|
|
| WOCLS Sponsors |
|
|
WOCLS Cruise Coordinator
| |
LONG TIME MEMBER JERRY DAVIS TAKES OVER AS WOCLS CRUISE COORDINATOR
I would like to take a moment to thank my friend, and long time member Jerry Davis for graciously agreeing to become the official coordinator of all of our upcoming WOCLS "Hosted" Cruises.
Choosing an agency partner is never an easy task and when you're President of an organization that represents thousands of members, many of who themselves are agents and are also your friends, this becomes increasingly difficult.
Yet to have these cruises, which so many love, operate requires us to choose an agency as members must book into one group under the line's rules to receive the perks we provide.
While I know of several dear friends who would have stepped up to the plate, I was very pleased that Jerry responded to my request and agreed to handle this task.
Bill Miller and I have personally known Jerry for decades and while he is President of Alice Travel, I have always shared a great relationship with him.
Prior to calling on him to handle this task I had thought of asking him to host a cruise (booked elsewhere) because he brings far more to the table than what he does 9-5pm
Jerry is an avid ship lover with countless cruise experiences under his belt. He is also and avid photographer and world traveller. I believe members will thoroughly enjoy what he has to offer over and above his services, and hope he will share some of his great photos with us on our Facebook page.
.........Tom
|
|
|
|
|
|
E NEWS SUPPLEMENT...by Bill Miller
April 15, 2013
|
|
|
Greetings!
My friend, and maritime artist, Stephen J, Card will be joining me as co-host of a very special WOCLS cruise aboard Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam on December 8, 2013.
If you have the time in your schedule and are looking for a great cruise, please consider joining us. There will be special rates and events and it is sure to be a great time.
Details..
Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam
Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale
December 8, 2013
Exclusive WOCLS Events with Host Maritime Artist Steven Card
- Welcome Cocktail party with Steven Card
- Special slide presentation from Steven Card showing his famous artwork with Q&A
- Dinner one evening hosted by Steven Card in the Pinnacle Grill
Inside Stateroom from - $499*
Outside Stateroom from - $609*
Balcony Stateroom from - $949*
Suites from - $1549*
*Cruise Only, Per person, based on double occupancyGovernment Fees of $120.69 are not included
For more information please
call (800) 229-2542
cruises@wocls.org
Your Friend & Editor!
Tom Cassidy
|
Troubled times!
Miami-based Carnival, the biggest cruise consortium of all times with 14 cruise lines & some 105 ships, has had more than its share of bad luck recently. Last year, the Costa Concordia capsized off Italy with devastating headlines and then, a month later, the Costa Allegra broke down in the steamy Indian Ocean. Last winter, the 3,360-passenger Carnival Triumph had a major mechanical breakdown in the western Caribbean and so creating a horrific cruise with huge passenger discomfort, more blazing headlines & then the ship being embarrassingly towed into port. Now, 3 additional Carnival ships - Carnival Dream, Carnival Elation & Carnival Legend - have had mechanical problems resulting in delays & passenger disruptions. "Not at all good for Carnival," said one cruise savvy friend, "but really not good for the entire cruise industry!"
But it hasn't ended: While being repaired at a shipyard at Mobile, Alabama, the 101,000-ton Triumph was ripped from her moorings (tearing away no less than 4 bollards), thrusting a workmen into the local waters (he was not recovered), then with the 892-ft long ship slamming into a US Army Corps of Engineers dredger before finally, being secured by tugs and, in bowed embarrassment, towed back to the cruise terminal where she landed her very unhappy passengers two months before, in February.
|
|
Extended Life!
The 1965-built Marco Polo - rebuilt from the Soviet Alexandr Pushkin & later long popular with the Orient Line - is now run by this niche British cruise company. It has been reported that the 800-passenger ship has been certified to sail until 2027. This would bring the 580-footer up to 67 yrs of age. |
Italy - End of the tow line! 
Long laid-up at Genoa and caught in financial problems, the 20,000-ton Pacific has been towed to Aliaga in Turkey for demolition. The 650-bed ship dates from 1971 and had been Flagship Cruises' Sea Venture & later the iconic Pacific Princess, the "star" of sorts in TV's long-running Love Boat (1975-86). Sold by Princess Cruises in 2003, she joined Pullmanturs, the Spanish cruise line & a firm partly owned by Royal Caribbean. With her named shortened simply to Pacific, thereafter she was used in the Med during the summer & in South America during wintertime. She later passed on to another Spanish line, Quail Cruises, but fell on hard times beginning in 2008. She was reported to be in very poor condition, was finally returned from Brazil to Spain and later placed "under arrest" for lack of payment of bills. Eventually was abandoned "as is" at Genoa. So, she has been rusting at a Genoa dock for over four years. But stop the press: At the last minute (April 3rd), the Italian authorities refused to allow the ship to depart for Turkish waters, citing "asbestos problems". |
 New York - Mega Yacht
Just in case you noticed a huge yacht berthed for the past two months on the north side of Pier 90, at the foot of West 50th Street, we thought you might like to know. The gleaming white & blue vessel is the Eclipse. She the largest, most extravagant & most expensive super yacht ever created. The 614-ftlong Eclipse (just about the same length as, say, the onetime liners Olympia & Vistafjord, costing $320 million and owned Russian zillionaire Roman Abramovich). And by the way, and just in case you might need to know or maybe even be invited for tea, the futuristic-looking, German-built Eclipse has a dozen, very lavish guest quarters (the master of master bedrooms even has a retractable ceiling for nights-under- the-stars), carries a crew of 65 and is complete with 2 helicopter pads along with its very own submarine. There's also 2 swimming pools, 6 hot tubs, a disco, 600 doors spread over its 8 decks and, just in case, even its very own missile-detection system. ... On a more sobering side, the economic slump has affected the New York cruise business. Embarking passengers in 2012 dropped to 588,000 from 633,000 the year before. Economic impact also dropped - from $150 million in 2011 to $122 million last year. Ships calls also fell slightly from 267 in 2011 to 251 in 2012. But things have a bright side too! Overall, 52 million visitors came to see the Big Apple in 2012. And next month, the 4,000-passenger Norwegian Breakaway arrives & will do year-round cruising from New York. And rumor has it that Royal Caribbean will increase its Manhattan presence as well. |
|
Hitting the rocks! 
The coastal liner Kong Harald grounded outside the Trollfjord, along Norway's majestic coast, on March 4th. The 400-bed ship was stuck on a rock, but later refloated during high tide & then finally had to go to a shipyard for repairs. |
|
Ocean Liner Collectibles - Shipping news!
A set of 30 press releases from the Cunard Line in the late '60s and for the then brand new Queen Elizabeth 2 sold recently for $250.
|
|
Ocean Liner History - Greek Flagship!
Sixty years ago, the Fairfield Shipyard up in Scotland was adding the finishing touches to the 23,000-ton, 1,307-passenger Olympia. She would be the new flagship of the Greek Line and was to be the national flagship. In fact, the ship was to be named Frederica, in honor of Queen Frederica of Greece. But a dispute with the Government arose, the ship was named Olympia instead & her registry changed from Greek to Liberia. The 609-ft long ship first ran (beginning in October 1953) North Europe-New York service & then Mediterranean-New York runs as well as lots of cruising. She went on to become the Caribe I in the 1980s and then the Regal Empress, enduring until scrapped in India in 2009.
|
 Update of French Cruising!
After being sold last summer by the giant French container cargo line CMA-CGM, Ponant is now owned by British interests, Bridgeport Capital Ltd. They remain in the niche luxury market as well as in expedition cruising. This summer, Ponant is adding the 3rd sister, Le Soleal, to the 264-berth pair, L'Austral & Le Boreal. They also run the 64-passenger Le Ponant, a sailing ship. The Company did sell off two ships recently - the 189-passenger Le Diamant went to Quark Expeditions to become the Ocean Diamond and the smaller Le Levant has changed hands to Paul Gauguin Cruises, becoming the Tere Moana.
|
Cruising to the Far North! 
Recently, I did a 15-night cruise aboard the 700-passenger Saga Sapphire. It was a voyage in "Search of the Northern Lights," from Southampton to the very top of Norway - and in February. Indeed, an adventure! Here's some notations: "As we re-crossed the Arctic Circle & temperatures rising to an almost tropical 20 degrees. But bright, crisp sunshine soon gives way to dark gray skies and, even at sea, then a fierce snowstorm. Being inside the cozy, warm ship, it is - and as I've scribbled before - far easier to say that it is all quite magical, creating the great mood, even being a setting in some romantic novel. The Boat Deck has 2-3 inches of snow just after lunch."
Saga & the Saga Sapphire! So, let's take a quick look at the Saga product on this 32-yr old, 700-bed ship - and her best 5 features:
1. Unique Northern Lights itinerary
2. Shore & tour operations
3. Crew & service
4. Clubby atmosphere of the ship
5. Highly spacious design of the ship
And, of course, the food is very good, entertainment just right for the largely mature passengers and the cruise staff (especially John Barton, the cruise director) warm, friendly & really just wonderful at their jobs.
|
Ocean & Cruise News
Current & Past Issues Members can download a PDF of current and past issues using the following links
Past Issues of this "new" Email Supplement beginning with the Feb. 21, 2011 issue can be found by clicking our logo below
The above listed items are copyrighted material and are for the exclusive use of paid members in good standing. Any unauthorized duplication, transmission or distribution of this material without the written permission of The World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society is strictly prohibited.
|
|
WORLD OCEAN & CRUISE LINER SOCIETY'S
HOSTED CRUISES
One of the great things about being a World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society member is joining us aboard one of our "Hosted" member cruises. Each cruise features low group rates, special amenities plus onboard lectures and events
Crystal Symphony
New York to Miami (14-Nights)
Visiting Baltimore,MD; Charleston, SC; Savannah, GA; Jacksonville, FL; Turks & Caicos, Grand Turk; Curacao/Willemstad;Oranjestad, Aruba, Miami, FL
Sailing: November 2, 2013
Exclusive WOCLS Events with Bill Miller
- Special WOCLS Q&A with Bill Miller
- Welcome cocktail reception with Bill Miller for our guests
- Bill Miller will host a dinner in a specialty restaurant with our group
Special Book Now Fares (book by 4/30/13):
You will receive a shipboard credit of $250.00 per person
Outside Stateroom from - $4450*
Balcony Stateroom from - $6060*
Suitex from - $9700*
*Rates are cruise only, per person, based on double occupancy. Government Fees of $685 are not included
* * * * * * *
Oceania Riviera
Sailing roundtrip from Miami and visiting Tortola; St. John's; Bridgetown, Barbados; Castries, St. Lucia; Gustavia and Miami March 28, 2014 (10-Nights)
Exclusive WOCLS Events with Host Art Sbarksy
Special WOCLS Q&A with Art Sbarsky as he takes you through his career in the cruise industry.
This is a Fundraising Cruise for Art's favorite charity.
The American Cancer Society.
- Welcome cocktail reception with Art Sbarsky for our guests
- Art Sbarsky will host a dinner in a specialty restaurant with our group
- Includes airfare from most Oceania gateways or an air credit
- Includes a special $150 per cabin shipboard credit
Inside cabin from - $2899*
Window cabin from - $3199*
Balcony cabin from - $3499
Suite cabin from - $4999*
*Rates are cruise only, per person, based on double occupancy. Includes government fees
CRUISES MUST BE BOOKED WITH THE WOCLS GROUP
COORDINATOR TO PARTICIPATE IN WOCLS EVENTS!!
For more information please
call (800) 229-2542
cruises@wocls.org
|
|
 WOCLS E News & Renewals
If you've been receiving this E-news but not the monthly print publication chances are your subscription has expired. Please renew now as your E-news will stop shortly. Please renew online using the following link
Join or Renew Here
If you receive both...we ask you to please help us keep renewal mailing costs down. Renew today before we need to send you a notice.
In either case you may join or renew securely using your Visa or MasterCard. This form features VeriSign's Secure processing so you know your vital information is secure. You may also mail your check to The World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society - P.O. Box 329 - Northport NY 11768. A renewal ($30/year domestic -or- $36/ year foreign) will extend your existing subscription to both this "E-News" Supplement and Ocean Cruise News a full 12 months from the end of your current subscription
|
|
About Bill Miller 
Bill Miller is an international authority on the subject of ocean liners & cruise ships --- from those "floating palaces" of yesteryear to the current generation of cruise ships, the "floating resorts". Called "Mr. Ocean Liner," he has written some 80 books on the subject: from early steamers, immigrant ships and liners at war to other titles on their fabulous interiors, in post card form and about the highly collectible artifacts from them. He has done specific histories of such celebrated passenger ships as the United States, Queen Mary, Rotterdam, France, Queen Elizabeth 2 and Crystal Serenity.
In all, he has also written over 1,000 articles for newspapers, magazines and nautical journals & newsletters. He even had his very own ocean liner quarterly, the Millergram. He has made nearly 450 voyages to date: Atlantic crossings, tropical cruises, coastal runs and even trips on container cargo ships and exotic banana boats. He has appeared in some three dozen video & television series, both in the USA, Britain, Europe and Australia, including Castles of the Sea, The Floating Palaces, The Super Liners, Inside the World of a Cruise Ship, Disasters at Sea, Deco: Age of Glamour, and Lady in Waiting: The Story of the SS United States. He has also appeared on The Today Show, CBS Evening News, CBS Sunday Morning, Good Morning America, NBC Evening News and many other news broadcasts. He has been guest lecturer aboard over 50 different liners, sailing with the likes of Crystal Cruises, Cunard, Carnival, Holland America, Princess, Radisson-Seven Seas, Saga Cruises and others. Miller was a public school teacher, in middle school and for social studies, for 32 years. He was named "Teacher of the Year" in 2002.
A native of Hoboken, New Jersey, the once busy port just across the Hudson River from New York City, Miller was named Outstanding American Maritime Scholar in 1994, received the United States Maritime Preservation Award and also the Ocean Liner Council's Silver Riband Award, both in 2004. Also, he has been chairman of the Port of New York Branch of the World Ship Society, deputy director of the New York Harbor Festival, served on the selection committee for the American Maritime Hall of Fame, created the passenger ship database for the Ellis Island Museum and currently serves as Curator of 20th Century Maritime History at Manhattan's South Street Seaport Museum. He has also organized a 14-week college course on liners, and helped to create & then served as historian at the US Merchant Marine Museum. His private collection includes 4,000 books on ships, over 15,000 photos and some 1,500 miniature ship models, most of them being passenger ships.
By 2011, Miller had 10 new books in the works, was curator to Decodence (an exhibit at the South St Seaport on the design & décor of the grand French liner Normandie) and himself was the subject of a one-hour film documentary aptly titled Mr Ocean Liner. In 2011, he hosted Cinematic Crossings: Ocean Liners on the Big Screen, a 5-day film festival at Manhattan's Lincoln Center. Currently, he spends some 200 days a year lecturing onboard ocean liners & cruise ships.
Follow Bill's look back at ship's of yesteryear..
Heard Along the Boat Deck
And his current and past cruise experiences...
Scribblings |
|
William Miller Books!
 Great Atlantic Liners of the 20th Century in Color (co-authored with Anton Logvinenko; Amberley Publishing, Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK. $29.95
 Ile de France And Liberte - France's Premier Post War Liners The latest in the Classic Liners series evokes the glamour and ambience of two of the most beloved liners of the 1950s Île de France, completed in 1927, was a hugely famous prewar liner, a ship with unique style and character. She was said to offer "the cheeriest way to cross the Atlantic." After wartime service as a valiant troopship, she was restored with what Paris fashion calls a "new look," relaunched in 1949. The Liberté was built in 1930, originally the German Europa, but ceded to France as reparations in 1946. She was de-Germanized and restyled in French Line luxury as the Liberté, recommissioned in 1950. The Île de France sailed until 1958; the Liberté until 1961, and this illustrated book concentrates on their heydays in the glorious, post-World War II years, when they were the largest and grandest liners under the French flag. Both ships were famed for their service and onboard ambience, but most especially for their cooking, and they were said to be the best-fed liners on the Atlantic...$25.00
 Along the Hudson - luxury Liner Row in the 50's & 60's
In the 1950s and '60s, countless passenger liners called at New York and usually berthed at Luxury Liner Row along the City's West Side. The cast includes the Cunard Queens, the Ile de France & Liberte, United States, Independence, Gripsholm & Queen of Bermuda. It is a grand assemblage of great ships -- both large & small. $29.95
Great American Passenger Ships 
The story of American passenger ships over the 20th century -- from the Leviathan to the Lurline, Santa Rosa & America to the brilliant United States. Interesting text accompanied by lots of black & white photos as well as color. $29.95.
Great Liners Story
A fascinating "little book" about the great liners, those floating palaces, of the 20th century -- from the grand German four-stackers to the age of the Oasis of the Seas. Mostly color in this hardcover book. $15.00.
Great Passenger Ships 1910-1920
It was an age of evolution, when size and speed were almost the ultimate considerations. 'Bigger was said to be better' and ship owners were not exempted from the prevailing mood. While the German four-stackers of 1897-06 and then Cunard's brilliant Mauretania & Lusitania of 1907 led the way to larger and grander liners. White Star Line countered by 1911 with the Olympic, her sister Titanic and a near-sister, the Britannic. The French added the France while Cunard took delivery of the beloved Aquitania. But the Germans won out -- they produced the 52,000-ton Imperator and a near-sister, the Vaterland, the last word in shipbuilding and engineering prior to the First World War. They and their sister, the Bismarck, remained the biggest ships in the world until 1935.
But other passenger ships appear in this decade --- other Atlantic liners, but also ships serving on more diverse routes: Union Castle to Africa, P&O to India and beyond, the Empress liners on the trans-Pacific run. We look at a grand age of maritime creation, ocean-going superlative, but also sad destruction in the dark days of the First War. It was, in all ways, a fascinating period.
Last Atlantic Liners: Getting There is Half the Fun (Amberley Publishing, Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK, 2011
RMS Caronia: Cunard's Green Goddess
(co-authored with Brian Hawley) The History Press Ltd, Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK, 2011
Floating Palaces: The Great Atlantic Liners(Amberley Publishing, Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK, 2011
Great British Passenger Ships (The History Press Ltd, Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK, 2010)
SS Nieuw Amsterdam: The Darling of the Dutch (Amberley Publishing, Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK, 2010)
Cunard's Three Queens: A Celebration (Amberley Publishing, Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK, 2009)
Under the Red Ensign: British Passenger Liners of the '50s & '60s (The History Press, Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK, 2009)
SS United States: Speed Queen of the Seas (Amberley Publishing, Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK, 2009)
And yet to come.....
I Was Born in Hoboken: Memories of the 1950s & '60s (Hoboken Historical Museum, Hoboken, NJ, due fall 2011)
The Last Great Dynasty: The Royal House of Windsor (Amberley Publishing, Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK, due 2012)
The Cunard Yanks (co-authored with Ian Wright; pending but due 2012)
|
|
|
