NAVIGATION-Cruising and Maritime Themes

The SS "UGANDA" was such an exceptional ship, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the launch of the ship in 2012, THE SS UGANDA TRUST is organizing a few events, please visit and follow the extraordinary work of this UK Registered Charity on www.ssuganda.co.uk

We travel way back in time on this post, to be precise to 1953 when ITALIAN LINE produced this brochure to promote the launch of their new ship, the "ANDREA DORIA" built and delivered by ANSALDO SHIPYARDS at Genoa in 1953, the ship was 29.083 GRT and cruised at 23 knots from Europe to North America. Images taken from brochure, my private collection

Cruise ship "BALMORAL" at Calshot earlier this year, the voyage is due to start in Southampton on the 8th of April 2012

2012 marks 100 years of the sinking of RMS "TITANIC", several events will take place around the world to remember, those who lost their lives, the ship and the Edwardian page in History, for further information please visit www.titanicmemorialcruise.co.uk

SS "GUGLIELMO MARCONI" during a 1973 World Cruise, the voyage would take about 80 days and were epic journeys with the most amazing ports of call, the vessel would steam at an average speed of 24 knots, she was the flagship of LLOYD TRIESTINO, when I sailed on the ship three years later, by then operated by ITALIAN LINE on the European, South America route, she was sailing at an average speed of 21.5 knots, I remember there was no vibration at all anywhere on the ship, she was really smooth and negotiated heavy seas with extreme comfort.

Seen here at Genoa in 1973 is the amazing "GUGLIELMO MARCONI", she was at the time operated on round the world voyages by LLOYD TRIESTINO, three years later I was so priviledged to have sailed on this incredible liner, a trip I will never forget, image taken from a FINMARE magazine in 1973

Holland America Line's fleetmates NOORDAM and ROTTERDAM seen leaving Funchal inbound the Caribbean Sea on the 3rd and 13th November 2011 respectively. It's clearly visible the "fighting" of these ships with the strong waves that from once in a while affects Funchal's bay.

One last post about EAGLE, two photo records, the way she looked brand new in the early seventies in Lisbon, photo by my long time Friend LUIS MIGUEL CORREIA,   my favourite photo of the ship and the way she looks today, promotional postcard by current operators MANO CRUISES as ROYAL IRIS

EAGLE was built in 1971 by DUBIGEON-NORMANDIE shipyards and delivered to P & O Southern Ferries on the 18th of May, she departed on her maiden voyage two days later to Lisbon, she was 11.600 GRT with capacity for 750 passengers and 200 cars, she was Diesel propelled with a total of 20.400 bhp, the vessel had a top speed of 23.3 knots, but would normally cruise at 20/21 knots. She was by todays standards a very small ship, but ships were measured in a different way those days, I have sailed a couple of times on the ship and she was far from being small, she offered huge amounts of open decks with a beautiful wrap-around promenade, also on sun deck, there was a beautiful appointed Panoramic Bar with amazing sea views. She was the first ship I cruised so she will always have a special place in my heart snd she was beautiful. Brochures and postcards of my private collection

As a follow up of the previous post, "THE AZUR" was sold in 1994 by CHANDRIS to FESTIVAL CRUISES, the ship is seen here during a cruise in Barcelona, summer of 2000

In 1987, "AZUR", former P & O Southern Ferries EAGLE spent some time in Lisbon, during the process she was sold by PAQUET CRUISES to CHANDRIS and was renamed THE AZUR, before departing the Portuguese Capital the ship went for an overhaul refit at the local World famous LISNAVE shipyard, the ship is seen here first as the AZUR laid up and then coming out of dry dock, the funnels all white, they were still to be painted, the traditional CHANDRIS blue

Seen here in the summer of 2000 is the 1965 built "MARCO POLO", the ship was operated at the time by ORIENT LINES, she is the former soviet liner ALEXANDR PUSHKIN and remains a fine lady to this day with a devoted legion of repeat customers

P & O CRUISES "ORIANA" arrived this wednesday at Hamburg for a major refit, a conversion to adult only cruising, this is for me one of the most antecipated refits of the last few years because major modifications will incur, which regrettably might alter the appearance of this classic ship, she was built in 1995 with a view to retain CANBERRA´s ambiance, her first master Commodore Ian Gibb was appointed because of his connection with the much-loved CANBERRA, she was for a few years the bench-mark against which all other cruise ships would be measured, she epitomizes the best the nineties could offer in terms of ship building, a ship designed with long sea voyages in mind, stable, sleek, powerful and fast, the fastest for 25 years. Few photos taken along the years, the likes of which we might not see again

Members of the crew of former P & O cruise-liner "CANBERRA" are organizing a crew get together in Southampton next year, the event yet to be named will take place in August or September, to register or for further details and information please visit SSCANBERRA.COM or go to the Canberra Reunion Facebook Page. Two photos of this amazing ship in Lisbon in the 80´s

5th of June 2012 is a date to remember and pencil in your diary, for the first time the three new cunarders will be together at Southampton, it promises to be a fantastic event