Phoenix Reisen: Alexander von Humboldt

[Cruisefan]

Shi is docked today at hamburg's Cruise Center (Live cam view). As a reminder Phoenix has recently advised she will be finishing her charter and last cruise on 12-30th Oktober and return to her owners All Leisure Group. Phoenix is gearing up to have the Artemis (Artania then) to take up her place. They commence to call her their new "flagship", which presently is the moniker for their ms Amadea.
The picture shows Alexander steaming pass the Landungsbrücken, and the freighter is the Cap San Diego. On top of her bridge is a live webcam, from where you can see the floating dock where the ms Deutschland is being repaired.
What ever you do, have great weekend!
Seebaer

 

[Neil]

It wil be interesting to see what the All Leisure Group have planned for this ship as their present cultural cruises in the Mediterranean now have competition from Voyages of Antiquity and their newly re-fitted ship ' Aegean Odyssey '.

 

[Cruisefan]

All Leisure had announced in their news to stock holders, that they plan to use the vessel mainly for charters. Since Gerry Harrod will only operate his new "baby" Aegean Odyssey in the Med and also not in the winter months, there is space for a well run small expedition type vessel. what ever, no doubt she will be employed.
Seebaer

 

[Neil]

With companies which previously chartered cruise ships now starting to buy their own cruise ships chartering requirements could drop off.

Perhaps they may be able to use the ship themselves if the Minerva or mv Discovery have any more engine problems.

Nothing like having a spare cruise ship laid up for emergencies ! :hoh:

I wonder if there would still be a market for a school childrens cruise ship like the BI company operated.

 

[Cruisefan]

CHILDREN CRUISE: Interesting. My question is if BI was successful in offering these cruises where are they now? This brings to mind AMERICAN FAMILY CRUISES (1993-1994). Salesman Bruce Nierenberg, who was at NCL and was credited for having sold Knut Kloster the SS NORWAY/ex FRANCE concept, convinced COSTA (still Costa family not the Costa we know today which is a 100% CARNIVAL outfit!), to start a joint venture with him. the idea was to create a ship for families, with separate venues for the kids. he argued that even during school days there would be enough parents willing to take their kids out of school and come for a cruise. Well they lasted less than a year. the SS RIVIERA was renamed by the way to AMERICAN ADVENTURE. She also had a small mock bridge atop the regular bridge, which she still had when Costa took her back and brought her to Italy, where she sailed until sold for scrap in 2002. By the way Bruce Nierenberg also started PREMIER CRUISE LINE.
Seebaer

 

[Neil]

Hi Seebaer

The last ship from the fleet of the British India Steam Navigation Company, which was part of the P & O group of 35 companies, to be used on school cruises was the ss Uganda which was requisitioned for war service in the Falklands.

She was unfit for use after her return from the Falklands and was sold to a Taiwan ship breaker !

See pictures of her in the Falklands, laid up on her return from the Falklands and flying her paying off penant with bunting as she sailed from Falmouth to Taiwan via the Suez Canal having been renamed Triton.

She was 46 years old when sold for breaking !

Link to information about her and her final voyage below -

http://www.merchantnavyofficers.com/uganda.html

 

[shiploverssa]

the uganda - is on my top 5 best passenger ships - for no reason other than i like her lines - before and after her conversion - and again for me she makes for a beautiful site - rust bucket and all