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With Reuben Goossens
Maritime Historian
Page Two
Klosters – Norwegian Cruise Line
SS Norway
ex French Lines - SS France
SS Norway in her
latter days as a NCL Cruise Ship
June 1979 the sophisticated, elegant French grand dame entered a new guise when she was sold to the Oslo-based Klosters
Rederi A/S, one of Norway's oldest and most respected
shipping firms. Renamed SS Norway she was
converted to become the largest cruise ship of her time. Many
thought that she was too large to be a cruise ship and many felt that the
cruise industry was dwindling. How wrong they were, SS Norway started a new
wave of interest in cruising.
Above and below: SS
Norway seen in her new Guise as a fine Cruise Ship
With her fine heritage and size SS Norway became the most
popular cruise ships sailing out of Florida.
Her success was so great, other companies realised this market would be profitable
and placed their ships in the US
market. A wealthy American, Mr. Mickey Arison set up a new cruise company,
Carnival Cruises, and marketed it to Mr and Mrs average
and the younger market. It was a great success, and today, Carnival Corp, owns
more that half of the cruise companies, including the famed Cunard, Holland America,
P&O, etc.
SS Norway in the Blohm Voss Dry-Dock #II
Photo from the J& J Larsen photo
collection
www.merchantshipphotos.de
During her refit, two propellers and four boilers were
removed, reducing Norway’s
top speed from a maximum of 35 knots down to around 25 knots. Her interiors saw
many changes made and she would now successfully serve as a one-class cruise
ship. Upon completion, she operated a variety of cruises from Miami, including those to
the owner’s private islands in the Cayman Islands.
SS Norway seen prior her massive 1990 rebuilding
Photo from the J& J Larsen
photo collection
www.merchantshipphotos.de
A further series of major refits
and she was dramatically rebuilt, which changed her appearance greatly, as well
as her tonnage. During September and October 1990 two additional decks were
added atop the Norway,
which added 135 luxury cabins and suites.
Ship lovers worldwide criticised
the addition of these two decks. Although still an attractive ship, she looked
top heavy! However, in spite of this SS Norway always remained a grand and an
imposing sight.
Norway received additional refits in 1993 and 1996 in
order to comply with the new SOLAS (Safety of Life At Sea) regulations. These upgrades would allow her to continue cruising well into
the future. Thankfully her funnels had been repainted, taken on the new NCL
livery with a dark blue funnel with a gold NCL logo, which was a vast
improvement.
Specifications SS Norway
Tonnage: 76,049
GRT
Passengers: 2,032 (twin basis)
2,370
(all berths)
Crew: 875
Photo Album -
Part One
As the Norway she
gained a more modern look internally, as seen here in the Dazzles Disco
The glass dance floor in the
background was built on top the former aft pool.
The
Classic Glass enclosed Promenade Deck
Seen
from the entrance of Café de Paris
-The entrance to Club Internationale and seating on
--Promenade
deck
The Leeward Restaurant
A Lobby
A Stairwell
Another view of the magnificent
Promenade Deck
-Author’s private collection
Raoul Fiebig of Das Ruderhaus-
By Raoul Fiebig of Das Ruderhaus
A fine view of her extensive
aft decks and pool
SS
Norway’s Final Days
Being
a steam ship Norway
became expensive to operate, however NCL was taken over by the Malaysian Genting
Casino Corporation Star Cruises, who decided to keep her in operation due to
her massive popularity and loyal following. In 1999, Norway
experienced a turbo-charger fire as she entered Barcelona, which put her out of action for
three weeks.
A stern view of the Norway
revealing the aft extensions to her decks
On May 25, 2003,
having docked at 5.00 am in Miami, the Norway was severely
damaged by a boiler explosion at 6.30 am. Seven lives were lost as well as
seventeen injured. None of the passengers were affected. On June 27, 2003,
NCL/Star decided to relocate SS Norway. She departed Miami under tow, although at first NCL/Star refused
to announce her destination. However, she headed for Europe and eventually
arrived in Bremerhaven
on September 23,
2003. Soon NCL/Star announced that boiler parts were available to
repair her, and to build a new boiler was out of question.
SS
Norway departs Miami
under tow
Provided by Smit Wijs - International Tug company
On March
17, 2004, Colin Veitch Chairman of NCL announced that the “Norway would not return to “North American
cruise duties,” however, he stated that NCL/Star “will continue to
evaluate appropriate options for the vessel,” however the Norway had
“been officially removed from the NCL fleet.”
Aerial Shot of the Norway
in Bremerhaven
© taken by Raoul Fiebig of
Das Ruderhaus
Norway continues to look magnificent whilst berthed
in Bremerhaven
© taken by Raoul Fiebig of
Das Ruderhaus
The decision to remove her from the NCL fleet she remained berthed in Bremerhaven until 2005, when she was towed to Port Klang Malaysia. Star
Cruises said that she would remain in use, either as a static Casino in Singapore, or
on short overnight casino cruises, although at a slow speed on her remaining
boiler
SS Norway seen at night in Bremerhaven
© taken by Raoul Fiebig of
Das Ruderhaus
However, in December that year, Star Cruises sold her to a Bangladeshi (Liberian registered) breaker who renamed her Blue Lady after which she
headed off to be broken up but was soon stopped due to a massive outcry by her
loyal followers as well as Greenpeace, who protested regarding the huge amount
of asbestos onboard. Apparently, Greenpeace claimed that she sailed to Malaysia illegally due to some asbestor law, and that all asbestos should have been removed
prior her departure for Asia. SS Blue Lady was
forced to return to Port Klang and was anchored just outside the port, where
she remains today (May 7, 2006).
Above
we see SS Norway anchored off Port Klang. In December 2005, her
name painted out and her new name Blue Lady stencilled above. We can also see
that her large tenders, originally located on her foredeck have been removed,
as has much of her fine furnishings and other
fittings. Star/NCL will use some items on some of their other cruise ships.
The
next page will have the Norway Photo Album Part Two, as well as SS Norway at
Port Klang, her renaming, and the underhanded disposal of the ship by Star
Cruises to the breakers.
***********************************
Index
Page One … SS France
Page
Two … SS
Norway
Page
Three … SS
Norway – Blue Lady
Page Four … Norway Deck Plan
Photo … QE2 passes the Norway
Photo
… Photographer
Don Tremain presents his experience and four
photographs
Photo … Tomas-Rosales
shares his photographs of the Norway in Miami
Photo … Michael and Lee Ann Pavlick honeymoon cruise in 2002
Photo … Norway
in Bremerhaven – Page Two
Photo … Norway Departs
Bremerhaven 23 May 2005
Photo … A series of
photographs of SS Blue Lady in Alang
Story … Pauli
Dangerousli describes his 1997 cruise on the SS Norway
Story … “The
Ship that Saved my Life” – The Karl Henrik Henriksen
Story (2 pages)
Article … “Surreal times
on the SS France” by Patrick Jackson
Brochure … This inaugural SS Norway
brochure (1980) was provided by Mr. Michael Bobo
***********************************
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Commenced
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Photographs on
ssmaritime and associate pages are by the author or from the author’s
private collection. In
addition there are some images that have been provided by Shipping Companies
and private photographers or collectors. Credit is given to all contributors.
However, there are some photographs provided to me without details regarding
the photographer/owner concerned. I hereby invite if owners of these images
would be so kind to make them-selves known to me (my email address may be found
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that due credit may be given. I know what it is like, I have seen a multitude
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provide credit or remove them when asked, knowing full well that there is no
legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show these charlatans
up and do the right thing at all times and give credit where credit is due!
This notice covers all
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duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page, that is, when a
page is updated!
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