21 Mar 1998 Flew BA to Miami. Stayed at the Holiday Inn, Fort Lauderdale for a week before boarding SS Norway 28 Mar - 4 Apr 1998
Saturday Miami, FL dep 4:00pm
Sunday At Sea
Monday At Sea
Tuesday St. Maarten 9:00am - 6.30pm
Wednesday St. John 7.00am - 8.00am
St. Thomas 9:00am - 5:30pm
Thursday At Sea
Friday NCL's Private
Island, Great Stirrup Cay Noon - 6:00pm
Saturday Miami, FL 7:00am
Flew back to London 4 Apr 1998

1959, aboard Esperia, Adriatic Line, Port Said to Beirut via Larnaca

ESPERIA: Built by Cantieri Riuniti dell'Adriatico,Monfalcone,Italy,in 1949:9.134 gross tons,488 feet long,63 feet wide,service speed 19,5 knots,1.636 passengers(178 first class,356 cabin class,the remainings tourist class).Employed on the route Italy-Egypt-Lebanon(11 days,ports of call Genoa,Naples,Alexandria,Beirut,Piraeus,Syracuse,Marseilles). She scrapped in 1973.

*************
Construction No. 1246 / A - Experiments, former AUSONIA

Passenger motor vessel built in 1949 (setting 31. 08. 1940, launching 20. 10. 1941, over 21. 03. 1949) - former Building 1246.
GRT 9314 - NRT 5368 - 2732 dwt - 136.17 x 19.20 x 9.20 m - 2 diesel - CA 16159 - 2 propellers - 19 knots - Pass.: 159 first, 81 second, 264 third - Equip.: 198
Luxury motorboat designed to line Great Espresso Italy - Egypt, in the program for the fleet of 1939 Finmare Adriatica di Venezia in place of the unfortunate steamer AUSONIA incendiatasi in 1935, the port of Alexandria.
Beautiful ship, the new line, with slender bow and stern type cruiser, central superstructure with a single smokestack, has seven decks, two of which continues, four holds and passenger accommodations divided into three classes and was 148.6 meters long overall, dive with a full load of 7.1.
The furnishings and decorations of the local customary and cabins were very well looked after and inspired by great simplicity in color and a variety of materials, cabs elegant, airy living rooms, spacious and airy indoor and outdoor promenades.
The First Class cabins available to put one or two beds, mostly equipped with private bathroom, a veranda - belvedere, two bars, large vestibule, hall, dining room and write.
The sun deck on which stood the most beautiful of the First Class cabins, presented a new solution in the naval field: during the summer crossings passengers, rather than in a pool that would remain unused for most of the year, were cool under the jets of a system of waterworks placed inside two glass pavilions, a bar with a terrace for bathing, tents, umbrellas and spaces for sunbathing completed the equipment of the "Lido".
The second class of seats available in cabins for two or four beds, a large living room and bar and a dining hall.
The third class had available seats in the cabins of four beds and partly in cameroncini, a dining room, bar and a hall of residence in addition to wide open spaces.
Finally, there was the possibility for cabotage between Alexandria and Port Said, on board 44 passengers "bridge" that were available to the first corridor of the hold No. 1 and a hall of residence Sottocastello.
For the first time on an Italian passenger ship, was planned a theater of 125 seats, arranged at the bottom of the vessel, including the No. 2 hold and the local auxiliary.
The ship was very quiet and vibration free even at high speeds.
The engine, supplied by Andrew Plant Machinery, CRDA was composed of two engines - Sulzer, each with 10 cylinders and 720 mm in diameter, five generators of 225 KW and all the accessories needed. Ventilation was provided by an improved system to "Termotank" facilities included modern navigation and safety tools such as radar, radio direction finder, gyro "Sperry" and the sounding ultrasound.
Overall it was a good ship so that a technical review of the time wrote: "These impressions, which are not only secular, we are told that the experiment must be listed among the best works of modern marine engineering."
20. 10. 1941: launched as AUSONIA (Costr. No. 1246)
16. 10. 1944: buried in the yard and overturned on its side in shallow water
09. 1947: recovered and put to work on the revision and preparation
21. 03. Esperia 1949: Adriatic S. A. Navigation - Venice
29. 03. 1949: online maiden voyage Trieste, Venice, Brindisi, Alexandria, Beirut, then alternating from Trieste (17. 04. 1949) and Genoa (30. 04. 1949)
1951: Adriatic S.p.A. Navigation - Venice
1952: moved steadily in the Adriatic
1957: transferred on the Genoa, Naples, Syracuse, Alexandria, Beirut
1967: Easter cruise to Piraeus, Rhodes, Istanbul
1967: Because the state of war between Egypt and Israel, the traditional route is frequently changed as needed by increasing the activity seasonal cruise. Are then placed fixed ladder to Larnaca / Famagusta and Rhodes in high season and Barcelona and Marseille
12. 1968: New Year's cruise Genoa, Palma, Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, Malta, Corfu, Dubrovnik and Venice
07. 01. 1969: the work at the Arsenale in Venice for a general overhaul, installing a new pool, renovation of the hospital and radio station
23. 01 1969: including shuttle service from Genoa and Trieste. During low season mainly used to service cruise in the Mediterranean and the Canaries
1970: Skip the airport in Alexandria, but put in some travel stopovers in Tunis and Malta
04. 1970: Cruise Genoa, Malta, Piraeus, Istanbul, Piraeus, Rhodes, Genoa
26. 12. 1970: Cruise Genoa, Cannes, Barcelona, Palma, Casablanca, Tangier, Algiers, Malta, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Venice
01. 1971: the service line from the Adriatic in Trieste, Venice, Beirut, Famagusta, Alexandria, Heraklion, Bari, Venice
1971: only departures from Genoa to Naples, Alexandria, Beirut, Famagusta, Syracuse, Naples, Marseille, Genoa
26. 12. 1971: Cruise Genoa, Barcelona, Malaga, Tangier, Casablanca, Las Palmas, Genoa
05. 04. 1972: online Trieste, Venice, Beirut, Alexandria, Trieste
06. 12. 1972: online Trieste, Venice, Dubrovnik, Rhodes, Beirut
01. 02. 1974: disarmed
06. 1974: scrapped at Spezia.
http://www.archeologiaindustriale.it/sez_produzione_it.php?form_search__special__command=clear&content_type=nave&goto_id=862

East Coast USA.. 3 cruises as one

A cruise aboard P&O's Oriana, "Autumn Isles", 3 - 13 Nov 2001
Sat 3 Nov - Southampton 17:00
Sun 4 Nov - At Sea
Mon 5 Nov - At Sea, Good weather
Tues 6 Nov - Funchal, Madeira 12:00 - 18:00
Wed 7 Nov - Tenerife 08:00 - 24:00
Thurs 8 Nov - Gran Canaria 08:00 - 18:00
Fri 9 Nov - Lanzarote, tender 08:00 - 17:00
Sat 10 Nov - At Sea, Rough Weather, rescued 3 Swedes whose yacht had sunk on its Maiden Voyage
Sun 11 - Vigo cancelled due to rescue detour, still rough. At 4am all power was lost for a while.
Mon 12 Nov - At Sea, bit calmer
Tues 13 Nov - Southampton 9:00

Cruise aboard P&O's Victoria, "Voyage to America", 25 April - 20 May 2002

See movie clip of OCEANBREEZE, ex SOUTHERN CROSS at Nassau 5 May 2002 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRyPOcN-K_s

and the laid-up NIEUW AMSTERDAM at Charleston 7 May 2002 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RIRRnzp9G4

Cruising aboard P&O's Aurora to the Med, AU019 Mon 13 Nov - Fri 1 Dec 2000
Mon 13 Nov - Southampton 18:00
Tues 14 Nov - At Sea, Calm
Wed 15 Nov - At Sea, Calm
Thurs 16 Nov - Gibraltar 08:00 - 12.30
Fri 17 Nov - At Sea, Choppy
Sat 18 Nov - At Sea, Choppy & more sun
Sun 19 Nov - At Sea, Lovely weather
Mon 20 Nov - Port Said 06:00 - 21:00
Tues 21 Nov - Limassol 09:00 - 17:00
Wed 22 Nov - Rhodes 08:00 - 18:00
See movie clip of the ships and ferries in Rhodes, ARCADIA, OLYMPIC VOYAGER, PATMOS, IERAPETRA L, AURORA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYIf3e-uyDM

Thurs 23 Nov - Kusadasi 08:00 - 18:00
Fri 24 Nov - Piraeus 08:00 - 18:00
See movie clip of the Port of Piraeus inc WORLD RENAISSANCE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UK9bg2qhG8

Sat 25 Nov - At Sea, Bad Electric Storm
Sun 26 Nov - Valetta 08:00 - 13:00
Mon 27 Nov - At Sea, Bridge Visit
Tues 28 Nov - Malaga 12:00 - 18:00
Wed 29 Nov - At Sea, Rough
Thurs 30 Nov - At Sea, F 9/10 Storm
Fri 1 Dec - Southampton 9:00

Braemar cruising the Med, 12 - 26 Oct 2001
Fri 12 Oct - Southampton 18:00
Sat 13 Oct - At Sea
Sun 14 Oct - At Sea
Mon 15 Oct - Lisbon 08:00 - 17:00
Tues 16 Oct - Gibraltar 14:00 - 23:00
Wed 17 Oct - At Sea
Thurs 18 Oct - Barcelona 08:00 - 18:00
Fri 19 Oct - Sete
Sat 20 Oct - Palma 10:00 - 23:00
Sun 21 Oct - At Sea, Capt's Table
Mon 22 Oct - Ceuta 08:00 - 18:00
Tues 23 Oct - At Sea, big swell, good British Night
Wed 24 Oct - La Coruna 08:00 - 18:00
Thurs 25 Oct - At Sea
Fri 26 Oct - Southampton 08:00
Washing Machine broke!

A couple of photos taken aboard whilst on a ship's visit in Southampton.
Movie Clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-cBWiSANnc

A cruise aboard P&O's Oriana around the Med, 19 Apr - 3 May 2001. Departed Southampton in complete black, rain/hail/snow!
Thur 19 Apr - Southampton 17:00
Fri 20 Apr - At Sea
Sat 21 Apr - At Sea, better weather
Sun 22 Apr - Gibraltar 08:00 - 14:00
Mon 23 Apr - At Sea, Love Oriana
Tues 24 Apr - Propriano, Corsica, Wonderful weather
Wed 25 Apr - Livorno, Public Holiday nothing open
See movie clip of the launching of ENNARO IEVOLI on 25 April 2001, Livorno [Palmira & Mega Express Two [still under construction] in view http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEo3B7i34yA

Thur 26 Apr - Civitavecchia, just visited local market
Fri 27 Apr - Cannes, tender
Sat 28 Apr - Barcelona
Sun 29 Apr - At Sea
Mon 30 Apr - Praia da Rocha, Portugal, dreadful weather & nearly didn't make it back aboard from tenders
Tues 1 May - At Sea, bad weather, Bridge Visit
Wed 2 May - At Sea, weather eased
Thur 3 May - Southampton 9:00
[Took wrong case! Others took ours! Noticed at home, luckily they lived nearby so were able to drive over and swap.]

Christmas Canaries Cruise 20 Dec 1995 - 4 Jan 1996.
Wed 20 Dec - Southampton 17:00
Thur 21 Dec - At Sea
Fri 22 Dec - At Sea
Sat 23 Dec - Lisbon 07:00 - 18:00
Sun 24 Dec - Gibraltar 12:00 - 18:00
Mon 25 Dec - At Sea
Tues 26 Dec - Agadir 08:00 - 18:00
Wed 27 Dec - Arrecife 08:00 - 24:00
Thur 28 Dec - Las Palmas 08:00 - 03:00 [Fri]
Fri 29 Dec - Santa Cruz de Tenerife 08:00 - 03:00 [Sat]
Sat 30 Dec - San Sebastion La Gomera 08:00 - 17:00
Sun 31 Dec - Funchal Madeira11:00 - 01:00 [Mon]
Mon 1 Jan - At Sea
Tues 2 Jan - At Sea
Wed 3 Jan - At Sea
Thur 4 Jan - Southampton 09:00

Back to Back Southern Caribbean cruises aboard Norwegian Dream 31 Jan - 14 Feb 1999.
Exotic Itinerary.
Roundtrip San Juan to:
St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Kitts, St. Croix/St. Thomas, USVI 31 Jan - 7 Feb 1999
then joined by John & Marion Rische, old friends from Kuwait now residing in Canada, for the Aruba Itinerary.
Roundtrip San Juan to:
Aruba, Curacao, Tortola, BVI., St. Thomas. USVI 7 - 14 Feb 1999

Transatlantic aboard Splendour of the Seas 2 - 16 Sep 1999 plus a few days spent exploring New England before flying back to London on BA 21 Sep 1999
Thurs 2 Sep Harwich, UK dep 5:00pm
Fri 3 Sep Le Havre, France
Sat 4 Sep Plymouth, UK 9:00am - 6:00pm
Sun 5 Sep At Sea
Mon 6 Sep Vigo, Spain 7:00am - 6:00pm
Tues 7 Sep Lisbon, Portugal 7:00am - 6:00pm
Wed 8 Sep At Sea
Thurs 9 Sep At Sea
Fri 10 Sep Ponte Delgada, Azores 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sat 11 Sep At Sea
Sun 12 Sep At Sea
Mon 13 Sep At Sea
Tues 14 Sep Halifax, Nova Scotia 9:00am - 5:00pm
Wed 15 Sep Portland, Maine 10:00am - 5:00pm
Thurs 16 Sep Boston, Mass 8:30am
Drove to White River Junction VT, from where over the next few days we toured the area and visited Quechee Gorge, Woodstock NH, N. Conway NH; driving back to Boston 21 Sept to fly back to London.

Alaska, 29 April - 13 May 2000. Flew BA to LAX, 744, excellent flight. Stayed overnight in Downtown LA, and took a taxi, the driver of which didn't know the way, to the Cruise Terminal the following day.
Sheer Chaos! It took 4 hours to board, standing in the heat, no seats, no refreshments, pushing & shoving, some fainted. Finally sailed away at 8pm. Ship lovely, cabin nice and food good.
Sun 30 April - Los Angeles 8:00pm
Mon 1 May - At Sea
Tues 2 May - San Francisco 4:00pm - 2:00am
Wed 3 May - At Sea - Thick Fog
Thurs 4 May - Seattle 8:00am - 6:00pm
Fri 5 May - Victoria 8:00am - 5:00pm
Sat 6 May At Sea
Sun 7 May - Sitka
Mon 8 May - Hubbard Glacier 7:00am - 12:00pm
Tues 9 May - Juno 7:00am - 6:00pm
Wed 10 May - Ketchikan 12:00pm - 7:00pm
Thurs 11 May - Cruising Inside Passage - Beautiful
Fri 12 May - Vancouver 7:00am. Disembarked at 10:30am, and a good evening flight back to Heathrow.

British Isles & Iceland Cruise aboard Royal Princess 3 - Aug 1997.
Dover - Rosyth, Lerwick, Akureyri, 9 Aug Reykjavik, Oban, Dublin, Waterford, St. Peter Port - Dover
Broke down on the M25 on the journey home, waited 3 hours to be picked up!

North Cape & Midnight Sun cruise aboard CTC's Southern Cross - 23 June - July 1996
Tilbury - Amsterdam, Alesund, Trondheim, Bodo, Gravdal [Lofoten Islands], Hammerfest, Nordcap [North Cape], Tromso, Svartisen, Molde, Geiranger Fjord/Eidsal, Bergen, Hardanger Fjord - Tilbury.

27 Feb 1997 Flew London/Miami, hired a car to tour around, then cruised aboard Norwegian Crown, 1 - 8 March 1997
7-Day Western Caribbean Cruise
Sat. Ft.Lauderdale 4:00 PM
Sun. At Sea
Mon. Grand Cayman 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Tue. Cozumel 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wed. At Sea
Thu. Great Stirrup Cay, NCL's private island 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Fri. Key West 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sat. Ft. Lauderdale 7:00 AM
Spent a further 2 nights in Miami before flying back to London on 10 Mar 1997.

Cruising along the Thames from Chertsey, Surrey, aboard "Twinkle Star" - May 1956
[My father managed to put a dent in the hull near the bow and spent one evening with a pot of paint touching everything up. Luckily the boatyard did not notice!]