Very interesting - and also some great (but VERY brief) shots of Eugenio C in Freeport as the ship pulls in for drydock.

Enjoy!

PS It sounds like at least a two-parter w/ the next episodes showing NEXT Sunday...

[ 06-05-2005: Message edited by: Jekyll ]

I also loved Royal Caribbean's production of the making of VOYAGER OF THE SEAS. Royal Caribbean seems very cooperative when it comes to making these videos.

I wonder if TLC is filming a documentary on the stretching of ENCHANTMENT as we speak. That would be truly interesting to watch.

[ 06-06-2005: Message edited by: steeplechase ]

"Dry-Dock: Rebirth of a Cruise Ship." You can also read about it on The Learning Channel's website at www.tlc.com

I was fortunate enough to have been on Sovereign when she left the yard in France, across the Atlantic, and then for another year as Sr. Asst. Purser (we were called Purser's way back then!). Apparently it makes for good storytelling, but to my recollection, the famous centrum clock worked (almost) the entire time I was aboard. Go figure. I remember the builder/designer coming aboard a couple of times to 'fine tune' it.

I guess my real caveat to the TLC program was the fact that is WAS a TLC program and not terribly informative. I'm sure we've all seen carpet being removed and furniture being moved (in our own homes?), but how about the rip-out of the cinemas? And where did all the banquets go on the main floor of Follies? And last but not least, who is the little weasel playing the role of Asst. Project Manager? Did they find him at central casting?

Anyway...........in my opinion(!), this show would be best recorded, edited for commercials and content and presented in about an hours time! And yes, Eugenio C. in the background is terrific!

Who would have thought that (with Norway's fate sealed) Sovereign would be the old grand dame of the Caribbean - at 17 years old!

quote:

---

Originally posted by moodus2:
they wonder why they are having trouble motivating the crews to work.
foreign labor and products paid
with american tourist money.

---

Unfortunately, the cruise lines refuse to pay the exorbitant American union wages, hence you get this as a result. And the thing I found to be of major concern was the frequency of fire outbreaks. Does anyone know if this is typical?

[ 06-06-2005: Message edited by: BigUFan ]

I think Sovereign of the Seas is one of the most significant ships ever built. First, she introduced the multi-deck atrium that is now a standard design element to nearly every cruise ship. It represented a monumental shift in cruise ship design- allowing ship architecture to be more influenced by land based hotel design... a trend that continues today.

Secondly, at the time of her launch she was the largest passenger ship aloat... not very significant compared to QM2 and Freedom of the Seas today, but this is very important- Sovereign was the first purpose built cruise ship to suprass the surviving Atlantic liners in size (France/Norway and QE2).

I believe this represented the beginning of a new golden age of passenger ships. Until this point cruise ships always lived in the shadow of their liner ancestors. Sovereign proved that cruise ships could be as large, and larger, than the famous liners of the past. The glory of passenger ships had recovered from the damage done by jets travel decades earlier.

Apart from these two significant things- Sovereign is simply a beatuful looking ship. A true classic.

[ 06-06-2005: Message edited by: Fairsky ]

[ 06-06-2005: Message edited by: Fairsky ]

So, unless another line brought out something larger within that time period (I can't recall) - she would have held it for almost 4 years.

Also, the captain seems such a genuine man. I coudln't help but get involved with what he was saying when Soveriegn was up on blocks, he was almost very upset seeing his baby like that. He wants so badly to bring her back into the ocean where's she's most happy.

I don't know how our European freinds can catch this.. maybe satelite TV. I can't wait till Sunday.

I concur. She is indeed really a very pretty ship. She is of the Soverign class. Which includes her sisters, Monarch of the Seas, and Majesty of the Seas. I'd love to one day sail on any of them.

[ 06-10-2005: Message edited by: Hi Seas ]