pirates;

 

 

 

Our waitstaff;

 

[zcorvette1989]

Hey, Tampa Mike,

Here's the Pirate Photo I found. I can't believe how it was twenty one years ago!

 

[zcorvette1989]

TampaMike,

 

Aaaaarrrrrhhhh, here's a pic of one of the Pirates;

 

 

 

Our waitstaff;

 

 

Those are wonderful pictures! It sure brings back fond memories of cruises past. It's great that the Big Red Boat exceeded our expecations by showing how wonderful they were as a company as a whole, and how they all worked together to make our trips grand.

[TampaMike]

I recognize them all. But alas cannot recall the names. The pirate was fairly new onboard and was indeed a Spashdown diver.

 

I am boarding Zuiderdam for a few weeks holiday and will check in when I get back. I may have some pictures from Majestic, Oceanic, Atlantic and Royale I can share.

[EMBFlyer]

I recognize them all. But alas cannot recall the names. The pirate was fairly new onboard and was indeed a Spashdown diver.

 

I am boarding Zuiderdam for a few weeks holiday and will check in when I get back. I may have some pictures from Majestic, Oceanic, Atlantic and Royale I can share.

 

Please post pics of the Oceanic and the Royale. The Royale was my first cruise ship when I was six.