Last Thursday, having just opened my very first cafe and restaurant, there was no time whatsoever left to make my throwback Thursday entry. Therefore, today, I’m making a double throwback Thursday.
Next to my desk, I have a several shoeboxes filled with old, printed paper photographs. My intention has for a long time been to scan every single picture and share them both here on my homepage, and on CaptainsVoyage Forum. The task itself would take ages, and I’m always ending up asking myself “who wants to see old photographs”? On this day, I’m stretching my hand out and picking two completely random images from two of these shoeboxes. That will be my throwback today - whatever two pictures I first pick.
I will probably edit them for colour and sharpness. My scanner is not of the very best quality, and the scanner software is really outdated.
The first image I picked from the box was an image of the Norwegian coastal steamer NORDKAPP under construction at Kverner Kleven yard, Ulsteinvik. What do I remember about this picture? Not much really, other than visiting the yard to get shots of two ships under construction: Polarlys and Nordkapp. The image was probably taken on a vacation to Norway sometime in 1994 or even 1995, since the ship was launched on 18th of August 1995. I would presume that this is a pre-launch image of the ship, and looking at the ship, she still has a long way to go to be finished here.
The second image I picked today looks to me like it was taken in Cozumel, Mexico, during the time when I served on board the Norwegian Star, under the NCL house-flag. I’m pretty convinced that the image must have been taken sometime in 1998, as this was the second to the last ship I served on during my many years with Norwegian Cruise Line. I loved serving on this ship, I loved her truly dedicated crew and I really loved working under her Captain, Captain Fafalios. I also recall that most of the crew of this ship was Indonesian as well as Fillipinos. These days were generally good months of my life and amongst the best times of a life at sea. During my time on the Norwegian Star, I served in the capacity of Safety Officer. The other ships in this image is a Chandris/ Celebrity ship, and the Celebration of Carnival Cruise Lines.
I seem to remember that the Norwegian Star was sailing alternating 7-day cruises from Pascagoula, Mississippi, to destinations in western and eastern Caribbean. On the western run, we stopped by ports like Roatan, Honduras, as well as Cozumel, Mexico. On the eastern run, my memory is vague, but I seem to remember Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and Georgetown, Grand Cayman. I may be way off here, the details are not that clear to me anymore.
Bottomline, the Norwegian Star was a great ship to work on, and the officers had very big cabins. She was packed with old-time charm and character. She had traveled the world countless times, and had a very rich history. She started her life as Royal Viking Sea, then became Royal Odyssey and eventually Norwegian Star. When I last signed off the Norwegian Star for the last time, we were long into voyage planning for the ship to sail to Australia and become a part of Norwegian Capricorn Lines, destined to sail from Australia on sceduled cruises from 1999. I seem to remember she was going to be renamed Norwegian Star 1 prior to her departure for Australia, but are now quite unsure about the actual dates and details. She also appeared as the “Crown” for a couple of years before eventually becoming the Albatros of Phoneix Reisen.
That is my throwback today, if you would like to ask more about these years at sea, or just would like to delight me with a comment, I’m eagerly waiting to hear from you in my “this is your Captain speaking”-thread on Captains Voyage Forum (currently at page 14).
