ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net
With Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian
Swedish-America Line
--“Svenska-Amerika Linjen”--
MS Kungsholm IV
Under -
Swedish-America Line & Flagship Cruises - 1966 to 1978
P&O/Princess:
MV Sea Princess 1978 - 1995, P&O: Victoria 1995 - 2002
MV Mona
Lisa 2002—2007, Oceanic
II 2007 - 2008, Mona Lisa 2008 – 2010
An original SAL
publicity photograph of the MS Kungsholm IV
From the author’s private collection
A Note
regarding Photographs: At all times I endeavour to provide credit to all those
who have provided me with photographs. However, some photos have been sent to
me by long standing supporters but they have not supplied and usually do not
have details of ownership of same. I have noted this under the images concerned
and I ask if one of these photos is yours, that you read my special notice at
the bottom of the page, for I am a stickler for doing that which is right!
However, I usually do not state who the provider was because they are not the
owners.
The
ship that became the elegant and streamlined MS Kungsholm was built in 1966 by
the John Brown & Company shipyards in Clydebank,
Scotland
and she was intended to be a dual purpose ship, as an ocean liner, and a cruise
ship, for the Swedish-American Line (SAL).
Although at a later time she did become a much loved full-time cruise ship.
The superbly designed ship was launched on April 14, 1965
by the wife of the company’s owner DanAxel Brostrom, Mrs. Annabella
Brostrom. However, what was unusual for a passenger
ship at the time, especially for a ship that was built to a trans-Atlantic
liner, she was fitted with slow-speed two stroke diesel engines and her two
Swedish built Gotaverken 9 cylinder engines had a
combined output of 25,200 SHP, which gave her a service speed of 21 knots,
although she managed to achieve a notable 25 knots during her sea trials, the
first of these took place on November 19.
However,
during her trials a number of problems that arose that needed urgent attention
and these problems would eventually delay her delivery, and thus she was
eventually delivered to her owners on March 17, 1966,
having been completed with everything having been thoroughly tested and the
ship was in perfect order!
Whilst
operating as a Trans-Atlantic liner she would accommodate a total of just 713
passengers in the ultimate of luxury and comfort in both classes, there were
108 in the intimate First Class and 605 in Tourist Class which took over the
majority of the ship. However, whilst operating as a cruise ship her passenger
numbers dropped severely to a mere 450 whilst she operated as a One Class ship.
The
elegant looking and beautifully propositioned two funnelled MS Kungsholm
departed Gothenburg on her maiden voyage to New York
on April 22, 1966,
and she continued line voyages mixed with frequent cruises out of American
ports.
The
Kungsholm seen in New York
flag bedecked and ready for a cruise
Photographer unknown – *See photo notes at the bottom
of page
It
became obvious that she became greatly loved by many as she had that touch of
Swedish style and service to match, however there is no doubt that the times
were against her with the air travel increasing competition each and every day,
yet, she certainly seemed to hold her own, in addition her voyages to New
Zealand and Australia would soon become very popular.
Kungsholm is seen her departing on a cruise
From the author’s private collection
It
would be in 1967 that the Kungsholm would venture into the South Pacific and
operate a Trans-Pacific voyage as far as New Zealand
and Australia,
where she arrived in Sydney
fir the first time ever, a port she would one day call home, on February 6.
This voyage was obviously quite popular as she returned again in February 1967
and 1968. Thereafter it would not be until 1972 before she would visit Australia
again when she arrived in Sydney
on February 19, 1972.
Although she was due to depart on the same day, she had to remain in port for
several days as she was suffering problems with her generators and the ships
air-conditioning systems was thus not working correctly, and this had to be
fixed. However, in order to do this the ship was forced to move as the berth at
the International Cruise Terminal at Circular Quay had already been booked by
other ships and she was moved to the famed Woolloomooloo wharves, which today
are very trendy and expensive housing overlooking Sydney harbour. As soon as
the repairs were completed, MS Kungsholm set sail on February 22. Although she
was also due to visit Brisbane
on this voyage, this port had to be cancelled, thus instead she headed straight
for Port Vila in Vanuatu.
MS Kungsholm Interior Photo
Album
Please Note: The following images all hail from
various “SAL”
sources of their original publicity material, such
as brochures, posters & advertising.
The
Main Lobby and the Pursers Office
The
Lobby, a view from a SAL
brochure
All colour views are from the same brochure
The
Forward Main Lounge is a superb Lounge
The
Smoking Room, is something that has long disappeared on ships
This
Room was certainly warm and elegant!
Verandah
Deck Cocktail Lounge
The
Cinema
The
Card Room with its delightful mural
A
softly timbered Library
The
elegant First Class Restaurant
The
Swimming Pool
Cabins
were quite spacious, this is an inside twin
The
Kungsholm retuned to the United States
after her generator and air-conditioning breakdown
in Sydney
and continued cruising, but now mostly operating cruises to the Caribbean from New York.
It would be four years later when she returned to Australia
and New Zealand
however she would no longer be flying the Swedish flag or a Swedish-America
Line ship.
We need to remember that this fine shipping
company, the “Swedish-America Line” had been in operation since
1915 and they had become known for its reliability and superb service and for
ships that were simply superior to most other companies.
However, in 1975 due to the economic situation
and with competition from the aviation industry and the ever increasing fares
due to berthing and fuel costs, led to an economic crisis for SAL.
It had become far too difficult for the company, much in a same way as it was
for all shipping companies at that time who were either selling some or all of
their ships and even closing down. Swedish-America Line found that passenger
numbers had dropped to such an extent that the Kungsholm was no longer viable
to operate and thus the company had found themselves in dire financial
straights, due to massive losses made over the past year. SAL
were simply forced to sell their last ship, their grand flagship, the MS
Kungsholm IV, and as soon as she was placed on the market she was purchased in
August 1975, by the Greek shipping company named “Flagship Cruises New
York,” but registered in Monrovia Liberia.
Stern view of the Kungsholm now registered in Monrovia
& an “S” on her funnel, being her new owner’s logo
Photograph
by & © Petteri Virtanen
The
extremely expensive, luxurious and beautifully appointed ship MS Kungsholm was
sold as SAL
terminated in 1975 for a mere 65 million Swedish Krona.
This sum was only half of what they had paid to build her. Had she been built
in 1975 she would have cost, it was said, at least 300 million Krona. After the sale of the MS Kungsholm
came the sale of her older running mate MS Gripsholm (built in 1957) She was sold to the Greek Magnate Mr. Michael Karageorgis in
November 1975 to become the MS Navarino. However, she
was sold again in 1983 to be the Samantha and resold the next year and after a
refit in Greece she was renamed in January 1985 the Regent
Sea,
and is best know cruising for Regency Cruises, which eventually bankrupt in
1995 and was laid up until sold to be broken up at Alang India, but she sank on
her way to the breakers of the coast of South Africa on July 12, 2001.
MS Gripsholm visiting Sydney
From the author’s private collection
The
sale of the Gripsholm officially closed the operations of the Swedish-American Line,
and this was considered to be a national tragedy in Sweden.
Even in the United States many past passengers were devastated when they heard
the news, for the traditional means of sailing between the United States and
Sweden for Swedes and Americans who had come to love these ships, had gone
forever!
An original Flagship postcard of the MS Kungsholm
From the author’s private collection
Flagship
decided to increase her capacity to 600 one class passengers, without her
requiring any rebuilding as the accommodations were already in place. She was
returned to American waters as soon as she was ready and rebranded, for it was
there where she was not only well known and greatly loved, but there had
already been a cruise programme scheduled by Swedish-America Line before they
decided to pull her from duties, thus Flagship wisely decided to continue this
programme as originally planned.
The Flagship Cruises Kungsholm at anchor – Note the
“S” on her funnels
Photographer unknown – *See photo notes at the bottom
of page
Kungsholm
schedule included another Trans-Pacific voyage to Auckland New Zealand
and Sydney Australia in January 1976. She arrived in Sydney on February 25, and
although the ship would visit Sydney many more times in the future, but she
would never again look as beautiful as she did on this occasion, with her proud
twin funnels and her long sleek and elegant stature, nor would she visit under
the famed name of Kungsholm, for all too soon she would be renamed and totally
rebuilt and she will look like another ship altogether, nothing like her real self!
After
departing Australia
she headed back to New York
and continued on a series of Caribbean
cruises until 1978. However, by then Flagship Cruises was also suffering severe
financial difficulties and they decided to place the Kungsholm on the market,
but continued to operate her.
Fortunately for the
fine ship as it turned out, P&O in England was looking for a ship as they
were in need to replace the 1954 built SS Arcadia, which had been cruising
mostly out of Australia, as well as the America and Britain. The Kungsholm was
the perfect size and P&O felt that with modifications she would be perfect
for the role and thus she was sold to the P&O passenger Division, and
registered under the ownership of “Finance for Shipping Ltd,” based
in London.
MS Kungsholm departed
New York
on August 10, 1978
for her final Flagship Cruises cruise. Upon her return o was handed over to
P&O on August 21. She sailed across the Atlantic to Vegesack
Germany and the Bremer Vulkan Schiffbau
& Machinefabrik (Bremen Vulcan Shipbuilders &
Machine Factory) where she arrived on September 4, where would be extensively
rebuilt and receive a comprehensive internal refurbishment. However, her
rebuilding programme was delayed somewhat, mostly due to bad weather
conditions, but eventually a new ship appeared as she was completed and
officially named MV Sea Princess at the yards on January 15, 1979.
Bremen Vulcan Shipyards Photo Album
The following images are from the author’s private
collection
Originally provided by the late, Herr. Horst
von Spitzen – Bremer Vulkan
The
as yet unnamed P&O ship is in the process of being rebuilt
Here
we see the new streamlined new funnel to be placed aft and the new deck housing
I
believe it was one of the great tragedies when they removed the forward funnel,
reducing it to an ugly stump
Although
on practical terms, it did allow for additional deck space.
The
official handing over and naming party on January 15, 1979
The
just names MV Sea Princess is seen here at her Fit out Berth, just prior to her
sailing for Southampton
On January 20, 1979
the new Sea Princes departed the Bremen
shipyard and headed for her homeport of Southampton.
Many ship lovers were greatly disappointed when they first saw the ship when
she was completed, for the forward funnel had been removed and it had been
reduced to a huge ugly looking stump. Her new and stylised aft yellow funnel
just did not look right either. Her mainmast had been removed whilst the aft
decks had all been extended far aft. Her once beautifully fully glazed
promenade deck, forward to aft had also changed greatly. Now almost half of the
after end had been built in to add some 80 additional cabins, with a new
outdoor pool aft. But, thankfully some of her original magnificent interior
features did survive, such as in the restaurant, he famed porcelain cabinet
feature on the wall, etc, and other items around the ship, including her fine
and warm timbers.
The ex Kungsholm seen with her all new look as the P&O
MV Sea Princess
Photo by & © Joni Davis
The all new looking
MV Sea Princess is a ship that would become one of the most popular cruise
ships around, in spite of the shock of her new look, which was highly
criticised by most ship lovers. The truth was that on board P&O ensured
that she had retained much of her delightful charm, for as time would pass she
would win the hearts of so many around the world over the years! The new Sea
Princess could now accommodate 750 passengers in style and she was registered
as being 27,670 GRT.
Upon arrival in Southampton her first passengers boarded, many of whom were
bound for Singapore
and Australia.
A stern view of the Sea Princess
Photographer unknown – *See photo notes at the bottom
of page
The P&O liner now
a cruise ship, SS Arcadia that had also been built by the John Brown shipyard
in Clydebank, Scotland,
departed Sydney Australia for the very last time on January 29, 1979,
and she would meet up with the new ship in Singapore.
The Arcadia had
made her very first cruise from Australia
back in 1959, however she was placed on a regular Australian based cruise
service, with the occasional line voyage in 1974. As the Arcadia was on her
final voyage packed with those who loved this ship greatly and wanted to enjoy
her final voyage on her as she was in fact on her way to the breakers, they
sailed via Brisbane and in both Sydney and Brisbane a massive flotilla of small
ships escorted her out of the harbour to say goodbye. In Singapore
Arcadia’s passengers would join the Sea Princess for the voyage home,
whilst many of the British passengers that had arrived on the Sea Princess
would be flying home. The superb old P&O ship Arcadia
continued to Kaohsiung Taiwan,
where she arrived on February 28, and was soon broken up.
Having taken on the Arcadia
passengers on February 16, 1979,
the Sea Princess headed for Fremantle (Perth) Australia
arriving there on February 28, then to Melbourne and
arriving to her new home, the port
of Sydney
on March 6, 1979
where she would commence her cruise operation of Pacific cruises as well as the
occasional cruises to Asia.
P&O’s Sea Princess in Sydney
March 6, 1979
Photographer unknown – *See photo notes at the bottom
of page
She was very popular
and much loved in Australia,
but with the increasing number of passengers desiring to cruise out of
Australia P&O decided to keep using the much loved SS Oriana out of Sydney
Australia, which had been based there since 1981, and use the more intimate Sea
Princess in the UK
and European ports. She departed Sydney on March 11, 1982
bound for Southampton.
Sea Princess did
return to Australia
again in 1983 as P&O Cruises operated her on an around the World Cruise,
arriving in Sydney
on February 21 for a two-day stopover. Having arrived back in the UK
from the World cruise she headed for Vosper Ltd at Southampton
where additional cabins were added, increasing her accommodations to 840.
P&O Cruises repeated the world voyage using the Sea Princess in 1984, the
year she was transferred to the ownership of “Investors in Industry
Inc” and her passenger numbers was again reduced to 720, being just one
year after having increased it to 840. What a waste!
Sea Princess operated
another around the world cruise in 1985 visiting Australia,
but this would be the last time as the P&O MV Sea Princess.
In November 1986 the
Sea Princess was transferred to “Princess Cruises,” and externally
the only visible change was that the funnel was painted all white with the
typical Princess blue Sea Witch logo on it. Princess cruises gave her an
extensive refit upgrading her lounges but especially her cabins. When completed
she spent the early part of 1987 in Port Everglades operating cruises to the
Caribbean, then she operated a cruise through the Panama Canal to San Francisco
from where she operated cruises to Alaska, and then a Trans-Pacific Cruise to
Asia and Australia in December.
Sea Princess is seen after her transfer to Princess
Cruises, featuring the “Sea Witch” logo on her funnel
Photograph from the author’s private collection
On Australia’s
Bi-Centennial Day’s celebrations in 1988 she was anchored in the middle
of Sydney harbour
opposite the Sydney Opera House and close to the Sydney
Harbour
Bridge
for her guests to enjoy the massive fireworks display she returned to sea for
several days. Upon completion of her summer series of cruises she departed and
headed for Asia and onto the USA.
She would return to Australia
for the 1989/90 summer season of cruises in December that year. She was a
regular visitor to Australia
and it came as a shock to us all to hear that she was about to be transferred
again and also receive a new name.
The handsome bow of the Sea Princess
Photographer unknown – *See photo notes at the bottom
of page
As Princess Cruises
was rapidly building up their new fleet of ships and required the name
“Sea Princess” for their new 77,000-ton vessel, it was decided to
transfer the ship back to P&O UK in 1995 and renamed her Victoria. From then on she became what we may
call a genuine British P&O ship and she operated with the UK
fleet out of Southampton
or fly/cruise operation sailing from Italian ports.
She is seen here after being returned to P&O renamed MV
Victoria
Photograph from the author’s private collection
In 1999 the Victoria
was chartered to the Union-Castle Line for a special centenary voyage and she
had her funnel repainted in the company’s red and black livery. They even
wanted to paint the hull in the traditional lavender, however the cost would
have been far too great, thus they decided against this.
The Union
Castle
Line MS Victoria
Photograph from the author’s private collection
The Victoria
was a fine ship indeed having eight passenger decks, with 4 passenger
elevators, 2 outdoor and 1 indoor swimming pool, a
sauna and a massage parlour. In addition she offers 3 restaurants, 4 lounges, 4
indoor bars, 1 outdoor bar and a 300-passenger capacity theatre. There is also
a fitness centre, hair salon and a fully equipped hospital.
However, with the
arrival of new ships being built for the P&O Company, it was decided to
sell the Victoria,
although many were saddened to hear it, for she was a comfortable ship and
certainly she was regarded as an intimate and a happy ship to sail on, a ship
that had a rich maritime history and one that felt like a ship! But, in 2002,
sadly she was sold by P&O to a Greek Company by the name of Leonardo
Shipping, but the company, as so many are for Tax reasons, was registered in
the Bahamas.
She was renamed MV Mona Lisa and she was chartered out and sailing for the popular
German market and a well known company - “Holiday Kreuzfahrten,”
which she did until 2006.
With her new name and
her white funnel had a large oval that contained a painting of the famous Mona
Lisa.”” Later her funnel was pained a deep maroon-red,
with the Mona Lisa painting still there.
MV Mona Lisa seen here with her first funnel, being white
with the painting
Photograph from the author’s private collection
Holiday Kreuzfahrten was sadly declared bankrupt in September of
2006 and the ship was laid up at Piraeus,
Greece
for a few weeks.
In
November she was chartered and taken to Doha in Qatar
for the Asian Games, and there she was used as a hotel ship until January 1, 2007.
By now her funnel had been repainted Maroon red, and soon she was chartered by
Royal Caribbean Cruises - RCI
who renamed her Oceanic II for their
purposes but retained her funnel for the time being.
The now famous “Mona
Lisa” funnel
From the author’s
collection
In
addition, from April 30 to May 28 2007,
Louis Hellenic Cruises sub-chartered her as a temporary replacement for their
sunken ship the Sea Diamond.
Oceanic II is seen here whilst under charter to Louis
Cruise Line
Photograph by
& © Georges Koutsoukis
Later
she was then operated by Pullmantur Cruises, which is a subsidiary of RCI
for the 2007 northern hemisphere summer season. They repainted the funnel in the traditional blue livery
and the Pullmantur logo.
Oceanic II is seen whilst cruising for RCI’s
Spanish Pullmantur Cruises
Photograph by
& © Soren Lund Hviid
Then
it became known that the Scholar Ship organisation was in need of a vessel and
they chartered her. She was refitted to become an educational ship for the
Scholar Ship international education program, a cooperative venture between
seven major world universities and RCI.
Again her blue funnel was given a new “Scholar Ship” logo. The
Scholar Ship offered undergraduate and graduate semester programs during
four-month voyages. The inaugural voyage embarked in September 2007, with a
second voyage in early 2008.
The ScholarShip
- MV Oceanic II seen in Sydney
Photograph from the
author’s private collection
In
June 2008 the announcement came that the programme would end, thus this was
another short lived venture!
MV Oceanic II returned
to the Leonardo Shipping Company name of Mona
Lisa before returning to the German charter market and another and a far
more successful tour operator, being the massive “Lord Nelson
Seereisen” This agreement ran from April 28 to August 31 2008.
On May 4, 2008,
the Mona Lisa was grounded in
the Irbe
Strait
when she departed Riga,
but thankfully she suffered no major damage and it was decided to evacuate all
passengers from the ship the next day as efforts to free the ship from the sand
bank were impossible. It was not until three days later that the Mona Lisa was pulled free and she was
taken to a shipyard in Ventspils,
Latvia
to be inspected for any damage. Mona Lisa returned to her cruise duties on May
8.
As soon as the
“Lord Nelson Seereisen” charter had completed the Mona Lisa was again chartered, but
this time to the Peace Boat Organisation for the duration of the 2008/2009
northern hemisphere winter season. But she also had been chartered “Lord
Nelson Seereisen” operate during the 2009 northern hemisphere summer
season. Thus she has been a ship that has been busy and in operation, although
with so many operators.
A recent photograph of the MV Mona Lisa
Photograph by & © Ian Hourston
Mona Lisa will
continue her cruises with “Lord Nelson Seereisen” this year (2010)
from May until August. But the tragedy is this; what about this fine ships
future, for her future is uncertain as sadly this fine ship does not comply
with the new SOLAS (Safety Of Life
At Sea) regulations that come into effect in October 2010. Thus
this magnificent classic ship is now in danger of being sold to the breakers,
even though she is in superb condition throughout!
Today this great ship
is in danger of being sold to the breakers. Please read my concluding note
below!
Specifications:
Built by: Newport News Shipbuilding
Company 1958
Yard: 728
Tonnage: 26,678
GRT
Length: 201.2m
– 660ft
Width: 26.5m
– 86.3ft
Draught: 8.56m
- 28.1ft
Engines: Two direct drive Gotaverken 9
cylinder
slow
speed two stroke diesel engines – 22,000 SHP
Screws: Twin
Service speed: 21
knots – 25 max speed
Passengers: 108 First Class – on
Trans-Atlantic voyages
605
in Tourist Class
450
One Class - when cruising (from 2008 - 782)
Crew: 438 (from 2008 – 417)
Fully
air-conditioned
Denny Brown stabilisers
In conclusion:
Many ship lovers may
know that there had been a letter of intent signed between the ship’s
owners and Swedish entrepreneur Mr. Lars Hallgren
for the acquisition of the ship in 2010. Mr. Hallgren
had been planning to use the ship as a floating hotel in Gothenburg. However,
the local authorities have decided against supporting the project, thus this
program has now fallen through and is no longer possible. But had his excellent
and well laid out plans been realised, most features of the Kungsholm original appearance,
including her two funnels were going to be restored. But alas, authorities,
what do they know?
This is how she would have looked had the Kungsholm project
gone ahead
Obtained from www.salship.se/kung.asp
Tragically as
we have discovered in the past, and again now in the case of the Swedish
authorities, they are just great at destroying things and certainly not good
restoring and retaining those things that really matter, especially a great
ship that offers the country an opportunity to display it excellent Maritime
History, as well as having a superior tourist facility. The Kungsholm is the
very last Swedish Trans-Atlantic Liner left in the world, the last of her kind
and Sweden
had the opportunity to have her. Take a look at the Netherlands,
what did they do with their greatly beloved Holland America Line SS Rotterdam?
They totally restored this great ship to her original condition and she is now
open as a luxury hotel in the heart of the great Port City of Rotterdam, and
better still, she ha=s proved to be a massive success with tourists flocking to
visit and stay on board her from all over the world!
If the Swedish
authorities have made a massive mistake, IF they would only reconsider and
decide that this ship is too good to loose! BUT time is short for
all too soon she will be sold and most likely she will head for the breakers.
Please do whatever
you can and email/write the Swedish Government and everyone in authority!
Reuben Goossens.
There
are several new pages yet to come online
1. Deck Plans: MS Kungsholm
and Mona Lisa.
2. Photo Page:
Mona Lisa current interiors
Please return occasionally to see if they have been added
Just too good to go – let’s hope we can save
this fine ship!
******************************
I trust you have enjoyed reading this page on this
fine and this much loved passenger liner & cruise ship. In addition if you
have sailed on her I would like to hear from you, and if you have any
photographs I would greatly appreciate some, especially those of the interiors
and out on deck. Email Me!
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Who is the Author of ssMaritime?
Commenced
in the Passenger Shipping Industry in May 1960
info@ssmaritime.com
PLEASE
NOTE: I receive hundreds of requests for Passenger/Crew Lists and Sailing Schedules. I
hereby wish to advise that I am unable to assist due to time
restrains and as most shipping companies have long gone these lists/schedules
are no longer available. I regret to advise that any request for these will no
longer be answered regardless of the circumstances presented!
ssMaritime.com & ssMaritime.net
Where
the ships of the past make history & the 1914
built MV Doulos Story
Visit the
Author’s following pages …
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Campaign”
& “Classic Ocean
Voyages”
Photographs on ssmaritime and associated pages are: 1. By the author. 2. From the
author’s private collection. 3. As provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or
collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are photographs
provided to me without details provided regarding the photographer concerned. I
hereby invite if owners of these images would be so kind to make them-selves
known to me, 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 they either
refuse to give me credit and even refuse to remove them, knowing full
well that there is no legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us
show the charlatans up and do the right thing at all times and give credit
where credit is due! Note: I do not credit those who send me photos as they
are not the owners of the photographs concerned, unless the image is part of
their private collection.
This
notice covers all pages, although, 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!
ssMaritime is owned and © Copyright 2010 - by Reuben Goossens
- All Rights Reserved
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