A New Life for SS Monterey with MSC Cruises

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With Reuben Goossens

Maritime Historian, Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer & Author

Aloha Pacific Cruises

Star Lauro / MSC Cruises

SS Monterey

Her transformation into a Cruise Ship

Her final guise as the Pacific Far East Line Trans-Pacific Liner

Having been laid up since 1977, SS Monterey was purchased and towed to Portland Oregon in 1987 to be transformed into a full time cruise ship for Aloha Pacific Cruises at a cost of $40 million. However, she was registered to American Maritime Holdings. She was transferred to a Tacoma, Washington shipyard in order to commence work as required to allow her to remain under American registry. However, with the approval of the Maritime Administration, she was sent off to the Wartsila's ship yard in Turku Finland, to have most of her interior work completed. Tragically, the once well balanced Monterey received major external transformations, which horrified all who knew her from her Matson, Pacific Far East days. As many put it, “she was disfigured” with the addition of a huge aircraft carrier style lido platform above her stern, in addition, Promenade deck was extended far forward of the bridge, cutting off most of her foredeck. Both the stern and forward additions added a considerable number of new cabins.

Monterey seen at the Finnish Wartsila Shipyards at Turku where she was rebuilt for Aloha Pacific Cruises

Wartsila Shipyards

The SS Monterey seen in August of 1988 while she was in dry dock at Bethlehem Steel's Sparrows Point shipyard Maryland for 10 days of painting

Photograph by Mr. Dino Corti the ships official photographer for the “Kodak Cruise Service”

After re rebuilding she undertook a 46-night maiden cruise from Copenhagen on July 31, 1988 from Copenhagen to San Francisco. This was followed by a 26-night cruise from New York to San Francisco. Monterey commenced her seven day Hawaiian cruise duties from Honolulu in September.

SS Monterey’s seen completed as the Aloha Pacific Cruise ship, with her blue funnel featuring a gold “M” for Monterey, being surrounded by gold laurels

Publicity photo from the author’s collection

However, in certain ways this voyage it can be said that this voyage was a bad omen for the new company for it proved for them to be very costly as the voyage was beset with massive problems, mostly brought on by the FDA, being the “Food and Drug Administration” who inspects all U.S. flag passenger liners! I have the complete report available, that also shows the companies demise with a year – see the link at the bottom of the page.

With American Pacific Cruises having filed for bankruptcy in April 1989 and the Monterey having been laid up in Honolulu in May 1998, she remained there for the next twenty two. Then the Italian Star Lauro, being the successor to Italy's esteemed Flotta Lauro lines signed a long term bare boat charter and she was relocated to the Mediterranean and she made her home in Naples. She received another refit and was made ready for cruising ensuring that all hygiene standards were met she commenced cruising and became an immediate success! Star Lauro decided to purchase her outright, knowing she would make a valuable addition to their fleet. However, the Star Lauro soon banner faded away and this was replaced by their new name that remains to this day “Mediterranean Shipping Cruises,” or “MSC Cruises.”

Sadly, less than one year after having commenced operations, her owners filed for bankruptcy in April 1989 and she was laid up for the next twenty two months in Honolulu. The Italian Star Lauro being the successor to Italy's esteemed Flotta Lauro lines, had signed a long term bare boat charter and she was relocated to the Mediterranean and made her home in Naples. Being an immediate success Star Lauro purchased her outright, knowing she would make a valuable addition to their fleet. However, the Star Lauro eventually became Mediterranean Shipping Cruises, or MSC Cruises.

This stern photograph clearly shows the massive aft extension and she is seen with the Star Lauro funnel.

Photograph © Luis Miguel Correia - http://lmcshipsandthesea.blogspot.com

In spite of her new exteriors, many who have sailed on her in the past were pleased to discover that her original pastel colours and ambience had been retained when she was rebuilt, and the new Monterey became one of the most popular cruise ships operating in the Mediterranean and she enjoyed a long service with MSC Cruises.

Below we see her various funnel markings 1. Star Lauro ship. 2. Early MSC. 3. The best known funnel. 4. Her final livery. As a MSC ship she featured flowing ribbons painted on her bow.

A Starlauro postcard

Author’s private collection

Monterey with the MSC funnel

Photograph by & © Copyright Johan Coeman (Belgium)

Monterey at anchor

Photograph by Mike Holtham

The following is part of my description on my cruise site

“Monterey has a stylish sophistication, which sets the tone on this intimate and friendly cruise ship. She has luxuriant deep pile carpets, gleaming brass rails, polished mirrors, and tropical greenery. From the casual elegance of the Cafe de Paris and the galleried art deco Show Lounge to the superb split-level Restaurant, and Cinema, Monterey’s emphasis is sheer elegance.

Promenade Deck

Above & Below: Café de Paris on Boat Deck aft

Dining Room

Left & Right: Sports Decks

Left & Right: The Jacuzzi and the Pool on Promenade deck

Cabin decor is light and airy with soft carpets and ample wardrobe and drawer space. She has massive deck spaces, both covered and open. It has been said, “As night falls the Monterey assumes an air of quiet refinement.”

Royal Suite

Above Left: Outside Twin/Double – Right: Inside Twin bedded Stateroom

MSC announced that the Monterey was to be transferred to Durban in May 2007 and cruise under the Starlight Cruises banner. However, in August 2006, sadly Monterey suffered a boiler malfunction and she was taken out of service and laid up in Genoa. There was much conjecture if she was to be repaired or not. However, it soon became clear when MSC removed their logo from her funnel, and she was renamed Monte. The author soon discovered that she had been reregistered in a tiny South Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu being an obvious sign that she had already been sold to an Indian breakers yard.

Seen in 2005 – still looking the picture of perfection

The end of the last of a great Matson Liner

What was so tragic, except for her boiler, internally and externally the Monterey was in perfect condition, and as she was originally built to the highest degree of fireproofing, it would not have cost a great deal to have made her SOLAS 2010 compliant. Thus, had she had been re-engined she could have sailed on for many more years yet.

The Monterey is seen here in Genoa in early September 2006 just prior her voyage to India, when she was renamed “Monte.”

Photographer unknown – see photo notes below!

However, MSC decided to sell a ship that was in perfect shape internally, except for her boiler problems, which would have not cost a great deal to correct, but, the Italians had big plans, and were about to build their BIG apartment block style of ships, and thus the reliable classic SS Monterey just would not fit in! Thus, she was sold to the Alang, scrappers in India in 2006, she departed Italy and headed for India under tow and SS Monterey was beached at Alang on Wednesday November 8, 2006 and this magnificent ship was duly broken up!

A tragic sight of the “Monte” for all who love classic liners, even though she been so heavily rebuilt

She is seen sitting on the mud with her lines firmly anchored on the beach at Alang and at various high tides they bring her

closer to the beach until they are ready to commence to unload her furnishings and fittings & start cutting her up

SS Monterey is a great loss to all who sailed on this fine American liner and no matter how much she was rebuilt in and externally; she retained her original charm! Today, there are just three American built passenger liners left, the SS Independence, SS United States and the ex Grace Lines Santa Rosa, currently Louis Cruises The Emerald. As both the Independence and United States are in the hands of a Malaysian Genting Casino, who own both Star and NCL cruises, recently we have seen how they got rid of the great SS Norway, ex France in the most disgraceful manner. We already know that they disposed of the Independence deceitfully by selling to an in-house company who renamed her Oceanic and then resold her to an Indian who only buys ships to be broken up. She was taken from Sam Francisco and the author was responsible for having the owner fined over a half a million dollars for the illegal exportation of toxic waste from the USA. She is currently name Platinum II and located at Alang India. I also believe that the SS United States is in peril, no matter what NCL states. He said the same about the Norway, “we will repair her and return her to service in Miami,” well NCL, she also ended up on the beach at Alang and that is not what you said would happen!

A delightful stern view of the very last of the Matson Grand Pacific Liners!

Author’s private collection

Memories of the last superb Matson passenger ships the…

SS Mariposa and Monterey

I trust that this original Matson image of the SS Monterey the last Matson liner to be built will have us reliving the superb days of their luxury sailing!

Author’s private collection

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INDEX

Page One … The Matson / Pacific Far East Line (PFEL) Liners

Page Two … Matson / PFEL photo album

Page Three … Matson / PFEL cabin plan

New Page … Aloha Pacific Cruises’ Monterey 1987 to 1988

Page Four … Monterey as a Star Lauro / MSC Cruises cruise ship – this page

Page Five … Monterey – MSC- photographs from various sources

Page Six … Monterey – MSC - an excellent series of photographs by Johan Coeman

Page Seven … Monterey – MSC – Cabin Plan

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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

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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!