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Having a hard time keeping up with this, given graduate school and all. I am using a blog to update news stories now. There is a news page that gets updated fairly often at Maritime Matters. Some past articlesMystery Surrounds Oriana CapsizingThe Melbourne, Aust., Herald-Sun and others reported July 6th that the 1960's-built Oriana sank after a storm last week, but Maritime Matters quoted eyewitnesses saying the ship remains afloat, but listing. By their account, a contract has been signed to pump out and right the ship, which was retired in 1986 and is operated as a static resort in Dalian, China. UPDATE: The Oriana has been uprighted... not sure what will happen next.Paperwork Mistake Causes Lockdown of Regal EmpressThe Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel is reporting that the Coast Guard lockdown of the Regal Empress upon her return from Nassau was due to failure by the ship's operators, Imperial Majesty Cruise Line, to submit the appropriate passenger manifest 24 hours before arrival, as required by the new maritime security laws that took effect Monday. The ship, which was built in Glasgow and entered service in 1953 as the Olympia, first flagship of the Greek Line, operating two-class service between Piraeus and New York. She was renovated to single-class around 1970 and began operating cruises when Greek bought the former Canadian liner Empress of Canada as their new flagship. Affected by the oil crisis Olympia was laid up in 1974 at Perama, where she remained until 1983, when she was renovated again and began cruising for Commodore Cruise Lines as their Caribe. This phase lasted until 1993, when she was sold again, becoming the Regal Empress for the newly-formed Regal Cruise Lines. She became a summer fixture in New York, offering extremely cheap cruises for people who would likely otherwise never be able to afford one. I toured the ship in New York in 1999 or 2000 and observed people boarding with plastic grocery bags full of clothing in one hand and a spare pair of shoes in the other! Regal Cruise Lines went bankrupt after September 11th, along with a number of other cruise lines. The ship was purchased by Imperial Majesty Cruise Lines, which operate her year-round on two-day mini-cruises between Ft. Lauderdale and Nassau. She is the last large steam-powered passenger vessel sailing in the U.S. For a complete tour and history of the ship, visit her pages on Maritime Matters.Norwegian Announces Name of Third Hawaii ShipNorwegian Cruise Lines announced at the relaunch of the Pride of Aloha on July 4th that their next Hawaii ship, the Pride of America, will enter service next June. The ship was due to be the first in the line's new US-flagged fleet, but she sank during a storm whilst being fitted out at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven, Germany, requiring extensive repairs. Meanwhile, the twin sister ship, now under construction at Lloyd Werft, will be called the Pride of Hawaii and will enter service in the summer of 2006. Norwegian to Base Second Ship in NYC Year-Round Norwegian Cruise Lines announced that, effective November of 2005, the Norwegian Spirit (built as the SuperStar Leo for NCL's parent, Star Cruises) will join the Norwegian Dawn based year-round in New York. In the winter, both ships will operate ten-and eleven-day itineraries, the Spirit to the Southern Caribbean, the Dawn alternating between Eastern and Western Caribbean. The rest of the year, the Dawn will continue her present seven-day itinerary to Florida and the Bahamas. The press release did not say what the Spirit would be doing for the rest of the year, and NCL's site still shows her based in Florida. The Norwegian Crown will return next summer for her normal Bermuda sailings. Party Fit for a QueenThe Cunard liner Queen Mary 2 will spend today in Newport, R.I., because it was determined that being in New York would cause "security concerns" (boy, I feel safe now!). Cunard have donated $20,000 to the city to beef up its fireworks display.Ship Repossessed Before VoyageThe Kansas City Star reported June 28th that the Society Expeditions vessel World Discoverer was seized by creditors in the port of Nome, Alaska, before her June 18th sailing, leaving passengers stranded. The article makes it sound like they made the most of it, though. another article in the Seattle Times talks more about the business end of it.HAL Exec Falsified Environmental ReportsThe South Florida Business Journal reported July 2nd that former Holland-America executive Richard K. Softye pled guilty to charges that he falsified reports about an environmental audit programme the line was ordered to put in place after a prior lawsuit.Northwestern Cities See Boost in ShippingAn article in the Oregonian discusses the booming cruise trade centered around Seattle.Queen Mary 2 Bathrooms Fail Fire Inspection Crews will race to install smoke detectors in all 1,300 of Queen Mary 2's cabin bathrooms during her turnaround at Southampton today, after British maritime safety officals declared that panels in 900 of the bathrooms do not meet fire safety requirements. The Scotsman reports that extra fire patrols will also be carried out and sprinklers will be added to the bathrooms later. Orgy on Greek ship off Cyprus leads to inquiry The Straits Times of Singapore reports that Cypriot authorities are asking Interpol for arrest warrants after local television aired undercover police footage of an apparent orgy aboard an unnamed Greek vessel in international waters off that country's coast. Some 50-100 people are reported to have been engaging in sex acts on deck while others watched. The article does not make clear how the footage was obtained. Chinese Oriana Listing after Storm Chinaview reports that the former P&O liner Oriana, built in the 1950's and used as a floating hotel in various Chinese cities (most recently in Dailan) for the past few years, has heeled over on her port side following a storm.
Rotterdam on Her Way Home The 1950's-built former flagship of the Holland-America line is under tow from the Bahamas to Gibraltar, where she will begin the first of several stages of refurbishment. From the Bahamas she will go to the Cammell-Laird shipyard for further renovations before opening as a hotel in Rotterdam in 2005. Mona Lisa Runs Aground in Venice The Scotsman and others reported that the Mona Lisa (ex Victoria, Sea Princess, Kungsholm) ran aground in St. Mark's basin, during a heavy fog Wednesday, May 12th. The ship was not damaged and was quickly freed, but Venice's mayor said the incident points to the dangers of ships passing so close to historic St. Mark's Square. (MSNBC Story and picture) Adirondac Travels Overland to Lake George Crews moving a 112-foot lake cruiser Adirondac spent the night at the wastewater plant in Ticonderoga, NY after moving just two miles in eight hours. The vessel, being transported on a special truck, moves just .5 mph. Built in Albany, it will be used to cruise Lake George. (Newsday article) QM2 Gangway Accident Blamed on Design Fault The BBC reports that prosecuters investigating the fatal collapse of a shipyard gangway whilst the QM2 was being built in St. Nazaire was due to a flaw in its design. 15 people died and 32 others were injured. (BBC Story) QE2 Soon to Surrender Role as Flagship; Headed for Facelift The Scotsman reports that the Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth 2 would be off the Cornwall coast as of 4pm on April 30th, arriving in Southampton early Saturday morning. The fabled Boston Cup, presented to Samuel Cunard by the people of that city in 1840 and carried aboard the Cunard flagship ever since, will be passed from the Elizabeth to the Mary at that time. The Elizabeth will go to Germany for some renovations before resuming cruises May 22nd; while the Mary will sail for New York once again. Jewel of the Seas Delivered in Netherlands Royal Caribbean took delivery of its final Radiance class ship, the Meyer Werft-built Jewel of the Seas in a ceremony April 26th in the Netherlands, according to the website Cruise Addicts. The vessel will make a series of industry junkets before her maiden voyage from Harwich to northern Europe, where she will operate throughout the summer. Westerdam Christened in Venice Holland-America Line chose St. Mark's Day in Venice as the venue for the christening of their newest ship, the 1848-passenger Westerdam. (press release) It was also announced that Westerdam would be used as a hotel ship at the Athens Olympics instead of her sister ship the Oosterdam (story). QE2, QM2 MAKE HISTORIC TANDEM CROSSING The RMS Queen Mary 2 and RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 departed New York in tandem on Sunday, the first time two of the line's vessels will make a crossing together. Fireworks lit up the night as the two vessels headed for Southampton, the Elizabeth leading the way. In mid-ocean, the ships will stop and the company flag and a large antique silver cup will be sent by tender from the Elizabeth to the Mary thus symbolically handing the role of flagship to the new ship. The Mary will then lead the way for the rest of the trip to England. QUEEN MARY 2 MAIDEN ARRIVAL IN NEW YORK Cunard's soon-to-be flagship, the RMS Queen Mary 2 completed her maiden transatlantic crossing and arrived in New York on time today, despite encountering two significant storms on the way across. I was aboard for the crossing and am planning a full section about the ship and the experience. New York To Renovate Passenger Ship Terminal New York City will finally get new docking facilities, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced April 19th, but Carnival and Norwegian are to pick up most of the tab. According to a Newsday article, the number of berths at the existing facility will be reduced from five to three, and a separate facility will be developed in Brooklyn. The current piers, built in the 1930's and last renovated in the 1970's, are a disgrace, which I can report having used them today. They are also too small for today's ships; berthed on the southern side of Pier 92 today (the northern side, by the way, has not been dredged in years and is not useable), Queen Mary 2's stern protrudes 35 feet into the Hudson with her bows right over 12th Avenue, and it is possible, but unlikely, that a ship would fit next to her on the northern side of Pier 90. New York must have been spooked by Royal Caribbean's decision to create its own docking facility in Bayonne, N.J., and Carnival's ruminations of a Brooklyn terminal, and decided it had better act.
Queen Mary 2 Arrival Delayed After Thruster Snafu The new Cunarder Queen Mary 2 was delayed in Lisbon for repairs to a bow thruster door, resulting in the ship's arrival at Southampton four hours late, The Scotsman reported. Spring Is Ship Trading Time Among Carnival Brands Cunard Line have announced that the ship (due for delivery in 2005) that was going to be their Queen Victoria will instead go to sister company P&O as their Arcadia. Instead, they have ordered a similarly-sized vessel of the same name for delivery in 2007. The reason given was that demand is higher for top-end cabin categories aboard Queen Mary 2 than standard rooms. As designed, the Arcadia has mostly standard cabins, and it was too late to change it (since these cabins are prefabricated and were probably ordered and built already). So, although her hull and overall layout will be similar, the ship that eventually becomes Victoria will have a higher percentage of luxury cabins. The ship that will now be Arcadia was originally intended to be the Westerdam for Holland-America Line, so in effect she has had three names already before her keel even been laid. Meanwhile, at P&O, they will send the grownups-only Adonia (whose name is a play on the words ADults ONly) back to Princess Cruises where she will regain her original name Sea Princess, but she will remain on the UK market. Princess will send the 1984-built Royal Princess to P&O, where she will be renamed Artemis and will also not carry children. NCL Say Problems Will Delay United States Relaunch Norwegian Cruise Line have announced that the problems and delays with the construction of the Pride of America and her as-yet-unnamed sistership will delay the rehabilitation and relaunch of the fabled S/S United States, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. NCL SHUFFLES FLEET: NORWAY WON'T BE BACK Norwegian Cruise Lines announced March 17th that it will further shuffle its fleet and that the historic S/S Norway, damaged in a boiler explosion, will not return to the North American cruise market. Options for the sip include being deployed with Star Cruises, being used as a hotel, or being scrapped.
New Orleans Commissions Study to Add Berths The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported March 18th that a $1 million study has been commissioned by the city to add two cruise ship piers in the Bywater section of the city (just downriver from the French Quarter). Meanwhile, the debate between Carnival Cruise Lines and Entergy continues over who should pay to move a pair of power cables that span the Mississippi, despite an agreement reached several years ago. Carnival's Conquest has had to be diverted to Gulfport, Miss., a number of times because conditions made it unsafe to navigate the mammoth ship under the power lines. Alstom to Build Two Ships for MSC; News Fails to Lift Stock The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported March 15th that French shipbuilder Alstom won a $370 million contract to build two 1,275 cabin ships for MSC with an option for a third; however, this did little to help the company's troubled stock. Last Skipper of United States Dies The Virginian-Pilot reported March 2nd that Leroy J. Alexanderson, the last captain of the S/S United States died at age 93. easyJet Founder Buys Former Rennaissance Ship For DIY Cruise Line The North Wales Daily Post reported Feb. 20th that easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou raised £14.2m for is latest brainstorm, a "do-it-yourself" cruise line where guests would pay extra for such things as food clean sheets. The ship, the 250-cabin former R2 of Rennaissance Cruise Lines, will sail between Mediterranean ports for about $50 a day and guests will have the option to get on and off the ship where they like. NCL-Star Juggle Ships As Pride of America Dries Out Norwegian Cruise Lines and parent Star Cruises shuffled their fleet in the wake of the incomplete Pride of America's sinking at a Bremerhaven yard. The Norwegian Sky will become the Pride of Aloha earlier than expected and launch NCL America's Hawaii service, being replaced on her intended Alaska itinerary by Star Cruises' SuperStar Leo. NCL and the bankrupt Lloyd Werft shipyard estimate that repairs to the Pride of America could take as much as a year. Meanwhile, NCL sent a press release to keep United States fans interested. The line sent a team to Philadelphia to study the moribund transatlantic thoroughbred and develop a complete set of plans, but cautioned that it would not commence work on the ship unless/until its Hawaii operation is a success with the first three planned ships, these being the Pride of Aloha (ex Norwegian Sky), the Pride of America (being repaired after sinking at Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven) and her as-yet-unnamed and incomplete twin. Pride of America sinks in Bremerhaven Shipyard The NCL America liner Pride of America undergoing fitting-out at the Lloyd Werft yard in Bremerhaven, Germany, sank in shallow water, injuring several shipyard workers, according to Reuters. Neither the cause nor the extent of damage was determined at press time. The vessel's hull was built in Pascagoula, MI by Ingalls-Litton for American Classic Voyages, which went bankrupt shortly after 9/11. Through a complicated arrangement, Norwegian Cruise Lines purchased her and the crated material destined to become her sister ship, and will be permitted to operate them as the first American-flagged cruise liners in over 30 years. Enchanted Isle beached at Alang Ironically, the last US-built cruise ship, most recently the Enchanted Isle of Commodore Cruise Lines, has been sent to Alang, India, for scrapping. The Brasil and Argentina were built in 1958 at the same Mississippi shipyard for Moore-McCormack lines. They later became the Volendam and Veendam of Holland-America Line, then the Bermuda Star and Queen of Bermuda for Bahama Cruise Line/Bermuda Star Lines. That company folded into Commodore Cruise Lines, and the ships were renamed again as Enchanted Isle and Enchanted Seas. Commodore went bankrupt in 2000, and the Isle was idle at Violet, Louisiana, for the past several years. See an interesting website about the Enchanted Isle's life here.
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