SS Norway – A Report on What a Cruise Was Like on the Famous Vessel

The SS Norway, of the Norwegian Cruise Line, was one particular of the grande olde ships I experienced always required to go on. Their seven-working day cruise was in excess of Thanksgiving out of Miami to the Caribbean. It was a Large Band Cruise with dance hosts and 4 nicely-regarded swing bands from the past. Ideal — I like the outdated jazz and significant band music and I adore to dance but usually will not have a excellent dance lover. I signed up.

Sailing on the Norway turned out to be a vacation back in time. She was created in 1960 as the well known SS France, extra than 1,000 toes prolonged, a 110 foot beam, and with about 2,000 travellers and a crew of 900 who come from all in excess of the planet.

You felt the grand tradition as before long as you boarded. The Norway nonetheless preserved a design and graciousness reminiscent of earlier cruising. The ship has been refurbished many times, but the artwork deco murals, hand-laid tile mosaics, polished teak rails, and the nautical antiques from cruises bygone have thoroughly been preserved, and as you walked the extensive promenade deck you felt like you were being cruising somewhere again in time. As you dined, you understood you were being eating in which popular stars had dined, and you seem at the murals and authentic artwork operates understanding they were there in people early times when other people in advance of you sat in this home, seen people very same murals, and engaged in the very same type of energetic conversations with many others as you’re executing now. Later that evening, you 50 percent assume Cary Grant, tasteful in his tuxedo, to stroll down the deck and lean nonchalantly subsequent to you on the rail.

It normally takes a while to uncover your way about. The Norway is 10 blocks extensive and 12 decks large. There is an Worldwide Deck lined with sidewalk cafes and boutiques on the Olympic Deck is the health heart with glass partitions so you can workout even though gazing out at the sea on a lessen deck you occur upon a decadent Roman Spa that gives massages, aromatherapy, overall body wraps, saunas, steam rooms, and an indoor pool for drinking water workout. On different decks are two swimming pools, a jogging keep track of, 7 bars, six amusement lounges, a person grand ballroom, a cabaret, a large casino, disco, an ice-cream parlor, library, piano bar, and a theater for 1st operate and outdated common movies. If you want them, there is a hairdresser, laundry, dry cleaner, masseuse, and medical services.

The Norway has 1,039 staterooms, each with separately controlled air-conditioning, non-public bath with shower, Television, radio and phone. Some suites have a different dwelling place and bedroom in addition to a grasp bedroom. Most penthouse suites have non-public balconies. Just one night we have been invited to a bash in the owner’s suite. It was magnificent, with a wrap-about balcony, dwelling space, bed room, dressing home and jacuzzi. Our host — a previous law enforcement officer from Illinois who had gained a major lottery of a lot of tens of millions and was celebrating. We had a considerably less spectacular smaller cabin with a porthole.

Major task each individual working day — deciding upon from amongst the points to do. There were being Broadway shows, training classes, dance instruction, basketball, golf driving and putting, paddleball, ping pong, shuffleboard, skeet capturing, snorkeling courses and excursions, volleyball, manner demonstrates, wine-tasting, artwork auctions, lectures, a tea for grandparents, a mixer for singles, and a champagne celebration for honeymooners. There were not many young children aboard this cruise, but typically there was a youth plan with a children’s playroom, youngsters and teen routines, and exclusive shore excursions. How can any individual ever say they would be bored on a cruise?

We left Miami late in the afternoon and the pursuits commenced right away. Some travellers immediately headed for the on line casino, waiting for it to open up when we received outdoors the lawful miles. The casino was set up for blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, 200 slot machines and a couple new games I hadn’t heard of. I was joyful on deck, listening to the audio, snacking off the welcome-aboard buffet, and watching the shoreline disappear astern.

I was currently happy I had produced this decision. I felt like a diverse man or woman. The holiday hurry on land does not use in this article. I watched the waves break alongside the ship and the wake path driving. The air was new. Vacation tiredness? — poof. The only traffic jam below would be the initially folks in line ready to enter the dining room to dig in to one more meal. The only selections would be whether or not to shop on board, in port, or the two, or play golfing or tennis, go swimming at some tranquil tropical beach or function really hard at deep-sea fishing. And tonight I would have to make your mind up whether or not to have the conch fritters or shrimp, or fresh baked bread or blueberry muffins, or stuffed Cornish hen or grilled swordfish, or coconut meringue pie or that ‘death-by-chocolate’ dessert. Or a small of just about every. And I by no means would have to search for a parking place!

By the to start with evening we ended up meeting individuals, and really serious dancing experienced presently started. I have under no circumstances noticed so several folks in a person put who relished dancing so substantially and who understood so significantly about jazz and significant band tunes. You could wander from ballroom to ballroom, and in in between on the International Deck you could sit and chat to the travellers reminiscing and evaluating memories as they listened to a complimentary 24-hour CD jukebox stocked with preference choices of years of jazz and huge band recordings.

4 bands ended up enjoying this 7 days, alternating two each evening: the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra carried out by Buddy Morrow, Si Zentner and his Orchestra, the Bob Crosby Orchestra done by Ed Metz Jr, and the Harry James Orchestra carried out by Artwork Depew. And every single evening in the Cafe Internationale, which turned out to be my favored position, was the band whose drummer made use of to enjoy the qualifications music for the previous Fred Astaire motion pictures. He however performed the aged common brush drum preparations for ‘Stepping Out with My Baby’ and ‘Top Hat and Tails’. I satisfied the 6 gentlemen dance hosts in their navy blazers and white slacks and danced my 1st dances.

A handful of days out at sea the team commenced to put up Xmas trees, extra than 50, all-around all the decks. A number of passengers assisted put on some ornaments. In the spirit of the vacations, the movie channel featured classic holiday films as very well as period videos, massive band performances, and interviews with old well-identified major band stars. We all had the holiday getaway spirit. But it really is unique out below. There is certainly no stress.

Our initial port halt was St. Maarten/St. Martin. (The island is divided in two, 50 % Dutch and 50 percent French.) The Dutch port, exactly where we docked, was Philipsburg. On the other aspect is Marigot, with some seaside French cafes. In amongst there is the beach at Mullet Bay with loads of rock formations for very good photograph ops, swimming, and discovering. There is obligation-free of charge procuring on both equally sides, with products ranging from economical t-shirts to high priced jewellery and French and Caribbean designer outfits. Many shore excursions were being available. In the early morning we chose to go sailing on a 12-Metre racing sailboat that experienced raced in the America’s Cup. In the afternoon we wandered alongside from shop to store in the sunshine with calypso tunes in the qualifications, then stopped for a amazing consume on a restaurant patio along the ocean, and assumed about the persons browsing in the crowds again house.

Upcoming end was St. John, the U.S. Virgin Island that is a secured nationwide park. There are empty seashores there and some exceptional climbing trails. We selected sailing all over again, when other people selected beaching, sightseeing around the island by safari bus, or went on one particular of various snorkel/scuba dives. Our sailboat took us more than to St. Thomas, in which we caught up with the ship. Most of the persons went into town to do some responsibility-no cost searching so their Christmas purchasing would be accomplished when they bought household. Other people headed for Magen’s Bay, most preferred beach front in the place. A different team went snorkeling at the guarded reefs of Buck Island, where feeding fish by hand underwater is a highlight, and some others considered coral and sea lifestyle on the Atlantis submarine. We have been again on board in a lot of time for a rest and a shower before supper, and more large band tunes and dancing.

I have 3 wonderful recollections from the second official night time. Just one was the team of musicians sitting down about the CD juke box, enjoying the previous stuff and reminiscing. “That is Major Holley on bass, with Slam Stewart, a person of people wonderful times they performed with each other.” “Who’s the drummer?” “Sounds like Oliver Jackson.” “Ideal. Bear in mind the night …” I just sat and listened, grinning, joyful to be aspect of it.

The second memory was the scene at 1 a.m. in the key ballroom. Some of the older men and women had been asleep sitting on the aspect banquettes, far too exhausted to dance any more, but also stubborn to depart the superior music.

It was after 2 a.m. when I commenced back again to my stateroom, getting my standard walk previous the CD juke box to get a breath of sea air ahead of turning in. The reminiscing musicians were gone, but 1 elderly couple ended up there, trim and small in their official clothing, with their arms all around each and every other, missing in recollections, dancing to an previous Tommy Dorsey tune. I experienced tears in my eyes as I walked again to my cabin.

The future day was seaside day on a little island in the Bahamas — Excellent Stirrup Cay. I employed to stay in the Bahamas on a person of the outislands, so it was amazing to get back again to clear turquoise Bahamian waters. I walked the beach, and remembered my 5 many years dwelling in the islands.

At the conclusion of 7 times, the ship was sparkling with decorations, prepared for the Christmas and New Year’s Cruise. They had been previously entirely booked. But, I imagined, I can sign up for upcoming year. But time got away and now she will sail no a lot more.

Background OF THE S.S. NORWAY

The Norway was christened the S.S. France in 1960. Length: 1,035 toes, that longest passenger ship then at any time crafted. Together with Cunard’s Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, she was a person of the grand luxurious ships frequently crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

But jet planes came along, and had been a lot quicker and less expensive, passenger visitors turned unprofitable, and sailings have been stopped in 1974. The France languished for quite a few years in the port of Le Havre until finally pioneer of the cruise business Knut U. Kloster, purchased her for $18 million for his Norwegian Caribbean Line (these days recognised as Norwegian Cruise Line) and renamed her the S.S. Norway. More than the upcoming 10 months some 2,000 personnel renovated the ship at the price of $100 million.

She started her new lifetime in the Caribbean, sailing her first 7-working day Caribbean cruise June 1, l980 from Miami, her new property port, with an global crew of 800 from some 40 nations. In 1990 she when extra returned to the shipyard, this time for a $40 million refurbishment, together with a 6,000 square foot Roman Spa with pampering fitness, wellbeing and natural beauty courses and two glass-enclosed decks of luxury cabins, which includes two with ground-to-ceiling windows, wraparound balconies, and jacuzzis with ocean check out. In 1993 the ship experienced a $23 million refurbishing and renovation of the 5,000 sq. foot on line casino to a mirrored, etched and stained glass Artwork Deco topic reminiscent of the ship’s famous earlier.

Her long term was unfamiliar for a long time, but now she is headed to be scrap.