"We deeply regret having to take this action, but we had no other choice as the Company has been unable to continue operations after one of its suppliers, Motor-Services Hugo Stamp, Inc., arrested the REGAL EMPRESS on April 18, 2003. The Company had hoped to negotiate a resolution of this unfortunate action through a sale of its business, which the Company has been pursuing for some time. In light of the world-wide decline in travel and tourism and the short time frame within which the Company could conclude its ongoing sale negotiations necessitated by the arrest, it was unsuccessful."

The Company is currently gathering information to allow it to file for an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors in State Court shortly. This would seek to accomplish an equitable distribution of the assets of Regal Enterprises, Inc. to its creditors. Creditors who provided goods and services to the Regal Empress may participate in the arrest proceeding pending in Federal Court.

Regal Cruises has always paid its bills, has a very good relationship with its vendors and has a history of working diligently on any issues that have been raised by the vendors. Regal Cruises does not understand why Motor-Services Hugo Stamp, Inc. has gone to court on a bill that is less than 60 days old, instead of contacting Regal Cruises directly. Regal Cruises is making every effort to resolve the issue with Motor-Services Hugo Stamp, Inc. as soon as possible.

Passengers scheduled to take the three-night cruise departing last Friday and passengers slated to take today's 10-night cruise are being offered a future cruise of their choice.

PRIDE OF PROVENCE Hits Breakwater
April 21: P&O Ferries cross-channel vessel PRIDE OF PROVENCE hit a breakwater at Dover, England April 18, while visibility was good and sea conditions were fine. Her Master has been suspended from duty as an investigation continues. Twenty-eight people suffered minor injuries in the accident, as the 28,559 gt ferry arrived from Calais carrying 489 passengers and 159 crew. The ship sailed to the Arno shipyard in Dunkirk on April 19 for a formal investigation involving a Marine Accident Investigation Branch inspector. An initial inspection by P&O Ferries' surveyors found an indentation extending from deck 5 to the vessel's double hull bottom. A cement box was fitted over the damaged area by engineers to enable the ferry to sail to Dunkirk under its own power. A crew member was detained overnight at Hospital but was later released.

John S. Latsis Dies
April 17: John S. Latsis, Greek shipowner and businessman died on April 17 in Athens. He was 92. The Latsis business empire included shipping, banks, oil refineries and construction companies. This year Forbes magazine rated him 101st among the world's richest people, with a fortune worth US$5.4 billion. Mr. Latsis pursued neither publicity nor reckless living, keeping himself out of the public eye. But he did court the powerful and the famous, making friends with kings, presidents, prime ministers and actors.

Next, Mr. Latsis moved into banking and finance. In 1979, he bought the Deposit Bank in Geneva from the Onassis family. In 1989 he established the Private Bank and Trust Company in London. In 1999 Mr. Latsis handed over management of his business interests to his son Spiro, who survives him, along with his wife, Erietta Tsoukala, and two daughters, Marianna and Margarita. Prince Charles, was one of Mr. Latsis's friends. He loaned his yacht, the ALEXANDER, to the prince for a second honeymoon with Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1991, and last year Prince Charles borrowed the vessel again for an Aegean cruise with his companion, Camilla Parker-Bowles. Mr. Latsis devoted some of his fortune to philanthropy, creating the Latsis Foundation, which financed many cultural works including a Greek translation of the Koran. He also made large donations to aid earthquake victims in Greece, Egypt and Armenia. In 1986, Mr. Latsis sent his 20,000-ton cruise ship, MARIANNA 9, to the southern Greek city of Kalamata to serve as a floating shelter for more than 900 people left homeless by an earthquake there. He also donated $1.5 million to Prince Charles's charitable foundation, the Prince's Trust. Mr. Latsis maintained homes in Athens, Geneva and London.

SANCAK-1 Up In Smoke
April 17: Sad report from Tuzla, Turkey, where the 1966-built SANCAK-1's career ended in a shipyard file while she was undergoing refurbishment for the summer season. This 12,374 gt traditional, wood-paneled beauty was built as Swedish Lloyd's SAGA.

Aliaga Torches On Fire!
April 17: The parade of passenger ferries to the Turkish beach for dismantling this month includes the following four classics:
MILLENNIUM EXPRESS II (1967, 8,888 gt) former DRAGON
EXPRESS NAIAS (1966, 6,712 gt) former COMTE DE NICE (scrapped up to bridge as of today)
ADMIRAL (1963, 8,970 gt) former WARNEMUNDE
DELFINI (1964, 4,405) former GOTLAND (only stern section left)

Many thanks to Selim San for this sad but important update.

Washed Up DOLPHIN Short Of Beach
April 17: DOLPHIN IV (ex ZION, AMELIA DE MELLO, ITHACA) has come to rest short of her mark on the beach of Alang, India. Because of her draft and inability to move under her own power, it will take another fifteen to twenty days to bring the rusty, listing vessel in far enough to begin dismantling.

One Cruise Line Fits All!
April 17: Following meetings in New York and London this week, shareholders of Carnival Corporation and P&O Princess plc approved the proposed DLC transaction between the two companies. The transaction was completed earlier today in London. Traded on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc is the only company in the world to be included in the S&P 500 and FTSE 100 indices. Combined, Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc have 66 cruise ships sailing under 13 brands representing some 100,000 berths. The brands of Carnival Cruise Lines are; Holland America Line, Windstar Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises, Ocean Village, Swan Hellenic, AIDA, A'ROSA, and P&O Cruises Australia.

Star Cruises Redeploy SUPERSTAR LEO And SUPERSTAR VIRGO
April 16: Star Cruises is deploying the SUPERSTAR LEO and SUPERSTAR VIRGO to new bases in Sydney and Perth, Australia respectively. The ships are due to arrive on Thursday, 24th April 2003 - SUPERSTAR LEO in Cairns, North Queensland and SUPERSTAR VIRGO in Perth. Both have been operating in Hong Kong and Singapore since their delivery in 1998 and 1999 respectively. The decision to deploy the ships to Australia resulted from "continuing market challenges and difficult operating conditions we have been facing in our core markets in Asia", said Star cruises, it is noted that operating in non-SARS affected countries is expected to boost passenger loads. The ships would initially be based in Australia for one-to-three months to evaluate their viability. There are plans to sell the Star Cruises Australian cruise itineraries in the US, UK and Asia as well as around Australia and New Zealand.

SS INDEPENDENCE On The Move
April 16: A day after the announcement that NCL has bought SS INDEPENDENCE, it appears that she has been moved to the former Mare Island Naval Base in Vallejo, California on April 10th or 11th. She is apparently berthed in Vallejo for evaluation as to needed repairs and for her new NCL livery. INDEPENDENCE had been laid up in the "raft" of mothballed vessels since April 12, 2002 in the reserve fleet in Suisuin Bay.

UnFORTUNAte Fire
April 15: Press reports from Italy confirm a damaging fire occurred aboard Costa Cruises' newbuilding 105,000 gt COSTA FORTUNA at the Sestri Cantieri Navale shipyard owned by Fincantieri. Damage was confined to decks 7, 8, and 9 and involved passenger accommodation. The ship is still on schedule for delivery in November.

ACHILLE Abductor Arrested
April 15: The mastermind behind the 1985 hijacking of the MV ACHILLE LAURO (ex WILLEM RUYS) that resulted in the shooting death of American passenger Leon Klinghoffer and a name in infamy for a beautiful Italian ship has been arrested in Iraq. Abul Abbas was captured by American special operations forces during a Monday night raid in the outskirts of Baghdad. He had been given sanctuary by the Iraqi government after being convicted in absentia by an Italian court for the hijacking. ACHILLE LAURO continued cruising until late 1994 when she caught fire and sank off Somalia, resulting in two deaths.

NCL Acquires S.S. UNITED STATES and S.S. INDEPENDENCE
April 14: Much to everyones astonishment, Norwegian Cruise Line announced today it has purchased both the SS UNITED STATES and the SS INDEPENDENCE. NCL intends to convert the UNITED STATES into a modern cruise ship and will add her to their planned US-flagged fleet. NCL's website said relaunching the SS UNITED STATES will add more than 1,000 American maritime and 5,000 shoreside jobs to the 3,000 maritime and 17,000 shoreside jobs that NCL's US flag initiative with Project America is predicted to generate. NCL is now evaluating options for use of the ship under the US flag and determining the extent of renovations needed to convert her. It appears that The National Trust will be a significant factor in the development of the external refit. The refurbishment of the hull and superstructure will take place at US shipyards with the outfitting completed overseas. The ship is expected to offer mainland US itineraries where cruise offerings are not currently available, with an initial itinerary possibly based in the Gulf of Mexico.

NCL also announced today the purchase of another classic American-built ship, the SS INDEPENDENCE, which until bankruptcy in October 2001, was sailing in Hawaii. NCL purchased the vessel at federal auction from the US Maritime Administration saving her from almost certain scrapping. The potential addition of the INDEPENDENCE as a fifth vessel in NCL's US flag operation is being evaluated.

Small ISLAND ADVENTURE fire
April 14: A fire was reported on board SeaEscape's ship ISLAND ADVENTURE docked at Port Everglades, Florida, Monday. The blaze occurred in a storage area on a lower deck of the ship, according to Broward County Fire-Rescue. One crew member complained of smoke inhalation and no passengers were aboard the ship, which does not sail on Monday mornings.

SUPERSTAR VIRGO Cleared
April 14: SUPERSTAR VIRGO, which was quarantined off Singapore on Friday due to fears that two crew members may have SARS, departed at 10.30PM last night -- without passengers. The ship was cleared after the crew showed no signs of being ill. Her destination is not known after Malaysian-owned Star Cruises announced it was cancelling all voyages to countries affected by the SARS virus. Scheduled SUPERSTAR VIRGO cruises are cancelled for April and May and SUPERSTAR LEO from April to July and both ships will be diverted to alternative areas. Star Cruises also said both crew members suspected of having SARS have been discharged from the hospital.

Famed Ship Drops The RED And The III As She Prepares To Depart For Breakers
April 14: The latest report from Freeport, Bahamas relays that the BIG BOAT (with "RED" and "III" now freshly painted out), former TRANSVAAL CASTLE, SA VAAL, FESTIVALE, ISLANDBREEZE, BIG RED BOAT III is belching boiler smoke from her Union Castle funnel as she is fired up for the long, slow voyage to India. With fresh smuts covering her decks and those of the adjacent REMBRANDT, she will soon anchor off Freeport and await certification and insurance coverage before steaming off to her final berth on the beaches of Alang or Bangladesh.

DOLPHIN Update
April 14: DOLPHIN IV, having arrived at Alang on 12 April, has not actually beached yet. Permission was requested for her beaching tomorrow, Tuesday, 15 April. She is currently moored off shore.

DOLPHIN On The Beach
April 14: DOLPHIN IV's perilous tow from Freeport to Alang has finally come to a successful end with the veteran liner's beaching on April 12. The heavily modified 1956-built former ZION, AMELIA DE MELLO, ITHACA is the last surviving passenger ship built for Israeli-owned Zim Lines and most recently operated for Cape Canaveral Cruise Lines on party cruise service to Freeport, where she spent the past couple of years laid up in poor condition.

A First for Carnival, A Last for Union-Castle
April 13: Since the 1961-built BIG RED BOAT III (former TRANSVAAL CASTLE, SA VAAL, FESTIVALE, ISLANDBREEZE) was reported sold for scrap in February, she has remained moored next to the laid up REMBRANDT at Freeport, Bahamas. Smoke now issues from her funnel as her boilers are fired to prepare her for her final journey to the beaches of India. This sad news seems to spell the end of the final passenger mail ship built for Union Castle Line, and the first former Carnival Cruise Line ship to go to the breakers. Ironically, an inspection in December 2002 by Maritime Matters' Peter Knego, found her to be in remarkably good condition, save for some cosmetic exterior fading.

New Cruise Line Prepares Maiden Voyage
April 11: Oceania Cruises prepares for its maiden cruise from Barcelona. REGATTA (ex R1) will sail on a 14-night itinerary starting July 5.

SUPERSTAR VIRGO Quarantined After SARS Scare
April 11: Star Cruises' SUPERSTAR VIRGO and her 1,350 crew have been quarantined after two crew members were suspected to have severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars). As a precaution the ship, which returned from Port Klang to the Singapore Cruise Centre on Friday afternoon, has been moved to the Western Anchorage, a Customs and quarantine centre off Sisters' Island. All 1,350 crew members remain on board the ship. Thirteen have been kept in voluntary isolation as they had been in contact with one of the two suspected Sars-stricken crew members who are no longer on the liner. Both Indian nationals were hospitalised and appear to be recovering. None of the 13 crew members have shown any symptoms of Sars and the company is disinfecting the ship.

Hussein's Yacht Destroyed
April 10: AL-MANSUR a small liner-style yacht originally ordered by the Iraqi Ministry of Transportation, was destroyed at the Port of Basra, Iraq in British Air attacks. Built in Finland at Wartsila Turku yards and delivered March 26, 1983, and measured 394 feet in length and 7,360 grt. She had been laid up since the 1980s, the hulk remains afloat.

PACIFIC SKY Clears
April 1: Following permanent repairs successfully carried out in Auckland, P&O Cruises is relieved to announce that PACIFIC SKY resumes her interrupted Pacific Islands cruise schedule on April 2. PACIFIC SKY was given the all clear by New Zealand's Maritime Safety Authority and Lloyds Register of Shipping and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency of the UK. See March 18 & 19 for previous story.

Cunard Names third QUEEN
March 31: QUEEN VICTORIA will be the name of Cunard Line's 85,000gt newbuild entering service in 2005. Dedicated to the British market, the vessel will be the second largest Cunarder ever built carrying 1,968 passengers. Along with the current flagship, QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 and QUEEN MARY 2, the Cunard fleet will include three Queens for the first time. QUEEN VICTORIA is under construction at Fincantieri and will enter service early in 2005, during Cunard's 165th anniversary. She will operate roundtrip Southampton cruises to the Mediterranean, Canaries and Northern Europe as well as cruises to the Caribbean. The vessel will feature a covered wrap-around promenade deck, a forward-facing observation lounge and a large Lido pool with a retractable magrodome. Exterior elevators with glass walls will rise 10 decks high on both sides of the vessel. Like QE2 and QM2, the liner will have a Queens Grill offering single-seating gourmet dining. The vessel was originally contracted as one of Holland America Line's Vista series.

Former COPA CASINO Sinks
March 27: The 1951-built COPA CASINO is now lying at a depth of 2,500 meters off the coast of the Domincan Republic. The former RYNDAM, ATLAS, PRIDE OF MISSISSIPPI, PRIDE OF GALVESTON had departed Mobile, Alabama under tow from tug FAIRPLAY XIV, bound for for scrap at Alang, India on March 3. She had last served as a casino at Gulfport, Mississippi between 1993 and late 2002. Reports have come in today informing us that the ship got into difficulties March 14 and sank on March 16.

SARS Outbreak Redirects THE WORLD
March 27: ResidenSea, owners of THE WORLD have decided to change the ship's itinerary after consulting with World Health Organisation over the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) scare in Asia. The ship was headed for Singapore and will return to Australian waters instead. Singapore has quarantined some 860 people with SARS-like symptoms and closed schools to fight the spread of the disease. SARS has killed more than 50 people and infected another 1,300 in recent weeks, mostly in Asia. Doctors have yet to identify the cause of the illness.

AURORA Transits Suez
March 27: P&O announced that AURORA would continue her voyage through the Red Sea and Suez canal despite the outbreak of war on Iraq. On a cruise from Mumbai to Southampton she called at Sharm El Sheikh today and transits the Suez Canal tomorrow. P&O said they were given the all-clear by Britain's Foreign Office. Naval experts recently warned that Al Qaeda fanatics might use small boats packed with explosives to ram British vessels in the region. A P&O spokeswoman said no passengers had asked to leave the ship and fly home early, despite inquiries on board. Based on advice from the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office the ship's call at Dubai was cancelled.

No Suez For Seabourn
March 25: Spring will not see the SEABORN SPIRIT taking passengers through the Suez Canal. An April 10 cruise from Mumbai (Bombay), India, to Alexandria, Egypt including calls in Oman, Dubai and Jordan, was cancelled. Instead SEABORN SPIRIT will deadhead through the canal and pick up its scheduled itinerary to Greece April 27. The cancellation was based on a low 60% occupancy rate and the "added shakiness" of sailing through the region.

PACIFIC SKY News
March 22: P&O Cruises hopes that PACIFIC SKY will be ready to sail April 2 on her Pacific cruise. Meanwhile she remains under repair in an Auckland shipyard. The Maritime Safety Authority said corrosion had caused vertical splits about 6 meters down the intersections of the bulkhead and each side of the hull, meaning water was able to flow between compartments. Large pieces of steel plate, about 10 meters high and 3 meters to 4 meters wide, are now being cut out of each side of the hull and replaced at Babcock's shipyard at the Devonport naval base.

QUEEN MARY 2 Floats!
March 21: Cunard's 1132-foot-long QUEEN MARY 2 was floated out of the building dry dock at Alstom's Chantiers de l'Atlantique at St Nazaire in France early today. The manoeuvre began at 5:43 am local time, assisted by 8 tugs the liner was moved to her fitting out berth for completion and by 7:20 am she was moored at her new location. The original "launch" date of March 16th was dropped after it was revealed that more dredging was needed at the fitting out dock to accommodate the ship. QM2 is expected to commence trials in September, with a her naming ceremony at Southampton in January 2004.

Hull Plating Removed From PACIFIC SKY
March 20: Steel hull plating is being cut off the hull of the PACIFIC SKY in New Zealand as engineers continue to repair corrosion damage which was discovered March 15 when the ship took on water. Severe corrosion was later discovered, bulkheads had parted from the hull on both sides of the ship. The hull plating had also corroded and there were reports of cracks in the hull. The bulkhead detachment and hull damage extended below the waterline however, PACIFIC SKY is too large for the dry dock at the Devonport Naval Base. Engineers have built a cocoon area extending below the waterline to allow shipyard workers to carry out repairs. It was expected that the work would take at least 10 days.

STELLA Scrubbed
March 19: Royal Olympia Cruise's 1953-built STELLA SOLARIS (ex CAMBODGE) will not be operating on her scheduled Baltic itineraries this year and her proposed 2004 world cruise will be pushed ahead to 2005. The vintage vessel has a devoted following and is noted for her spacious cabins, excellent layout and classic looks. Rising fuel costs have made operation of this otherwise viable ship uneconomical at this time. She will be replaced in the Baltic by the 1971-built MV TRITON (ex CUNARD ADVENTURER, SUNWARD II). Click here for Peter Knego's tour of SS STELLA SOLARIS.

PACIFIC SKY Woes Continue (updated)
March 19: Since it was reported that more serious corrosion had been discovered on SS PACIFIC SKY, managing director of P&0 Cruises, Gavin Smith said that a team of technical managers were flown to Auckland from Los Angeles to complete a full review of the hull. The Maritime Safety Authority said the ship will remain in detention at the Devonport naval dockyard until it is repaired to the satisfaction of the MSA and Lloyds. Serious corrosion associated with sections of the ducting system had been found in two areas of the ship's hull. Cracks in the hull were found on the starboard side, but now corrosion has been found on the port side. A "thickness" test revealed corrosion midship at about the waterline. The ducts are being removed to enable inspectors to examine the hull. P&O Cruises has cancelled the next cruise on March 23.

PACIFIC SKY Impounded
March 18: P & O Cruise's SS PACIFIC SKY, (ex FAIRSKY, SKY PRINCESS) which was forced to return to Auckland after taking on about 165 tonnes of water March 15, has now been impounded by New Zealand's Maritime Safety Authority after inspectors found serious rust problems in her hull. The MSA is examining the seaworthiness of the 1984-built PACIFIC SKY, after finding corrosion in a storm water-escape duct. The managing director for P&O Cruises, Gavin Smith, reported that engineers were being flown in to attend to the 46,000-ton vessel.

Floating The QUEEN
March 16: Today's "floating out" of the QUEEN MARY 2 at Chantiers de l'Atlantique in St Nazaire was postponed until at least March 21. The completion dock is still being dredged to accommodate the 142,200-GT vessel. A "pre-shifting" ceremony will still take place today with 300 invited guests.

CONQUEST Conundrum
March 16: Before the ship returns to port, the US Coast Guard plans to board the CARNIVAL CONQUEST to investigate a sharp roll made by the ship that sent passengers running for life vests, and glass crashing to decks. Many passengers believe the ship tilted abruptly from one side to the other early on the morning of March 9 to avoid colliding with another vessel. Seven passengers reported to a newspaper in New Orleans that they saw the lights of another vessel silhouetted in thick fog less than 200 yards from the CONQUEST. Carnival Cruise Lines blamed the sudden list on a strong gust of wind that broadsided the ship as it turned into the shipping channel bound for Gulfport, Miss.

Cracks in PACIFIC SKY?
March 15: It was reported that passengers were abruptly off-loaded after the captain abandoned an 11-day cruise aboard PACIFIC SKY and returned to Auckland for repairs one day into her cruise. The NZ Maritime Safety Authority is investigating what are described as cracks in the hull. The PACIFIC SKY had just undergone two weeks maintenance.

Crewman Injured on NORWEGIAN STAR
March 13: The US Coast Guard sent a C-130 airplane to Christmas Island to rescue an injured crewman from NORWEGIAN STAR who had fallen overboard from a tender and injured his legs on the propeller as the ship entered the harbor. He is reportedly in stable condition and was flown to the Queen's Medical Center on Oahu. Christmas Island is located in the Republic of Kiribati, about one thousand miles south of Hawaii.

CARNIVAL Takes LIBERTY
March 12: Carnival Cruise Lines announced the name for its newest 110,000-ton cruise ship scheduled to enter service in fall 2005. The fourth in the Conquest-class series, the 2,974-passenger 952-foot CARNIVAL LIBERTY will be built at Fincantieri Navali Italiani.

CARONIA's Cocaine
March 12: Three men, all thought to be from the Liverpool region, were arrested upon disembarking Cunard's CARONIA at Southampton after cocaine was found hidden in their suitcases. Customs officers discovered about 20 kilos of cocaine, worth more than UK£1 million after the ship had returned from a cruise to South America and the Caribbean.

DAM Late
March 11: Holland America Line today announced a revised maiden voyage date of August 3, 2003 for the 1,848 passenger MV OOSTERDAM, the second of the line's Vista-class ships (see our tour of the first Vista class ship, ZUIDERDAM. The ship's first two scheduled sailings, July 10 and July 22, have been cancelled and her maiden voyage will now depart London (Harwich) on August 3, 2003.

A. Kirk Lanterman, Chairman and CEO, Holland America Line, said, "This additional time provides an opportunity to showcase the ship to the European market and ensure that the crew and ship enter service at the highest possible standard." Guests scheduled on the canceled sailings who rebook will receive cabin upgrades and shipboard credits. OOSTERDAM is currently under construction at Fincantieri's Marghera Shipyard near Venice, Italy.

WINDSOR CASTLE Project Gathers Steam
March 9: Alex Naughton, Founder and Chairman of the newly renamed "The Mailship Windsor Castle Project", (formerly RMS WINDSOR CASTLE Preservation Society) reported a good turn out to the project's initial meeting at the Star Hotel in Southampton, March 1. The Councillor for Leisure of Southampton City Council sent a representative Kevin White (Heritage Conservation Manager for the Council) to the meeting. Issues discussed ranged from where to berth the ship upon her return to the UK to what uses the ship could be put to and how to raise the necessary funds, etc. Elections were held for various positions and most were quickly filled. A new web site has been established at www.rmswindsorcastle.org.uk

Passengers Blow Whistle on NORWEGIAN WIND
March 8: It was reported from Hawaii that the Coast Guard is investigating a complaint about the alleged dumping of trash from NORWEGIAN WIND en route from Fanning Island to Maui. Two passengers, Valerie and Kevin Sheppard, of Ontario, Canada, reported an incident to the Coast Guard upon arriving in Hawaii: "The most disgusting sight: whole beer bottles, whole wine bottles, beer and pop cans, corks, plastic plates, plastic utensils, plastic cups and organic material were all being tossed into the ocean from the back of the ship," the Sheppards said in an interview. Norwegian Cruise Line said the ship was in international waters when there was "some discharge" but was not within the 200-mile limit of U.S. jurisdiction. The Coast Guard boarded the NORWEGIAN WIND and made copies of the ship's logs.

Return of INFINITY
March 8: Following her unscheduled dry-docking Celebrity's INFINITY is due at Port Everglades, FL today to resume her scheduled cruises. Her malfunctioning Mermaid propulsion system has been repaired and the ship has been repainted in the new Celebrity livery. INFINITY left the shipyard at Northrop Grumman Newport News, VA March 6, where she has been since February 13.

Monterey Harbour Bans CRYSTAL HARMONY
March 6: Monterey, California banned the CRYSTAL HARMONY from its harbour after Crystal Cruises admitted dumping bilge water in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, violating an agreement with the city. More than 36,000 gallons of dirty water was discharged in October within the sanctuary's boundaries. Crystal Cruises said it had fired the ship's chief officer and gave a warning to the captain and a junior officer after the incident.

High Waters Shift CONQUEST
March 5: Carnival Cruise Lines cited exceptionally high Mississippi River levels as cause to reposition CARNIVAL CONQUEST to Gulfport, Miss., for six to 12 weeks because it is no longer safe for the vessel to pass under low-hanging power lines that cross the river. Her funnel and mast stand 208 feet above the water, too tall to pass under high-voltage power lines that droop to lower levels above the center of the river at Chalmette. The ship's move to Gulfport, which will cost New Orleans millions in lost tourism dollars, will deal a blow to the city's burgeoning cruise ship industry.

COPA Casts Off
March 3: At 9:30 AM today, the 1951-built COPA CASINO departed Mobile, Alabama for scrappers at Alang, India. The former RYNDAM, ATLAS, PRIDE OF MISSISSIPPI, PRIDE OF GALVESTON had last served as a casino at Gulfport, Mississippi between 1993 and late 2002.

INDY Sold
February 26: Maritime Matters has learned the historic 1951-built SS INDEPENDENCE was sold this morning at auction in Sacramento to a company called California Manufacturer's Corporation for the sum of $4,050,000.00. Plans for her future have not yet been disclosed.

Former Project America Ship In German Yard For Hawaii
February 24: As reported last week the US passed a spending bill containing language authorising Norwegian Cruise Line to reflag three vessels for inter-island Hawaiian crusing. Following this news NCL today confirmed that it reached agreement with Lloyd Werft, Germany to complete the work on the first partially built former Project America ship which had been towed to the Europe from a Mississippi shipyard. The vessel's design is to be modified for the "Freestyle Cruising" concept and upgraded from its original safety and environmental specifications of "Short International Voyage classification" which had allowed for fewer lifeboats while limiting operations to within 200 miles of port. NCL proposes inaugural crsuies in 2004 as the ship makes its journey from Bremerhaven to Honolulu. Regular Hawaiian service to commence by early summer that year. Under the US flag the ship will not have to make the ungainly visit to Fanning Island to satisfy US Cabotage laws, thereby offering more of the Hawaiian Islands experience.

MARCO POLO in Antarctic Incident
February 23: It was reported February 19 that Orient Lines' 1965-built MARCO POLO (ex ALEXANDR PUSHKIN) had to make a hasty return to Ushuaia with 538 passengers and a crew of 320 after three cracks developed in the hull while sailing in the South Shetland Islands. The Argentine Coast Guard said the incident occurred over the weekend when the cruise ship was weighing anchor, preparing to sail from Livingston Island in the MacFarlane Strait and the wind pushed her in to shallow waters where she suffered the damage. In Ushuaia, divers confirmed the hull had three cracks (one and a half, three, and four meters long). They were rapidly covered by welding eight millimetre plates on to the hull. The Coast Guard station in Ushuaia reported that MARCO POLO was never at risk and after the repairs she headed to Valparaiso to pick up more cruise passengers.

Crimson Tide?
February 22: Reports from Freeport indicate that the 1961-built BIG RED BOAT III (former TRANSVAAL CASTLE, SA VAAL, FESTIVALE, ISLANDBREEZE) was purchased for scrapping last week. If, true, this sad development spells the end of the final passenger mail ship built for Union Castle Line. She will also be the first former Carnival Cruise Lines ship to go to the breakers. Ironically, an inspection in December by Maritime Matters found this ship to be in remarkably good condition, save for some cosmetic exterior fading due to the extreme weather conditions.

DIAMOND PRINCESS Inferno Blame
February 22: Japanese press reports state that seven shipbuilding company employees may face negligence charges for causing the fire last October that badly damaged the almost completed DIAMOND PRINCESS at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Nagasaki. Police sent reports to prosecutors accusing the seven -- two shipyard workers and five engineers and managers -- of negligence. The fire broke out on the ship at around 5:20 p.m. on October 2002, as workers were welding. Heat from the welding burned wooden furniture in the neighboring cabin through a 5-millimeter-thick steel plate, triggering the fire. The fire was extinguished 36 hours later after the ship was seriously damaged. The ship when completed will be now be named SAPPHIRE PRINCESS.

COPA Departure Delayed
February 21: The 1951-built COPA CASINO (former RYNDAM, WATERMAN, RYNDAM, ATLAS, PRIDE OF MISSISSIPPI, PRIDE OF GALVESTON) is now scheduled to depart under tow from Mobile, Alabama to Alang for scrapping on Thursday, February 27.

Power Struggle Over Mississippi
February 21: Entergy Corporation and Carnival Cruise Lines are still at odds over plan to raise power lines hanging over the Mississippi River in the path of the line's CARNIVAL CONQUEST. When the water levels are are high the dipping lines will prevent the tall cruise ship from sailing safely beneath them. While Entergy Corp. is on schedule with a plan to bury the cables beneath the river by June 2004, the company decided to explore the possibility of raising the towers that support the power line as a short-term fix. Entergy is having additional steel supports built to make the towers taller. When the work is finished engineers will decide whether the elevated towers are strong enough to support the weight of the cables. A Carnival attorney asked Entergy to put the construction schedule in writing so Carnival can plan on keeping the ship in New Orleans, but Entergy has said it does not want to enter into any contract. If the river rises and Carnival is forced to temporarily move the 2,974-passenger cruise ship to Gulfport, Miss., Carnival says Entergy should cover the costs, however Entergy dismissed any liability for damages. This winter, the river has been unseasonably low because of light snowfall in the north. But with recent storms, the level of the river is expected to rise soon. The river is expected to crest March 11 at a height of 12 feet. At 208 feet above the water, the ship's funnel and mast are taller than the lowest point of the transmission line, which hang as low as 175 feet above the river. The ship currently passes the wire by hugging the bank of the river, where the power line climbs to 351 feet before reaching towers. But spring brings higher water levels, and it's not clear exactly how high the water must rise before it forces the ship to sail too close to the bank to be safe. Officials in Gulfport, which is trying to build a cruise ship business, say they stand ready to receive the ship if New Orleans cannot.

QM2 Pod Rethink
February 21: In reports from France, it appears that the German cargo liner TIRADOR, sailed Tuesday February 18 from Saint Nazaire for Norway. In her holds were two 270 ton Rolls Royce electric motors or "pods" for QUEEN MARY 2. TIRADOR had arrived at the French shipyard of Chantiers d'Atlantique, February 10, but the pods never unloaded. It was reported that following the problems with INFINITY, which suffered serious pod troubles recently (see January 30), engineers feared a defect in the design. It is not clear if the Cunard liner will be delayed by this turn of events.

STAR FLYER Bumps Wharf
February 18: Ninety-eight passengers on board Star Clippers' 1992-built STAR FLYER received a rude welcome at Port Klang (Swettenham), Malaysia, as the ship collided with the wharf. No one was hurt and the vessel sustained minimal damage while a small section of the wharf struck collapsed.

DOLPHIN IV Departs
February 17: Reports from the Bahamas indicate scrap-bound DOLPHIN IV (ex ZION, AMELIA DE MELLO, ITHACA) left Freeport under tow for Alang on or about Tuesday, February 11, 2003.

Royal Approval For WINDSOR CASTLE
February 15: In a letter to Maritimematters from St. James's Palace, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales expressed support for the plan to return the former RMS WINDSOR CASTLE to Britain. Written by Captain EJT Mellish, Welsh Guards on behalf of Prince Charles, he said, "His Royal highness sincerely hopes that you do find some means to make the project a success and that we may well see the RMS WINDSOR CASTLE returned to these shores before too long". This comes on the eve of the inaugural meeting of the RMS WINDSOR CASTLE Preservation Society in Southampton, England in the Victoria Room of the Star Hotel on Saturday March 1st at 2pm. Click on Mailship WINDSOR CASTLE Project.

NCL Clears Passenger Shipping Act in Hawaii
February 14: A provision in the new US federal spending bill allowing Norwegian Cruise Line to sail foreign-built ships under a U.S. flag in island waters was amended to apply exclusively to Hawaii. The U.S. House yesterday overwhelmingly approved bill. The provision allows Norwegian Cruise Line to complete building two partly built cruise ships destined for Hawaii under a failed American shipbuilding project, and then sail them exclusively in Hawaii. It also allows the cruise line to reflag an additional cruise ship already in operation. The provision exempts NCL's ships from federal law that prohibits foreign-built ships from operating between U.S. ports. It also requires the Miami-based cruise line to employ American crews and abide by all U.S. laws. The exemption will authorize Norwegian to be the only company to provide interisland cruise service exclusively in Hawaii. The first ship would begin cruising Hawaii in April 2004, followed by the second ship in May 2005 and the third in December 2005. The two 1,900-passenger uncompleted ships and materials, (which were being constructed in Mississippi for American Classic Voyages), were bought by Norwegian last year and sent to Europe.

ROTTERDAM Reprieve Returns?
February 13: In response to an overwhelming amount of support for the Steamship Rotterdam Foundation's efforts to generate over 1,800 signatures and e-mails to the mayor of Rotterdam calling for the return of the SS REMBRANDT (ex ROTTERDAM) as a stationary attraction and hotel, Mr. van Sluis, the alderman responsible for the Port of Rotterdam, is going to make a last attempt to save the beloved ship.

Mr. van Sluis will try to negotiate with the Project Developers who are now thwarting the return of the 1959-built vessel. Their reluctance to move forward with the plan is due to fears that apartment dwellers will not appreciate an ocean liner in the direct vicinity.

INDEPENDENCE Auction Skedded
February 13: The laid-up 1951-built SS INDEPENDENCE is to be auctioned off by MARAD on February 26, according to reports from unnamed potential bidders for the classic liner, which has been laid up at Suisuin Bay, CA since the collapse of American Hawaii Cruises in late 2001.

ISLE Still Enchants
February 13: Maritime Matters contributors Martin Cox and Peter Knego have just returned from a visit to a number of ships in the New Orleans and Mobile region, including the SS ENCHANTED ISLE (former ARGENTINA, VEENDAM, BRAZIL, VEENDAM, MONARCH STAR, VEENDAM, BERMUDA STAR, ENCHANTED ISLE, COMMODORE HOTEL) which has been laid up at Violet, LA since the collapse of Commodore Cruises in late 2000. The ISLE is in remarkably good condition despite some cosmetic mildew and exterior weathering. Her furnishings and interior fittings are very nicely preserved as seen during a top to bottom, stem to stern tour courtesy of her kind Captain Pantelaras, arranged by Liners List master Steve Swanson.