Your first cruise ship

[Maasdam]

HAL house flags:

 

 

 

Nederlandsch Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij/Netherlands American Steamship Company (1873-1971)

 

 

HAL (1971-1983)

 

 

HAL (1983-2000)

 

 

HAL (2000-present)

 

There where 5 house flags, based on the 1971 house flag the orange flag was white and aqua/royal blue/aqua logo. This short lived house flag was introduced in 1983 at the same time as Nieuw Amsterdam 3. The house flag chanced once again in (believe) 1986 after the N ships received the old Nieuw Amsterdam/Halve Mean logo on there funnels. The house flag once again orange but this time with the old company logo Nieuw Amsterdam/Halve Mean in black on a white field.

 

Actually there where 2 versions of the Green White Green NASM flag before NASM there was a black star * this flag was carried by the commandor of the fleet. The green white green flag and Green White Green funnel band before 1971 are actually the flag of the city of Rotterdam.

 

Greetings Ben.

[Maasdam]

 

m/s Nieuw Amsterdam III (1983-present). Delivered to Holland America Line in 1983 and sailed for them until 2000. Purchased by American Classic Cruises in that year and renamed Patriot. Laid up in Honolulu, Hi in 2001 and auctioned off in 2002, returned to HAL as Nieuw Amsterdam. Sold to Louis Cruise Lines and chartered to Thomson Cruise for ten years. Renamed Thomson Spirit and currently sailing.

 

 

She was finally sold early this year to Louis Cruise Lines.

 

Greetings Ben.

[Maasdam]

My first ship was the Costa Romantica Baltic cruise from Amsterdam in 2000.

 

My first HAL ship visit was ms Oosterdam and Rotterdam during HAL 130 anniversary celebrations and dedication of the Oosterdam in Rotterdam 2003. In 2004 I was VIP guest on board the Westerdam during here maiden visit to here home port Rotterdam. I was invited as winner of a TV quiz about the Westerdam. That day I received the price in the Vista Show Lounge attending where over 600 guest. My first HAL cruise was o/b ms Zaandam to Alaska in 2005.

 

In 2007 visit the Prinsendam in Amsterdam. And this year I spent 2 wonderful days on board the Eurodam and attending here dedication by our beloved Queen. http://www.nasm1873.nl/newpage19.html

 

Greetings Ben.

[Copper10-8]

Nothing like spending a Sunday morning with my cup of coffee and wonderful pictures of fabulous ships !!

 

Our first Cruise was our honeymoon in 1999 on the American Queen from New Orleans to Natchez and back .. loved it but I wanted the ocean under our feet ...

 

Next year we sailed on the lovely Crown Odyssey while she was still with Orient Lines .. from Athens through the Greek Isles to Istanbul and I was hooked!!

 

Fabulous thred John!!!

 

 

American Queen (1995-present) Built in 1995 at the McDermott Shipyard, Amelia, La. for the Delta Queen Steamboat Company and operated by them as a flat-bottomed paddlewheeler. She was purpose-built as a themed floating resort and as a six-deck recreation of a classic Mississippi riverboat and is the largest paddle wheel steamboat ever built. She is operated on the Mississippi and Ohio rivers on trips through the Old South and America's Heartland, and along Wilderness rivers for luxury cruising that transport passengers back in time to the romantic 1800's. Her long bow allows her to come close to a riverbank after which her crew will swing over the gangplank for passengers to reach shore.

 

The big red paddlewheel at the stern is driven by steam pistons restored from a 1930 Corps of Engineers dredge vessel named Kennedy. Although the American Queen's paddlewheel is in fact powered by a genuine steam plant, her primary propulsion comes from a set of diesel propellers, known as Z-drives on either side of the sternwheel. She has 222 state rooms for a capacity of 436 guests and a crew of 160.

 

Due to the bankruptcy of the parental company of the Delta Queen Steamboat Co., American Classical Voyages, in October, 2001, American Queen and her two sisters, Delta Queen and Mississippi Queen, were laid up that same month. Delaware North Companies, Inc. took over Delta Queen Steamboat Co. and the three sisters resumed river cruising in January 2003. In April 2006, Ambassador Cruise Group, LLC purchased the vessels and they are currently operated by the Seattle, WA-based Majestic America Cruise Line which was formed through the combination of American West Steamboat Company and the vessels of Delta Queen Steamboat Company.

 

[Copper10-8]

1981...Fairsea as well. 14 days to Alaska, roundtrip from San Francisco. I was 16. Hooked since. I can still taste the rum cakes. Sitmar was a class act.

 

 

Carinthia (1956-2006) Built for Cunard Line's Liverpool-Eastern Canada service. She was sold to Sitmar Line in 1968 and eventually (her first name was Fairland) became Sitmar Cruises' Fairsea in 1970, after being converted to cruising. Based on the U.S. west coast, she sailed from San Francisco in the summer on two-week cruises to Alaska and from L.A. in the winter cruising to the Mexican Riviera. She was transferred to P & O Line ownsership in 1988 to become Princess Cruises Fair Princess. In 2000 she was sold to become a failed and much troubledcasino cruise ship, the China Sea Discovery. She was eventually laid up and in August 2005 she was sold for 4.2 million to Indian breakers and broken up at Alang, India in 2006

[Copper10-8]

1968 New York to Southhampton on the S.S. France - I was travelling to spend a year abroad at Oxford University. I flew from LA to Chicago to visit some friends ( just happened to be in the middle of the Democratic convention fiasco in Chicago ) and then on to New York.

 

I remember the France having a very small indoor pool and lots of bars and a cinema. There really wasn't much to do besides eat and sleep. And I do remember on the return crossing in 1969 watching the movie "If this is Belgium, it Must be Tuesday" over and over.

 

Forty years later I still have the trucks plastered with SS France decals. In years since I have cruised all over the world, taken ferries up to Newfoundland, river cruises down Danube, Carribean, Panama and South American cruises,but I have never forgotten the S.S. France

 

 

s/s France (1962-2007) Delivered as ocean liner "France" to the French Line aka Compagnie Generale Transatlantigue (CGT) in 1962 and served as that line's flagship until 1974. In that year she was mothballed in Le Havre where she stayed until purchased by Norwegian Cruise Line in 1979. Renamed s/s Norway, she sailed for NCL until a boiler explosion occurred in 2003 while she was berthed in Miami, Fl. She was eventually soldin April 2006 to Bridgend Shipping Limited of Monrovia, Liberia, and renamed SS Blue Lady in preparation for scrapping. She was towed to Alang, India where, after lengthy court battles, scrapping was begun in December 2007 continuing into 2008.

 

 

 

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise in 1998 was on the Norwegian Sea, which was originally called the Seaward on their Texarribbean route from Houston to Cancun, Cozumel and Roatan. I think she is operating as a charter in Asia now.

 

Speaking of the SS France, in 2000 I had the privilege of sailing on the SS Norway (formerly SS France) on an Eastern Carribbean route. This was a fabulous cruise with so many treasures to find on board. My favorite was the old swimming pool, which was at one time surrounded by cabins that overlooked the pool area. The pool had glass windows so that you could watch people swim from below. The entire area was closed, but you could still sneak in and take a look.

 

 

Seaward (1988-present) Built in 1988 by Wartsila Marine Shipyard in Abo, Finland as Seaward for Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). Upon completion of her maiden voyage, she spent most of her early career cruising in the Caribbean from Miami, Fl. In 1997 she was refurbished and renamed Norwegian Sea but remained in the 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. In 2005, she was transferred to the fleet of NCL parent, Star Cruises and renamed. SuperStar Libra. In the summer of 2006, she sailed a variety of cruises in the Mediterranean, Adriatic, and Aegean seas before deploying back to Mumbai in late September 2006. She is currently based in Taiwan and sails from Keelung for part of the year and from Hong Kong between November and March.

 

[Copper10-8]

Our first was in 1999 for our 20th wedding anniversary. We felt bad about taking a vacation without our 15 yr old DD, so we took her with us ! We were on the Carnivale Tropicale the week after she came back on line after her fire. At the anniversary celebration, my DH asked the captain if the ship was listing and he confirmed my DH's suspicion. We didn't feel like taking another cruise until 2002.

 

We have taken many, many cruises since than. What a change from going from a room for the three of us to a suite. One moment stands out with respect to the Tropicale. We were on another anniverary cruise on the Costa Fortuna in 2005. Again, we were conversing with the captain and mentioned the Tropicale as our first cruise. He started laughing and said that it was now one of their ships and was the worst they had !

 

Linda

 

 

Tropicale (1981-present) Delivered to Carnival Cruise Line in 1981 as Tropicale as the first of Carnival’s “new builds” as well as the first appearance of the distinctive “whale-tail” funnel. She operated for them mainly in the Caribbean but also to the Mexican Riviera until 2000 when she received an internal transfer to Costa Cruises and was renamed Costa Tropicale. In December 2005, she entered service with P & O Australia Cruises as Pacific Star home-based at Brisbane and cruising Queensland’s coastline as well as the South Pacific Islands of Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, the Loyalty Islands and onto New Zealand. She was acquired by Pullmantur Cruises (Spain) in March 2008 and is currently cruising for them as Ocean Dream.

 

 

[Copper10-8]

My first ship was the Costa Romantica Baltic cruise from Amsterdam in 2000.

 

 

My first HAL ship visit was ms Oosterdam and Rotterdam during HAL 130 anniversary celebrations and dedication of the Oosterdam in Rotterdam 2003. In 2004 I was VIP guest on board the Westerdam during here maiden visit to here home port Rotterdam. I was invited as winner of a TV quiz about the Westerdam. That day I received the price in the Vista Show Lounge attending where over 600 guest. My first HAL cruise was o/b ms Zaandam to Alaska in 2005.

 

 

In 2007 visit the Prinsendam in Amsterdam. And this year I spent 2 wonderful days on board the Eurodam and attending here dedication by our beloved Queen. http://www.nasm1873.nl/newpage19.html

 

Greetings Ben.

 

 

Costa Romantica (1993-present)

 

m/s Westerdam III (2004-present)

 

m/s Prinsendam II (2002-present)

Vriendelijk bedankt voor de informatie over de huis vlaggen - Wist niet dat er een vijfde is geweest!/Thanks very much for the info about the house flags - Didn't know there had been a fifth

[Copper10-8]

 

Royal Viking Sun (1988-present) Built in 1988 by Wartsila Shipyards, Turku, Finland for Royal Viking Line (part of the Kloster Group) for worldwide cruising. She was transferred to the Cunard Group in 1994 when they acquired Royal Viking Line (but only two of the ships). Following the Carnival takeover of Cunard in 1999, Royal Viking Sun was transferred to Seabourn Cruise Line to

become Seabourn Sun.

In 2002, Seabourn began concentrating on more intimate vessels so they transferred the ship to Holland America Line, where it was renamed Prinsendam. Since Prinsendam, nicknamed the Elegant Explorer, is smaller than most dam ships, she is able to stop in exotic ports of call. Annually, the ship completes Grand Voyages that usually last between 30-70 days.

 

 

[Copper10-8]

I do believe that after a little more than 100 ships of various sizes, I am caught up:) But keep 'em coming if you want - it's good learning the history of some of these classics!

Oh, and thanks much for the nice comments!;)

[MightyQuinn]

Since Prinsendam, nicknamed the Elegant Explorer, is smaller than most dam ships, she is able to stop in exotic ports of call. Annually, the ship completes Grand Voyages that usually last between 30-70 days.

 

Another interesting factoid that I learned about the Prinsendam when we sailed her to the Baltics earlier this year is that her mast is collapsible. This enables the Prinsendam to get where other dam ships cannot, such as under the bridges of the Kiel Canal in Germany.

 

Thanks again Copper John. This was a great voyage.;);)

[Copper10-8]

Another interesting factoid that I learned about the Prinsendam when we sailed her to the Baltics earlier this year is that her mast is collapsible. This enables the Prinsendam to get where other dam ships cannot, such as under the bridges of the Kiel Canal in Germany.

 

Thanks again Copper John. This was a great voyage.;);)

 

Thanks for that tidbit, MightyQuinn! I wasn't aware of that either

[Maasdam]

Thanks for that tidbit, MightyQuinn! I wasn't aware of that either

 

Did you know that it was HAL ss Rotterdam (2) of 1886 who was the first commercial ship that sail through the Kieler canal. Direct after the opening 1887.

 

2 Prinsendam pictures entering the canal with here mast down.

 

Greetings Ben.

[Copper10-8]

Did you know that it was HAL ss Rotterdam (2) of 1886 who was the first commercial ship that sail through the Kieler canal. Direct after the opening 1887.

 

2 Prinsendam pictures entering the canal with here mast down.

 

 

 

Greetings Ben.

 

Nope, didn't know that - Thanks! Found another pic of Prinsendam II inside the Kieler Canal with her foremast folded down - wonder how many minutes it (the folding down by the crew) takes to get that accomplished?

[Copper10-8]

Last one with her foremast folded down inside the Kieler Canal or in German Nord-Ostsee Kanal, passing the Grunental Bridge

 

 

The Kiel Canal or Nord-Ostsee-Kanal, until 1948 known as the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal, is a 61 miles long canal in the German Bundesland Schleswig-Holstein that links the North Sea at Brunsbuttel to the Baltic Sea at Kile-Holetenau. An average of 280 nautical miles is saved by using the Kiel Canal instead of going around the Jutland Peninsula. This not only saves time but also avoids potentially dangerous storm-prone seas. According to the canal's website, it is the most heavily used artificial seaway in the world; over 43,000 ships passed through in 2007, excluding small craft.

 

North Sea locks at Brunsbuttel

[terrascape]

I haven't had a chance to read through all 27 pages yet, but reading the history on so many of these ships is very interesting. Here is a challenge for John to come up with a photo -- my first cruise was with my parents in 1963. We made a nine day round trip from Vancouver to S.E. Alaska on Canadian National's S.S. Prince George. It was a small enough ship we made the entire inside passage, not the "modified" inside passage as the ships do today. There were stops in Ocean Falls, BC, Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, Skagway, and a day of sceinc cruising in Douglas Channel, near Kitimat, B.C. Later, I spent one semester ( 114 days) of my junior year of college in 1971 on a world cruise aboard the SS Universe as part of the World Campus Afloat program sponsored by Chapman College. We made 13 port calls, staying in each port 3 to 5 days while sailing West from Los Angeles to New York. The real "bug" of cruising began several years after I was married when we sailed on the Regent Sea, the first ship for Regency Cruise Lines, in the Western Caribbean in 1987 - a great classic ship. Since 2002 it has been all HAL for us.

[Copper10-8]

I haven't had a chance to read through all 27 pages yet, but reading the history on so many of these ships is very interesting. Here is a challenge for John to come up with a photo -- my first cruise was with my parents in 1963. We made a nine day round trip from Vancouver to S.E. Alaska on Canadian National's S.S. Prince George. It was a small enough ship we made the entire inside passage, not the "modified" inside passage as the ships do today. There were stops in Ocean Falls, BC, Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, Skagway, and a day of sceinc cruising in Douglas Channel, near Kitimat, B.C. Later, I spent one semester ( 114 days) of my junior year of college in 1971 on a world cruise aboard the SS Universe as part of the World Campus Afloat program sponsored by Chapman College. We made 13 port calls, staying in each port 3 to 5 days while sailing West from Los Angeles to New York. The real "bug" of cruising began several years after I was married when we sailed on the Regent Sea, the first ship for Regency Cruise Lines, in the Western Caribbean in 1987 - a great classic ship. Since 2002 it has been all HAL for us.

 

ss Prince George (1948-present) Delivered as Prince George for the Canadian National Railways. Grand Trunk Pacific Railway beginning in 1910 operated a steamship service in British Columbia from the end of its railway at Prince Rupert. Canadian National Railways took over Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in 1920 including its steamship operation which had been cut back to Vancouver. Prince George II joined the line in 1948 to replace the first destroyed by fire in 1945. She sailed the Inside Passage from Vancouver to Alaska and operated until the end of season in 1974 after which a fire damaged the ship causing it to be sold one year short of its planned retirement.

In 1981, a new company, Canadian Cruise Line, spend $4 million to refit the 285-passenger ship and bring her up to luxury standards and back to cruising. Her itinerary would include Ketchikan, the Wrangell Narrows, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Glacier Bay, Prince Rupert and Knight Inlet. Departures were scheduled for every Monday from Vancouver, BC.

 

[RuthC]

Found another pic of Prinsendam II

What a great view of the Prinsendam! It's so easy to see how the decks line up, and where everything is placed in relation to everything else.

Even after spending a long cruise on that ship I couldn't picture it in my mind this clearly.

Thanks for a great shot!

[Copper10-8]

I haven't had a chance to read through all 27 pages yet, but reading the history on so many of these ships is very interesting. Here is a challenge for John to come up with a photo -- my first cruise was with my parents in 1963. We made a nine day round trip from Vancouver to S.E. Alaska on Canadian National's S.S. Prince George. It was a small enough ship we made the entire inside passage, not the "modified" inside passage as the ships do today. There were stops in Ocean Falls, BC, Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, Skagway, and a day of sceinc cruising in Douglas Channel, near Kitimat, B.C. Later, I spent one semester ( 114 days) of my junior year of college in 1971 on a world cruise aboard the SS Universe as part of the World Campus Afloat program sponsored by Chapman College. We made 13 port calls, staying in each port 3 to 5 days while sailing West from Los Angeles to New York. The real "bug" of cruising began several years after I was married when we sailed on the Regent Sea, the first ship for Regency Cruise Lines, in the Western Caribbean in 1987 - a great classic ship. Since 2002 it has been all HAL for us.

 

Semester At Sea is a unique programme presently run by the Institute for Shipboard, University of Pittsburgh, PA. The first shipboard semester was started way back in 1926 aboard HAL's ss Ryndam I. From 1963-67, Chapman college, Orange, CA sponsored the program aboard the ms Seven Seas and later the ss Ryndam II. From 1967-71, Chapman college sponsored aboard ss Ryndam II and from 1971-75, Chapman college sponsored aboard ss Universe. In 1976, the Institute for shipboard Education was founded and from 1977-80, the University of Colorado sponsored aboard ss Universe. From 1981 untill now, the University of Pittsburgh is sponsoring this program and from 1996, a new ship called ms Universe Explorer has replaced ss Universe. In 2004, a new ship, the mv Explorer has been introduced.

 

 

Badger Mariner (1953-1996) Built by Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Chester, PA as a C4 Mariner-class standard freighter for the United States Government and named Badger Mariner. In 1957, she was purchased by Arnold Bernstein, rebuilt into a passenger-cargo ship, renamed Atlantic and operated for American Banner Lines. Bernstein followed the pattern for her set by Holland America Line’s Statendam, Ryndam, and Maasdam by devoting over 85% of her interior space to tourist class, comfortably accomodating 900 passengers. Bernstein’s major innovation was that all cabins had private facilities. This was unheard of in tourist class at this time. Passengers aboard the Queens, Flandre, United States, America, etc., had to walk down the passage way to the toilets and showers. The Oriana and Canberra — still had cabins in tourist class without private facilities. She operated on an economy passenger and cargo service from New York to Amsterdam, the Netherlands via Zeebrugge, Belgium. However the venture was badly timed, just four months before the beginning of regular passenger jet service, and was not profitable so Atlantic was withdrawn from service in November 1959.

In 1960, she was acquired by American Export Lines when the decision was made not to build their proposed Constellation. She served the AEL route as Atlantic sailing from the U.S, to the Mediterranean along with making various off-seasons cruises until being laid up in 1968.

In 1971, she was sold to C.Y. Tung's Orient Overseas Line, renamed Universe Campus, and used for an at-sea college after the destruction of the Seawise University (ex Queen Elizabeth I) in Hong Kong. During the summer months she made regular educational cruises to Alaska. In 1976, her name was shortened to Universe. She was scrapped in 1996, after her boilers failed, having only recently received a major internal refurbishment.

 

 

[cruisinsmoothly]

Before it became Disney Cruise Line, we had a 4 day cruise on one of the Premiere ships. Our first family cruise (with our 9-month old son) was on the Norway in 1994 before she went to the shipyard in the sky.

[zoomer1956]

First time on the message board:

 

My first cruise was a weekender from Southern Spain. I don't remember the ships name. My holidays after that consisted of a number of bus tours and I have now come back to the relaxing slow paced life aboard a cruise ship.

 

PAST CRUISES:

1987 Malaga, Spain; Gilbraltar; Tangier, Morocco (3)

1992 Triton Greece & Turkey Mediterranean (4)

1997 The Serenade The Nile, Egypt (7)

2003 HAL's Veendam Western & Eastern Caribbean (14)

2005 HAL's Ryndam Mexican Riviera & Sea Of Cortez (10)

2007 HAL's Maasdam Caribbean (10)

2008 HAL's Maasdam Caribbean (10)

 

UPCOMING CRUISES:

2009 HAL's Statendam Panama Canal (14)

 

I took a shot of the Miraflores Locks Web Cam this morning.

Check out the parrot on the lower left hand side.

[Maritime Mom]

My first cruise was on Sitmar's Fairwind in 1983. I was 11 and my dad took my family on a cruise after he completed 2 years of treatment for cancer. We were surprised that he had also invited his mother and sister along with us. He kept it a secret from my sister and I for months and then when we were boarding I noticed their names on the manifest back before computer check-ins when they highlighted your name that you had arrived.

 

I have such fond memories of all of our Sitmar cruises, I almost teared up when I just now read that they have been scrapped. :( They were beauties!! Although I seem to remember back then we did not have even a single electrical outlet in our cabin and had to use a common room with bright lights and outlets. The room would be full of women and girls with blow dryers, curling irons and makeup crammed in getting ready for dinner.

 

I also remember one of the Sitmar ships had a pizzeria which was such a big deal back then. Not eating in the dining room!?! You could only get hamburgers or hotdogs up by the pool....everything else was in the dining room (including breakfast). My how times have changed.

 

25 cruises later, I am still hooked with a holiday cruise booked for December on the Statendam!

[Copper10-8]

My first cruise was on Sitmar's Fairwind in 1983. I was 11 and my dad took my family on a cruise after he completed 2 years of treatment for cancer. We were surprised that he had also invited his mother and sister along with us. He kept it a secret from my sister and I for months and then when we were boarding I noticed their names on the manifest back before computer check-ins when they highlighted your name that you had arrived.

 

I have such fond memories of all of our Sitmar cruises, I almost teared up when I just now read that they have been scrapped. :( They were beauties!! Although I seem to remember back then we did not have even a single electrical outlet in our cabin and had to use a common room with bright lights and outlets. The room would be full of women and girls with blow dryers, curling irons and makeup crammed in getting ready for dinner.

 

I also remember one of the Sitmar ships had a pizzeria which was such a big deal back then. Not eating in the dining room!?! You could only get hamburgers or hotdogs up by the pool....everything else was in the dining room (including breakfast). My how times have changed.

 

25 cruises later, I am still hooked with a holiday cruise booked for December on the Statendam!

 

 

Sylvania (1957-2004) delivered in 1957 for Cunard Line for secondary North Atlantic services. She was sold to Sitmar Line and was renamed Fairwind in 1968 after rebuilding. She was briefly renamed Sitmar Fairwind in 1988, before becoming Dawn Princess when Princess Cruises acquired Sitmar. In 1993, Princess sold her back to the Vlasov Group V-Ships, the previous owners of Sitmar, with Phoenix Seereisen operating her under charter as Albatros until 2004. She was then sold for scrap and broken up at Alang, India.

 

[ejbmorr]

Copper10-8

I was away at the end of September and missed your great photo and reply about the history of the Sylvania in response to my trip down memory lane earlier that month. It is interesting that we did not have the ability to take photos of the interior of ships in 1960 due to the lack of flash equiped cameras. Photos like the one you found of the exterior were also much more difficult to take with ordinary cameras of that time. Now, it is taken forgranted that we can capture forever on our digital cameras every bit of what we want to remember of our cruises and the ships we travel on.

Thank you so much for your efforts. This is a wonderful thread and I know it has taken a great deal of effort on your part to keep up with it.