IN 1976 MY PARENTS WENT ON A CRUISE OUT OF MIAMI,ON A SHIP CALLED M/S SKYWARD. I WAS WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT SHIP. I CANT SEEM TO GET ANY INFORMATION ON IT. I WOULD APPRECIATE IF SOMEONE COULD TELL ME IF THIS SHIP IS STILL IN SERVICE.
you can see a recent photo of her here. She received a not so elegant addition to her stern superstructure some years ago.
She has been used as a casino ship for almost 15 years now, mainly anchored off Singapore with passengers arriving via fast ferry service. She calls at Singapore once per week or so in order to bunker.
no, her sister was the "Starward". She is still in service with Louis Cruise Lines as a full-time cruise ship, operating mainly in the Mediterranean under the name "Orient Queen". A former owner, a Lebanese shipowner, invested heavily into her some years ago and her interiors are said to be of a fairly high quality now.
I sailed on her, and the Sunward, and the Starward. They were all great ships. I always remember the waiters, they would spin their trays. There was always Caribbean music playing out by the pool. At the time, they were huge ships. The were kept sparkling clean. People dressed elegantly for dinner. I don't remember any buffets, just a place for hamburgers by the pool area. I remember going to the dining room for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I remember the drinks were less expensive than the sodas. I remember a lot of dancing and even winning a little in the casino.
During my time with NCL, I loved to listen to the oldtimers tell about the old white ships and all the fun they had there...
And a trivia regarding the Orient Queen: She was the vessel that evacuated some 1000 american and other foreigners from Beirut to Cyprus during Israels attack on Lebanon in 2006.
