New York to name ADVENTURE
November 10: Royal Caribbean International's ADVENTURE OF THE SEAS, the world's largest cruise ship, arrived at 10:00 a.m. in New York. She is the first major passenger ship to return to the harbor since the September 11 terrorist attacks. The official naming ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. at NYPST's Pier 88.

REMBRANDT Retains Her Name
November 9: Following a story first reported by Maritime Matters on October 15th, the acquisition of the SS REMBRANDT (former ROTTERDAM) has been finalized and her name will be retained. According to Brian Jones of Cruiseshares, who first revealed that her name would be changed to GRANDE DAME, REMBRANDT's return to service is scheduled for May 15th, 2002, following a refit. It is the intention of Cruiseshares to retain the celebrated ship's original characteristics. The inaugural sailing is expected to be from Boston. More detailed information will be available in January.

INDEPENDENCE Arrives in San Francisco
November 8: SS INDEPENDENCE sailed past Pier 39 at 10:30 AM today. Following the bankruptcy of American Classic Voyages, the ship left Honolulu October 30 in an emotional send off. The fireboat PHOENIX greeted and accompanied INDEPENDENCE from the Golden Gate Bridge to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The former American Hawaii Cruise ship, now the property of the US Maritime Administration, docked at the former Alameda Naval Station adjacent to the museum ship HORNET and will be prepared for layup within the reserve fleet at Suisuin Bay.

Alstom, Renaissance
November 8: Le Figaro reports that Coface, a French credit insurer, may acquire the eight former Renaissance Cruise ships built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique at Saint-Nazaire. This move would limit the effects of the failure of the US company on the French heavy engineering group Alstom. By preventing the entire fleet from being sold at the same time, each ship's value would not be decreased. In the interim, Alstom had already agreed to guarantee some of the company's debts.

OLYMPIA EXPLORER Delivery
November 7: After what was described as a constructive meeting between Royal Olympic Cruises delegates and representatives from Blohm+Voss Shipyard in Hamburg, Royal Olympic Cruise Lines announced today that OLYMPIA EXPLORER is expected to arrive at Piraeus in early 2002. The original date of delivery had been April 2001. She will be offering new itineraries from Venice to Piraeus, Istanbul and the Greek Islands over the summer. OLYMPIA EXPLORER and her currently operating sister ship, OLYMPIA VOYAGER (formerly OLYMPIC VOYAGER), are designed as the fastest cruise ships in the world with a cruising speed of 28 knots.

SERENITY Chosen
November 7: Crystal Cruises have announced the name of their third luxury cruise ship, CRYSTAL SERENITY, currently under construction at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in St. Nazaire. Scheduled for delivery in the summer of 2003, the 68,000 gt, 1,080 passenger SERENITY will join CRYSTAL HARMONY and CRYSTAL SYMPHONY in their highly acclaimed luxury cruise service. Naval architect Robert Tillberg is heading up the team of renowned designers. Powered by environmentally-friendly diesel engines, the ship will feature an azimuthal pod propulsion system for greater maneuverability.

OCEAN GLORY I Drags Her Keel
November 5: Latest Alang arrival, the tarnished but stalwart OCEAN GLORY I (ex PROVENCE, ENRICO C, ENRICO COSTA, SYMPHONY, AEGEAN SPIRIT) has been beached, but due to her deep draft, it will take some two months to drag her into a position near enough the wharf to begin demolition.

With AMERIKANIS (ex KENYA CASTLE) and MILLENNIUM QUEEN (ex CORAL PRINCESS, etc.) seen in advanced stages of demolition in August, it can safely be surmised they are now completely finished. MARIANNA 9 (ex PRINCIPE PERFEITO, etc.) and MARIANNA VI (ex AUREOL) are nearly finished, as well, rounding out the sad gathering of passenger ships sent to die at the notorious Indian beach.

ADVENTURE OF THE SEAS Early Maiden Arrival
November 5: Royal Caribbean International's ADVENTURE OF THE SEAS, the largest cruise ship in the world, makes her maiden arrival in Boston today ahead of schedule. The brand new ship, arriving from the builders in Finland, is expected to be moored at the terminal by 1pm.

Sayonara SHIN SAKURA MARU
November 4: It was reported that Mitsui O/S/K Lines has sold its surplus 17,389 gt 1972-built passenger ship SHIN SAKURA MARU to the Pan Yu scrap yard in Southern China for $118 per ldt.

SHIN SAKURA MARU had most recently been utilized in Japan-based cruising as well as an annual world cruise for the PeaceBoat Organization. She was laid up near Kobe in 1998 and offered for sale.

ACHILLE LAURO Opera Cancelled
November 2: The Boston Symphony, citing the September 11 attacks, has cancelled performances of choruses from ``The Death of Klinghoffer,'' an opera about the 1984 hijacking of the cruise ship ACHILLE LAURO. In the incident, Palestinian terrorists shot American Jewish passenger Leon Klinghoffer and threw his body from his wheelchair into the sea. The reason given for the cancellation was that it seemed inappropriate to perform excerpts from an opera about a terrorist act at this time.

Royal Caribbean Abandons Liberian Registry
November 2: The International Transport Workers Federation has been notified that Royal Caribbean Cruises Limited is moving the registration of its vessels from the Liberian flag. It was reported some months ago that the Liberian registry income had been used illegally to buy arms. This was confirmed by the United Nations which found that LISCR (the US Company that runs the Liberian Registry) had knowingly diverted four payments totaling $925,000 to non-governmental accounts.

Project America Ships Cancelled
November 1: Following last week's suspension of work on two new cruise ships at Ingalls Shipyard, Northrop Grumman cancelled the project today, stating, "financial woes from the terrorist attacks had made it impossible to complete the billion-dollar effort." The first vessel at the company's shipyard in Pascagoula is 37 percent complete and will have to be moved out of the production area to relieve space. The Los Angeles-based defense contractor suspended work last week on the two 1,900-passenger vessels it was building for American Classic Voyages, which filed for bankruptcy protection October 19. It is unclear what will become of the first partial constructed ship.

No NORWAY Transatlantic Return
November 1: Devon Scott, NORWAY's Official Historian, has reported that NCL will not be offering a return transatlantic crossing for NORWAY following her refit in Germany. However, there may be at least one extra Caribbean cruise prior to the December 23rd Christmas Cruise previously announced. NORWAY is expected to leave dry-dock around November 24 or 25.

Silversea Shines
October 30: Readers of Conde Nast Traveler awarded Silversea Cruises "World's Best Cruise Line" for sixth consecutive year. With the highest score of 89.0, Silversea outscored the nearest runner-up in the Small Ship category (vessels carrying fewer than 500 passengers) by ten points. The high score of 89 also enabled Silversea to outscore all cruise lines in the Large Ship category (ships carrying more than 500 passengers). According to Conde Nast Traveler, "Silversea's all-suite, private veranda ships establish a standard" setting the high benchmark for luxury cruising. Conde Nast Traveler readers also lauded the culinary excellence of Silversea's gourmet cuisine with "a 90-plus rating for Food".

INDEPENDENCE Leaves Hawaii
October 30: William Anonsen reports that the grand lady, the SS INDEPENDENCE departed Honolulu at 1300 hrs. (HST) bound for San Francisco for lay up. Councilwomen Rene Mansho put together a farewell program for former crewmembers and friends who witnessed the end of a glorious of era in the rich maritime historical tradition in Hawaii. Running at a leisurely 16 knots she is expected to arrive in San Francisco on November 5th. Tentatively her lay up berth will be Pier 35 at the Embarcadero.

Latest Alang Arrival
October 30: News received today confirms MV CLASSICA (ex PROVENCE, ENRICO C, ENRICO COSTA, SYMPHONY, AEGEAN SPIRIT, OCEAN GLORY I) has arrived at plot 51, Alang, India to commence scrapping.

UNIVERSE EXPLORER Scrubs Call at Mombasa
October 30: UNIVERSE EXPLORER with 800 passengers was diverted to Seychelles after the planned call at Mombasa for October 27 was cancelled by tour operators. Both Mombasa and Nairobi recent saw pro-Taliban demonstrations in the wake of the US-led air strikes on Afghanistan. This tension was given as the reason for cancelling the stop over. Mombasa was recently enjoying a resurgence in tourism and this move is seen as a major setback, with eight ships due to visit before next spring.

ADVENTURE Delivered!
October 29: The third VOYAGER-class cruise ship ADVENTURE OF THE SEAS was delivered by the builder Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Turku, Finland Friday October 26. ADVENTURE OF THE SEAS sailed from Finland on the morning of October 27, making a brief visit at Kristiansand, Norway to drop off 400 guests on Monday morning.

It was reported by Ted Scull and Bruce Peter, that the scheduled call at Southampton was cancelled. There will be a two-night cruise with complimentary passage for disaster relief workers, fire and police department personnel and their families, from New York November 10, returning November 12th. Following that she will embark press and travel industry people, for an overnight cruise, before sailing for San Juan, Puerto Rico where her first voyage begins November 18.

Return Of HAL Expatriate?
October 26: With $79,430,000 owed to Holland America by now-defunct American Classic Voyages, it appears as though the 1983-built MV PATRIOT (ex NIEUW AMSTERDAM) may be poised for a return to the Holland America fleet or possibly another one of the Carnival-owned subsidiaries. The ship, currently in Honolulu, will likely be arrested in the very near future as the mortgage is foreclosed.

Work Suspended on Both Project America Ships
October 25: Northrop Grumman Corp. announced today that it has suspended work on the two 1,900-passenger cruise ships that were under construction for American Classic Voyages Inc., which filed for bankruptcy protection last week. (see items below ) According to Ingalls an press release, over 1,250 workers at its Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula would be affected, along with a further 500 employees of subcontractors. Mike Crawley, President of the Pascagoula Metal Trades Council issued a joint statement countering that release, he estimates of the number of workers who will be impacted would be more like some 2,500 skilled shipbuilding personnel who will lose their jobs if the funding is cancelled. The U.S. Maritime Administration however, decided not to continue guarantee funding of the $1.1 billion project. Despite disputes between the two companies, an announcement was made last month that they had agreed to finish the two cruise ships. Northrop Grumman's Ingalls shipyard, a division of the Los Angeles-based defense contractor, began work in June 2000. The first vessel is 37 percent complete and was expected to be finished in 2003, and the second was to follow a year later.

INDEPENDENCE in Limbo
October 23: American Classic Voyages' SS INDEPENDENCE was returned to Honolulu for temporary lay up after off-loading passengers from the last cruise on October 20 in Kaui, Maui as the parent company went bankrupt. Moored at an industrial pier, Pier 19 in Honolulu, SS INDPENENDENCE awaits an uncertain future. A Honolulu news paper suggests that she will head for San Francisco, where dockage fees are half those charged in Honolulu. It is likely a court will decide her future.

Latest In Layups
October 22: News from the Mediterranean cite two more victims of the September 11 aftermath and its resounding impact on the cruise industry. The MV SWITZERLAND (ex PORT SYDNEY, THERISSOS EXPRESS, DAPHNE) fresh from a refit which has seen the addition of new cabin furnishings and the installation of new carpet, was laid up at Genova on 27 September and offered for sale following the bankruptcy of Swiss Air, the parent company of the ship's charterers. Also, Radisson Seven Seas Cruises laid up the SONG OF FLOWER at Istanbul on Saturday, October 20 and will remain inactive through 2nd May 2002.

350 Drowned in Shipwreck
October 22: A ship carying 350 people set sail from Indonesia drowned after the vessel sank off the island of Java. 44 survivors were rescued by local fishermen on Saturday, after spening hours in the water. The ship's destination was unknown but thousands of migrants leave southeast Asia and Indonesia every year on boats trying to reach Australia. Survivors told workers for the International Organization for Migration that the ship left Java on Thursday with 421 people on board. Australia has demanded Indonesia do more to stop the flow of undocumented immigrants.

INDEPENDENCE and PATRIOT Farewell
October 20: A day after AMCV the parent company of United States Lines and American Hawaii Cruises announced it was laying up both ships in Hawaii service, the two vessels met at sea. Eric Rankin, Safety Officer ms PATRIOT sets the scene:

News From The Turkish Breakers
October 19: Selim San reports the next group of ships headed for the beach at Aliaga will include the following Turkish Maritime ferries: TRUVA (1966 4,332 gt passenger roro/cargo), YESILADA (ex PETER WESSEL, 1968 3,100 gt passenger roro/cargo), and AVSA. The AYVALIK (1952 1,925 gt passenger/general cargo) arrived on 14 October.

Carnival in talks with American Classic Voyages
October 19: It was reported today that as a result of American Classic Voyages' decision to cease its operations in Hawaii, (see below) Carnival Corporation is in discussions with AMCV's management to determine the future status of the cruise ship MS PATRIOT on which a Carnival subsidiary holds an approximate $80 million first preferred ship mortgage. American Classic had assured Carnival Corporation that steps would be taken to enable passengers and crew to disembark the ship without difficulty and that crew members would be paid and have their travel costs covered to return home. Carnival personnel will be working with American Classic shore-based employees in Hawaii to address issues that may arise in securing and laying up the ship pending its eventual disposition.

United State Lines who operate MS PATRIOT, an American Classic Voyages' subsidiary, purchased the former NIEUW AMSTERDAM from Carnival's subsidiary Holland America Line in October 2000 for approximately $114.5 million. Recently, Carnival and American Classic had renegotiated the terms of the mortgage on the PATRIOT to defer principal payments to enable the ship to continue sailing. If PATRIOT is returned to CARNIVAL, no specific use has been announced.

American Classic Voyages files Bankrupcy
October 19: American Classic Voyages, Inc. has filed for bankruptcy court protection and will cease most sailings. In Hawaii, SS INDEPENDENCE and MS PATRIOT will stop sailing on Saturday, October 20 after completing current cruises. The Delta Queen Vessels AMERICAN QUEEN, MISSISSIPPI QUEEN, COLUMBIA QUEEN and CAPE MAY LIGHT will stop sailing over the next three days. A fifth Delta Queen steamboat, the historic DELTA QUEEN, will continue to operate its Mississippi River voyages. American Classic said that of its bookings had fallen off since the terrorist attacks on September 11 and cancellations had risen to 30 percent. Rumors the company was in financial trouble had circulated for weeks and on Thursday, Nasdaq officials halted trading in American Classic's shares after they reached a new low of 46 cents each. Two weeks ago, insurers stopped offering polices for American Classic passengers wanting insurance against cruise cancellations. The move discouraged travel agents from booking passengers on the company's ships. American Classic has on order two new, 1,900-passenger ships under a planning stage at the Ingalls shipyard in Mississippi. The company said it hopes to work out a deal with Los Angeles based Northrop Grumman Corp., owner of the shipyard, and the U.S. Maritime Administration to keep the ship-building projects underway.

We would like to assure you that taking care of the passengers and employees who are aboard the ships is one of our very highest priorities. That is why we have made arrangements for each of our vessels to complete their original itineraries and return to their final scheduled destinations."

ZUIDERDAM date
October 19: Holland America Line today announced an agreement with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri-Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A. to deliver the new ms Zuiderdam on Nov. 15, 2002. The 85,000-ton Zuiderdam is under construction at Fincantieri's Marghera yard.

QUEEN MARY Hoax
October 18: An arrest was made today in connection to an anthrax hoax perpetrated yesterday onboard the Long Beach-based QUEEN MARY attraction. Although no further details were available, it is believed to have been caused by a disgruntled former employee.

REMBRANDT Return Revealed?
October 15: Today a letter of intent was announced to charter/purchase the SS REMBRANDT (former SS ROTTERDAM) by EXA International, Inc. (OTC Pink Sheets: EXAI) for their CruiseUnit Project, Ltd. division from the ship's present owners, DLJ Investment Fund, Inc. Stanley Priskie, EXA's President, describes the ship as, "749 feet long, with approximately 575 cabins and is close to 38,000 tons..." and included a quote from Maritime Matters' virtual tour of the ship in a press release sent by PRNewswire.

The Company's plan is to acquire up to five previously operated commercial cruise ships having a total of 1,500 cabins during the next several years. The ships will be refurbished to offer luxurious accommodations, common areas and amenities. The marketing program is designed to sell through traditional timeshare sales offices as well as through selected agents in the travel industry who have extensive experience in the sale of commercial cruises.

NORDIC EMPRESS Slammed Against Bermuda Wharf
October 12: Royal Caribbean International announced that NORDIC EMPRESS would delay her departure from Bermuda due to the storm that hit Bermuda Thursday night, causing widespread damage and problems for a number of vessels. Royal Caribbean also canceled the following NORDIC EMPRESS sailing, scheduled to depart Sunday, October 14. The ship suffered some damage during heavy contact with the pier which was also banged up in the storm, which produced winds of up to 80 miles per hour.

Unforgiven CLASSICA Departs For Breakers
October 11: At 18:00, the aged but still graceful MV CLASSICA (delivery name), former OCEAN GLORY I, AEGEAN SPIRIT, SYMPHONY, ENRICO COSTA, ENRICO C, PROVENCE departed a gloomy Dover for a voyage direct to Alang, India via the Suez Canal. With a projected arrival date of 31 October, the still viable ship was so badly battered by negative publicity over her arrest that future operation was apparently out of the question. See previous news reports detailing gross management, safety, and sanitation citations, none of which indicated structural or mechanical deficiences.

NORWEGIAN MAJESTY Spun in Bermuda Storm
October 11: Winds reaching 70 miles per hour ripped the NORWEGIAN MAJESTY from her moorings at the eastern port city of St. George, Bermuda. Most of the 1,495 passengers and 656 crew were on board during the incident because of the bad weather. One dock worker cut his hands trying to loosen ropes after the bow broke loose, and the gang plank was smashed. The NORWEGIAN MAJESTY spun into open waters, forcing the crew to drop anchor and start engines to bring her under control. The tugs POWERFUL and FAITHFUL raced to assist in resecuring the ship at Penno's Wharf and remained alongside all night pushing to keep NORWEGIAN MAJESTY in contact with the wharf. NCL said the ship was to leave for Boston Friday, but may stay in port if winds persist. Flights to Bermuda from the United States and Canada were turned back and others canceled as the gale-force winds blasted the airport and electricity was cut to hundreds of homes.

RIVIERA On The Beach?
October 11: Unconfirmed reports from within the shipbreaking industry cite that Costa Cruises' still viable dowager SS COSTA RIVIERA (ex GUGLIEMO MARCONI) will sail to India for scrapping following her final cruise program. Her reported sale price is $2 million.

S/S NORWAY Preservation Foundation Polling for Return Transatlantic Crossing
October 10: NCL announced the return of NORWAY to Caribbean by Christmas, now the S/S NORWAY Preservation Foundation has been asked to find out if there is interest from the Ocean Liner enthusiasts in a return Crossing from dry-dock in mid-December. If you are interested please contact Devon M. Scott by e-mailing to Return@SS-Norway.com. At present, the ship is not scheduled to carry passengers on this return voyage. Proposals so far indicate a 7 - 10 day voyage with many sea days. Please visit the S/S NORWAY: Preservation Foundation on the web.

Northrop Gruman and Newport News Talking
October 5: Newport News Shipbuilding announced that discussions with Los Angeles based, Northrop Grumman could result in Northrop Grumman making an offer to acquire Newport News Shipbuilding that is superior to General Dynamics' existing offer. Newport News Shipbuilding designs and constructs nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines and employs 17,800 people.

More Power To The QUEEN's Alarm
October 3: Swedish and Finnish companies today received contracts relating to the new QUEEN MARY 2. The Swedish company Consilium Marine AB received a contract to supply the cruise vessel with a fire alarm system. Wartsila, the Finnish ship power systems developer has received a contract for four environmentally friendly "EnviroEngine" engines for a total of 67.2 MW for the newbuild. Queen Mary 2 is being built by the French shipyard Chantiers De L'Atlantique for the Cunard Line, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation. The ship is scheduled for launch in 2003 and planned to be the world's largest cruise ship. The engines, which will supply the ship with electrical power, will be built at Wartsila's plant in Turku, Finland.

NORWEGIAN STAR Rising
October 2: Norwegian Cruise Line's brand new NORWEGIAN STAR begins her passage down the River Ems. She exited the new covered building dock of the Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany September 28 and was towed to the yard's fitting-out pier.

THE WORLD II Postponed (updated item; moved from cancelled to postponed)
October 2: ResidenSea, the Norwegian-owned shipping company, has postponed the construction of a larger version of the cruise ship THE WORLD, a new concept in cruising which includes privately-owned suites. THE WORLD is currently under constructed at Fosen Mek. Verksteder, in Norway and will be completed in January 2002. A second vessel was ordered for delivery in 2003, but the order has been postponed.

SILVER WIND laid up
October 1: Silversea Cruises announced that following a comprehensive refurbishment and dry-docking, SILVER WIND will be laid up.

OCEAN GLORY I Sold For Scrap
October 1: It was reported 9/28 that OCEAN GLORY I has been sold at auction and released from arrest in Dover, UK for a single voyage to Piraeus, Greece without passengers under the name CLASSICA. The new owners Carpentai Holdings Corporation of Panama have indicated the ship is to be scrapped. OCEAN GLORY I had been detained by the MCA in Dover on the 2nd July 2001 after it failed a UK Port State Control inspection on numerous deficiencies. These included, crew unable to demonstrate a sufficient command of English; unsatisfactory lifeboat drill; faulty radio equipment; dirty engine room; float Free EPIRB incorrectly rigged; lack of hygiene facilities and procedures in the galley; and cockroach infestation throughout the galley area. Six hundred passengers had been due to board the vessel to begin a week long cruise to the Norwegian Fjords. CLASSICA was to sail as soon as possible.

ROTTERDAM Foundation Opens On The Web
September 30: Its mission states: "In order to save the ship, the Steamship Rotterdam Foundation has been established. The foundation aims to promote the return of ss Rotterdam to the Netherlands and an exploitation which is both durable and in accordance with the cultural-historical value of the ship". SS ROTTERDAM remains laid up at Freeport, Bahamas where she has been for a year. The new website contain excellent pictures and history of the fabled former dutch liner - www.stoomschiprotterdam.nl

CARONIA in 2002
September 29: Cunard Line has announced it will position the 668-passenger CARONIA to Southampton beginning May 2002. The ship will be deployed on five - to 21-day cruises to a variety of worldwide destinations. The new schedule for CARONIA will includes voyages to the Greek Isles, Norwegian fjords, the North Cape, Mediterranean, Black Sea, Egypt and Christmas and New Year's cruises to the Canary Islands.

HAL Follows With New Itineraries
September 29: Holland America Line announced an increase the number of shorter cruises leaving from U.S. ports. Recognizing that some people may be hesitant to fly HAL has made many changes to the 2002 schedule, now 90% or 360 sailings, will sail next year from Canadian and U.S. ports, including New York City, San Diego, Seattle and Florida. Holland America have added new weekly round-trip cruise from San Diego to Mexico, increase the options for shorter trips, and have more cruises leaving from Florida. Some one-way cruises have become roundtrips, hoping to save vacationers money on airfare and avoid airplane travel. Cruises originally scheduled to stop in parts of the Middle East that are now considered risky will be rerouted. The company's 100-day Grand World Voyage will substitute planned stops in Israel and the Middle East for stops in South Africa and South America.

SUN Avoids Suez
September 27: The 2002 world cruise of SEABOURN SUN has been replotted to avoid the Red Sea region. Originally routed to sail through the Red Sea, Suez Canal and Mediterranean Sea from Mumbai (Bombay), India on March 15 to Malaga, Spain on April 10. The new route will sail from Mumbai across the Indian Ocean, visiting the islands of Mahe in the Seychelles and Mauritius, Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, South Africa; the island of St. Helena; Dakar, Senegal and Las Palmas on Grand Canary Island, before crossing the Atlantic to St. Thomas and rejoining the original itinerary. The cruise remains the published 102 days.

JULIETTE Hides ELATION
September 26: Powerful Hurricane Juliette paralleled Mexico's west coast causing floods and high seas with sustained winds of 135 mph. The Category 4 storm was labeled "extremely dangerous," and was headed to the northwest at about 9 mph with hurricane-force winds extended out as far as 70 miles from its center. Juliette's atmospheric pressure at one point was the second-lowest on record for a Pacific hurricane in this hemisphere, second only to Hurricane Ava of 1973. Carnival's cruise ship ELATION, was docked at Cabo San Lucas to avoid the storm. The ship, which sailed from Los Angeles on September 23rd was scheduled to visit Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan before stopping at Cabo San Lucas on its return voyage. The storm is expected to weaken as it meets cooler water and will veer to the west away from land.

Port Switch to Remain in Effect
September 26: Following the disruption at the Port of New York in the wake of the terrorist attack, Celebrity Cruises announced that it will continue to use the Port of Philadelphia for HORIZON and the Port of Baltimore for ZENITH for the remainder of the 2001 US-Bermuda season.

Renaissance Cruises Goes Bankrupt
September 25: Renaissance Cruises ceased operations today and Filed Voluntary Petition for Chapter 11 reorganization and will cease all cruise operations immediately. Petitions were filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Division. Renaissance said that it is making necessary provisions to return any passengers to home ports who are on current cruises or in transit. Customers with upcoming bookings should contact their credit card companies and travel agents for refund arrangements. A recorded telephone message said: "As of September 25th Renaissance Cruises has ceased all cruise operations. Passengers and crew currently onboard our vessels are being disembarked and travel arrangements are being made to get them safely home."

P & 0 / Princess Changes
September 25: P&O Princess Cruises plc, today announced redeployments of Princess Cruises vessels. In anticipation of reduced interest from North American passengers for cruises in the Indian Ocean, Middle East and Africa region and to take advantage of strong interest in the local Californian market, the following changes to deployments have been made: ROYAL PRINCESS will operate from her homeport of Fort Lauderdale on round trip Panama Canal cruises from February to April 2002, replacing her world cruise and eastern Mediterranean cruises. SEA PRINCESS will operate out of her homeport of Los Angeles in the Mexican trade from January to April 2002, replacing her planned Southern Caribbean cruises. Princess' oldest ship, PACIFIC PRINCESS (640 berths), will be withdrawn from service from November 2001 until May 2002 when she will resume sailings to Bermuda then will be sold to new owners as scheduled in October 2002.

American Ship First to Arrive in New York Since WTC Attack
September 24: Delta Queen Coastal Voyages' CAPE MAY LIGHT sailed in to New York Harbour on the morning of September 24, the first cruise ship to make a call since the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. CAPE MAY LIGHT docked at Chelsea Piers and will remain overnight in the port. A wreath will be cast upon the water as the vessel sails in front of the Statue of Liberty September 25. The ship was in New York is part of a seven-night Coastal Colors cruise and will call in New York City three more times this fall, Oct. 1, 8 and 18.

Board Members Buy More RCI Shares
September 24: Arne Wilhelmsen has acquired 40,000 RCI shares for around NKr3.5m. Arne Wilhelmsen, a Norwegian ship owner and owner of A. Wilhelmsen AS, is also a board member of Royal Caribbean International. Other RCI board members have also increased their shareholding recently which is seen as an indication that the managers have faith in cruise line shares.

Cruise Lines Suffer
September 22: In the wake of last week's terrorist attacks in the US, the three major U.S. cruise lines suffered millions of dollars in losses and have seen stock prices fall. The Cruise industry, which was already suffering from a sluggish economy, could be crippled by sustained military action. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has seen its stock drop 58.6 percent, Carnival Corp., dropped 36.7 percent since Sept. 10, P&O Princess Cruises PLC of London have dropped 42.3 percent. Cruise lines lost millions because passengers could not get flights to port cities and adding to costs, had to add extra security while turned some ships into floating hotels for passengers who could not get flights home.

American Classic Voyages
September 21: American Classic Voyages Co. announced today that an agreement has been reached, endorsed by the U.S. Maritime Administration with the support of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta, that will enable the uninterrupted construction of two 1,900-passenger cruise ships in the US. Rumoured to be named UNITED STATES and AMERICA the two vessels under gropued under the title "Project America" which is a pilot project aimed at reinvigorating U.S.-flag cruise ship construction and operation. The two ships are in the early stages of construction at Northrop Grumman's Ingalls Operations. Ship delivery dates will be extended by approximately 12 months, to February. 1, 2004, and February 1, 2005.

American Red Cross SUMMIT
September 20: Celebrity Cruises' brand new cruise ship SUMMIT, which officially enters service on October 1, 2001, will offer a fund raising cruise benefiting the American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund, assisting those affected by last week's terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C. The line has reserved 200 staterooms on SUMMIT's two-night preview cruise departing Port Everglades, Florida on September 28. Interested donors can book a premium staterooms with a veranda with all funds going toward the American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund. Celebrity Cruises also has pledged to donate all proceeds from Summit's casino operations during the two-night sailing. The "wave of compassion" cruise are asked to book a stateroom by calling Gloria Danovitz at (305) 644-1200, extension 111, by or before Monday, September 24.

NORWAY Returns to Miami
September 20: According to Norwegian Cruise Line S/S NORWAY, which just completed her "finale transatlantic" voyage, and was to have been swapped into Star Cruises in exchange for SUPERSTAR ARIES, will now remain in the NCL fleet for a further year and will return to Miami in time for Christmas this year after a dry docking and refurbishment in Europe. NORWAY will return to service on December 23, 2001, offering seven- day Eastern Caribbean cruises from Miami on a Sunday departure, calling at St. Thomas, St. Johns, St. Maarten, and NCL's private Bahamian island, Great Stirrup Cay.

NCL Announces Fleet Changes
September 20: Norwegian Cruise Line, Star Cruises and Orient Lines Announce Changes in Fleet and Deployment for 2002.

NORWEGIAN SKY which was to assume NORWAY's schedule in the Eastern Caribbean will instead offer an alternating Eastern/Western Caribbean itinerary between January and March 2002.

New Ships For RCI
September 17: Royal Caribbean International (RCI), announced it has placed an order for new vessels with a total value of around $3bn, or NKr26bn. The vessels are all to be delivered by the end of 2004, the decision to acquire two additional vessels, has been postponed. The vessels will be constructed at the shipyards Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Finland, Chantiers de l'Atlantique in France, and at Meyer Werft in Germany.

Carnival Cruise Line donate to American Red Cross
September 17: Carnival Cruise Lines announced that it will donate $50 for each cabin sold over the next 30 days to the American Red Cross to aid in relief efforts associated with the recent terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. The total is expected at approximately $1.5 million. Carnival has previously made made significant financial contributions to a wide variety of American Red Cross initiatives for ten years.

Cunard Liners Held Off Boston
September 16: Boston harbor reopened an hour after two telephoned bomb threats caused it to shut down. Cunard Line's QE2 arriving from Southampton, and fleet mate CARONIA, were held just outside the harbor as the terminal was inspected. Both ships had been destined for New York but turned away as piers were occupied in the World Trade Center cleanup operation.

Miami Port Delays
September 16: It was reported that the U.S. Coast Guard stopped a Royal Caribbean cruise ship from entering the Port Miami on Sunday while it searched the port after finding a security breach in the passenger terminal an open door was discovered leading to secure areas late on Saturday. VOYAGER OF THE SEAS, which can carry 3,114 passengers, was set to depart Miami later in the day.

SF's Floating Memorial
September 14: San Francisco's the "Big Boat Series" (one of the premier sailing events in the United States) was cancelled. Instead, the participants will gather in the marina today and embark on a trip to honor the memories of the people killed in Tuesday's horrific terrorist attacks. The boats will gather in the turning basin at St. Francis Yacht Club at 2 p.m. From there, they will form a flotilla and power up to the Blackcaller buoy off of Presidio Park. At the buoy, they will dress their ships in honor of the dead, raise their spinnakers and sail along the city front to Pier 39. At the city front, they will drop their sails, place themselves in a formation end-to-end, and deposit flowers in the water in memory of the dead, before returning to St. Francis Yacht Club. Some of the boats that will be participating in the memorial will be Pendragon V (Los Angeles), Jeantex--USA (Los Angeles), Flash Gordon 2 (Seattle) and Copernicus (Chicago). Despite the event itself being canceled, the boats will sail informally on Saturday in an attempt to live up to the president's request that we all "return our lives to normalcy".

Port Scutiny Increases
September 14: Reuters has reported that the U.S. military is sharply increasing protection of American air space and ports with the plan to call up to 35,500 reserve troops authorized by President Bush. The commanders of reserve components of the military said Air Force and Navy fighter jets have been put on high alert at 26 bases around the country and the Coast Guard will check even more closely commercial ships and cruise ships moving in and out of harbors.

Port of Miami closed
September 14: The port of Miami was closed early Friday following the arrest of two people aboard a cruise ship and reports of an unknown object aboard another vessel. The U.S. Coast Guard stopped Carnival's cruise ship, the MV FASCINATION, as it entered the Port of Miami, arresting two individuals and turning them over to agents from the FBI. No information was yet available on whether the detainees were arrested in connection with the terrorist attack on New York and Washington. In addition, it was reported in the media that a suspicious object was found aboard another ship berthed at the port of Miami.

Coast Guard to Provide Escorts
September 13: The Coast Guard announced that it planned to have boats escort all cruise ships and tankers in and out of Miami, the world's busiest cruise port, and maintain a 100-yard security zone around the ships. Several Coast Guard cutters are patrolling off the mouth of the port as a heightened security measure in response to Tuesday's attacks. Port Everglades also increased security for cruise ships scheduled to use the port of Fort Lauderdale this weekend. INS screening is planned for all passengers.

FASCINATION Boarded by Coast Guard, Two Passengers Removed
September 14: U. S. Coast Guard law officers boarded Carnival's FASCINATION at 3:15 a.m. local time, when the 2,050-passenger cruise ship was about 20 miles south of Miami. Carnival's security staff helped the agents detain the pair, as their ship approached port, and both were turned over to immigration and FBI agents. Law enforcement agencies and Carnival cruise line would not say whether the detentions were tied to Tuesday's terrorist attacks. Immigration and Naturalization Service agents were questioning the detained people, whose names were not released. No arrests had been made about three hours after the ship docked, agency spokeswoman Judy Oriheula said. The agency did not initiate the boarding request, she said. FASCINATION was returning from a four-day trip to Cozumel, Mexico, and Key West.

QE2 Diverted
September 14: The luxury Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2 was headed to Boston on Friday after being turned away from New York because its usual West Side pier was being used for emergency operations after the attack on the World Trade Center. The Cunard liner was finishing its normal transatlantic crossing from Southampton, England, when it found the Port of New York closed and its usual Manhattan West Side pier commandeered for the cleanup. Passengers aboard the vessel and its fleet mate, CARONIA, were expected to arrive in Boston on Sunday. The Cunard line said most passengers will be bussed back to New York City.

Pacific Coast Cruises Cancelled
September 12: Holland America Line cancelled the sailing of the cruise ship WESTERDAM because travel restrictions were making it impossible for passengers to either leave or reach the vessel. The WESTERDAM, with 1,477 passengers on board, arrived in Vancouver, Canada on Thursday, but will stay in port rather than begin another scheduled sailing to Alaska. Passengers with cancelled air connections will be allowed to remain on board at no extra charge until they can find alternative transportation home.

Carnival's 2,124-passenger CARNIVAL SPIRIT arrived in Vancouver today and was booked to depart, but its departure was delayed until Thursday, industry officials said. Heavy security has been implemented at the cruise ship berths in Vancouver, in part, to reassure the passengers that they will be safe in Canada, a spokeswoman for the Vancouver Port Authority said.

Celebrity Cruises to Use Philadelphia
September 12: Celebrity Cruises will temporarily use the Port of Philadelphia as a base HORIZON for its Bermuda sailing this weekend. ZENITH will arrive from and sail to Bermuda from either Philadelphia or Baltimore, pending berthing availability. The company's offices remain in operation with reservations personnel currently available on a 24-hour basis. The company is also working with U.S. port authorities to ensure the normal operations of its fleet. Passengers needing assistance may reach Celebrity Cruises 1-800-437-3111. Guests calling from the United Kingdom or Ireland should dial +44 (0) 1932-834440. Passengers calling from France should dial 0800 204060. Passengers calling from Scandinavia should dial +47 22 51-3780. All other international passengers should contact their local cruise representatives. The company has established a help desk to assist family members wanting to check the status of loved ones on board ships. Family members may call 1-888-829-4050. Shipboard passengers with relatives who may have been impacted by yesterday's attacks are being provided free phone lines to check on their well being. Should additional itinerary changes become necessary, they will be made public as soon as possible, as well as posted on the Celebrity Cruises website at http://www.celebritycruises.com

Royal Caribbean International Divert EMPRESS
September 12: Royal Caribbean International will temporarily use the port of Philadelphia for NORDIC EMPRESS for the ship's Bermuda cruises as a result of yesterday's attack in New York. Royal Caribbean will depart from Philadelphia and continue to monitor the situation at the Port of New York throughout the coming week and make a determination whether the ship will return to New York or Philadelphia. Passengers may reach Royal Caribbean International at 1-800-327-6700. Passengers calling from the United Kingdom or Ireland should dial +44 (0) 1932-834440. Passengers calling from France should dial 0800 204060. Passengers calling from Scandinavia should dial +47 22 51-3780. All other international Passengers should contact their local cruise representatives. The company has established a help desk to assist family members wanting to check the status of loved ones on board ships. Family members may call 1-888-829-4050. Shipboard passengers with relatives who may have been impacted by yesterday's attacks are being provided free phone lines to check on their well being. Royal Caribbean International website at http://www.royalcaribbean.com

Statement Issued by U.S. Department of Transportation
September 11: "One of the most cherished of American freedoms is the freedom of movement, the ability to move freely and safely. Today that freedom has been attacked. We will restore that freedom throughout the national transportation system as soon as possible. And we will restore the highest possible degree of safety. These terrorist acts are designed to steal the confidence of Americans. We will restore that confidence. We have already taken some first steps. As a precaution, I have ordered the FAA to ground all commercial air traffic until at least tomorrow afternoon. After the attacks, some of our aircraft were diverted to Canada. We owe our Canadian neighbors a debt of gratitude for helping us redirect over 120 flights and their passengers to airports in Canada. As of 6:00 p.m., AMTRAK resumed its passenger rail service. Major railroads have taken steps to protect their assets, as well. The United States Coast Guard is taking all necessary actions to control the movement of any vessel in any navigable water in the United States. Coast Guard helicopters have been assisting with medical and national security tasks. We are currently looking at a wide variety of additional security measures to increase traveller security. Travellers will see increased security measures at our airports, train stations and other key sites. There will be higher levels of surveillance, more stringent searches. Airport curbside luggage check-in will no longer be allowed. There will be more security officers, random identification checks. Travellers may experience some inconveniences. We ask for your patience. But we must do whatever it takes, with safety as our highest priority. The Department of Transportation is working closely with the White House and appropriate federal agencies to mount a coordinated, nationwide recovery effort. Each American must know that we will restore our national transportation system to a safe and efficient status as quickly as possible. Our system has been severely burdened by the stress of these horrendous attacks, but we will recover. In a democracy, there is always a balance between freedom and security. Our transportation systems, reflecting the values of our society, have always operated in an open and accessible manner. And, they will again. Please be assured that we are activating all of our resources on an emergency basis, and services will be restored as soon as possible."

SUMMIT
September 11: Celebrity Cruise line's SUMMIT arrived approximately 6 a.m. on September 11, in Boston, where the new cruise ship was to begin the most extensive consecutive series of preview events in the line's history. Those plans changed dramatically only hours after SUMMIT's arrival. Upon learning of the catastrophic events of September 11, Celebrity canceled the events which would have taken place this week in Boston and New York, and immediately repositioned SUMMIT at Port Everglades, Florida. SUMMIT will remain there until further plans are made.

September 11: The World Trade Center Towers in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., are attacked by terrorists using US planes as missiles, causing massive loss of life.

SS NORWAY clings to New York!
September 6: According to renowned maritime painter Stephen Card, who is currently aboard the final transatlantic crossing of Norwegian Cruise Line's SS NORWAY, the liner backed into the Hudson River at low tide on Wednesday September 5. With her deep draught the NORWAY brushed the bottom and came to a halt between berths 2 & 3 in New York harbor. Three tugs pushing aft eventually coaxed the ship to move, and as she did her Pool Deck overhang made contact with the stanchions on Pier 3, damaging one and buckling a section of her plating, while also breaking teak rail and some glass on the ship's windscreen. Many aboard were unaware of the commotion as the liner passed the famous skyline for what will likely be the last time. Visit the NORWAY as the FRANCE by clicking here.

M/V TAMPA released from international ordeal, Australian Navy removes the stranded
September 6: M/V Tampa now docked in Singapore, where it had originally been headed, has been relieved of all 433 asylum seekers that were rescued from their sinking ferry. All are now on board the Australian Navy troop carrier HMAS MANOORA heading for Papua New Guinea to have their asylum applications processed. Two barges, each big enough to carry at least 30 people, were being used to ferry the refugees between container ship TAMPA and troopr carried MANOORA. TAMPA manoevered close to the naval troop carrier about 1.5 nautical miles off the shore of Christmas Island before the barges began ferrying the asylum seekers onto the Australian ship in the afternoon of Monday September 3. Australia had refused to accept the survivors after they were rescued by the TAMPA from a sinking Indonesian ferry a week ago spaking an international incident. Australia has said it would bear the cost for Nauru, which lies 4,500 miles east of Christmas Island. A 8.5 square-mile island with a population of less than 12,000, Nauru's major industry is phosphate mining, and Australia is its major trading partner.

Survivors remain stranded
September 5: Citing "a cherished and protected maritime tradition is a mariners' obligation to go to the aid of all persons in distress at sea, without regard to their nationality, status or religion," The Center for Seafarers Rights (CSR) of the Seamen's Church Institute of New York & New Jersey has urged the Australian government to provide safe haven to over 400 people rescued from a sinking Indonesian ferry by the Norwegian M/V TAMPA. Australia's detention of the M/V TAMPA and refusal to accept the shipwreck survivors has placed an unreasonable financial burden on the ship and establishes a negative precedent for those masters and shipowners to comply with their moral and legal obligation to rescue persons in distress at sea. Customary maritime law, international conventions and domestic laws of nations have established a legal duty to assist persons in distress at sea. The United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS) in Article 98, requires that masters must render assistance to any person found at sea in danger of being lost and to proceed with all possible speed to the rescue of persons in distress, if they can do so without serious danger to their own ships, crews or passengers. The Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) in Chapter V, Regulation 10, requires the master of every merchant and private vessel to speed to the assistance of persons in distress. Arne Rinnan the captain of the Norwegian cargo ship has said that he was "surprised and disappointed" by Australia's handling of the situation. He added that he did not feel like a hero and insisted that he was only doing his job in rescuing the mostly Afghan refugees from a sinking ship. Rinnan had intended to follow Australia's order to stay out of its territorial waters, but changed his mind when the refugees threatened to jump overboard. Australia's stance on the asylum seekers drew criticism from Norway, Indonesia and the United Nations as well as human rights and maritime organisations.

SUMMIT reached
September 4: The delivery of the SUMMIT, built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique for Royal Caribbean Cruises, was delayed by eight hours on Friday, September 3, in Saint-Nazaire, due to last minute legal problems. The ceremony, planned for midday, took place at nightfall, without the majority of the guests, including chairman of RCCL, Richard Fain. Patrick Boissier, chief executive of Alstom Marine (of which Chantiers de l'Atlantique is part), declined to comment on the reasons for the delay. RCCL is said to have demanded increased guarantees from the ship-builder following technical problems encountered with the first in the class of cruise ships, the MILLENNIUM which was dry docked twice. SUMMIT sailed from Saint Nazaire the evening of September 4, for Boston. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) signed a cheque for 80 per cent of the cruise liner's value, estimated at 380m euros. The SUMMIT, part of the Millennium class, can carry 2,040 passengers and will be operated by Celebrity Cruises, subsidiary of RCCL and can carry 2,040 passengers.

Aliaga Arrivals
September 3: Izmir-based Selim San reports that shipbreakers in Aliaga, Turkey, will be back in the business of dismantling elderly or redundant passenger ships. STAR OF VENICE (ex LEDA, etc.) arrived on 20 August and was joined on 29 August by a small Bay of Naples passenger ship, the YSOLA DER SOLE. Soon, an elderly Italian ferry, the SARDEGNA BELLA, will be joining the brigade as the retreiving tug is enroute to fetch her. Meanwhile, the latest from Alang has AMERIKANIS (KENYA CASTLE) half dismantled, with her forward superstructure missing and cutting approaching her funnel. The MILLENNIUM QUEEN's (PRINCESA LEOPOLDINA/CORAL PRINCESS) bow has disappeared as work progresses in a similar pattern.

SS NORWAY Departs Miami For Last Time?
September 2: Norwegian Cruise Lines SS NORWAY (ex FRANCE), with future uncertain, bid a fond "adieu" to her home port of the past twenty years, leaving her quay some forty five minutes late with a full complement of passengers that included a large group of ship enthusiasts. With no less than three tugs spraying water at her side, she received warm salutes from RCI's VOYAGER OF THE SEAS and Carnival's PARADISE as she departed Miami enroute to Southampton via New York, Ireland, and France. The final voyage will be followed by a brief French charter before NORWAY is scheduled for dry docking in November at the Lloyd Werft yard that handled her original conversion from the SS FRANCE. The longest passenger ship ever built, and one of a few precious remnants left from the "golden age" of transatlantic travel, her further deployment has not been confirmed by Star Cruises, parent company of NCL. Possible options include stationary use in Singapore as a floating casino, cruise service out of Thailand, or gambling cruises from Hong Kong. Visit the NORWAY as the FRANCE by clicking here.

Random Murder On The Hurtigrute
September 2: A 35 year old mental patient admitted throwing 69-year old Myrtha Vogt of New Mexico off the Hurtigrute liner HARALD JARL, according to authorities in Tromso, Norway. Her widower, 65-year old Dieter Vogt, reported last seeing her as she left to take a walk on deck.

NORWEGIAN SUN Rises
September 1: NCL parent company, Star Cruises, announced that it has taken delivery of the 78,000 gt MV NORWEGIAN SUN, sister to the NORWEGIAN SKY (former COSTA OLYMPIA). A special hand-over ceremony was held at the Lloyd Werft shipyard in Bremerhaven with invited dignitaries and press. Her inaugural cruise will be from Southampton to New York, from whence she will do a series of New England/Canada cruises before beginning her Miami-based Caribbean itineraries in November.

OCEAN GLORY I Auction Date Set
August 29: London's High Court granted the sale of OCEAN GLORY I (ex PROVENCE, ENRICO COSTA, etc.) to appease creditors, although it is felt that the total claims may exceed the value of the ship. The ship, presently laid up at Dover, is to be sold "as is, where is" with offers to be received no later than 18 September.

Home for NOMADIC?
August 30: Mr. Michael McGimpsey the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Northern Ireland announced that he would allow money for two Harland and Wolff inspectors to go to Paris (where the closed ship sits on the River Seine) and survey the ship. Visit a new page on Maritime Matters by Captain Erik Wood Save the NOMADIC .

SS UNITED STATES celebrated on former rival
August 29: RMS QUEEN MARY, the great rival to the SS UNITED STATES will be the site of next year's 50th Anniversary Celebration of the UNITED STATES speed victory over the QUEEN MARY. UNITED STATES is currently not safe for large crowds to gather, the event had to be chosen in another venue. The event will be held Sunday, July 7th, 2002 in the elegant Queen's Lounge--the former First Class Lounge on board QUEEN MARY in Long beach, CA.

FEDOR SHALYAPIN and TARAS SHEVCHENKO Update
August 28: Russian passenger ship enthusiast Nikolay Prikhodko visited the Ukrainian port of Iliychevsk earlier this month and photographed two of the former Soviet Union's most interesting, yet idle liners. To check Nikolay's pictures go to:
http://shiplover2.virtualave.net/images/Shalyapin.html
The 1955-built SS FEDOR SHALYAPIN (IVERNIA, FRANCONIA) is lying at the same berth she shared in late 1998 with her sister, the 1954-built LEONID SOBINOV (SAXONIA, CARMANIA) which sailed to Indian breakers in early 1999. Across the basin, the 1967-built TARAS SHEVCHENKO awaits a charter or sale, although her sister, the 1968-built SHOTA RUSTAVELI was reactivated as the ASSEDO this summer following nearly three years in layup.

Alang Atrocities Update
August 28: The demolition of MARIANNA 9, MARIANNA VI, MILLENNIUM QUEEN, and AMERIKANIS is well under way. The cutting of MARIANNA VI (ex AUREOL) is now up to her forward superstructure. Most of the ship's fittings have been removed with plans for completion of the dismantling within the next 60 days. The MILLENNIUM QUEEN (ex PRINCESA LEOPOLDINA, CORAL PRINCESS, CORA PRINCESS, CORAL PRINCESS) is two ships down from her port side, sandwiched between a tanker and the AMERIKANIS (ex KENYA CASTLE), the latter having been stripped of all fittings in the past several weeks. Some two miles away, the MARIANNA 9 (former PRINCIPE PERFEITO, etc.) is in the midst of having all her fittings stripped as her focsle area was just sent tumbling down onto the beach. Prior reports of Royal Olympic's NEPTUNE having been sold to Indian breakers were incorrect and the ship is presently laid up in Eleusis with OLYMPIA I and for sale. Sources in the region report that NEPTUNE (ex METEOR) is being scrutinized for cruise service for new owners while OLYMPIA I (ex ACHILLEUS, ORION, etc.) has attracted various gambling interests.

QUEEN MARY layoffs
August 27: 175 employees (80 permanent and the rest seasonal) were laid off from the QUEEN MARY in a cost-cutting measure by the Long Beach attraction.

New Antwerp cruise terminal
August 27: August 27: The City of Antwerp, Belgium and the Antwerp Port Authority are investing to increase cruise cruise ship activity. With plans to be operational by May 2002, a terminal will be built in front of the historic city centre. The facility will be able to handle two vessels of up to 235 metres at one time. The number of cruise vessels calling at Antwerp is expected to rise to 39 this year from 23 last year and 15 in 1999. Lines visiting the port these past two years include Festival, Renaissance, Holland America, Silversea, Royal Olympic, Fred Olsen Lines, and Deutsche Zee Touristik.

So Cal to get Disney ships?
August 27: Industry rumours have Disney in talks with shipbuilders Fincantieri, Chantiers, Kvaerner and Meyer Werft for two new ships (even larger than the current DISNEY MAGIC and DISNEY WONDER) which could be ready for deployment in Southern California as early as 2005.

A&P Buys Cammell Laird
August 18: Although there was no commitment to return jobs to 1,000 laid off workers at this time, the Cammell Laird shipyards at Birkenhead, Teesside, and Hebburn were purchased by private ship repair company A&P. If there is sufficient demand in an otherwise declining UK shipbuilding market within the next couple of years, it is possible the yards could reopen.

Stockholm Undecided About Future Home For ex-KUNGSHOLM
August 17: Since there looks to be "life after P&O" for the lovely VICTORIA as GIOCONDA or MONA LISA, the political authorities in Stockholm have postponed a decision about allowing a permit for the permanent berthing of the 1966-built ship, the last vessel commissioned for the illustrious Swedish American Line. Previously, there was a move to preserve the MV SEA (former GRIPSHOLM) which was enroute to Indian shipbreakers, but the ship sank in a storm before the city could convene on a firm decision.

Curnow Closes
August 17: Curnow Shipping will close following its recently lost contract to operate the RMS ST HELENA to Andrew Weir Shipping. Curnow came under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office in May when their files were seized. The ship will begin operating for Andrew Weir on 28 August at Flamouth.

Lindblad Tempted Into Purchase Of New Ship
August 27: Linblad Expeditions announced the purchase of the 64 passenger TEMPTRESS VOYAGER which will be refitted and renamed SEA VOYAGER for year-round deployment in Central America beginning in December of this year.

SWITZERLAND Stricken By Salmonella
August 23: Leisure Cruises' lovely 1955-built MV SWITZERLAND (PORT SYDNEY, DAPHNE) will continue on her previously scheduled program in Northern European cruising following a serious case of salmonella that affected nearly 25% of her passengers. The outbreak came from stores of chicken that were taken on board in Amsterdam.

QM2 Gas Turbines Confirmed
August 23: GE Marine Engines proudly announced that Cunard's newbuilding QUEEN MARY 2 will receive its LM2500+ aeroderivative gas turbines. The 150,000 gt, 30 knot liner will use two gas turbine generator units in a combined gas turbine and diesel configuration with four engines. Four podded propellers (two forward fixed, two aft steerable) will project from beneath her hull, although several Chantiers' built vessels have recently experienced teething pains with this "propulsion of the future".

More To The Story Of The OCEAN GLORY
August 20: The much-maligned OCEAN GLORY I continues to garner press as it was announced her stranded crew of 240 were to be paid by owners Mediterranean Shipping Company for their outstanding wage claim and were to be flown home by week's end. The ship remains under arrest at Dover.

Royal Olympic Cancels Remainder of EXPLORER's Summer Program
August 7: As the dispute with the Blohm and Voss shipyard continues, Royal Olympic announced that the September 15 debut of OLYMPIA EXPLORER will be regretfully and indefinitely postponed. Her twin, the OLYMPIC VOYAGER, can be "toured" by clicking here.

MISTRAL Misses Cruise
August 8: Festival Cruises' MISTRAL suffered a propulsion malfunction that necessitated repairs and cut short her August 4 cruise from Marseilles. Affected passengers were given a full refund, air home, and 50% off a future cruise on another Festival/First European Cruise. The ship was subsequently repaired and resumed her regularly scheduled service on August 11.

Dearie, It's Those Pods Again...
August 7: The brand new EUROPEAN VISION, which was introduced just prior to being used for accommodation at the G-8 Summit in Genova, suffered a malfunction of her Alstom-Cegelec "Mermaid" pods. The ship arrived in Genova at reduced speed on August 7 and was forced to disembark and repatriate 1800 passengers while repairs were made. Billed as the propulsion of the future, these pod units have been troubesome for nearly every recent Chantiers newbuilding.

No More GLORY For Martinoli
August 3: Monaco-based ship management agency Martinoli SPA has withdrawn from its deal with Cruise Holdings to operate the veteran OCEAN GLORY I. Despite a rash of bad press and no less than 35 deficiencies reported by the CMA for the ship, presently detained in Dover, the separation comes from a disagreement over finances and not the ship's tarnished reputation. The OCEAN GLORY I remains under arrest awaiting reissue of an ISM certification following cancellation of several programs offered by British-based charterers.

ex TRANSVAAL To Thomson?
August 1: News from Freeport, Bahamas indicates a happy return for the handsome BIG RED BOAT III to a charter for British-based Thomson Holidays next year. Completed in 1961, the 32,697 gt TRANSVAAL CASTLE was the last passenger vessel built for Union Castle Line and later sailed for joint venture Safmarine as the SA VAAL. Purchased in 1977, she was converted for cruising as Carnival's FESTIVALE and later sailed as ISLANDBREEZE for Dolphin and Premier before becoming the BIG RED BOAT III in 2000. She was laid up at Freeport following the collapse of Premier in late 2000.

"Speed 2" Ship, SEABOURN LEGEND, in Real Bomb Scare
August 2: While Seabourn Cruise Line's SEABOURN LEGEND lay at anchor off St Jean de Luz, in South-Western France, she became the target of a bomb scare. At midday, police in Bayonne received an anonymous phone threat from a group claiming to be part of the little-known Basque separatist movement group Iparretarak. The caller warned that a bomb would explode on the SEABOURN LEGEND within the next half hour. Police carried out an immediate search and divers inspected the hull, but no bombs or explosive materials were found. The SEABOURN LEGEND had 174 passengers and 150 crew on board at the time of the incident. The ship finally sailed from St Jean de Luz in the evening, bound for Bordeaux. It is not the first time separatist movements in the Basque regions of France and Spain have threatened passenger ships: recently a Brittany Ferries vessel was also subject to a bomb scare while in Spain. Ironically, the SEABOURN LEGEND was the featured ship in the dismal "bomb scare" movie SPEED 2.

OLYMPIC to OLYMPIA
August 1: Effective September 2001, with regard to Royal Olympic Cruises and its vessels, all OLYMPIC nomenclature will revert to OLYMPIA per US Olympic Games Commitee stipulations. The latest ship in the fleet, the 2000-built MV OLYMPIC (OLYMPIA) VOYAGER can be "toured" by clicking here.

More To The OCEAN GLORY Story
August 1: The 16,741 gt 1950-built MV OCEAN GLORY I remains detained at Dover as Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) reports and inspections continue. A Travelscope Promotions cruise slated for Sunday 29 July was cancelled while another operator, Festive Holidays, goes to the high court today seeing the appraisal and sale of the ship to recoup its losses when the MCA refused to allow the ship to sail on two subsequent cruises after finding 35 deficiencies during an inspection on July 7. The OCEAN GLORY I is the former PROVENCE, ENRICO C, ENRICO COSTA, SYMPHONY, and AEGEAN SPIRIT.

STAR OF VENICE to Scrap
July 31: The idle 6,269 gt SS STAR OF VENICE is due to depart Ravenna, Italy under tow to the shipbreakers yard at Aliaga between 5 and 10 August 2001, according to Izmir-based correspondent Selim San. She dates from 1953 as Bergen Lineâs sleek LEDA for the Bergen and Stavanger to Newcastle route and was the first Norwegian vessel to be fitted with stabilizers. At 6,670 gross tons and with a length of 436 feet and beam of 57 feet, she was constructed by Swann, Hunter, and Wigham Richardson and powered by Parsons turbines capable of 13,000 SHP to drive her twin screws at a speedy 22 knots. LEDA had accommodation for 119 first and 384 tourist class passengers and a garage for 18 cars. Purpose-built car ferries led to her demise by the early 1970âs, and she was laid up at Bergen in 1974. In 1977, she was used as an accommodation ship and then sold for conversion to a livestock carrier. Her new Kuwaiti owners opted instead to charter her for further accommodation service, this time as the NALJA in the Hebrides for oil workers. She was next purchased by Dolphin Hellas Cruises of Piraeus and converted in a lengthy refit that saw the expansion of her superstructure, finally emerging as the ALBATROSS in 1984. In 1988, she became the BETSY ROSS for the unsuccessful Greek-owned American Star Line. In 1989, she was chartered to Starlauro as the AMALFI, and subsequently laid up for debt at Venice. In 1990, she was bought by present owners, Stargas, and renamed STAR OF VENICE. After a brief stint as a floating hotel, she was laid up at Venice until being reactivated on Mediterranean Cruises in 1998, with disastrous results stemming from her poor mechanical condition. She was last used as an hotel ship at Ravenna (near Venice) in 2000.

New Carnival Facility In Long Beach
July 30: In a gala ground-breaking ceremony in which no shovels were to be found, Carnival Cruises and QUEEN MARY VIPs gathered to dedicate a new state-of-the-art cruise terminal adjacent to the QUEEN MARY. The $40 million berth, due for completion in 2003, will handle ships up to 1000 feet long and with drafts of up to 28 feet. It will utilize a portion of the geodesic dome built to house the since-departed SPRUCE GOOSE and a new parking garage will also be constructed to accommodate up to 1,250 vehicles. The line's two West Coast-based ships, the 70,000 gt MVs ECSTASY and ELATION will be permanently based at this terminal and other ships within the Carnival subsidiaries (Holland America, Cunard, Seabourn, Windstar, and Costa) may also call at the new facility from time to time. Queen's Seaport Development CEO Joseph Prevratil assisted the mayor of Long Beach in breaking a large bottle of Moet & Chandon White Star Champagne underneath the QUEEN MARY's mounted propellor at the entrance to Queen's Marketplace Plaza to commemorate the event. A reception in the spectacular three deck high Grand Salon was held afterwards where attending dignitaries included the MV ECSTASY's Captain Allegretti, the mayor, Mr. Prevratil, several councilmen, and employees of Carnival, the QUEEN MARY and RMS Foundation as well as your editors Martin Cox and Peter Knego.

PACIFIC SKY Detained In Pacific Swells
July 28: Five meter swells off the Australian coast prevented the 46,000 gt MV PACIFIC SKY (FAIRSKY, SKY PRINCESS) from entering Sydney harbor on 28 July. Instead, the ship hove to for the night as mountainous waves reportedly broke over her bow. She finally arrived at 5:30 PM on the 29, disembarking her passengers a day and a half late. No serious injuries were reported in the incident.

PACIFIC PRINCESS Italian Style
July 26: Princess Cruises original "Love Boat", the 1971-built MV PACIFIC PRINCESS has been sold by P&O to the same Italian investors that purchased the 1966-built MV VICTORIA (former KUNGSHOLM, SEA PRINCESS) and has been chartered back to P&O/Princess to complete her scheduled program through November of 2002. No further details on either ship's future name or itineraries are yet available.

The SUN sank
July 26: MV SUN, (former SHALOM )sank Wednesday, July 25th at 7:05 pm local time, off southeast South Africa leaving an oil slick behind. SUN (also listed as CANYON RANCH AT SEA) was being towed by Chinese tug HUA AN some 200 kilometers off Cape Saint Francis when she sank in 4,700 metres of water. The South African Maritime Safety Authority had earlier ordered the tug to sail away from the coast in a southerly direction as the SUN was taking on water and listing severely. Onboard SUN were large scale unique artworks by Israeli artist Agam. An oil pollution control vessel was expected in the area within a day. The liner SEA (former GRIPSHOLM) recently sank off Port Elizabeth. (see July 11)

The Ship That Broke The Cammell's Back
July 26: The London Times reports that famed shipyard Cammell Laird of Brikenhead and Tyneside will be mothballed following a series of disastrous financial mishaps capped by the loss of a contract to stretch Costa Cruises' MV COSTA CLASSICA last year. The nearly 200 year old yard recently had 360 employees at Birkenhead and 160 workers at Tyneside, down from a "glory day" high of 10,000. The unutilized mid-section of the COSTA CLASSICA is still lying unwanted at the yard. Cammell Laird built several famous liners in its heyday, including Cunard's "second" MAURETANIA and Union Castle Line's penultimate ship, the WINDSOR CASTLE of 1960 (which is idle and for sale in Greece).

COSTA TROPICALE's Latest Grounding and Rescue
July 25: Costa Cruises' 37,000 gt 1981-built MV COSTA TROPICALE (TROPICALE) grounded on the rocks off Mykonos. Her fleetmate, the 88,000 gt 2000-built COSTA ATLANTICA diverted from her call at Katakolon and helped tow the ship out of its predicament. No injuries were reported, although this is the second such incident in a mere two weeks since the ship began service for Costa. During one of the COSTA TRIPICALE's inaugural cruises from Venice, the ship ran aground at Lido Island near the harbor entrance, but was freed by two tugs shortly thereafter.

SUN in trouble
July 25: Reports from South Africa indicate that the MV SUN, (former SHALOM ) enroute to shipbreakers in India, has taken on a 34 degree list and is in danger of sinking. The South African Department of Maritime Affairs ordered the tug HUA AN to tow SUN seaward.

S.S. INDEPENDENCE receives award
July: S.S. INDEPENDENCE, American Hawaii Cruises, received "Ship Of The Year Award" for the year 2000 from the Steamship Historical Society of America in a gala week of celebration aboard the 50 year old liner.

Please visit Maritime Matters tour of S.S. INDEPENDENCE

Move to release OCEAN GLORY 1
July 22: The ITALIAN class society RINA and Monaco-based ship managers Martinoli are now involved in moves to release the 51-year-old passenger ship Ocean Glory I, detained at Dover since July 2 and then placed under arrest by its charterer, Festive Holidays. Martinoli says it inspected the ship today and will make an offer to manage the ship Òif it is suitable.Ó Sources said Cruise Holdings of Greece, reportedly the shipÕs operator, contacted Martinoli and asked it to manage the ship. The Panama-flagged vessel was detained by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency for 35 safety deficiencies. Panama Maritime Authority later revoked the shipÕs ISM certificates, which it said were unauthorised. RINA surveyors were aboard the vessel to issue a valid ISM certificate The MCA said it would consider ITF accounts received about inadequate crew accommodation and crew remuneration when it re-inspected.

THE TALISMAN
July 20: Dave Dube reports that the ill-fated 5,295 gt 1974-built casino ship THE TALISMAN (CASTALIA, SCANDINAVIAN SAGA, PRIDE OF SAN DIEGO, TROPIC STAR II, STENA ARCADIA, EMERALD EMPRESS, ENCHANTED SUN) has been seized by US Marshals Service following an aborted season of gambling cruises from the port of Galveston that ended abruptly on May 7. THE TALISMAN has left a sea of debts in its wake and was most recently in service for Commodore Cruises as the ENCHANTED SUN on a brief run from San Diego to Rosarito Beach during 2000. The ship contributed to the accumulation of debt that bankrupted Commodore Cruises late last year (see previous reports).

REMBRANDT REBOUND?
July 20: The internet is abuzz with rumours of REMBRANDT (former ROTTERDAM) returning to service in April 2002 for an unknown operator following a four week refit. This follows speculation of her return to Amsterdam as a floating hotel. No offical word on any front.

SILVER CLOUD Returns From Extensive Refit
July 20: The Genova-based Mariotti shipyard has just finished refurbishing Silversea Cruises' deluxe 1994-built 16,800 gt MV SILVER CLOUD. General maintenance was performed along with the installation of new soft furnishings. In the suites, new sofas, chairs, tables, vanity stools and headboards, bedspreads, and draperies replaced the original fixtures and new artwork was installed. The ship also received new carpeting in all of the suites and many of the public areas. The "six star" ship and her sister, SILVER WIND (which is due for a similar refit next year), as well as fleetmates, the slightly larger SILVER SHADOW and (soon-to-be-introduced) SILVER WHISPER are among the world's top rated cruise ships.

A'Rosa Future For CROWN PRINCESS
July 19: P&O Princess Cruises' next subsidiary will not be called Tosca, as previously reported. Instead, the new "premium destination cruise line" geared exclusively for German customers will be called A'Rosa. The 1990-built 69,845 gt 1,590 passenger MV CROWN PRINCESS will begin service as A'ROSA BLU in June of 2002.

Impressive Gathering of Passenger Ships For Genova's G-8 Summit
July 17: Maurizio Eliseo and Ralph Dazert report that an amazing assortment of 27 passenger ships will be lined up in Genova harbor this week, serving as floating hotels for the G8 summit. From Festival Cruises' striking new EUROPEAN VISION (fresh from Chantiers) to classic dowagers such as Louis Cruise Line's PRINCESA VICTORIA and Royal Olympic Cruises' APOLLON to state-of-the-art ferryliners SPLENDID and FANTASTIC, the gathering will be one of the most impressive ever.

Louis Cruise Line's SERENADE (former JEAN MERMOZ/MERMOZ), CALYPSO (CANGURO VERDE, REGENT JEWEL, REGENT CALYPSO) and PRINCESA VICTORIA (former DUNNOTTAR CASTLE, VICTORIA, THE VICTORIA), Royal Olympic's ODYSSEUS (PRINCESA ISABELLA, AQUAMARINE, MARCO POLO), JASON (EROS), TRITON (CUNARD ADVENTURER, SUNWARD 2), APOLLON (EMPRESS OF CANADA, MARDI GRAS, STAR OF TEXAS), Excellence Holidays OCEAN EXPLORER 1 (GENERAL WP RICHARDSON, LAGUARDIA, LEILANI, PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, ATLANTIS, EMERALD SEAS, SAPPHIRE SEAS), New Paradise Cruises ATALANTE (TAHITIEN) will house security and soldiers as will the following ferries: STC's CEZANNE, Anek Line's EL VENIZELOS, El Salam's AL SALAM MANZONI 94, AL SALAM PASCOLI 96, and AL SALAM BOCCACCIO 98, Tris' COMMODORE and GIOVENTU, Silja Line's WASA QUEEN, Loryma Nav's BYBLOS (JUPITER, CROWN M), and Adonis' BIBBY PROGRESS and CESME STERN as well as DUCHESS M (WANANKA, BREIZH EISEL, BALBEK).

Cruising Through The Skies?
July 12: The Aeros Corporation, one of the world's leading lighter-than-air (LTA) airship manufacturers, has developed the Aeroscraft, a new and unique flying cruise ship. The Aeroscraft combines the characteristics of both an airplane and a blimp resulting in a partially buoyant craft that takes off and lands much like a helicopter and floats in the sky like a blimp. Roughly the overall size of a 747 jet, the Aeroscraft accommodates 80 passengers plus crew. It features exquisitely appointed luxury staterooms, dining/ballroom, casino, cinema, observation/sun deck, on-board shopping and amenities, all accompanied by five-star service. Limited capacity aboard the ship offers an intimate experience for those seeking the ultimate in luxury.

SEABOURN GODDESSES Follow SUN
July 13: In what it terms a "distillation" of its fleet back to the original ultra-luxurious 10,000 gt 100 couple SEABOURN PRIDE, SPIRIT, and LEGEND, Carnival Corporation-owned Seabourn Cruise Line announced the sale of the 1984 and 1985 built SEABOURN GODDESSES I and II. The 4,260 gt yacht-like former SEA GODDESSES will be delivered to new Norwegian owners on 31 August 2001. Seabourn recently announced the transfer of the SEABOURN SUN (former ROYAL VIKING SUN) to Carnival subsidiary Holland America Line for conversion to their "world" cruiser PRINSENDAM.

SEA Sinks
July 11: Reports from South Africa confirm that the MV SEA, (former GRIPSHOLM, NAVARINO, SAMANTHA, REGENT SEA) enroute to shipbreakers in India under tow, sank after she had taken on a 30 degree list in a severe storm off Port Elizabeth.

Another One Cheats the Torch!
In a mind-boggling coda to a troubled "end of days", the graceful hull of the 1957-built MV SEA slipped away in 4,200 meters of water 83 miles SSE of Cape Recife on the southern coast of the Cape of Good Hope at 5:00 AM, Thursday, July 12. The ship, while under tow, was "hove to" with a 30 degree starboard list in heavy seas since Friday, 6 July when permission to enter calmer waters in Algoa Bay was denied for fear of oil leakage. Having sat at Tampa in a partially dismantled state for the past several years, the ship was finally taken under tow for scrapping this spring, only to encounter pillaging by pirates off the coast of Dakar. Originally Swedish American Line's "golden yacht" GRIPSHOLM and later known for her successful cruise service as NAVARINO and REGENT SEA, this is the fourth important liner to sink enroute to the breakers in the past year. The other three were: BELOFIN-1/BRITANIS, SEABREEZE, and EUROPE.

Alang Arrivals Rival Taiwan in the 1970's!
Not since the heartbreaking procession of passenger ships to the breakers at Kaohsiung during the peak of the fuel crisis in the 1970's has there been such an alarming list of liners on a one-way voyage to doom. The Indian scrap yards on the dreaded beach at Alang are dismantling many favorites that in a better world would have been saved for their singular beauty and precious maritime heritage. In chronological order, here are some of the recent arrivals:

Many thanks to Hans Hoffman, Pete Eisele, Bruce Peter and Ralph Dazert for providing this information.

Great Lakes Cruises Founders
July 10: Following a series of well-publicized mishaps with its chartered cruise ship, the 1968-built MV ARCADIA (originally the Spanish car ferry VICENTE PUCHOL), Waukesha, Wisconsin-based Great Lakes Cruises, Inc. has filed for bankruptcy. Although the ship was finally cleared this past Saturday to sail after failing previous CDC inspections, adverse publicity brought curtains down on the operation, the first to offer a full season of Great Lakes cruises in 35 years. The ship is presently moored at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada.

TROPICALE Rechristened For Costa
July 10: Following a $25 million refurbishment, Costa Cruises 36,000 gt MV COSTA TROPICALE (formerly Carnival Cruises' TROPICALE) was rechristened in Genoa by her original godmother, Madeleine Arison, wife of Carnival CEO Mickey Arison. The refit saw the widening of several decks, addition of a new pizzeria and restaurant, upgrading of all public rooms, installation of new staterooms, and the replacement of the original winged Carnival funnel with a cylindrical Costa fixture.

SEA Sinking?
July 9: Reports from South Africa say that the MV SEA, (former GRIPSHOLM, NAVARINO, SAMANTHA, REGENT SEA) enroute to shipbreakers in India, has taken on a 30 degree list in a severe storm and may be in danger of sinking.

Ex PRINSES In Pieces
July 9: Hans Hoffman reports that yet another classic liner is meeting her end via the cutters' torches. The Indonesian transport ship TANJUNG OISINA (originally Oranje Line's 1959-built MV PRINSES IRENE) is being scrapped at Djakarta.

GALLURA Faces Uncertain Future
July 9: Admeto Verde of Naples reports that the 1968-built Italian State Railways ferry GALLURA has been laid up at Naples and is to be sold. The handsome ship's twin, GENNARGENTU, went to Turkish shipbreakers in 2000.

ex MERMOZ To Make Malta New Home
July 8: Louis Cruise Lines MV SERENADE, originally the JEAN MERMOZ of 1957 and best known for her many years of service as Paquet's MERMOZ will use Malta as her home base for the Cypriot company's newly announced two and three night cruise programs. Beginning on July 27, SERENADE will sail on three night voyages to Sicily and Naples every Friday and two night cruises to Sicily every Wednesday in addition to two night cruises to Tunis every Monday.

MTS ARCADIA cleared to sail on Great Lakes
July 7: The US Coast guard had issued the 1968-built MTS ARCADIA a rare "no sail order" on July 4 after the vessel had failed a series of health inspections while berthed in the Detroit River, but the ship was cleared to sail again Saturday July 7 after passing further Federal scrutiny. Operated by Great Lakes Cruises Inc., MTS ARCADIA, is advertised as the first ship in 35 years to sail a full season of cruises on the Great Lakes. After Saturday's inspection, Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Brian Hall said officials found that the 224-passenger vessel was in compliance with health and safety regulations. Within hours, the ARCADIA sailed to Windsor (across the river from Detroit) and took on passengers.

What Price GLORY?
July 3: The latest incarnation of the 1951-built SS PROVENCE is not off to a good start. The UK's Maritime and Coast Guard Agency ordered 600 passengers to disembark the (now) MV OCEAN GLORY 1 at Dover after 35 separate deficiencies were found, including cockroach infestation of the galley, faulty radio equipment, failed lifeboat drills, and an incorrectly rigged float-free EPIRB. The ship had sailed most recently as Golden Sun Cruises AEGEAN SPIRIT before her latest charter, and is best known for her many years of service with Costa Line as ENRICO C and ENRICO COSTA. She has been extensively refurbished over the years and was given new diesel engines in 1990. Her current troubles will likely cancel all cruises scheduled before 20 July.

Dry Dock leaves Oregon
July 3: Known as Dry Dock 4 the giant steel platform that was cheered by crowds when it arrived 23 years ago (bringing with it the promise of new marine employment), left Portland, Oregon for a round-the-world journey to its new home in the Bahamas. Thought to be the largest floating dry dock in the Americas, Dry Dock 4 had not lived up to expectations, partly due to competition from Asian shipbuilders. Cascade General, has sold it to a company that plans to use it for cruise ship repair in the Bahamas. A tug towed Dry Dock 4 down the Columbia River toward the Pacific. The dry dock will be sailing across the Pacific and Indian Oceans, up the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal, across the Mediterranean Sea and then the Atlantic to the Bahamas. Sold by Cascade General for $25 million, Dry Dock 4 is too large to fit through the Panama Canal.

Hawaii's Aloha Festivals celebrated at sea
July 2: United States Lines and American Hawaii Cruises, subsidiaries of American Classic Voyages Co., announced the celebration of Hawaii's statewide Aloha Festivals with three weeks of special Hawaiian Heritage cruises departing September 15, 22 and 29, 2001. The cruise vacations, which showcase the diverse beauty of Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii, are a past winner of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau's Kahili Award as "Best In Show" for preserving the authentic culture of the 50th state. This year, the Hawaiian Heritage cruises are offered at a two-for-one price in conjunction with the lines' popular "Summer of Freedom" promotion. During the Hawaiian Heritage cruises, passengers aboard American Hawaii Cruises' 860-passenger SS INDEPENDENCE or United States Lines' 1,212-passenger MS PATRIOT will be entertained by Hawaiian music legend Don Ho as part of a packed program of cultural events. For more information, visit http://www.cruisehawaii.com

Click here for SHIPNEWS from Jan to June 30 2001