Making up for lost time between VOLUME FIVE (1998) and VOLUME SIX (2003), the newest edition, VOLUME SEVEN, arrives a mere five months after the July 4 issue of VOLUME SIX. VOLUME SEVEN takes a cue from its immediate predecessor with superior editing and composition (thanks to Final Cut Pro and Apple's speedy new G5 computer). As most of the footage was actually shot on digital and not converted to digital for the editing process, the quality is that much better. Further, the music mix has been tailored specifically for each ship covered, and the range runs the gamut from Rachmaninoff to Dorsey, Beethoven to Theodorakis, and many others (both famous and obscure -- just like the ships covered).

VOLUME EIGHT will hopefully follow in the early part of 2004, and then I will revise the first five (several of which are already sold out) as well as start the "Let's Go Aboard" series, showcasing on board footage of select ships from my travels.

To the audience that embraced the first six videos, little has changed as far as the content and structure are concerned. As with the others, the latest installment features exterior footage of fifty ships in one hour, presented in alphabetical order with basic titles, a background music soundtrack and my voice as narration. I have lingered much longer with classics such as MS PHILIPPINES, SS REMBRANDT, MV SAGA ROSE, etc. since these are the ships most of the series' patrons and I cherish the most.

Here is a detailed look at the story behind the ships and footage:

SS APOLLON: The majestic 1961-built SS APOLLON is shown in her glistening white Royal Olympic Cruises livery following a multimillion dollar refit for UK-based Direct Cruises charter in 1999 and again in 2001 when she reappeared in Royal OlympicÍs striking blue hull colors for a season cruising the Aegean and a charter to serve as accommodation at the NATO summit in Naples, which was canceled in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. Despite the near perfect condition of the ship, an aura of doom was in the air as we passed her later that month from the vibrating afterdecks of Royal Olympic's OLYMPIC COUNTESS. The 27,284 gross ton, 1,106 passenger APOLLON was soon returned to her Eleusis anchorage. Truly one of the finest, most important vintage liners left, it was particularly disheartening when I next documented her from a tender boat at Eleusis in September of 2003 as she was being prepared for a one-way voyage to Alang for scrapping. The former EMPRESS OF CANADA (the last passenger liner built for Canadian PacificÍs Atlantic run) and onetime MARDI GRAS (the ship that started it all for Carnival Cruise Lines) left under the delivery name of APOLLO in November of 2003.

MV ARCADIA: The 1968-built, 4,842 gross ton MV ARCADIA makes a cameo re appearance sporting her Golden Sun Cruises blue funneled livery while in winter layup at Piraeus in 1998. She was originally the Spanish car ferry VICENTE PUCHOL and would suffer bad press and the bankruptcy of her charterers in 2001 during a season cruising the Great Lakes. She was later auctioned off and remains laid up as the CARIBIC STAR.

MV AURORA: P&O Cruises 2000-built MV AURORA, named for the goddess of the dawn, is shown during her dawn maiden arrival at San Francisco in 2001. The 76,152 gross ton 1,874 passenger vessel is one of the most impressively designed and decorated new ships afloat and is a product of the Meyer Werft shipyard at Papenburg, Germany.

MV BALTIC STAR: Anedin Line's beautifully preserved 369 passenger 3,564 gross ton MV BALTIC STAR was built in 1953 for Svea Line as the BIRGER JARL for service between Sweden and Finland. She became BORE NORD and MINISEA in subsequent years before going to her present owners, who refitted her as the BALTIC STAR in 1978. Her name reverted to BIRGER JARL in 2002. She is shown arriving at Stockholm in June of 2000, bringing with her an impressive gathering of storm clouds.

SS BIG RED BOAT I/OCEANIC: This important beauty makes her third appearance in this series wearing her final Premier Cruises red livery. Shot at Port Canaveral from the passing DOLPHIN IV and again at Nassau from a tender to the Atlantis Casino, and finally from the slower DOLPHIN in a twilight sea. Although her name was never altered in the registers, the 27,645 gross ton 1,200 passenger SS OCEANIC spent her final season with Premier Cruises billed as the SS THE BIG RED BOAT I. OCEANIC, unlike her Premier companions, has gone on to see further service, and was sold to Spanish-based Pullmantur Cruises in 2001.

SS THE BIG RED BOAT II: The 32,396 gt 1966-built SS THE BIG RED BOAT II was also one of the finest Italian ships of the mid-1960's and bears a very similar likeness to the OCEANIC. Originally Costa Line's EUGENIO C, she was designed for the Italy to South America run and was capable of a very swift 27 knot service speed. Her final years were far less glorious, to say the least. In 2000, she was chartered to Premier Cruises and renamed THE BIG RED BOAT II. She was laid up at Freeport upon the company's collapse that autumn, and is shown at her berths in 2001 and 2002. She was sold to scrap brokers in 2003 and renamed RED BOAT.

SS THE BIG RED BOAT III: The 31,793 gross ton SS THE BIG RED BOAT III returns to this series in her final incarnation for Premier Cruises. The 1961-built ship had an illustrious career as Union-Castle Line's all one class hotel ship TRANSVAAL CASTLE and later sailed for Safmarine as the SA VAAL until 1977 when sold to Carnival Cruises and rebuilt in Japan as the FESTIVALE. FESTIVALE went to Dolphin Cruises as the ISLANDBREEZE in 1996 and joined the Premier fleet in 1997. She became THE BIG RED BOAT III in 2000 and was laid up with her fleetmates that autumn. In the two years between my visits to the ship at Freeport (where she is shown in 2001 and 2002 with a sun-bleached pinkish hull), she decayed considerably and was ultimately sold for scrap, arriving at Alang, India in July of 2003 under the name BIG BOAT.

MV BUKOVINA: The 1961-built 3,345 gross ton 230 passenger MV BUKOVINA is one of the last survivors of the once vast TALLINN-class of passenger ships commissioned for the Soviet Union in the early to mid 1960s. She operates between Istanbul and Black Sea ports and was photographed in December 1998 from one of the many ferries that criss cross the Bosporus.

MV CARNIVAL LEGEND: The 85,920 gross ton 2,114 passenger CARNIVAL LEGEND entered service in 2001. She is the second in CarnivalÍs SPIRIT class quartet and her hull and machinery are identical not only to that of her sisters, which also include the CARNIVAL PRIDE and CARNIVAL MIRACLE, but to the Holland America Line "Vista" class ships, Cunard Line's QUEEN VICTORIA, and Costa's COSTA ATLANTICA and COSTA MEDITERRANEA. The CARNIVAL LEGEND "speaks" twice in this footage, first from the channel in Port Everglades, and later from the decks of the CORAL PRINCESS as both ships made night departures from the port of Limon, Costa Rica.

MV CARONIA: Considered by many to be the last truly beautiful passenger ship built, Cunard Line's classically proportioned MV CARONIA was delivered to Norwegian America Line in 1973 as the MV VISTAFJORD. Together with the SAGAFJORD (also in this volume as SAGA ROSE), VISTAFJORD was among the most elite ships of her day. Cunard purchased NAL in 1984, but VISTAFJORD kept her original name until 1999, when she donned Cunard's black hull and the celebrated name CARONIA. The 24,492 gross ton 500 passenger ship, which will leave Cunard to rejoin her former sister in Saga Holidays fleet in 2005 is shown departing St. Petersburg, Russia and at anchor off Visby in the summer of 2000.

GTS CONSTELLATION: Celebrity Cruises' gas turbine powered MerMaid pod driven 90,228 gross ton 1,950 passenger CONSTELLATION entered service in 2002. She is the fourth and final unit in the Royal Caribbean International owned company's MILLENNIUM class, which also includes the INFINITY and SUMMIT. The color scheme shown in this volume will be short-lived and she will soon sport a more traditional white and midnight blue livery. CONSTELLATION was on one of her shakedown cruises and was heading south off the coast of Spain as seen from the northbound VICTORIA, which was on her final voyage for P&O.

MV CORAL PRINCESS: Carnival-owned Princess Cruises' 88,000 gross ton 1,974 passenger CORAL PRINCESS entered service in 2003 and is shown departing Vancouver that August. She and her sister ISLAND PRINCESS are the first of Princess new Panamax class of ships, featuring the amenities of the larger GRAND PRINCESS class within a hull that can still transit the Panama Canal. Although her funnel houses a supplementary gas turbine engine in addition to her diesel machinery, the aluminum jets on either side are purely decorative and are a new Princess division trademark look.

MV COSTA ATLANTICA: The 2000-built COSTA ATLANTICA is the first of two Carnival-owned Costa Line division vessels built from the Carnival SPIRIT hull and machinery prototype. The 85,619 gross ton 2,114 passenger COSTA ATLANTICA was at the time of her delivery the largest ship ever commissioned for Costa, and was also the first to have decor styled by CarnivalÍs ñin houseî designer Joseph Farcus. She is seen arriving at Piraeus in September of 2001 from the departing OLYMPIC COUNTESS and next is captured departing Piraeus with a smoldering sunset as her backdrop from the arriving ATALANTE in September of 2003.

MV CROWN ODYSSEY: Norwegian Cruise Lines Orient Lines division included the 34,242 gross ton 1,052 passenger CROWN ODYSSEY on its adventuresome global itineraries for just three short years between 2000 and 2003, when she was switched back to NCL and renamed NORWEGIAN CROWN. The CROWN ODYSSEY never looked better than she did in Orient Line's distinctive colors. Ironically, she was delivered as Royal Cruise LineÍs CROWN ODYSSEY in 1984 and became NORWEGIAN CROWN after NCL took over Royal Cruise Line in 1996. Shown departing Rhodes during a windy twilight from the afterdecks of the OLYMPIC COUNTESS in 2001.

MV DEUTSCHLAND: Although Peter Deilmann Cruises 620 passenger DEUTSCHLAND was delivered in 1998, her outer appearance recalls the well balanced look of mid-twentieth century passenger ships. The 24,496 gross ton DEUTSCHLAND is fitted out in quality Edwardian-styled decor reminiscent of the great liners of the early twentieth century. She departs St. Petersburg and is brightly lit even though her backdrop might be described as gloomy.

MV EMPRESS OF THE NORTH: The much anticipated bigger sister to the popular Oregon-based paddle wheeler QUEEN OF THE WEST, American West Steamboat CompanyÍs 236 passenger MV EMPRESS OF THE NORTH entered service in 2003. Although her quaint exterior appearance belies the fact, she is in fact a very sophisticated vessel and is powered by her paddlewheel and two Z Drives. She is shown departing Vancouver on a brilliant afternoon in August of 2003, where she stole the attention from the massive cruise ships that followed in her wake.

MV ENCHANTED SUN: In 2000, now defunct Commodore Cruise Line attempted to operate the 9,511 gross ton 264 passenger 1975-built ENCHANTED SUN on a new San Diego, California to Rosarito Beach, Mexico itinerary, but encountered numerous logistical and operational problems. The ENCHANTED SUN was originally the Hellenic Mediterranean Lines ferry CASTALIA and went on to many other brief careers in ferry or party cruise service. She was withdrawn after only a couple of weeks and sailed to Freeport where she was laid up and renamed TALISMAN and MANISTAL before becoming the ST. TROPEZ in late 2002. Shown arriving at San Diego and in layup at Freeport with the shadow of DISCOVERY SUN's saucer-capped funnel and belching smoke passing along her white flanks.

MV GOLDEN PRINCESS: This noteworthy 12,704 gross ton vessel, featured extensively in VOLUME SIX as JOY WAVE, reappears with yet another name in a long history of rebuilds, different owners, and varying careers. The 1967-built 725 passenger GOLDEN PRINCESS was originally FinnlinesÍ ferry FINLANDIA and is best known for her pioneering Asian cruise service as PEARL OF SCANDINAVIA and OCEAN PEARL. She is presently engaged in overnight gambling cruises from Hong Kong. Shown at anchor from the massive SUPERSTAR LEO and passing the diminutive JI MEI at night off Hong Kong in November of 2000.

MV ISLAND ADVENTURE: The 15,410 gross ton 585 passenger ISLAND ADVENTURE dates from 1976 as the fourth unit in a quintet of cruise ferries built for the Soviet UnionÍs Black Sea Shipping Company. Originally the KAZAKHSTAN, she and her sisters were distinguished by their angular finned funnels and rather pleasing lines. In 1984, her auto deck was replaced with cabins. In 1994, she became UKRAINA and in 1997 she was chartered to current operators, New SeaEscape, for Ft. Lauderdale party cruises. Her name was changed to ISLAND ADVENTURE in 1998. In what could be considered a truncated ñDahî, ISLAND ADVENTURE speaks as she arrives and pivots alongside the much larger REGAL PRINCESS, whose port rail served as my tripod at Ft. Lauderdale.

MV KRISTINA REGINA: Finland-based Kristina Cruises' lovely 4,296 gross ton 272 passenger MV KRISTINA REGINA was built in 1960 as the SS BORE for ferry service between Helsinki, Stockholm and Mariehamn. In 1977, she became the BOREA, and in 1981, she was converted to a full-time cruise ship. She was renamed KRISTINA REGINA in 1987, and the following year, her steam turbines were replaced with diesels. The gorgeous little KRISTINA REGINA is seen from aboard the VICTORIA and other vantages at Port Mahon, Menorca. The crew lined her decks and saluted VICTORIA as we departed, giving a Finnish tribute to one of SwedenÍs most famous liners ever as she departed on her final voyage for her then British owners.

MV MAGIC I: The 1973-built 14,264 gross ton MAGIC I is briefly shown at Limassol in her Mano Cruises' livery. The 750 passenger ship, which was originally Fred Olsen Line's BOLERO, became the Florida-based MIRAGE I in 2003.

MV MIKHAIL SHOLOKHOV: Filmed from the afterdecks of the 1961-built FUNCHAL as she departed the Stockholm archipelago for Estonia, the 1986-built 12,798 gross ton MV MIKHAIL SHOLOKHOV approached and ultimately sailed in tandem with FUNCHAL as a Swedish pilot boat came to retrieve our respective pilots. The 213 passenger MIKHAIL SHOLOKHOV is typical of the mid-1980Ís Soviet ship design with her stout funnel and not terribly graceful lines. Even so, she looks imposing as she cuts through the seas at a good pace alongside us as the setting sun and ominous clouds dueled in the background.

MV NORWEGIAN WIND: Norwegian Cruise Line's 50,760 gross ton 1,748 passenger NORWEGIAN WIND was built as the 39,217 gross ton 1,246 passenger WINDWARD in 1993. She was renamed NORWEGIAN WIND and lengthened with a 120 foot midsection in 1998. Her profile is more pleasing than many of today's large cruise ships for its limited amount of balconied cabins and is particularly fetching on two more brilliant Vancouver afternoons from terrestrial Prospect Point and from the aerial vantage of the Lion's Gate Bridge.

MV OCEAN MAJESTY: Majestic Cruise Line's 9,977 gross ton 613 passenger OCEAN MAJESTY is shown during her 1998 winter layup at Eleusis. She was built in 1966 as the Spanish ferry JUAN MARCH and was sold to her present owners and renamed OCEAN MAJESTY in 1989. OCEAN MAJESTY was completely rebuilt into a cruise ship at Eleusis in 1994. The well-appointed vessel, which features a walkthrough dipod funnel, spends most of the year under charter to Page and Moy on Indian Ocean cruises. Majestic Cruises' funnel imprint is very reminiscent of the latter day Sitmar Cruises' swan logo. The O MAJESTY is seen from a tender and from her larger fleetmate, the historic SS OCEAN EXPLORER I, which was tied alongside.

MV OLYMPIA VOYAGER: Royal Olympia Cruises rakish 2000-built 24,400 gross ton OLYMPIA VOYAGER and her sister OLYMPIA EXPLORER are hailed as the worldÍs fastest cruise ships. Their advanced mono-hull design and powerful Wartsila diesels can drive them at a service speed of 28 knots. The 800 passenger OLYMPIA VOYAGER was built as the OLYMPIC VOYAGER, but had her name altered slightly in 2001 by request of the Olympic Games Committee. The VOYAGER blasts her horn thrice in response to a maneuvering tug as she departs Rhodes. She is seen up close from ATALANTE as she backs into the channel. When these ships sail at full speed, they are noted for their duck tail wakes.

MV PACIFIC PRINCESS (2): Carrying on the name that brought cruising to new heights of popularity via the 1970's television series "The Love Boat", Princess Cruises' new 30,277 gross ton PACIFIC PRINCESS is a wonderfully intimate alternative to the companyÍs fleet of massive state of the art cruise ships. The 684 passenger ship was built in 1999 as now defunct Renaissance Cruises' R THREE, and was purchased by P&O/Princess in 2003. She divides her time between cruising from Australia and Tahiti and is shown here during her maiden call at Los Angeles in 2003.

MV PACIFIC VENUS: Japan-based Venus Cruise Line's 26,518 gross ton PACIFIC VENUS entered service in 1997. Her fittings and decor are among the most pleasing within the Japanese cruise fleet. Her features include an observation lounge at the base of her funnel, a huge social hall, a karaoke room, and a full wraparound promenade. The 532 passenger PACIFIC VENUS is engaged in worldwide cruising, and is shown at her berth and departing San Diego in 2000.

MS PHILIPPINES: One of only two or three truly well preserved survivors of the great ocean liner era, the MS PHILIPPINES dates from 1952 as Italian Line's AUGUSTUS, and was designed for Italy to South America service. Her beautifully balanced profile is the prototype from which the ANDREA DORIA and CRISTOFORO COLOMBO developed, and ironically, this ship, which was outclassed by Italian Line's larger, more famous vessels, is now the last afloat. The 27,028 gross ton AUGUSTUS was switched to the North Atlantic run in 1957 following the sinking of the ANDREA DORIA and was ultimately sold to Great Sea Shipping of China in 1976. She was laid up at Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Manila and Keelung over the next two decades as her name changed from GREAT SEA to OCEAN KING, PHILIPPINES, and PRESIDENT. In 1988, she was renamed ASIAN PRINCESS and in 1999, she was refurbished in preparation for her new role as a restaurant and hotel adjacent to the famed Manila Hotel. Political unrest in the region curtailed tourism and her new career came to a sudden halt. The MS PHILIPPINES shut down in early 2000, and remains laid up at her Manila berth. She is shown here from various vantages at the Manila Hotel, Rizal Park, and her berth, both at day and night. The tender footage was taken from a harbor cruise boat which Martin Cox and I hired specifically to document this hugely important ship. The boat stalled off the MS PHILIPPINES starboard bow, apparently too close to the presidential yacht, and we were "asked to leave" by an irate dinghy full of armed soldiers. One of our boat's crewmen had to dive into the oily harbor water to untangle the screw, enabling us to putter away to safety.

MV PONTA DELGADA: The sadly decayed 1961-built 1,054 gross ton MV PONTA DELGADA sank at her Alcantara berth shortly after this footage was taken. She was built for Azores Island service and originally carried 238 passengers in three classes. PONTA DELGADA was converted for coastal cruise service in 1 986, but in 1988 was laid up at Lisbon where she gradually fell into disrepair. During ALBATROSÍ port call at Lisbon in 1999, I spent an afternoon with respected historian and author Luis Miguel Correia and his daughter Inis. We visited the PONTA DELGADA, whose interior condition was just as alarming.

R ONE: The R ONE was the first of Renaissance Cruises' well-designed octet of 30,277 gross ton 702 passenger ships and entered service in 1998. The R ships, despite their unimaginative names, featured elegant decor in the style of the great Edwardian ocean liners. She and her seven identical sisters were laid up following the collapse of Renaissance Cruises in 2001. R ONE sat at Gibraltar, and later Marseilles, until being purchased by newly formed Oceania Cruises to begin service in July 2003 as their highly rated REGATTA. She is shown on a stormy Istanbul afternoon from a Bosporus ferry in December of 1998.

GTS RADIANCE OF THE SEAS: The 2,100 passenger 90,090 gross ton pod driven RADIANCE OF THE SEAS was the first of four identical gas turbine powered Panamax vessels delivered to Royal Caribbean International. The RADIANCE was delivered in 2001, and after some teething problems with her azipods, has gone on to much acclaim within the fleet. Among her features are a glass-encased elevator with ocean views on the starboard side, a helipad on the fo'c'sle, and a dizzying ten story atrium. Again, Vancouver makes a prime backdrop for this popular new giantess.

MV REGAL EMPRESS: The wondrous 22,979 gross ton 1,160 passenger REGAL EMPRESS is replete with beautiful wood paneling, glass enclosed promenades, and classic design features. She was built in 1953 as Greek Line's OLYMPIA and was rebuilt into Commodore Cruises CARIBE in 1983. Regal Cruises purchased her in 1993 and kept her in good condition until their demise in 2003. She is shown here in Regal's final color scheme and sporting the balconies that were added during her 1997 SOLAS refit. She now sails for Imperial Majesty Cruise Lines, having taken over the OCEANBREEZE's two night Nassau sailings from Ft. Lauderdale. REGAL E is shown at her glass like Bar Harbor anchorage from a speedy tender that encircled her graceful Clydebank-built hull in the fall of 2002.

SS REMBRANDT: Few ships attain the dedicated following enjoyed by the SS REMBRANDT during her 38 year career as Holland America LineÍs fifth ROTTERDAM. When the 39,674 gross ton 1,114 passenger ship was sold from the fleet in 1997, it was truly the end of an elegant era. Her wonderful wood paneling, delft ceramic work, hand blown glass fixtures, tapestries, and murals were time capsules of late 1950Ís transatlantic travel. ROTTERDAM was bought by Premier Cruises, Inc., who rendered the necessary SOLAS fire safety amendments and renamed the ship REMBRANDT. Unfortunately, REMBRANDT was arrested and laid up at Freeport following the collapse of Premier a mere nineteen days after this August 2000 New York departure footage was shot. REMBRANDT remains at Freeport (where she is also shown in a reflective moment in December of 2002), but was purchased in 2003 by her builders, the Rotterdam Dry Dock Company, who will restore the ship and bring her home to Holland for preservation in 2004.

MV RENAISSANCE SIX: Renaissance Cruises yacht-like 4,280 gross ton 114 passenger RENAISSANCE SIX was commissioned in 1991. She was sold to Singapore-based Sun Cruises in 1998 and renamed SUN VIVA 2, then to Star Cruises in 2000 and renamed MEGA STAR CAPRICORN. In 2001, she was purchased by Hebridean Cruises and rebuilt with a new funnel and superstructure additions into their deluxe HEBRIDEAN SPIRIT. She is shown from various angles at her Piraeus berth in December of 1997.

MV SAGA ROSE: Saga Holiday's 24,528 gross ton 587 passenger SAGA ROSE is a classic ship that wears her latest ownerÍs colors well. She was built in 1965 for Norwegian America Line as the SAGAFJORD for part time transatlantic and deluxe cruise service. In 1980 a modular unit of suites was added atop her bridge, altering her otherwise perfect profile. In 1983, SAGAFJORD was purchased by Cunard Line, who retained her Norwegian name. In 1996, she was chartered to Transocean Tours as the GRIPSHOLM, and in 1997, she was sold to Saga Holidays, who have kept her in immaculate condition, the only hitch being that you must be at least fifty years old to sail in her. This icon of Scandinavian beauties pivots upon her morning arrival at Stockholm, and later sits regally at St. Petersburg as FUNCHAL sails past in June of 2000.

MV SEA PRINCESS (2): Princess Cruises' 77,000 gross ton 2,022 passenger SEA PRINCESS was the third unit in the four ship SUN PRINCESS class, which also included the DAWN and OCEAN PRINCESS. The SEA PRINCESS and OCEAN PRINCESS were easily distinguished from the first two ships by their enclosed bridge wings; otherwise, they were for the most part identical. SEA PRINCESS was transferred to the British-based P&O division of Carnival-owned P&O/Princess and renamed ADONIA in 2003. She is seen from the lighthouse at the southwestern foot of the Lion's Gate Bridge on another sunny Vancouver afternoon in 2002.

MV SEABOURN PRIDE: Carnival-owned Seabourn Cruise Line's ultra luxurious 9,975 gross ton 200 passenger SEABOURN PRIDE entered service in 1988 as the first in a trio of yacht-like vessels. The SEABOURN PRIDE is an all suite ship and she and her two sisters, the 1989-built SEABOURN SPIRIT and the 1992-built SEABOURN LEGEND are among the highest rated ships in the world. In 2000, to conform to evolving market demands, French Balconies were fitted to all three ships. The SEABOURN PRIDE is shown at Hong Kong in 1995, Ft. Lauderdale in 1998, and with her French Balconies at Helsinki in 2000.

MV SEABOURN SUN: The 37,845 gross ton 768 passenger SEABOURN SUN enjoyed a relatively brief career as an "ultra luxury global voyager" with Seabourn Cruise Lines. The 1988-built ship was originally the much-anticipated ROYAL VIKING SUN, the final vessel built for now defunct but top rated cruise brand Royal Viking Line. The SUN was purchased by Cunard Line in 1994 and later transferred within the Carnival umbrella of companies to Seabourn in 2000. In 2002, she moved yet again, this time to Carnival-owned Holland America Line, who refurbished and renamed her PRINSENDAM. She is shown during a sunset departure from Ft. Lauderdale where she salutes those gathered on both sides of the channel.

SS SEAWIND CROWN: Premier Cruise Line's classically beautiful 23,145 gross ton 735 passenger SEAWIND CROWN suffered a particularly undignified end as a result of PremierÍs bankruptcy in 2000. While under charter to Spanish-based Pullmantur Cruises, the ship was seized and laid up at Barcelona. Her crew was stranded aboard for months until funds could be raised for their return. The SEAWIND CROWN remained entangled in legal battles, forcing Pullmantur to look for another ship. She sat in the outer harbor of Barcelona until being auctioned off to Indian shipbreakers in the fall of 2003, for whom she departed on 25 November. The SEAWIND CROWN was originally the Portuguese liner INFANTE DOM HENRIQUE of 1961 and later sailed as the cruise ship VASCO DA GAMA before going in 1991 to Seawind Cruise Line, which became part of Premier Cruises in 1997. She is seen from the arriving VICTORIA's in a hazy pinkish dawn in Barcelona and from her berth in bright afternoon light.

MV SILVER WHISPER: Monaco-based Silversea Cruises enjoys a reputation as the creme de la creme of the luxury cruise lines and has had a strong rivalry with Seabourn and Crystal Cruises since its inception in 1993. The 28,259 gross ton SILVER WHISPER, which carries a mere 388 passengers, made her debut in 2001 and is shown here during her maiden arrival at San Diego to a Mozart accompaniment.

MV STAR PISCES: When Singapore-based Chinese-owned Star Cruises 40,012 gross ton 1,950 passenger STAR PISCES entered the overnight gambling cruise circuit from Hong Kong in 1996, she obliterated the mostly secondhand and elderly competition. The STAR PISCES was built for Viking Line in 1990 as the KALYPSO for ferry service between Sweden and Finland. She was sold to Star Cruises in 1994. In 2000, the shipÍs livery was changed from blue to white. Shown arriving at Hong Kong in November of 1999.

MV STELLA MARIS II: The 186 passenger 3,008 gross ton STELLA MARIS II returns to the series with Royal Olympic CruisesÍ blue funnel. She was built in 1960 as the German coastal liner BREMERHAVEN and purchased by Greek-based Sun Lines, who completely rebuilt her into the yacht-like STELLA MARIS II in 1966. When Sun Line became part of Royal Olympic Cruises in 1995, she was given a new livery. STELLA MARIS II was sold to Viking Cruises and renamed VIKING BORDEAUX in 1999. Shown berthed at Piraeus and departing Santorini in June of 1998.

MV SUPERSTAR LEO: Star Cruises first newbuilding, the 75,338 gross ton 1,964 passenger SUPERSTAR LEO entered service in 1999. This magnificent ship, which embodies the latest in technology and modern passenger amenities is like a world class Asian hotel. Her interior fittings are opulent, colorful and vibrant and her layout has been planned according to ancient Feng Shui spatial principles. SUPERSTAR LEO is based in Hong Kong and cruises to Xiamen, Hainan, and Viet-Nam. Star Cruises is parent company to US-based Norwegian Cruise Lines. She is shown arriving at Hong Kong on a November afternoon and departing at night with a neon trimmed skyscraper backdrop.

MV SWITZERLAND: Leisure Cruises' 500 passenger 15,739 gross ton MV SWITZERLAND was built in 1955 as Port LineÍs refrigerated cargo vessel PORT SYDNEY. She was purchased in 1972 and completely rebuilt into the deluxe Greek cruise ship DAPHNE for Karras Cruises. Her only original features are her shapely hull and engines. DAPHNE later went to Costa and Prestige Cruises before becoming the SWITZERLAND in 1996. She was sold to Majestic Cruises in 2002 and renamed OCEAN MONARCH. Documented from various angles at her Genoa berth in 1999.

MV SYMPHONY: Mediterranean Shipping Company's sparkling 16,741 gross ton 782 passenger MV SYMPHONY makes a wondrous sight following a downpour during an Autumn 1999 morning arrival at Genoa. She was built in 1951 as the PROVENCE for SGTMÍs Marseilles to Buenos Aires service. In 1965, she became Costa LineÍs ENRICO C, and in 1987, her name changed slightly to ENRICO COSTA. Her turbines were replaced by diesels in 1990 and in 1994, she was traded to Mediterranean Shipping Company. SYMPHONY became Golden Sun CruisesÍ AEGEAN SPIRIT in 2000 and nearly capsized when one of her fuel tank bulkheads gave way that summer while she was berthed at Crete. A subsequent charter as OCEAN GLORY I in the summer of 2001 ended disastrously with the ship being impounded at Dover for safety and maintenance violations. She was sold for scrap and sailed to Alang, India where she arrived under the name CLASSICA that October 30.

SS THE EMERALD: Louis Cruise Line's 24,851 gross ton 960 passenger THE EMERALD was built in 1958 as Grace Line's SANTA ROSA. She was laid up in 1971, and sold to Venezuelan interests (who later went bankrupt) in 1976. SANTA ROSA remained laid up until 1989 when she was purchased by Greek interests who had her towed to Chalkis for a complete rebuilding into a modern cruise ship. When the REGENT RAINBOW emerged in 1993, the ship had a completely new look with sharply raked bow and piled up decks. Her original funnel is hidden underneath the new casing and she still has her original pool, dining room and many original cabins. REGENT RAINBOW was sold to Louis Cruise Lines in 1996 and chartered to UK-based Thomson Holidays, whose ñrainbowî livery is worn on her hull and funnel. THE EMERALD is shown departing Ajaccio, where she makes several salutes, in October of 2002.

THE WORLD OF RESIDENSEA: Originally intended to be nearly twice her size, the 43,524 gross ton THE WORLD represents an entirely new concept in ocean going life. The 2002-built ship is equipped with 110 two and three bedroom and 88 studio privately owned residences. The three bedroom apartment residences are over 3,000 square feet and come with their own kitchen and even have an optional whirlpool as well as private bathrooms for each bedroom. Vacation stays are available in nearly all of the shipÍs categories, based on nightly fares which include meals. THE WORLD has two pools, a tennis court, golf simulator, health spa, four gourmet restaurants, a variety of bars, a hospital, a retractable marina and a sophisticated security system. She arrives on a particularly gloomy June morning in 2003 at Los Angeles, where the birds could be considered well choreographed.

MV VICTORIA: When built in 1966 as Swedish America Lines KUNGSHOLM, this ship was undeniably one of the most sleek and beautiful ever put to sea. Her sculpted bow, rounded superstructure, stepped down twin funnels and terraced stern were nothing short of exquisite and KUNGSHOLM enjoyed a brief but glorious nine years of service for SAL who withdrew from passenger shipping in 1975. She was sold to Norwegian-owned Flagship Cruises in 1975, retaining her famous name until being sold once more to P&O Cruises in 1978. P&O sent her to the Bremer Vulkan yard where the forward dummy funnel was cut down and the aft funnel given a cone-like shape. The afterdecks were built up with modular cabins and a very different ship emerged as the SEA PRINCESS in 1979. Still a beauty, she operated for a time for the US-based Princess division and was renamed VICTORIA in 1999 when the new SEA PRINCESS came on line. The 28,891 gross ton 720 passenger VICTORIA sailed on her last cruise for P&O in October of 2002 and some footage from that momentous trip can be seen here and in the closing credits. She is now owned by Greek-based Topaz International and chartered to German operators under the name of MONA LISA. She departs Tampa in 2001 and is seen from various vantages and tenders (including her very last passenger tender at Santa Margherita, Italy) during her final cruise in 2002.

MV VOLENDAM: Holland America Line's 60,906 gross ton 1,846 passenger 1999 built VOLENDAM and her near twin ZAANDAM are enlarged and modified spin-offs from the STATENDAM quartet of ships first introduced in 1993. The pair is distinguished by their unusual funnels, which combine the traditional shape of the 1980's built NIEUW AMSTERDAM and NOORDAM within a series of angled hoops. VOLENDAM is based in the Caribbean during the Winter and in Alaska during summer months. Vancouver serves as her flawless departure backdrop in August 2003.

MV WALRUS: Undoubtedly, the name WALRUS has a different significance in Asian culture than it holds in western countries. This 15,343 gross ton 556 passenger ship was built in 1989 for Commodore owned Crown Cruise Line as the CROWN MONARCH. She went to Cunard Line as the CUNARD CROWN MONARCH in 1993 and returned to Crown in 1994, when she was chartered to Singapore-based interests as the NAUTICAN. In 1996, she became the WALRUS for overnight gambling cruises from Hong Kong. Seen from the Star Ferry harbor cruise boat in November of 1999.

Peter Knego, December 1, 2003

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