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With
Reuben Goossens
Maritime
Historian, Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer & Author
ssMaritime
- Calling all Ship Lovers - Please …
Support
Classic Cruise Ships
In
2012 & 2013 Go and Cruise in Classic Style on a …
Classic
Ocean Voyage”
ssMaritime is supporting Cruise Companies that
have spent a great deal on their classic ships, keeping these
fine ships up to date, not only in regard to safety regulations
and navigational equipment, but also upgrading and refitting
their ships to the highest degree making them some of the most
comfortable and desirable ships at sea today!
I can assure you that these ships are superbly
maintained as I have personally inspected a number of the ships
featured on these pages over the years and all I can say that
these ships may even place some of the major Companies and the
modern giant cruise ships to shame in certain aspects! On one
particular ship expect a bath in every single spacious cabin,
some are even equipped with Jacuzzis, and enjoy the walk around
decks featured on most of these ships, something that is slowly
disappearing on the modern cruise ships.
There is no doubt that three of the ships
featured in this feature have been extensively rebuilt and thus
they may no longer completely resemble their old selves, however,
I can assure you that they still retain many of their superb
classic features within their hulls, especially their excellent
sea going capabilities and those strong steel hulls!
The
elegant MV Princess Daphne will be cruising Asia from December to
March 2011-2012
From
the author’s collection
Atop we see a fine Classic ship the MV Princess
Daphne, which has a beautiful traditional stern and such classic
lines. But then we see the MV Queen Victoria. Let me make it
quite clear that her interiors are simply superb and there is no
denying that, however, tell me if this is a beautiful streamlined
looking ship? The answer we all know, it is NO! Having sailed on
her, I do know that the service and my time on her was simply
wonderful, but her sea going capabilities are simply woeful! Why?
Well she was built with a Vista Class hull and her top heavy
overall design (much like the larger Queen Mary 2 and her new
identical sister Queen Elizabeth) has a lot to do with it! Note
the design and balance difference between a classic ship and the
modern cruise ship, they are world apart, and that is why ship
lovers would wish to sail on one of these fine classic beauties
that continue to sail the globe!
These
days, decks are all stacked on the top 12 of her
superstructure & only 4 in her hull (above the water
line)
From
the author’s collection
In addition, when you board a classic ship you
will know that you are on a real ship as they have strong hulls
with deep draught’s, thus they have superb sea going
capabilities, rather than on one of those huge flat bottomed box
like apartment/condominium blocks, come shopping centres, or
floating resorts. A true classic ship was built as ship and then
had a hotel placed inside it, whereas today, these monstrous
vessels are built in sections and are assembled in a huge shed
and floated out, rather than a true launching. Thus they are
designed as floating hotels, rather than ships first.
The Ships:
Why not go cruising on an ex Swedish Trans
Atlantic liner built in 1948, or on one of two superb ex British
Combo Passenger/Cargo Ships built in 1955, later converted into
excellent Cruise Ships. Then there is the delightful ex Italian Adriatica
Line Liner built in 1956, or a Portuguese Trans Atlantic Liner
and ex Presidential Yacht built in 1961. These ships, and others,
continue to cruise the world and they are fully SOLAS 2010
compliant and will cruise on for many years as yet. In fact I
know that schedules for most of these ships have already been
planned for 2012 and 2013.
Ships and Cruise Company:
The ships above are listed according to the
year of being built. First is the famed MS Stockholm,
currently the MV Athena, next is the MS Port Sydney
and MS Port Melbourne, currently the MV Princess Daphne
and MV Princess Danae. Then there is the ever delightful
ex trans Atlantic liner and occasional Presidential Yacht the SS
Funchal, later receiving diesel engines becoming the - MV
Funchal, and she continues to sail under her original name
and appears very much as she did as built and she is one of a
very few classic ships in the world to do so! All these ships are
operated by the amazing cruise company “Classic
International Cruises” who also operates a
delightful smaller ship the MV Arion that was built as the
Yugoslavian MS Istra in 1965. In addition there are two
superb smaller Norwegian coastal ships included the 1964 built
and Heritage listed MS Lofoten and her older sister the MS Nordstjernen
built in 1956. These ships are so much loved that some 50% of
their guests are regulars! Their interiors, although constantly
updated, but they still have those superb classic touches of the
old days. Make sure that you experience a voyage along the coast
of Norway on one of these ships, for besides the ships, the trip
is known as being “The Most Beautiful Voyage in the
World!”
The pages that follow will provide details of
these superb classic ships and I believe that genuine classic
ship lovers should support these very special ships, thus why not
plan and book a cruise on one of these fine ships in 2012 or in
2013.
Personally, I sailed on the MV Athena on
March 6, 2011 from Australia to the United Kingdom and I loved it
so much that I am going again in April 2012 sailing from
Fremantle to Portsmouth, but this time we sail not via the Suez
Canal, but via South Africa with a superb itinerary. Although I
did do a similar voyage in 2008 on P&O’s MV Oriana and I
do a half world cruise annually, but I have to be honest, I by
far enjoyed my time on the Athena much better for the service,
food and entertainment is simply sublime. Also, you will not find
any of that never ending marketing on board, no art galleries and
auctions, no optional pay extra restaurants, no tipping needed,
and no taxes or port charges to be paid. Everything is included
in your fare, just like it used to be in your fares back in the
old days. The only thing extra is your ships photographs, drinks
and shore excursions and that is it! I addition, these ships are
maintained simply beyond belief, the cleanliness on board is
supreme, you will not find any dirt or rust anywhere, not around
the louvers near the funnel, around the decks, inside, for the
ship is simply spotless. Each ship is constantly refurbished and
rebuilt, the Funchal has received a year long rebuild and a
refurbishment in 2011/12 which saw all her cabins, both crew and
passengers replaced, and every passenger cabin is larger and new
modern bathrooms. The Athena also is receiving another refit in Italy
late in 2011 before she heads for Australia, which will see her
interiors refreshed with new carpets and furnishings, new cabin
soft furnishings and many other improvements. All ships have the
very latest in navigational and safety equipment and some of the
finest Captains and officers you will ever find. And I enjoyed
it so much I am sailing back to England on her again in 2012!
Read my MV Athena - 2011 cruise review at: MV Athena Cruise Review.
INDEX
– “Classic Ocean Voyages”®
Page One
– MV Athena & MV Funchal
Page Two
– MV Princess Daphne & Princess Danae – MV Arion
Page Three – MS Lofoten & MS Nordstjernen
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******************************************
Please
Note: ssmaritime & Cruise-Australia are non-commercial and
privately owned cruise sites. The author has been in the
passenger shipping industry since 1960 and is currently
semi-retired, but continues to write cruise and ship reviews and
maritime articles in order to better to inform cruise and ship
enthusiasts and provide information for those intending a cruise
in the future.
However,
if you are interested in a classic cruise, I am happy to refer
you to a dedicated cruise agent in Australia, New Zealand or
further afield on my recommended “cruise agents” page,
for these are agents that specialise in cruising and they will be
able offer excellent service you and the best fares available! Be
assured, I do NOT receive any commissions or favours from these
agents, and in the vast majority of cases these agents will not
even be aware of my, or mu site’s involvement, as I provide
the enquirer with the requested information of the agents (in
their region) including their contact details. Reuben Goossens.
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 other sites …
“Save The
Classic Liners Campaign” & “Cruise-Australia”
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
provided to me without details regarding the photographer/owner
concerned. I hereby invite if owners of these images would be so
kind to make them-selves known to me (my email address may be
found on www.ssmaritime.com
only), in order that due credit may be given. 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 asked, knowing full well that there is no legal
comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show these
charlatans up and do the right thing at all times and give 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 a page is
updated!
“Classic
Ocean Voyages”®
ssMaritime
and “Classic Ocean Voyages” is owned & © Copyright
by Reuben Goossens - All Rights Reserved