Posted on 02/26/2005 6:08:53 AM PST by franksolich
Scrapping looms for veteran liner
Time seems to be running out for the venerable SS Norway. The former liner that helped launch Norwegian shipowners' venture into the cruise industry will reportedly be scrapped if no buyer steps forward by next week.
The vessel continues to be owned by Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL), but hasn't sailed since an explosion in its boiler room in 2003. The explosion and fire killed several crew members.
Vastly in need of expensive renovation, the vessel has since been berthed at Bremerhaven in Germany. NCL initially announced plans to repair the vessel, but the Associated Press reported Friday that NCL wants EUR 20 million (USD 26.5 million) for the ship, and will sell it for scrap if no buyer is found by Monday.
The SS Norway crossed the Atlantic between Le Havre and New York for more than 10 years when she sailed as the SS France. When airlines knocked out the liner trade, the vessel was laid up until the Kloster family of Norway bought the France and converted it into a cruiseship for the family's Norwegian Cruise Line.
The Norway continued sailing through the 1990s, mostly in the Caribbean, but new and vastly more modern cruiseships were already providing tough competition even before the fatal fire in 2003.
One was heartened to see last year, the christening of the Cunarder Queen Mary II, which must be awesomely large (being from Nebraska, any boat bigger than a fishing-boat is "large")--although I could never figure out why it was built in France, rather than in Belfast, or that place in Scotland where Cunard built ships.
Ping for the Norway ping list.
I worked all night long, and am 90% asleep right now; as it is rather pressing, I decided to refuse all further income-tax work, as it just piles up and up.
I must say that in researching "ping lists," so as to continue improving the Norway ping list, I have been impressed by the Eastern European ping list.
If Free Republic gave out awards, of course the DUmmie FUnnies by PJ-Comix would win for "best humor," the photographs of idiots by Mr. Silverback would win for "best political commentary," and the lyrics of Doug from Upland would win for "best music."
But the Eastern European ping list would reap armfuls of awards, for "best layout," "best format," "most aesthetic appeal," and so on and so forth--each new posting in itself alone a work of art.
The Eastern European ping list is the creation of, apparently, more than one guy from Poland (although it is one list), and the Old World craftsmanship that goes into it is pleasing to the eye.
These are guys who, unlike the rest of us who generally just slap things together and post them, take their time and trouble to turn out something of quality; surely they must spend hours, before pushing the "post" button.
Not only that, but they take the time and care to "illustrate" the news-article with maps or photographs, so that readers have an immediate idea about the story. If a story deals with some obscure region of Romania, there is the colorful map, for all to know. If a story deals with St. Stephen's Crown, there is a photograph in exquisite detail, so all may see. All properly centered, too.
Sharp, colorful, clear, wonderfully formatted, the Eastern European ping list, brought to us by guys who really care about quallity and craftsmanship.
The Eastern European ping list is well worth joining, and I certainly recommend it to all.
If I owned an advertising agency, I would hire all these guys from Poland to take care of business, which would then free me to go out on the prairies and admire bison all day long, without a worry in the world.
I'm personally sad to see it go. My family sailed on the France in January, 1963 from New York to Southampton, England. Although I was only a tot at the time, I have pleasant memories of the voyage. I always wanted to sail on the Norway if for no other reason than nostalgia.
Glasgow.
If I remember correctly, when the QM II was farmed out to the French shipyard, the last shipyard in Glasgow capable of building large ships closed down.
Mornin'. Thanks.
Thanks for your kind words. You deserved for post of the “Eastern European ping list” chief of marketing :)
One year we sailed into Miami harbor after a scuba dive trip and the Norway was in port.Jeff told me after we get our gear off our boat and clean it for the charter service(A group of us charter a 40 plus foot Catamaran every year)he would take anyone for a tour of the ship.
The ship was soo big he couldn't show us everything.We saw different cabins including a suit that cost thousands a week,one of the movie theaters,one of the bars,and for the grand finally he took us up on the Bridge.
He also told me a story about when NCL bought the SS France and refurbished it they cut in half and added a couple 100 ft in the middle to make it bigger.He said there is an old sailors tale that when you do that to a ship you Curse It.
The France used to be considered one of the prime symbols of French greatness, like the Eiffel Tower. She boasted luxury accomodations, first class French cuisine, and all the amenities. She was heavily subsidized by the French government for reasons of national pride.
The France was not really replaced by airliners. Rather, she was knocked out when the French government transferred its subsidies to the Concorde supersonic jet, which was intended to be the new, improved symbol of French national greatness.
As it turned out, the Concorde was a big-time loser. Ocean liners still have a place in the world. If the Norway is broken up it will be because she has aged and has been replaced by newer and fancier liners, not because she has been superseded by passenger jets. Jets satisfy one need; passenger ships satisfy another.
You know, sir, I wonder what ever happened to the famous French liner, the "Normandie."
This was way way way way before my own time, but my father was director of medical services at Todd Shipyards in New York City in 1944, when that liner suddenly turned on its side; apparently it made such a commotion that people in distant parts of New York City were immediately aware "something" had happened--they knew not what happened, but that something had happened.
That was a very long time ago, and these people are long gone from this life, but one wonders if the "Normandie" was ever repaired and restored to passenger service, or if it was simply scrapped. Apparently during the 1930s, it was considered one of the premier liners in the world.
Well, I must embarrassingly admit Google is our friend.
I looked it up; the "Normandie" capsized in Todd Shipyards in 1942, not 1944 (I was relying upon memory, which can be faulty). Seized by the United States government after the surrender of France to the Germans, the ship was meant to be outfitted as a troop ship, the "Lafayette," but of course the capsizement ruined those plans. It was shortly thereafter torn apart for scrap metal.
Charles Henrickson and eurotwit.
Please ping your lists. Our pal franksolich has pneumonia. I know I wasn't the only one who noticed he's been quiet.
His doc says it's ok for him to be home alone.
Has medicine evolved that much, that he should be home alone? Not in my experience.
Healing prayer to franksolich!
Oh, go to bed, will ya? LOL!
I hadn't been aware of what happened to the Normandie.
We had friends who used to travel to Europe summers on the France. They weren't all that rich, but the liner was subsidized by the French government and evidently the food was superb.
I took my family to England on the QE 2 many years ago. It was a pleasant experience, very relaxing. Nothing to do but eat, read, stroll the decks, and play bingo.
No such curse amongst real sailors. All tankers and most other ships are designed to add extensions.
I sailed on one ship that had the whole forebody replaced with an entirely different system. They even renamed the ship.
Reminds of a Viet Nam era sea story I heard. There was a freighter named OUR LADY OF PEACE that carried bombs to Viet Nam. The owners were pretty slippery and skimmed as much money as they could by not paying bills. The crew figured something was up when they got the message to change the name of the ship while they were at sea! A lot of the crew ended up not getting paid. I suppose you could call that a curse.
I met the FRANCE one night on the East Coast US one dark night. She was headed to New York from where we had left a couple days before. I was impressed.
Good grief, franksolich!
This pretty much tells how sick you are! You forgot to ping anybody!
Get back to bed, LOL.
PS - I meant to add...
When I had pneumonia, I was delerious. Flowers in the wallpaper kept shrinking, getting bigger, shrinking, getting bigger...
Feverishly hot while in bed. "Mom, take my boots off." Off to the hospital for me.
===
So, who is looking after you besides your FR pals?
Your FRiends are concerned!
Swedish Ping List member JLO has asked that I ping the list to let you know that fellow SPL member (and Norway Ping List master) franksolich is sick with pneumonia. See posts 11, 16, and 17 on this thread.
Uh, I am doing okay.
<<ALWAYS follows doctor's orders.
Just not up to a whole lot of brain work, but hope to be energized for the new and improved Norway ping list coming later this week.
<<for now, am following doctor's orders and slumbering the sleep of the dead.
Anyone here know the name of a Norwegian freighter that was sunk off the coast of Scotland (I think) around 1941 by the Germans? My uncle, Eugene Knutsen, was first mate on that ship. He came to America on board and they had to stay in NY city because the Germans had invaded Norway. He came to see my mother and I have a picture of him holding me. He was such a good looking man. Wish I had known him.
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