From Greene To Great The Great American Steamboat Company carries on a steamboat legacy with the reintroduction of the AMERICAN QUEEN By Shawn J. Dake The return of the AMERICAN QUEEN is more important than being just another travel option in the cruise industry. While European River Cruising continues to…
Continuing Shawn J. Dake’s Cruise Ships 2011, The Year In Review: Louis Cruise Lines and Rio Cruises Louis Cruise Lines took the first steps to move away from Greek registry on their ships, switching them to the Maltese flag, in a dispute over new Greek pension fund legislation. If all…
Continuing Shawn J. Dake’s Cruise Ships 2011, The Year In Review: Compagnie du Ponant Compagnie du Ponant an offshoot of the giant French container company CMA-CGM Group, inaugurated their newest ship L’AUSTRAL on April 26th in Marseilles, headquarters for the line. The 10,700 gross ton ship was joined by it’s…
Continuing Shawn J. Dake’s Cruise Ships 2011, The Year In Review: Crystal Cruises Crystal Cruises announced that beginning in 2012, their cruises will become all-inclusive. Gratuities and an open-bar policy including alcoholic beverages will greatly enhance this already luxurious line. In keeping up their high standards, the CRYSTAL SERENITY underwent…
Premier Cruises To Return 1960-Vintage Vessel To Service By Shawn J. Dake Premier Cruises, Ltd., no relation to the previous cruise line of the same name, will begin service in April, 2013 with the 117-passenger SERENISSIMA on voyages within Europe. The ship was originally built in 1960 at the yard…
April 13, 2012 New Orleans, Louisiana Maritime Matters has been following the return of river cruising on the Mississippi River since the first announcements that the steamer AMERICAN QUEEN would be resuming service under the banner of the Great American Steamboat Company. That dream has become a reality as the…
Shawn Dake reports on the latest developments with the steamboat AMERICAN QUEEN in the days prior to her much-anticipated return to service. It has been nearly four years since an overnight steamboat has graced the waters of the Mississippi River. The return of the largest paddlewheel steamboat ever built took…
M.V. SAN DIEGO 1931 – 2012 Scrapped in Northern California By Shawn J. Dake A historic ferry that was a fixture in Southern California for many years is no more. The diesel-electric powered m.v. SAN DIEGO was scrapped in the Northern California city of Alameda, not far from where she…
Continuing Shawn J. Dake’s Cruise Ships 2011, The Year In Review: Disney Disney Cruise Line showcased their latest addition, the DISNEY DREAM with a gala arrival at Port Canaveral, Florida on January 4th. The new 128,000 gross ton ship has a capacity of over 4,000 passengers, the majority being families…
MSC PREZIOSA Contract Finalized With STX France By Shawn J. Dake After months of speculation MSC Cruises has officially announced that the newest addition to the fleet, and the fourth ship in the “Fantasia Class” will be named MSC PREZIOSA. The negotiations between the line and the shipyard took nine…
