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With
Reuben
Goossens
Maritime
Historian,
Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer & Author
Hamburg Süd
Reederei
(Hamburg
South America Line)
Page Three
MS
Cap San Diego
“The Museum & Hotel Ship”
The
worlds largest fully Operational Passenger Freighter that is officially a
“Museum”
Operated
by … “Cap San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH”
The
magnificently maintained MS Cap San Diego is seen here on March 26, 2011,
during a cruise on the River Elbe
Cruise information with
dates with fares are available at the bottom of this
page!
Photograph provided by: Cap San Diego
Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
Please
Note:
On
July 28, 2011, I received an email from Mr. Laurens
von Oelsen in Germany and he wrote;
“I am not quite sure if this liner fits
your bill, but it she is a beauty! The MS Cap San Diego was built in 1962 for
the Hamburg Süd Reederei as a freight and passenger liner. She is
currently preserved in Hamburg
as a museum and she can also be visited as her cabins are used as a hotel. In
addition, on special occasions she is used for day voyages along the German
North coast! Laurens v. Oelsen.”
Amazingly,
some time ago I commenced a page on this ship, but for a good number of reasons
I never completed it and it sat in a folder. However, thanks to Mr. v. Oelsen I decided to locate it
and do something about it and below is the result. However, at this stage, I
have not as yet completed this feature and there is more to come in relation to
her current museum condition, but I will do so as when time permits. But in the
meantime enjoy reading about the history of this beautiful ship. Thank you so
much Laurens, for your encouragement to get Page Two
online and this Page will cover her current condition as a fully operating
Museum and hotel, very soon.
PS. Laurens stayed onboard the Cap San Diego in one of the
Promenade Deck single bedded cabins, with an extra bed in 2007 and he took all
the photographs as seen on both Cap San Diego pages, which are credited to him.
He informs me that he has visited the ship several times, as well as the
beautifully restored State steamer in Hamburg, named the Schaarhörn. See: www.stiftung-hamburg-maritim.de/schiffe/schaarhoern.php.
I also wish to thank Mr. Jens
Weber, Manager of the “Cap San Diego
Betriebsgesellschaft mbH,” Hamburg, Germany for providing a series of excellent
photographs of the ship in Hamburg
and her interiors, etc! You can visit their excellent website at: www.capsandiego.de. Although the site is
mostly in German, there is English available under “Summery” that
you will find at the top right hand side. Many of the other links will have the
word “Bilder”, which means photographs,
and there are also some fine videos online! I am most grateful to both Mr. von Oelsen and Mr. Weber
of the Cap San Diego Organisation for their kind assistance in providing some
fine images, etc!
Reuben
Goossens –
Updated Aug 4, 2011.
Photograph
provided by: Cap San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
Having had a successful
career with Hamburg Sadly sailing with them for a good twenty years, as well as
just over five years with the Spanish Ybarra Line renamed MS San Diego, then in
finally she was sold to Multitrade Shipping Inc who
registered her in Kingston Jamaica and was renamed her MS Sangria, yet with
this company sadly she remained mostly in and in lay up and slowly she sadly
deteriorated. Within a number of months the MS Sangria was sold a Chinese ship
breaker and she sailed bound for China,
but there was a great deal of fortune was on her side for whilst she was
en-route she was obtained by “Stadt Hamburg”
for preservation as a Maritime
Monument! On October 31, 1986 the very last of the
superb “Cap San” class of luxury passengers-freighters returned to
her “Fatherland” and homeport. After some work done the once again
named Cap San Diego was officially handed over to the foundation and the
“Hamburger Admiralty” in 1987.
The ship is operated
by the Cap San Diego
Betriebsgesellschaft mbH which is responsible for
the preservation of the ship as well as her seaworthiness. However she he is
jointly owned by the Carl Robert Eckelmann AG,
foundation “Hamburger Admiralitat” and
the Stevedore company Carl Tiedemann & Co KG. The
catering company Hamburger Gastmahl takes care of the
dining needs of her guests on board.
The MS Cap San Diego
is superbly taken care of by a superb crew that hail from the operating
company, all of whom are a highly dedicated and enthusiastic group of people
which are around 38 volunteers as well as approximately 20 members of staff
that are from the “Jugend in Arbeit – Hamburg e.V.”
that keep things running super smoothly and make sure that the Cap San Diego
remains an unique maritime symbol of Hamburg Germany and they do the country
very proud indeed. Personally I wish there were many more of you around the
world just like them!
Here
we see the restored Cap San Diego berthed in Hamburg, operating as a Hotel, Museum and a
Tourist venture.
This
photograph was sent by Mr.
Laurens v. Oelsen who encouraged me to complete this
feature as I stated in my introduction, again Thank you Laurens!
Cap
San Diego is now permanently berthed at the “Uberseebrucke Quay” at
Hamburg, I am told is about a 15 minute walk to the city, and she has become a
popular Maritime Museum and is officially a German “Monument.” She
is open daily and visitors are welcome to come on board and discover this
superb ship from bow to stern, and atop the bridge down to the engine room.
Even many parts of the crew’s quarters as well as the holds are
accessible to the public! Each Saturday and Sunday the Radio Room is available
to visitors where experienced operators will demonstrate all the relevant
equipment that was in use in those days.
Her two passenger lounges, being the Bar
and Main lounge, and various dinning facilities, as well as the converted hold
number 3 are available to the public for parties, conventions and special
events. Maritime specialities and food is provided by the on board Bistro,
which is open every day, and in the summer months there is also hot and cold
food and snacks available at the Pool Bar.
Special exhibitions are presented in the
loading holds and there are a wide range of cultural events held are all part
of a large number of annual attractions on board. However, there is one
permanent exhibition, which is entitled: “A Suitcase Packed with Hope” and this is one of the highlights on the
ship and it can be visited daily during opening hours. This exhibition features
the life and hopes of people from Europe who immigrated to America from
1834 through until 1920, and the ships were very different then, as was life in
general! Every Saturday and Sunday the Wireless
Station is opened to the public where experienced operators will show visitors
to the ship how to use all the relevant equipment.
Cap San Diego ~ Photo Album
That superb Maritime Museum and Hotel Cap San Diego’s bow
is simply sheer beauty, just wait until you get on board!
Photograph provided by: Cap
San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
Bridge
Deck
The superbly
timbered Bridge is well maintained and has all her original equipment, and
better still it is all fully functional!
Photograph
by & © Laurens v. Oelsen
The chart Room
Photograph provided by: Cap San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft
mbH
Boat Deck
During the warmer months elegant Al
Fresco Dinning is available on Boat Deck - located forward portside
Photograph provided by: Cap San Diego
Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
I find it so
hard to believe that a freighter provided such a fine Pool for
just 12 passengers!
Photograph
provided by: Cap San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
Promenade Deck
The ships Main
Lounge as it is today, except for the upholstery, very much unchanged
Photograph
by & © Laurens v. Oelsen
The
ships Bar is located portside of the Lounge and we can see that all the seating
has been reupholstered in black leather, for originally it was beige.
Photograph
provided by: Cap San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
What
is so delightful, the Dining room is completely unaltered from her sailing
days. There are two minor changes; the picture in the alcove is new as are the
curtains
Photograph
provided by: Cap San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
The
Lobby and main Stairwell goes down to Shelter Deck
and the hallways on each side to the left to the cabins
Photograph
provided by: Cap San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
Accommodations:
The ships eight spacious Passenger cabins as
well as the Captain’s suite are available for those wishing to spend the
night in style on board this remarkable ship and experience her ambience.
The Captain’s suite consists of a bedroom as well as a lounge and
a private bathroom with bath tub, etc. The official 2010 cost for same was
listed as: 125 Euros for two people, this includes one fixed (original bed) and
a second bed for the 2nd person.
The lounge of
the Captains Suite, which is located on Boat Deck and
not on Promenade Deck
Photograph provided by: Cap San Diego
Betriebsgesellschaft mbH, but taken by: Axel Martens
A corner of the Captains Suite Bedroom
Photograph provided by: Cap San Diego
Betriebsgesellschaft mbH, but taken by: Axel Martens
All
other Passengers cabins are the original and are totally unchanged, except for
the addition of TV and tea and Coffee making facilities with snacks, etc, These
superb cabins are 95 Euros for a Twin bedded cabin or 76 Euros for a single
bedded cabin. Breakfast is available in the Bistro, but this must be booked the
day in advance.
Laurens
v. Oelsen stayed in this original single cabin that had an additional bed in
2007. The fitted bed was located inside, as per the image below
along the wall
Photograph
by & © Laurens v. Oelsen
Twin bedded
cabins have remained unaltered, except for the bed coverings and
the obvious additions
Photograph provided by: Cap San Diego
Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
Shelter Deck
(Forecastle Deck)
The ships original surgery and hospital
Photograph provided by: Cap San Diego
Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
Outer deck space and the stairs to embark
and disembark on the good old days! – starboard
looking aft
Photograph provided by: Cap San Diego
Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
The Fore Deck
obviously did not have timber planking - looking aft
Photograph
by & © Laurens v. Oelsen
A fine view
towards the bridge
Photograph provided by: Cap
San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
An excellent view looking down into the
spotless Engine Room
Photograph provided by: Cap San Diego
Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
Here we see
Engine Room from the floor level
Photograph
by & © Laurens v. Oelsen
The Engine Room
the Mr.
Laurens v. Oelsen from Frankfurt, Germany who has taken many
photographs seen on these two Sap San Diego pages
Photograph
© Laurens v. Oelsen
Her controls in the engine room
are at “Full Stop”
Photograph provided by: Cap San Diego
Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
Here we see her
52m Propeller Shaft
Photograph
by & © Laurens v. Oelsen
MS
Cap San Diego
returns to Sea!
In 2006 a wonderful miracle occurred thanks to the hard work of some
great group of volunteer workers who are mostly retired
sailors from a variety of ranks and they Have worked hard to make her seaworthy
again with other assistance Thus the last ship left from Cap San class that were lovingly known as
the “White Swans of the South Atlantic” had now become not just
seaworthy, BUT the ONLY seaworthy and fully operating Maritime Museum
Passenger-Freighter in the entire world. Since then she has commenced day long
voyages with up to 500 passengers on board each year. All I can say is –
“Germany
be proud - Deutschland sei stolz!”
Please Note:
Details of the next voyage is located at the bottom of the page!
Here we see the Cap San Diego on one of
her day voyages and these are extremely popular and usually booked out
Photograph provided by: Cap
San Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
The Cap San
Diego is seen sailing along the River Elbe on March 26, 2011
Photograph
by & © D. Bauer
DE
The Cap San
Diego is seen at her permanent berth in Hamburg
in 2011, and she will survive to educate our children
Of the great days of ocean
travel, and how we operated freighter, before atomisation!
Join one of MS Cap San
Diego Annual Voyages
If possible try and join one of her voyages, details are
online. Be assured the experience will be a highlight!
Her 50 year Celebration Day Voyage is on 19
September 2011 – But HURRY it fills fast! Price: 125 Euro’s
Fare includes: A
welcome snack, lunch, coffee with cake, 2 drinks. Live music and a full commentary
Contact: info@capsandiego.de for
museum, hotel and voyage information
MS Cap San Diego cruising at a slow speed
sea
Photograph provided by: Cap San Diego
Betriebsgesellschaft mbH, but taken by: Heike Ollertz
Above we see the beautiful ex
passenger-cargo liner so famously known as the “White Swan of the South
Atlantic” during one of her regular day long Voyages out of Hamburg. I firmly
believe that it is worthwhile to go and visit this sublime ship and stay on
board her for a few nights and better still as I state above try and join
one of her two annual voyages!
Panoramic images of the ship online!
For some delightful panoramic views visit the page
below and click on the various small square boxes and view many parts of the
ship, just place your mouse on one side and it will turn the image around 180
degrees. The text is in German, but every picture tells a story and toy will
know where you are at all times! www.capsandiego.de/Virtueller_Rundgang.html.
Ships Location &
contact details
“Cap San
Diego”
Liegeplatz
Überseebrücke – 20459 – Hamburg
Germany.
Visiting Hours -
1000 - 1800 hours (10 AM to 6 PM)
For Hotel bookings and
voyage details visit the “Cap San
Diego” WebSite or
email …
www.capsandiego.de
- info@capsandiego.de
Map provided by: Cap San
Diego Betriebsgesellschaft mbH
Hamburg Sud’s INDEX:
Page
One … “MS Santa
Ines & Santa Teresa” -
Including a little “Hamburg Sud” history and a few other ships.
Page Two … “MS
Cap San Diego” - The Last of Six “Cap San” Class Liners.
Page
Three … “MS Cap San Diego” - “The Museum & Hotel Ship.”
Page
Four … The other Five “Cap
San” White Swans.
**************************************************
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Who
is the Author of ssMaritime?
Commenced
in the passenger Shipping Industry in May 1960
ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net
Where
the ships of the past make history & the 1914 built MV Doulos Story
Also
visit my …
“Save The Classic Liners Campaign”
& “Classic Ocean Voyages” pages
Photographs
on ssmaritime and associate pages are by the author or from the author’s
private collection. In addition
there are some images that have been provided by Shipping Companies and private
photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However,
there are some photographs that have been provided to me without details
regarding the photographer/owner concerned. I hereby invite owners of these
images, if they would be so kind to make them-selves known to me (my email
address may be found on www.ssmaritime.com ), in order that due
credit may be given in full. I know what it is like, I have seen a multitude of
my own photographs on other sites, yet these individuals either refuse to
provide credit or remove them when requested, knowing full well that there is
no legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show these
charlatans up and always do the right thing at all times and give proper credit
where credit is due!
This
notice covers all pages, although, and I have done my best to ensure that all
photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page,
that is, when pages are updated!
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