The SS Norway, of the Norwegian Cruise Line, was one particular of the grande olde ships I experienced generally preferred to go on. Their seven-working day cruise was over Thanksgiving out of Miami to the Caribbean. It was a Massive Band Cruise with dance hosts and 4 well-recognised swing bands from the previous. Excellent — I like the old jazz and large band music and I adore to dance but frequently really don’t have a very good dance husband or wife. I signed up.
Sailing on the Norway turned out to be a journey again in time. She was developed in 1960 as the renowned SS France, much more than 1,000 ft extended, a 110 foot beam, and with about 2,000 travellers and a crew of 900 who appear from all more than the world.
You felt the grand custom as quickly as you boarded. The Norway even now maintained a type and graciousness reminiscent of before cruising. The ship has been refurbished several periods, but the art deco murals, hand-laid tile mosaics, polished teak rails, and the nautical antiques from cruises bygone have diligently been preserved, and as you walked the lengthy promenade deck you felt like you were being cruising somewhere again in time. As you dined, you realized you had been dining wherever famed stars experienced dined, and you seem at the murals and primary art functions figuring out they had been there in individuals early times when other folks just before you sat in this space, viewed these identical murals, and engaged in the very same type of energetic conversations with many others as you might be carrying out now. Later that evening, you fifty percent count on Cary Grant, stylish in his tuxedo, to stroll down the deck and lean nonchalantly subsequent to you on the rail.
It requires a even though to uncover your way all-around. The Norway is 10 blocks lengthy and 12 decks high. There is an Global Deck lined with sidewalk cafes and boutiques on the Olympic Deck is the health heart with glass walls so you can workout though gazing out at the sea on a decrease deck you appear upon a decadent Roman Spa that features massages, aromatherapy, body wraps, saunas, steam rooms, and an indoor pool for water physical exercise. On several decks are two swimming pools, a jogging track, 7 bars, six amusement lounges, one grand ballroom, a cabaret, a big on line casino, disco, an ice-cream parlor, library, piano bar, and a theater for initial run and outdated common movies. If you require them, there is a hairdresser, laundry, dry cleaner, masseuse, and clinical amenities.
The Norway has 1,039 staterooms, every single with individually controlled air-conditioning, personal bathtub with shower, Television, radio and telephone. Some suites have a different residing area and bedroom in addition to a grasp bedroom. Most penthouse suites have non-public balconies. One evening we had been invited to a get together in the owner’s suite. It was magnificent, with a wrap-about balcony, residing space, bed room, dressing room and jacuzzi. Our host — a former police officer from Illinois who had won a key lottery of many thousands and thousands and was celebrating. We had a a lot less magnificent modest cabin with a porthole.
Biggest career each and every day — choosing from between the items to do. There ended up Broadway demonstrates, physical exercise courses, dance instruction, basketball, golfing driving and placing, paddleball, ping pong, shuffleboard, skeet capturing, snorkeling classes and excursions, volleyball, fashion demonstrates, wine-tasting, artwork auctions, lectures, a tea for grandparents, a mixer for singles, and a champagne social gathering for honeymooners. There were not lots of little ones aboard this cruise, but typically there was a youth plan with a kid’s playroom, little ones and teen actions, and special shore excursions. How can any one at any time say they would be bored on a cruise?
We still left Miami late in the afternoon and the functions started immediately. Some passengers straight away headed for the casino, ready for it to open when we received outdoors the authorized miles. The casino was established up for blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat, 200 slot machines and a handful of new games I hadn’t listened to of. I was delighted on deck, listening to the tunes, snacking off the welcome-aboard buffet, and watching the shoreline vanish astern.
I was currently glad I experienced made this choice. I felt like a different man or woman. The holiday getaway rush on land would not utilize listed here. I watched the waves break alongside the ship and the wake path at the rear of. The air was fresh new. Vacation tiredness? — poof. The only targeted visitors jam here would be the initially persons in line waiting around to enter the eating area to dig in to an additional food. The only conclusions would be whether to store on board, in port, or both equally, or engage in golfing or tennis, go swimming at some tranquil tropical seashore or perform difficult at deep-sea fishing. And tonight I would have to decide no matter whether to have the conch fritters or shrimp, or new baked bread or blueberry muffins, or stuffed Cornish hen or grilled swordfish, or coconut meringue pie or that ‘death-by-chocolate’ dessert. Or a minor of each individual. And I hardly ever would have to glimpse for a parking house!
By the initial night time we were being meeting individuals, and really serious dancing had previously started. I have never seen so a lot of people in one particular place who appreciated dancing so much and who knew so considerably about jazz and major band songs. You could wander from ballroom to ballroom, and in in between on the International Deck you could sit and talk to the travellers reminiscing and comparing reminiscences as they listened to a complimentary 24-hour CD jukebox stocked with option picks of decades of jazz and significant band recordings.
4 bands have been enjoying this 7 days, alternating two every single night: the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra performed by Buddy Morrow, Si Zentner and his Orchestra, the Bob Crosby Orchestra performed by Ed Metz Jr, and the Harry James Orchestra conducted by Art Depew. And every night in the Cafe Internationale, which turned out to be my favourite put, was the band whose drummer used to enjoy the track record songs for the outdated Fred Astaire motion pictures. He nevertheless performed the previous acquainted brush drum arrangements for ‘Stepping Out with My Baby’ and ‘Top Hat and Tails’. I fulfilled the six gentlemen dance hosts in their navy blazers and white slacks and danced my to start with dances.
A couple times out at sea the team commenced to place up Xmas trees, far more than 50, close to all the decks. A couple of passengers aided place on some ornaments. In the spirit of the vacations, the online video channel featured classic holiday getaway movies as effectively as time period motion pictures, major band performances, and interviews with old perfectly-acknowledged significant band stars. We all experienced the getaway spirit. But it can be distinctive out below. There is no force.
Our first port cease was St. Maarten/St. Martin. (The island is divided in two, half Dutch and 50 percent French.) The Dutch port, the place we docked, was Philipsburg. On the other aspect is Marigot, with some seaside French cafes. In amongst there is the beach at Mullet Bay with lots of rock formations for very good picture ops, swimming, and exploring. There is duty-free shopping on the two sides, with items ranging from affordable t-shirts to pricey jewellery and French and Caribbean designer clothes. Various shore excursions ended up provided. In the early morning we chose to go sailing on a 12-Metre racing sailboat that experienced raced in the America’s Cup. In the afternoon we wandered along from shop to shop in the sunlight with calypso songs in the track record, then stopped for a great consume on a restaurant patio together the ocean, and thought about the individuals procuring in the crowds back residence.
Subsequent stop was St. John, the U.S. Virgin Island that is a protected countrywide park. There are empty beach locations there and some excellent climbing trails. We selected sailing once more, though others selected beaching, sightseeing all-around the island by safari bus, or went on a person of several snorkel/scuba dives. Our sailboat took us in excess of to St. Thomas, where we caught up with the ship. Most of the individuals went into city to do some duty-free procuring so their Xmas shopping would be finished when they got dwelling. Other folks headed for Magen’s Bay, most well-liked seaside in the space. Yet another team went snorkeling at the safeguarded reefs of Buck Island, wherever feeding fish by hand underwater is a spotlight, and other individuals seen coral and sea existence on the Atlantis submarine. We have been back on board in loads of time for a relaxation and a shower right before supper, and a lot more significant band new music and dancing.
I have a few wonderful reminiscences from the next official evening. A person was the team of musicians sitting all over the CD juke box, actively playing the old things and reminiscing. “That’s Major Holley on bass, with Slam Stewart, a single of individuals wonderful times they played jointly.” “Who’s the drummer?” “Seems like Oliver Jackson.” “Ideal. Try to remember the night time …” I just sat and listened, grinning, content to be portion of it.
The 2nd memory was the scene at 1 a.m. in the primary ballroom. Some of the older folks were asleep sitting down on the aspect banquettes, as well worn out to dance anymore, but too stubborn to go away the good music.
It was right after 2 a.m. when I started out back to my stateroom, taking my common stroll previous the CD juke box to get a breath of sea air right before turning in. The reminiscing musicians ended up gone, but just one aged couple have been there, trim and tiny in their formal clothing, with their arms close to just about every other, dropped in reminiscences, dancing to an aged Tommy Dorsey tune. I experienced tears in my eyes as I walked again to my cabin.
The following day was seaside working day on a tiny island in the Bahamas — Wonderful Stirrup Cay. I utilised to dwell in the Bahamas on just one of the outislands, so it was excellent to get back again to clear turquoise Bahamian waters. I walked the seaside, and remembered my 5 several years dwelling in the islands.
At the conclude of 7 times, the ship was sparkling with decorations, prepared for the Christmas and New Year’s Cruise. They had been by now thoroughly booked. But, I assumed, I can indicator up for next yr. But time got away and now she will sail no a lot more.
History OF THE S.S. NORWAY
The Norway was christened the S.S. France in 1960. Length: 1,035 toes, that longest passenger ship then ever constructed. Along with Cunard’s Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, she was a single of the grand luxurious ships on a regular basis crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
But jet planes arrived together, and were a lot quicker and cheaper, passenger visitors grew to become unprofitable, and sailings had been stopped in 1974. The France languished for quite a few many years in the port of Le Havre right until pioneer of the cruise market Knut U. Kloster, acquired her for $18 million for his Norwegian Caribbean Line (currently identified as Norwegian Cruise Line) and renamed her the S.S. Norway. More than the subsequent 10 months some 2,000 staff renovated the ship at the expense of $100 million.
She started her new daily life in the Caribbean, sailing her very first 7-working day Caribbean cruise June 1, l980 from Miami, her new home port, with an international crew of 800 from some 40 nations. In 1990 she the moment a lot more returned to the shipyard, this time for a $40 million refurbishment, like a 6,000 sq. foot Roman Spa with pampering health, wellness and natural beauty packages and two glass-enclosed decks of luxury cabins, together with two with floor-to-ceiling windows, wraparound balconies, and jacuzzis with ocean watch. In 1993 the ship experienced a $23 million refurbishing and renovation of the 5,000 square foot on line casino to a mirrored, etched and stained glass Artwork Deco topic reminiscent of the ship’s legendary earlier.
Her long term was unidentified for a extensive time, but now she is headed to be scrap.
