Icelandic ash plumes over the Atlantic deferred MaritimeMatters’ participation in the Southampton-based christening and inaugural sailing of Celebrity Cruises’ new Solstice Class vessel, the MV CELEBRITY ECLIPSE. Hopefully, we will be able to provide a first-hand account of the ship and her myriad features when she comes to the U.S.…
After nearly two weeks at San Francisco’s BAE Systems’ drydock where her hull was scraped free of lead-based paints and her valves tested for any sort of leaks, the majestic USNS GENERAL EDWIN D. PATRICK was lowered back into the water today and moved to a berth at the shipyard…
HOLLYWOOD TO HONOLULU: The story of the Los Angeles Steamship Company Book by Gordon Ghareeb and (MaritimeMatters publisher) Martin Cox Review published in Sea Classics, April 2010 by Rod Redman Travel nostalgia lovers will be thrilled by this well-illustrated tribute to one of the most celebrated regional steamship lines of…
Peter Knego’s latest Sea Treks video, “CONTE BIANCAMANO, Then and Now”, has been added to the MaritimeMatters video clip page. See the 1925-built liner come to life in a series of vintage images provided by Maurizio Eliseo, including some spectacular views of her first class interiors by some of Italy’s…
After Saga Holiday’s recently retired MV SAGA ROSE (ex SAGAFJORD) was last reported bound for Walvis Bay, Namibia, she disappeared from AIS detection shortly after passing Mauritania off the western coast of Africa. The ship did not turn up in Walvis Bay, however, and is now well south of Cape…
Celebrity Cruise Line’s brand new 2,800 passenger CELEBRITY ECLIPSE has arrived at Southampton today, April 20. The first inaugural event scheduled for this week has been scrubbed so the ship can head to Spain to pick up British tourists stranded by the volcanic ash cloud that continues to linger over…
The 1943-built USNS GENERAL EDWIN D. PATRICK (ex ADMIRAL C.F. HUGHES), last of the P2-SE2-R1 class troop transports (the prototypes of American President Lines’ SS PRESIDENT WILSON and SS PRESIDENT CLEVELAND), has entered BAE Systems’ drydock in San Francisco for keel cleaning en route to her final destination, Brownsville, TX…
Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard launched L’ AUSTRAL, the second of two luxury cruise ships for France’s Compagnie du Ponant. Florence Rousset served as Godmother of the soon-to-be French registered ship while Jean-Emmanuel Sauvee, Director General of Compagnie du Ponant, Véronique Saade, Ponant’s Deputy Managing Director and Fincantieri’s Ancona Shipyard Director, Antonio…
Controversy is brewing over the U.N.’s recent charter of the 1966-built OLA ESMERALDA (ex BLACK PRINCE) and the 2001-built SEA VOYAGER (ex CAPE MAY LIGHT) to house earthquake aid workers at Haiti. The charter, reportedly costing $112,500 per day, is stirring international interest and allegations that one of the vessels,…
After months laying off Gibraltar awaiting sale or charter, Saga Holiday’s recently retired MV SAGA ROSE (ex SAGAFJORD) has left her anchorage and is currently heading south along the coast of West Africa but her final destination is yet to be confirmed. Saga Holidays has not released any sort of…
