Maybe they want it for the name "France" ... under certain lighting conditions when you approached her in the tenders, you could still see the welds outlining the name "France". Gosh those were the GOOD Times.

quote:

Originally posted by Heron Bay:
We seldom saw the children, who took their meals with the other children in the Trianon, which was the children's dining room, thereby preserving the decorum of the Versailles. While we never visited the Trianon during a mealtime, we were told it was sometimes pretty noisy and wild, with kids flinging dinner rolls and the like. Dominique, our server, told us that waiters and bus boys who fell into disfavor with the maitre d' for infractions of various kinds were given varying sentences of hard labor in the Trianon, serving the restive juveniles.

Recollections such as these are particularly cherished now as we see this once-glorious ship being dissected by the vultures.

Thank you, Heron Bay, for sharing that most wonderful memory. I actually caught myself smiling after I read it...a very nice diversion from the news we are now hearing of our ship. No matter what they do to our ship, they can't destroy memories such as this.

I can picture those rolls a-flinging!

LisaP

All - this is my first post. As a former crewmember on the SS Norway (from April 1983 through July 1985) I was thrilled to find your site. And Heron Bay's post about the Trianon was certainly reminiscent as the children's dining room on SS France continued to be used as a dining room on the SS Norway for certain crew (e.g., cruise staff, musicians, theatre cast, casino workers, gift shop girls and this lone gift shop boy). And the practices of old die hard; our chief waiter, Frank, had (if rumors are to be believed) been exiled from the main dining room to the crew dining room. I'm saddened to learn of her fate. Are there other former crew on this site?

quote:

Originally posted by Gift Shop Boy:
All - this is my first post. As a former crewmember on the SS Norway (from April 1983 through July 1985) I was thrilled to find your site. And Heron Bay's post about the Trianon was certainly reminiscent as the children's dining room on SS France continued to be used as a dining room on the SS Norway for certain crew (e.g., cruise staff, musicians, theatre cast, casino workers, gift shop girls and this lone gift shop boy). And the practices of old die hard; our chief waiter, Frank, had (if rumors are to be believed) been exiled from the main dining room to the crew dining room. I'm saddened to learn of her fate. Are there other former crew on this site?

I was 1st officer on the Norway in 2000-2001.

so what you're saying is that the Staff Mess on Biscayne Deck was the France's childrens dining room?

Svein wrote:

I was 1st officer on the Norway in 2000-2001.

so what you're saying is that the Staff Mess on Biscayne Deck was the France's childrens dining room?

Svein, you are asking me to draw on some old memories, but here goes: My recollection is that our old dining room was on the starboard side of the ship up against the hull of the ship (but with no visible portholes) and that we were on the deck above, and just to the aft of, the main floor of the Leeward Dining Room. I'm pretty sure that put us on the Norway Deck, but this part my memory is very fuzzy on. At that time (1983-1985), all the other crew messes were on 'B' deck (there may also have been an officers mess on Fjord deck, but I rarely was there unless being called to the Bridge to be told I'd gotten a warning because (i) I went to the Disco on a very quite night during the crossings in 1985 or (ii) on my last night on the ship, some girls at the Captains table turned down the Captain's offer of drinks after dinner because they said they had been invited [but not by me, but that's another story] to go to my going away party which was to be held on the crew deck at the very rear of the ship). I'm sure I'm going to leave one or more out, but there was a Norwegian mess (lots of salted fish that I never really developed a taste for), a Jamaican/West Indies mess, and a Korean mess (famous for the industrious Koreans who sold noodle soup with chives and, if you wanted, an egg, for a dollar or two, in the middle of the night; I stopped there often on the way home from the crew bar to my room on Dolphin Deck all the way forward). By the way, while our dining room didn't have portholes, the outside wall of the dining room was a translucent material (probably plastic) with color swirled in that was very 'art deco'. If anyone has a photo of that wall/artwork, I'd love to see it. It had backlighting that created a bright, but peaceful, effect. From Huron Bay's post, it sounds like it didn't work all that well on the children throwing rolls; and I'm not sure how well it worked on a bunch of adult crew members who often seemed hungover. Svein, do you have any recollection of this part of the ship. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that during one of the refurbishments it had been turned into cabins, or used to expand the Leeward dining room.

If any of the gift shop staff from that era read this post, please write back.

Gift Shop Boy (aka John)

quote:

Originally posted by Gift Shop Boy:
Svein wrote:

I was 1st officer on the Norway in 2000-2001.

so what you're saying is that the Staff Mess on Biscayne Deck was the France's childrens dining room?

Svein, you are asking me to draw on some old memories, but here goes: My recollection is that our old dining room was on the starboard side of the ship up against the hull of the ship (but with no visible portholes) and that we were on the deck above, and just to the aft of, the main floor of the Leeward Dining Room. I'm pretty sure that put us on the Norway Deck, but this part my memory is very fuzzy on. At that time (1983-1985), all the other crew messes were on 'B' deck (there may also have been an officers mess on Fjord deck, but I rarely was there unless being called to the Bridge to be told I'd gotten a warning because (i) I went to the Disco on a very quite night during the crossings in 1985 or (ii) on my last night on the ship, some girls at the Captains table turned down the Captain's offer of drinks after dinner because they said they had been invited [but not by me, but that's another story] to go to my going away party which was to be held on the crew deck at the very rear of the ship). I'm sure I'm going to leave one or more out, but there was a Norwegian mess (lots of salted fish that I never really developed a taste for), a Jamaican/West Indies mess, and a Korean mess (famous for the industrious Koreans who sold noodle soup with chives and, if you wanted, an egg, for a dollar or two, in the middle of the night; I stopped there often on the way home from the crew bar to my room on Dolphin Deck all the way forward). By the way, while our dining room didn't have portholes, the outside wall of the dining room was a translucent material (probably plastic) with color swirled in that was very 'art deco'. If anyone has a photo of that wall/artwork, I'd love to see it. It had backlighting that created a bright, but peaceful, effect. From Huron Bay's post, it sounds like it didn't work all that well on the children throwing rolls; and I'm not sure how well it worked on a bunch of adult crew members who often seemed hungover. Svein, do you have any recollection of this part of the ship. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that during one of the refurbishments it had been turned into cabins, or used to expand the Leeward dining room.

If any of the gift shop staff from that era read this post, please write back.

Gift Shop Boy (aka John)

John, what a great trip down memory lane (or may I say down the alleyway on Biscayne deck? )
A lot of conversions were made during the 80's and 90's so the staff mess could very well be located adjacent to Leeward dining room as you say. In 2000, when I was there, the layout of the messrooms were approx like this:

All the crew and staff messrooms were along the crew alleyway on biscayne deck starboard side. From fwd to aft it was the Norwegian Mess (with the smelly fish dishes ) and the staff mess. These messrooms were inside rooms with no portholes.

Outside rooms were the crew mess, the west indies mess and the korean mess. And the midnight noodle soup tradition were still alive in 200. When I was doing the 12-4 watch I used to send down my watchman with two dollars - soup for me and himself Great soup that was.

The officers mess was between the Windward dining room and the gally on atlantic deck.

I would love to hear more of your stories from your life on the big blue. I have great memories from the crew parties at Viking Deck aft as well - one is that I met my wife and mother of my child there

Aaahh.. Dolphin Deck - among us norskies called "Muselunden" (send me a PM and I'll give you the translation...not appropriate here )

Welcome to cruise-chat, John! I am enjoying your recollections, along with Svein's. (Svein and I have learned that we were onboard the same time, only I was a passenger.)

As hard as it is to watch the "progress" made on our ship, it's wonderful that our stories will live on. That's something that cannot be taken from us...and the more, the better.

LisaP

Had the French Line been privatized into a specialty cruiseline, like HAL, do you believe that they might have made the SS France into a full time cruise ship, like the SS Rotterdam V. For instance, would the French Line had made the SS France into the the QE2/Rotterdam of France?
I always wondered how today's global society would have viewed the SS France, as opposed to the SS Norway. What sort of chances would they had made to the SS France? I doubt that it would have followed NCL's example for the ship. It was doing world cruises. Something that was never implimented on the SS Norway's intinerary.

Had the French Line had been as successful as HAL, would the SS France had been a better candidate for preservation had it retained much of its original build as the SS Rotterdam V?

I could certainly imagine the SS France visiting Dubai, Hong Kong, and Australia. In contrast, the SS Norway never visited those far away places. I believe the SS France visited Melborne, Australia in 1974. It's too bad that the SS France was withdrawn from service. Otherwise, it would have rivaled the QE2, as far as gaining international iconic status was concerned.

I do hope that one day, someone would construct a near replica of the SS France. It would be a better option than the RMS Titanic, as far as sailing is concerned.

If anyone built a replica of the TITANIC, I'd jump at the chance to sail her.

quote:

Originally posted by MinotauronMauretania:
If anyone built a replica of the TITANIC, I'd jump at the chance to sail her.

To me, building a replica of France, Titanic or any other historic ship wouldn't do.

My affection and love for the Norway is based on her soul, her history, her crew, her smells and anecdotes. Her looks are of course important as well, but - like with human relationships - looks alone is not enough. A replica would just be a visionary thing and for that I have my pictures and films from the real one.

Svein, that is the best description of one's affection for a ship I have ever read. Thank you for stating so eloquently what I'm sure many of us have been thinking.

LisaP

quote:

Originally posted by Svein:

To me, building a replica of France, Titanic or any other historic ship wouldn't do.

My affection and love for the Norway is based on her soul, her history, her crew, her smells and anecdotes. Her looks are of course important as well, but - like with human relationships - looks alone is not enough. A replica would just be a visionary thing and for that I have my pictures and films from the real one.

Let me be clear on my definition of a near replica of the SS France and the Titanic:

The near replica of the SS France is actually a sister ship that would have all of the original art pannels that was saved from the SS Norway. Second, the ship would have the largest luxury cabin spaces, while still retaining the 1960's decour. The ship's navagation equipment and powertrain would be the most advance systems that would rival a aircraft carrier ship. The goal is not just to copy the original, but to give it extra features that was never present on the SS France. In essence, we're creating a different ship. They may look the same on the outside; but looking at them on the inside, they are slightly different, like the Andrea Doria and the Christoforo Columbo. So this ship would have its own soul and its own personality.

My version of a Titanic replica is really based on the third ship, the RMS Britainic, which never saw service as a passenger liner. It will combine the best of the three ships, but it would have it own decour and amedities that would exceed her deceased sisters. There would not be a third class on this ship at all. For example, the ships' cabin spaces would be very large, as the Queen Mary 2. But it would retain its Edwardian Era decour and expand on that beauty that was never seen on any other ship at that time. The ship would have two class configuration that is luxury all the way from the time frame of the 18th Century that would be the Second Class, while the First Class would comprised of the 19th/20th Century features. It would have a theatre, a shoping arcade, etc. Unless proven wrong, I don't believe that the Titanic or the Olympic had any of those things.

Yes, the ship's powertrain will have oil burning steamengines, like the ones that was installed onboard the RMS Olympic in the 1920's. The ship would be able to sail, as far as testing the ship's powertain is concerned. And that would be an important feature for the museum. People will want to know what the powertain from that era looks like.

The FOURTH olympic class ship would be named RMS Gigantic. It would be built solely as a hotel and museum vessel. Not as a commercial passenger liner. No carbon copy will ever capture the essence of the origin. So creating a sister ship is always the best solution.

A lot of people will disagree with my opinion. But that's how I view it. A ship is ment to be sailed. I agree. But there are certainly vessels that should be saved as hotels and museums for future generations.

With oil prices going thru the roof.....good luck with your 'steam' powered ship. The way the price of diesel fuel is going up I wouldn't be suprised to see cruise lines in the next five years either selling off their older ships or cancelling any newbuilds they were considering.

It's almost like the oil crisis back in the '70's....history just might repeat itself. All these mega cruise ships might become 'white elephants'.

quote:

Originally posted by Capt Matt:
All these mega cruise ships might become 'white elephants'.

Either that, Matt, or the "economy of scale" argument may prevail, with cruise lines moving exclusively to mega-ship operations and discarding their smaller vessels

... Wonderful, more floating condo's at sea that have all the pleasing lines of a floating brick. The Disney cruise ships are getting more attractive with every day, and from I read, they were designed as transatlantic liners... even have twin funnels. Time for me to save my pennies to go on one of them. But before then... take a trip on Regal Empress.

NOW you're talking! Yes, everyone who wants to save a classic liner should be putting their money into a nice cruise in the REGAL E. It won't save her in the end but at least it will ensure we have her for another two and a half years. She looks really great after her drydocking, btw.

Peter Knego

Peter, I thoroughly enjoyed your recent blog on the ship I affectionately call "my Empress." The last time I saw her was two years ago, when we pulled into Ft. Lauderdale on another ship. I looked out our window, and there was my Empress making her way in behind us. It was a highlight of our cruise!

I also encourage all liner fans to take a cruise on this gem of a ship.

Hi - does anyone have any fresh news about our ship, France?

quote:

Originally posted by Capt Matt:
With oil prices going thru the roof.....good luck with your 'steam' powered ship. The way the price of diesel fuel is going up I wouldn't be suprised to see cruise lines in the next five years either selling off their older ships or cancelling any newbuilds they were considering.

It's almost like the oil crisis back in the '70's....history just might repeat itself. All these mega cruise ships might become 'white elephants'.

I'd love to see a resurgence of the older ships around 60-70 K tons but economically it probably doesn't pay even at the high oil prices. They'll probably just cut back on their future ship orders & continue to run the current ones at as full capacity as possible. (with increased prices to)

quote:

Originally posted by Phil in england:
Hi - does anyone have any fresh news about our ship, France?

At the rate the breakers were going... I bet most of her upper decks have been dismantled... last pix showed her bridge was gone. Deep Sigh!~