KUNGSHOLM IV of SVENSKA AMERIKA LINIEN and her life after SAL and FLAGSHIP CRUISES
When FLAGSHIP, after turning into financial trubles, sold its diamond, KUNGSHOLM, P&O grabbed the former luxurious and wonderfull designed VIKING QUEEN of the SEVEN SEAS, KUNGSHOLM and reconstructed the vessel for the mass market the company was tending to serve with its subsidiary PRINCESS CRUISES and P&O themselves.
by Earl of Cruise
KUNGSHOLM sailing in FLAGSHIP colours - postcard, own collection
But first KUNGSHOLM’s FLAGSHIP schedule included another Trans-Pacific
voyage, once organised by SVENSKA AMERIKA LINIEN, to Auckland New Zealand and Sydney Australia in January 1976. She arrived
in Sydney on February 25, and although the ship would visit Sydney many more
times in the future, sadly she would never visit looking as beautiful as she
did on this occasion, with her two proud yellow funnels and her long sleek and
elegant lines and stature, nor would she have that wonderful name KUNGSHOLM,
for all too soon she would be renamed and totally rebuilt into what many,
myself included, would call a monstrosity, for it was the destruction of
beautifully designed ship and not just of her time, but still to this day, for
she was and is perfection! But sadly, she became what can only be called a
completely unbalanced looking ship, for she looked nothing like the streamlined
ship that was built, to be honest, she was hideous! Her only saving grace was
that parts of her interior beauty were retained. At least whilst she was with
Flagship she retained all her original glory as well as her proud Name, but
P&O robbed her of her great history!
After departing Australia KUNGSHOLM headed back to New
York and continued on a series of cruises to the West Indies. But sadly,
Flagship Cruises also fell into financial difficulties and they decided to
place the Kungsholm on the market, but continued to operate her until sale in
1978.
The superb design of KUNGSHOLM seen in Auckland New Zealand in 1967 - courtsey Reuben Goossens/Jack Bishop
On January 20th, 1979 the new SEA PRINCESS
departed the BREMER VULKAN shipyard and headed for her new homeport of
Southampton. A great number of ship lovers were greatly disappointed when they
first saw the SEA PRINCES when she was completed. SEA PRINCESS was a very
different ship than they had known as KUNGSHOLM and with the forward funnel
removed, it looked like a large out of place stump style of superstructure. Her
the main AC unit was located and could not be removed. But why not something
different was styled, withdraws itself from my understanding. Her new and
stylised aft yellow funnel just did not look right either. The original angels
of the "helmet styled" KUNGSHOLM funnel have been simply prolongued
to nearly meet at the top. Her aft mainmast had also been removed whilst the
aft decks had all been extended far aft. Her once beautifully fully glazed in
promenade on Veranda deck, from just below her funnel to aft now had 80
additional cabins and a new outdoor pool aft. It meant the loss of a wonderful
lounge and deck spaces! Further the new cabins are in the size of ferry
quarters, and outsided "enlighted" by tiny porthole like windows. For
these aditional cabins the passenger capacity of SEA PRINCESS was enlarged to
980, a far cry from luxury. The feeling on board the new ship became high
density. But, thankfully some of KUNGSHOLM´s original interior features did
survive, such as in the restaurant, with the famed porcelain cabinet’s, the
Main Hall, etc, and other items around the ship, including her fine and warm
timbers thankfully remained. But the carpet in the restaurant was now a colour
shock - as if these colours had to hide the fish feedings during rough seas ...
Name and exterior appearance did not match. Do
looks matter?
SEA PRINCESS´ awfull rest of the forward funnel is not that visable in this angle ... but the new chimney, ehm, funnel - postcard, own collection
Yes! But despite her new destroyed look SEA PRINCESS was because of her charming interior a loved ship.
In due course the new SEA PRINCESS became a popular cruise ships in spite of the shock of her new look by those in the maritime community. The truth was that P&O ensured that she would provide excellent service and with good food and entertainment and with her delightful interior and overall charm she quickly won the hearts of many cruise lovers around the world over the years! And with the more and more appearing mega cruise ships, the SEA PRINCESS became an intimate ship at least.
In due course the new SEA PRINCESS became a popular cruise ships in spite of the shock of her new look by those in the maritime community. The truth was that P&O ensured that she would provide excellent service and with good food and entertainment and with her delightful interior and overall charm she quickly won the hearts of many cruise lovers around the world over the years! And with the more and more appearing mega cruise ships, the SEA PRINCESS became an intimate ship at least.
A charming photo angle for SEA PRINCESS - postcard, own collection
The new Sea Princess accommodated 750 passengers
in comfort and in style. But with all beds she could accommodate 980 guests in
total. SEA PRINCESS was registered with 27,670 GRT. When she arrived for the
very first time in Southampton and she was made ready to sail for Australia. Her
first passengers boarded, with most of bound either for Singapore or going all
the way to Sydney, Australia to replace one of P&O retiring ships.
P&O´s former rms steamer ARCADIA, served as cruise vessel in the Australian market - courtsey P&O
SEA PRINCESS was a troubled ship! It did not take long for the crew
to figure out that SEA PRINCESS
was going to be a troublesome ship. There were fuel
problems, and when SEA PRINCESS
arrived in Sydney fuel samples had to be sent to
Europe, to ensure they had the right mixture for these Swedish two-stroke
diesel engines, even though she was built by John Browns. Her new funnel was
like an oven which continually over heated even burning a light to a crisp, and
despite the new design, fumes constantly falling along, making the aft decks
very uncomfortable for passengers. A problem known to old Transatlantic liners,
e.g. BREMEN and EUROPA, but especially the old coal burning steamers. Cabins
flooded during her maiden voyage, toilets backed up, the ship was a mess, but
the crew worked very hard to keep passengers as happy as can be, and it was
fortunate SEA PRINCESS
was not fully booked!
SEA PRINCESS was bought and rebuild to replace
the 1953/54 built ARCADIA. A traditional P&O passenger
liner, operating regular line voyages between the Southampton and Sydney, then
in more recent times she served as a popular cruise ship based mostly in
Australia. Like the KUNGSHOLM IV, she was also built by the John Brown Shipyard
at Clydebank in Scotland. However, ARCADIA´s days had come to an end and her
cruising days was about to conclude and ARCADIA had already been sold to
Taiwanese breakers.
The Arcadia departed Sydney for the very last
time on January 29, 1979, for a cruise to Singapore where she would meet up
with the Sea Princess in Singapore. However, considering the Arcadia had become
such a popular ship and this was to be her very last voyage ever, for her final
destination was the breakers yard in Taiwan. That is why she was packed with
those who loved this ship greatly and wanted to enjoy last voyage on her, and
they departed Sydney and again in Brisbane, massive flotillas of small ships
escorted her out of the harbour to say goodbye. Then in Singapore Arcadia’s
passengers would be transferred to the Sea Princess for the voyage home, whilst
many of the British passengers that had arrived on the Sea Princess would be
flying home. The superb old P&O ship Arcadia continued to Kaohsiung, Taiwan,
where she arrived at the Lee Chong Steel & Iron
Works Yards on February
28, 1979 then on April 30, torches took to the ship in order that the ship would
be soon broken up.
Having taken on the ARCADIA passengers on
February 16, 1979, the Sea Princess headed south for Fremantle (Perth) Western
Australia and she arrived on February 28. The then headed south and turned east
sailing along the Great Australian Bight (the Southern Ocean) to Melbourne and
after departing the same day she headed north bound for her new home Sydney,
arriving on March 6, 1979. From Sydney she would commence her new role as a
Pacific Cruise Ship also operating the occasional annual cruise or two to Asia.
SEA PRINCESS and the Opera House of Sydney - courtsey Reuben Goossens/Stan Evans
SEA PRINCESS had become a popular cruise ship in
Australia, but another ship was required in the United Kingdom and with the
ever-increasing number of passengers desiring to cruise in the Northern
Hemisphere. P&O decided to send the intimate SEA PRINCESS to Southampton. SEA
PRINCESS departed Sydney on March 11, 1982 bound for Southampton where she was
now based.
However, the Australian’s did well, for in place
of SEA PRINCESS the magnificent 1,500 passenger, 41,915 GRT ORIANA arrived in
Sydney on December 22, 1981 and she was now officially based in Sydney as the
new local cruise ship. ORIANA offered greater comforts than any ship had ever
offered before, including the famed “Court Cabins,” these where inside cabins that
had small windows that looked out into the Court, which had large windows out
to the sea! So these inside cabins got natural light. CANBERRA had a similar
arrangement of "Court Cabins".
P&O´s, former ORIENT, liner ORIANA - postcard, own collection
ORIANA had huge deck spaces, as well as a vast
number of lounges, bars and several pools and a host of special facilities! She
became one of the most popular cruise ships of her time!
Although SEA PRINCESS did visit Australia again
in 1983 as P&O operated her on a circumnavigation voyage. She arrived in
Sydney on February 21, and she remained in port for a two-day stopover. After
the world voyage and returning to the UK SEA PRINCESS headed for VOSPER Ltd at
Southampton where even more cabins were added, increasing her accommodations to
840 berths. P&O Cruises repeated the circumnavigation voyage using SEA
PRINCESS in 1984, the year she was transferred to the ownership of “INVESTORS in INDUSTRY Inc” and
strangely enough they reduced her passenger numbers to 720 berths just one year
after having increased it, a waste of money! Still if all available beds were
sold, the passenger capacity, as registered, was 980.
SEA PRINCESS operated one more circumnavigation
voyage in 1985, and visiting Australia, but this would be the last time for the
ship under the P&O banner.
November 1986 SEA PRINCESS was transferred to PRINCESS CRUISES and externally the only visible change was that the funnel was painted
all white with the typical PRINCESS CRUISES logo, the blue Sea Witch. PRINCESS CRUISES
gave SEA PRINCESS an extensive refit - upgrading her lounges but especially the
cabins.
When completed SEA PRINCESS spent the early part
of 1987 in Port Everglades operating cruises to the Caribbean, then the vessel
was operated for a cruise through the Panama Canal to San Francisco from where SEA
PRINCESS operated a number of cruises to Alaska, and later a Trans-Pacific
Cruise to Asia and Australia in December.
On Australia’s Bi-Centennial Day’s celebrations
in 1988 SEA PRINCESS was anchored in the middle of Sydney harbour, opposite the
designe and architectural icon, the Sydney Opera House and close to the other Sydney
icon, the Harbour Bridge, for the guests on board to enjoy the massive
fireworks display.
SEA PRINCESS would return to Australia for the
1989/90 summer season in December that year. SEA PRINCESS was a regular visitor
to Australia and thus when the news came that she was about to be given yet
another new name it came as a shock. However, PRINCESS CRUISES at the time was
rapidly building up a new fleet of ships and they required the name for their
new ship in building the 77,000-ton mega cruise vessel SEA PRINCESS.
Therefore in 1995 SEA PRINCESS was transferred
back to the P&O UK fleet, and was renamed VICTORIA.
Externally, the only change was the return of her buff/yellow funnel.
VICTORIA, ex SEA PRINCESS, ex KUNGSHOLM, became
what we may call a genuine British P&O cruise ship and VICTORIA operated
with the P&O UK fleet out of Southampton, or offered fly/cruise sailings
from Italian ports year after year. VICTORIA became due to her more intimate
size a very popular ship.
VICTORIA was indeed a fine ship, with eight
passenger decks and 4 passenger elevators, 2 outdoor and 1 indoor swimming
pool, a sauna and a massage parlour. She offered 3 restaurants, 4 lounges, 4
indoor bars, 1 outdoor bar and a 300-passenger capacity theatre, as well as a
fitness centre, hair salon and a fully equipped hospital.
VICTORIA, ex SEA PRINCES, ex KUNGSHOLM with the UNION CATLE LINE funnel colours - postcard, own collection
Then in 1999, VICTORIA was chartered to the UNION-CASTLE LINE for a special
Centenary Voyage and for this special occasion she had her funnel repainted in
the UNION-CASTLE’s red and black livery. They even had asked to paint her hull
in the traditional UNION-CASTLE’s lavender - however the costs for would have
been far too great for the intended single voyage, thus they decided against
this.
Due to the arrival of new ships that were being
built for P&O UK, it was decided to dispose of VICTORIA, although many
P&O regulars were greatly saddened to hear it, for VICTORIA had been a
comfortable ship, and she was regarded as an intimate and a happy ship to sail
on, a ship that had a rich maritime history. And important to many, VICTORIA was
a ship that that still felt like a ship! Although her crew may not have agreed,
for she was a greatly troubled ship that needed a great deal of maintenance.
A
New Life for the Old Girl ... After seven years with P&O and with new
ships being built for P&O and PRINCESS, VICTORIA was puton the market in 2002, and finally
P&O sold its monstrosity to LEONARDO SHIPPING, a KYMA SHIPMANAGEMENT subsidiary, KYMA is owned by the
Greek family Katsoufis. KYMA SHIPMANAGEMENT registered its new vessel in
BAHAMAS, and found a charterer for the vessel, the German cruise operator
HOLIDAY KREUZFAHRTEN. They renamed the vessel as MONA LISA - reflecting the
famous painting of the mysterious smiling lady by Leonardo da Vinci.
MONA LISA with her white funnel and the Mona Lisa logo on her funnel - own collection
MONA LISA with her maroon coloured, eye sight friendly funnel colouring - own colletion
So the livery changed with the new name on her
bow and stern sections. Now it was featuring a white funnel with a large oval
painting of the famous Mona Lisa. Although, later her funnel was painted a deep
maroon-red, with the Mona Lisa blending in. This according to the HOLIDAY CEO,
was done not to disturb the eyes by the reflection of the sun for the most over
60 year old passengers.
MONA LISA operated for four years for HOLIDAY
KREUZFAHRTEN, until they
were declared bankrupt in September 2006. MONA LISA was laid up at Piraeus, Greece
for just a few weeks.
In November she was again chartered and still
named MONA LISA, headed for Doha, Qatar, for the Asian Games, where the vessel was
used as a Hotel ship until January 1, 2007. Thereafter the ship was chartered
by ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES, who renamed her OCEANIC II for their University cruises, however at first they retained
the Mona Lisa funnel painting.
This venture failed and soon OCEANIC II was
transferred to PULLMANTUR CRUISES, being a newly aquired subsidiary of Royal
Caribbean International (RCI) and for the 2007 European summer season and they
repainted her funnel in the PULLMANTUR traditional blue funnel as well as the picture
and word logo of PULLMANTUR along the ships hull.
OCEANIC II as the THE SCHOLAR SHIP - own collection
OCEANIC II in PULLMANTUR colours - courtsey PULLMANTUR CRUISES
However, briefly for just a month, from April 30
to May 28 2007, LOUIS HELLENIC CRUISES sub-chartered OCEANIC II as a temporary
replacement for the SEA DIAMOND (ex BIRKA
PRINCESS, 1986) that had tragically ran aground on a well-marked
volcanic reef in the caldera of Santorini, east of Nea Kameni on April 6, 2007.
Having returned to PULLMANTUR CRUISES OCEANIC II
continued operating cruises for the Spanish market. However it became known
that the SCHOLAR SHIP organisation, UNIVERSITY AT SEA, was in need of a ship
and they decided to charter her.
OCEANIC II was refitted to become an educational
ship for the UNIVERSITY AT SEA international education program, being a
cooperative venture between seven major world universities. Her blue funnel was
given a new UNIVERSITY AT SEA logo. The Scholar Ship offered undergraduate and
graduate semester programs during four-month voyages. The inaugural voyage
embarked in September 2007, the second
voyage was in early 2008.
In June 2008 the announcement came that the
charter would not be prolonged, and OCEANIC II was returned to LEONARDO SHIPPING Company. Her previous name
MONA LISA was restored, as well
as receiving a comprehensive refit.
The previous owner and CEO of HOLIDAY
KREUZFAHRTEN could restart, after paying all depts, and reopened a new cruise
venture named after the British hero of Trafalgar - LORD NELSON SEEREISEN. The
Katsoufis family agreed to a new charter and MONA LISA came back into the
German cruise market. Unfortunately this venture only ran from April 28th till
August 31st 2008.
On May 4th, 2008, MONA LISAs grounded in the Irbe Strait just after she departed Riga. Thankfully the vessel
suffered no major damage and it was decided to evacuate all passengers from the
ship the next day, for efforts to free the ship from the sand bank were not
possible. It took three days to pull MONA LISA free and she was taken to a
shipyard in Ventspils in Latvia, where she was inspected for damage, but there
was none. MONA LISA could return to her cruise duties on May 8th. Her charter
concluded late 2008. And with the charter ending MONA LISA was chartered by the Japanese PEACE BOAT
Organisation. PEACE BOAT undertake a three-month “Around the World Voyage” starting
in Yokohama on January 15th, and returning on April 18th 2009.
Upon her return from the PEACE BOAT world voyage
in April 2009, she was again chartered to LORD NELSON SEEREISEN to operate the ship
during the 2009 European summer season. For the tour operator it was a good
solution, as they wouldn´t have to operate the vessel during the winter season
with less passenger demand.
KYMA chartered the MONA LISA out as a floating
hotel during the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Vancouver and Whistler
from January 26, to March 23, 2010, where MONA LISA was used as a floating hotel
facility. For this duty she was docked in British Columbia, Canada. Nearly
1,400 crew, volunteers and paid staff were housed on the ship, thus it was very
crowded and the vessel was made ready for it in advance.
MONA LISA was to continue her cruises
with LORD NELSON SEEREISEN in 2010 from May until August. The tragedy, just
with so many great classic built ships her future was uncertain for she no
longer complied with the new SOLAS (Safety
Of Life At Sea) regulations that came in effect
in October 2010. Thus it was decided to sell this forty four year old ex
classic liner and cruise ship.
Some
Thoughts by Senior Crew Members:
“You may well know, but it was well known by
all officers and crew of the Sea Princess that from when she was given her
transformation and refit to become the Sea Princess in 1978/79 she was
suddenly became besotted with mechanical “gremlins” from day one when she
joined the P&O fleet. I know from what I have been told, this continued
to the day she was sold in 2010 to become a hotel. This once perfect ship,
for some strange reason became a mechanical monster for her mechanical
reports clearly prove that she suffered from ongoing problems and breakdowns!
Sometimes, I asked myself, was it the KUNGSHOLM fighting back and angry with
what was done to her, one of the finest ships ever built?”
The aforementioned came from a certain P&O
Officer and he stated that this once perfect ship, he knew so well in her
previous life, became nothing but trouble, after she was rebuilt, and all he
could say is, “I’ll say no more than that” after I asked him, “Do you believe
in certain powers?” Another senior member of the staff on Sea Princess’
maiden voyage stated that “… passengers had a wonderful cruise, but behind
the scene, there were toilets backing up and overflowing, a fire as well as
cabins flooding and other problems!” Thus it was rather strange that the KUNGSHOLM
which had a clean record and certainly no problems, that suddenly after her
rebuild she became a difficult ship! Believe it or not, there were even some
crew who began to blame Swedish crew who may have sabotaged the ship.
Strange, considering that other Swedish ships had been sold and none of them
had any problems, but then again not one of them were dramatically destroyed
externally!
by Reuben Goossens
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Project
VICTORIA LUISE for DEILMANN
My design draft of the rebuild KUNGSHOLM for the project VICTORIA LUISE for late DEILMANN KREUZFAHRTN - © Gerd Wüsthoff / Earl of Cruise
In 2009 I
was in contact with Leandros Katsoufis of KYMA SHIPMANAGEMENT and learned
that KYMA is seeking for a future for MONA LISA. At the same time DEILMANN
REDDEREI had plans, since the days of late Peter Deilmann, for a German
flagged two funneled cruise vessel. The situation was, that KYMA had a
stronger interest in the growing German cruise market, which had been farther
ahead than only chartering a vessel to a German tour operator for cruises. On
the other hand I was in contact with DEILMANN and promted a joint venture of
KYMA and DEILMANN. For a 51% stake of DEILMANN the Katsoufis family would be
interested in such a deal, which included the MONA LISA and a financing for
the rebuilding of MONA LISA into a 5star classic looking modern cruise
vessel, that would pass all new SOLAS and IMO regulations - including the
Safe Port Home machine configuration, and all other requirements which became
a rule after 2010, including the coming TIER III implementation.
DEILMANN
just had to sell its river cruise business because of financial problems and
was not in any state to get the financing of a newbuilding on its own.
I have
made a draft for the intended new vessel for DEILMANN as depicted - prior to
construction plans. I orientated myself to the
design on the original Kungsholm.
Except the
front of the superstructure and hull, evething would have to be removed and
new constructed. On the base of the still in good sahpe hull, including the
neccessary overhauling and plate changes, the ship would be new constructed.
New decks would be constructed, a new propulsion technology and configuration
implemented, and the superstructure would be mainly built out of KOCKUMS
COMPOSITE MATERIAL - the very material, of which the Swedish navy does
construct their new war ships. That would have been a tremendous saving of
weight and with that a further saving of fuel in the end.
The
project was called then PROJECT VICTORIA at DEILMANN, as I did suggest too a
name for the new out of the old vessel VICTORIA LUISE. It would have been
ideal for their "Deutsche Kreuzfahrttradition" philosophie. During
the negotiations it became clear, that the Deilmann twins did insist on 750
passengers with a minimum cabin seize of 30 m² ... in the existing hull and
planed superstructure not really possible. as the vessel was planed for a max
of 500 passengers all outside, 50% with balconies and further 30 to 35% with
French Balconies, and an equal crew number in max. two bed cabins of a 3star
cruise standard.
Calculations
did show the economic feasability of a 500 passenger vessel.
A problem
became the Deilmann twins insisting on this 750 pax mark, which made the idea
into a me-too product, which no longer would have been outstanding in the
cruise industry. Further both ladies could not understand the feasability of
the German taxation speciality TONNAGESTEUER - this tax is more or less a tax
free paper for the shipping industry. And despite their financial problems
the twins did not love to get a partner in the DEILMANN company and too with
a majority. With the first Private Equity Fund (AURELIUS) stepping into
DEILMANN their share was shrinking to 5% ...
This not
wishing to get a stronger partner, and the insisting on 750 passengers pushed
the project over the cliff, and it was never realised.
|
Instead MONA LISA has been rebuilt into a luxury hotel ship, berthed in the
port of Duqm, Oman. Some of her original cabins have been similar to those on
the great former Holland America liner, ROTTERDAM, berthed in her first homeport
as the HOTEL SS ROTTERDAM. She has new hotel rooms as well as some serviced
apartments. There is a total of 208 superbly furnished rooms available. The
public rooms are being renovated to be as close as possible to her original
self.
The new VERONICA renamed hotel featured a sports bar,
several restaurants, karaoke rooms, outdoor swimming pool, cafes, lounges,
business centre, library, theatre and shopping arcade. This new hotel was
opened in July 2011. The price range was from US$ 78.00 to
US$ 312.00
per night.
Shiplovers hoped with the new role of former
KUNGSHOLM as a luxury hotel, that the vessel would stay with us in the far future.
Operating as a hotel KUNGSHOLM did not require SOLAS certification.
Hotel VERONICA in Duqm, Oman
The last days of Hotel VERONICA
The hotel VERONICA closed operations in 2013 in
which Lars Hallgreen was trying again to save former KUNGSHOLM as a floating
hotel, museum and attraction for and in Göteborg. The vessel was laid up for
the next two years and was sold to breakers in Alang in October 2015 for US $
20 to 23 million.
If a vessel is sold to the breakers, it is
nearly impossible to save it. but if a vessel is in front of Alang, or any
other breakers ground ... there is no hope to save any more.
Intended location of Hotel KUNGSHOLM in Göteborg - courtsey Lars Hallgren
Reconstruction idea for the Hotel KUNGSHOLM - courtsey Lars Halgren
I hereby wish to mention that there was an
excellent and a long-standing attempt to save this fine ship by Mr. Lars
Hallgren.
Below are
some of the final details of his great attempt!
A letter of intent had been signed between the
ship’s owners and Swedish entrepreneur Lars Hallgren for the acquisition of
the ship in 2010. Mr. Hallgren had been planning to use the ship as a
floating hotel in Gothenburg. However, the local authorities have decided
against supporting the project, thus this program has now fallen through and
is no longer possible. But had his excellent and well laid out plans been
realised, most features of KUNGSHOLM original appearance, including her two
funnels were going to be restored. But alas, authorities, what do they know?
Tragically as we have discovered in the past
with other port and city authorities, and again in the case of the Swedish
authorities, they are just great at destroying things and they have no desire
in restoring and retaining great things that really matter, especially the
greatest liner ever built in their country and using it to promote their city
and country to the world! The restored KUNGSHOLM would have provided an
opportunity to display Sweden’s great Maritime History, as well as providing
a luxury hotel and tourist facility. KUNGSHOLM was the very last Swedish
Trans-Atlantic Liner left in the world, the last of her kind and Sweden had
the opportunity to save her. Take a look at the small nation of Netherland,
what did they do with their greatly beloved Holland America Line ROTTERDAM?
They totally restored this great ship to her original condition and she is
now open as a luxury hotel in the heart of the great Port City of Rotterdam,
and better still, she has proved to be a success with tourists flocking to
visit and stay on board her from all over the world!
Thus, Lars Hallgren this is a special thank you from me and the millions of supporters of
ssmaritime.com, for you have done a remarkable job!
by Reuben Goossens
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After talks with Mr Hallgren we learned,
having made similar experiences with city and port authorities. He with
KUNGSHOLM and me, with HAMBURG the later MAXIM GORKIJ.
As Hamburg was massively bombed in WWII, the
organizers for the HAMBURG saving had to search for WWII bombs lying in the
port at any possible berth on our own costs ... but since 1945 ships berthed over
potential bombs in the mud of the Elbe and the port ... This was a last
barrier they gave us back then to avoid the HAMBURG in the port. A research
amoung shop owners of the city did show us back then, that they believed in
the marketing possibilities of a Hotel HAMBURG in the port, as a major
tourist attraction and therefore good for their business. Some even wanted
opening a dependence on board the coming hotel.
The last stroke was the denying of a berth
during our planed sailing in port during the Hafengeburtstag, which was
attracting that year over 3,5 million spectators into Hamburg ... what a
sight it may have been, if a repainted HAMBURG woulf have sailed into the
port ...
by Earl of Cruise
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This is how she would have looked had the
Kungsholm project gone ahead
What, dear reader, is your opinion on a potential new KUNGSHOLM? What should she look like, contemporary or more tradiditional? And which market segment she should serve? - remember, please, she was once the TOP OF THE NOTCH in the cruise industry ... please don´t hesitate to post your answer below.
HISTORY - KUNGSHOLM IV (1966-1975) of SVENSKA AMERIKA LINIEN - II
KUNGSHOLM V and a new SVENSKA AMERIKA LINIEN
KUNGSHOLM V and a new SVENSKA AMERIKA LINIEN
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