Cruise Talk: Bermuda in the 1980's

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»	Cruise Talk » Ocean Liners and Classic Cruise Ships » Bermuda in the 1980's

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Topic: Bermuda in the 1980's

Thad
First Class Passenger
Member # 1224

posted 03-06-2008 11:59 AM

Here are some pics I took in Bermuda from 1985 of the Atlantic (Home Lines) the Nordic Prince (RCCL) and the Bermuda Star (BSL) all in Hamilton, and the Oceanic (Home Lines) out in the Great Sound.

Posts: 1967 | From: Boston, MA | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

Linerrich
First Class Passenger
Member # 4864

posted 03-06-2008 12:10 PM

Great pics! It's too bad that today's cruise ships are mostly too big to dock at Front Street any more.

Rich

Posts: 4210 | From: Miami, FL | Registered: Jul 2004 | IP: Logged

DAMBROSI
First Class Passenger
Member # 100

posted 03-06-2008 03:13 PM

Now that's what a ship is supposed to look like.

Posts: 2554 | From: Florida, USA, Where the Legend SS NORWAY sailed from. Moving back to FL next yr. | Registered: May 99 | IP: Logged

nycruiser
First Class Passenger
Member # 960

posted 03-06-2008 03:16 PM

Lovely pics. Those were the days. At the age of 7 I took my second ever and 1st cruise to Bermuda. From then on I said there 5 other times. It was very nice to dock at Front Street. Sailed on the Horizon twice Zenith, Galileo, Amerikanis. Some very good memories. I never saw three ships docked in Hamilton. It looks like the Bermuda Star was docked at the Cargo pier.

Posts: 665 | From: Westchester County, NY | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

lambcom
First Class Passenger
Member # 656

posted 03-06-2008 03:58 PM

Great pictures! We took our first ever cruise in 1883 to Bermuda on the old HAL Veendam. She was sold by HAL the following year I know she went through a number of different ownerships and names, including I think as the Bermuda Star. It sure looks like the Veendam in the photo or her sister, the old Volendam.

With about 500 pax, it was just the right size ship for the New York-Bermuda run and those were the days before HAL and the other lines started cutting corners and nickel and diming everyone. It certainly was a great introduction to cruising.

George +

Posts: 179 | From: Montreal, canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

linerguy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4289

posted 03-06-2008 04:07 PM

I was there around the same time only on QE2 and Cunard Princess was in Hamilton. My wife and walked up her gangway and whipped out our Cunard boarding passes and walked right on; we spent about an hour on board taking photos and checking our her ghastly decor. Terrific fun!

Great pics Thad; brought back some great memories. You never said which ship you were on; or did you fly there?

-Russ

Posts: 1486 | From: Bright, Indiana | Registered: Dec 2003 | IP: Logged

Linerrich
First Class Passenger
Member # 4864

posted 03-06-2008 04:31 PM

quote:
Originally posted by lambcom:
Great pictures! We took our first ever cruise in 1883 to Bermuda on the old HAL Veendam.
George +

George, with all due respect, just how old are you?! LOL

Rich

Posts: 4210 | From: Miami, FL | Registered: Jul 2004 | IP: Logged

Thad
First Class Passenger
Member # 1224

posted 03-06-2008 04:47 PM

Oh we used to fly down there every year, and stay at a hotel right across from downtown Hamilton called the Newstead. Now it is no longer a hotel, just being finished as we speak in a conversion to fractional condos. Interestingly when my whole family went back down to Bermuda this past fall, my parent so fell back into love with Bermuda that they bought a share of a condo at the Newstead, and will be heading back 3-4 times a year for two weeks at a time. I am so sad that just as they are heading back, and I can visit, there will be no cruise ships to look at. It is interesting how the hotel has changed from a classic smaller hotel, to a large blocky, balcony covered affair, similar to the changed we have seen in the cruise industry. You can see the difference in these pics I took in 1985 and 2007 of the same Newstead Resort, directly across from Hamilton

Russ your story of checking out the Cunard Princess, reminds me of the tours we used to take of the Volendam, Statendam and Doric back in Hamilton. When the Atlantic came in 1981, I was an excited little boy to go and tour her, but was informed that Home Lines did not have tours anymore. Well we came back the next day and just walked on like we owned the ship, and no one stopped us. We spent an hour or so checking out the ship, which as far as I can remember we thought was pretty ugly and had lot's of brown. Ah those were the days...

Posts: 1967 | From: Boston, MA | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 03-06-2008 05:10 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Linerrich:
George, with all due respect, just how old are you?! LOL Rich

I was laughing too and about to offer my congratulations

Fabtastic photos Thad! What a time you must have had there during all those holidays. I have only visited once & had to tender.

But Oh isn't ATLANTIC/MELODY ugly compared to OCEANIC.. LOL... I feel privileged to have had the chance to sail both ships in recent years and although OCEANIC is by far the nicer of the 2 as a ship with her lovely decks [asides from MELODY's fab Poop], there really is not that much difference in the standards and quality of the interiors. Both are 'fun' ships to sail and I enjoyed both. Would have been lovely to see them back then though.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

lasuvidaboy
First Class Passenger
Member # 4527

posted 03-06-2008 05:20 PM

Ashame the Atlantic turned out the way she did. It seems that with some minor design modifications she could have been a much better looking ship.

I never understand how a ship can turn out so unattractive (compared to her stunning older fleetmate) considering all the drawings and models that are built before construction begins. On the plus side she is still better looking than most newbuilds today.

Posts: 7654 | From: Hollywood Hills/L.A. | Registered: Mar 2004 | IP: Logged

Thad
First Class Passenger
Member # 1224

posted 03-06-2008 05:58 PM

And it is interesting to see that when Home Lines built thir final new ship just 4 years later, she looked nothing like either the Atlantic or the Oceanic. Not my pic, but here is one of the Atlantic and Homeric in Hamilton...

[ 03-06-2008: Message edited by: Thad ]

Posts: 1967 | From: Boston, MA | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

dougnewman
First Class Passenger
Member # 11349

posted 03-06-2008 06:04 PM

quote:
Originally posted by PamM:
there really is not that much difference in the standards and quality of the interiors. Both are 'fun' ships to sail and I enjoyed both.

I think one could say that Premier brought OCEANIC's interiors down to ATLANTIC's level

Posts: 2072 | From: Long Island, NY, USA | Registered: Sep 2007 | IP: Logged

DAMBROSI
First Class Passenger
Member # 100

posted 03-06-2008 06:16 PM

In July 1987, my late husband and I had seen the OCEANIC and the ATLANTIC sitting the same way. We were on the GALILEO. Wonderfful trip.

Posts: 2554 | From: Florida, USA, Where the Legend SS NORWAY sailed from. Moving back to FL next yr. | Registered: May 99 | IP: Logged

lambcom
First Class Passenger
Member # 656

posted 03-07-2008 05:56 PM

Miss one typo and you're the laughing stock of this thread. Okay, okay it was 1983, not 1883 and I like to think of myself as a 25 year old being held prisoner in a 63 year old body.

Now will someone answer my question: is the Bermuda Star pictured here the former Veendam!

George +

Posts: 179 | From: Montreal, canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

dougnewman
First Class Passenger
Member # 11349

posted 03-07-2008 06:06 PM

quote:
Originally posted by lambcom:
Now will someone answer my question: is the Bermuda Star pictured here the former Veendam!

Yes, she is.

Posts: 2072 | From: Long Island, NY, USA | Registered: Sep 2007 | IP: Logged

lambcom
First Class Passenger
Member # 656

posted 03-08-2008 07:08 AM

Thank you, Doug!

G +

Posts: 179 | From: Montreal, canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

BigUFan
First Class Passenger
Member # 1382

posted 03-11-2008 03:26 PM

Ah, I remember them well. Shame I actually only set foot on two of them, Oceanic and Nordic Prince, and only sailed on the latter.

Posts: 904 | From: Orlando, FL | Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

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