Vasco da Gama (Seawind Crown, Infante Dom Henrique)

[TSS QUEEN ANNA MARIA]

Υπάρχουν κάποια καράβια τα οποία από την πρώτη στιγμή που ναυπηγούνται και εμφανίζονται στο κοινό έχουν κλέψει την παράσταση με τις όμορφες σχεδιαστικές τους γραμμές και την αρχοντιά τους. Ένα από αυτά είναι το πορτογαλικό Infante Dom Henrique, το μεγαλύτερο καράβι που ναυπηγήθηκε ποτέ για την Πορτογαλία. Το IDH κατασκευάστηκε το 1961 στα γνωστά Βελγικά ναυπηγεία Cockerill στο Hoboken της Αμβέρσας (23.306 grt, max. speed 21 knots, 1018 pax) για λογαριασμό της Πορτογαλικής Companhia Colonial de Navigacao της Λισαβώνας. Μετά από προβλήματα κραδασμών από τις προπέλες του πλοίου και καθυστερήσεις στην παράδοσή του, τον Σεπτέμβριο του 1961 ξεκίνησε το πρώτο του ταξίδι από την Λισαβώνα μέσω Funchal και Luanda για προορισμούς της Αφρικής όπως Lobito, Cape Town, Lourenco Marques και Beira (Μοζαμβίκη). Ήταν το τελευταίο καράβι που ναυπηγήθηκε για λογαριασμό της πορτογαλικής ναυτιλιακής εταιρίας, με δύο μόνο θέσεις πρώτη και τουριστική, και το 1974 λόγω συγχώνευσης των κρατικών ναυτιλιακών εταιριών περιήλθε στην Cia Portuguese de Transportes Maritimos και συνέχισε τα δρομολόγια στους ίδιους προορισμούς μέχρι τον Ιανουάριο του 1976 που παροπλίστηκε στην Λισαβώνα λόγω της ασύμφορης πλέον εκμετάλλευσης του από τον ανταγωνισμό του αεροπλάνου, και της ανεξαρτησίας των Πορτογαλικών αποικιών της Αφρικής. Μη βρίσκοντας αγοραστή το πλοίο μεταφέρθηκε στο λιμάνι του Sines, νότια της Λισαβώνας, με σκοπό την μόνιμη εγκατάστασή του σαν πλωτό ξενοδοχείο σε μία τεχνητή πόλη που θα κτιζόταν γύρω του, αλλά το εγχείρημα δεν προχώρησε και έτσι το 1986 πωλείται στην εταιρία Trans World Cruises (μάλλον θυγατρική ή σχετιζόμενη με την ελληνικών συμφερόντων Arcalia Shipping, Lisbon) και χωρίς τις προπέλες του που είχαν αφαιρεθεί στο Sines, καταπλέει ρυμουλκούμενο στη Λισαβώνα για να φορεθούν οι προπέλες και στη συνέχεια στο Πέραμα (ΝΑΥΣΙ) για την μετασκευή του σε κρουαζιερόπλοιο. Εδώ θα ήθελα να τονίσω ότι οι πανταχού παρόντες άνθρωποι των Χανδρήδων πριν ναυλώσουν το The Azur είχαν επιθεωρήσει και το Infante Dom Henrique για αγορά ή μακροχρόνια ναύλωση αλλά λόγω του παροπλισμού του πλοίου επί 10 χρόνια στο Sines και της κακής κατάστασής του, δεν προχώρησαν. Το 1988 μετά από εκτεταμένη μετασκευή σε κρουαζιερόπλοιο, την αφαίρεση όλου του εξοπλισμού cargo και πολαπλές επισκευές στις μηχανές και ηλεκτρικά, με το νέο του όνομα Vasco da Gama ξεκίνησε τις κρουαζιέρες του ναυλωμένο από την Γερμανική Neckermann Reisen. Το 1991 φαίνεται και επισήμως η Arcalia Shipping της Λισαβώνας (Γ. Ποταμιάνος) σαν ιδιοκτήτρια εταιρία και ναυλωμένο από την Αμερικανική Seawind Cruise Lines ξεκινά εβδομαδιαίες κρουαζιέρες από την Aruba της Καραϊβικής με το ανεπίσημο όνομα Seawind Crown διατηρώντας όμως στην πλώρη του το Vasco da Gama σαν όνομα. To 1995 αγοράζεται από την Seawind Cruise Lines, ονομάζεται πλέον επίσημα Seawind Crown και συνεχίζει τις εβδομαδιαίες κρουαζιέρες του με μερικούς πρόσθετους προορισμούς. Το 1997 η εταιρία του συγχωνεύεται με δύο άλλες εταιρίες μεταξύ των οποίων η Premier Cruise Line στην οποία και περνάει σαν ιδιοκτησία, και βάφεται μπλε με χρυσή ρίγα στις μπάντες. Από κακή εκτίμησή της η Premier το 1999 αλλάζει την Καραϊβική με λιμάνια του Μεξικού και οι πωλήσεις, που μέχρι τότε ήταν πολύ καλές, εξανεμίζονται και το πλοίο δένει. Η ισπανική Pullmantur το ναυλώνει για εβδομαδιαίες κρουαζιέρες στη Δ. Μεσόγειο με αφετηρία το λιμάνι της Βαρκελώνης αλλά το τέλος του είναι πλέον κοντά. Τον Σεπτέμβριο του 2000 η Premier χρεοκοπεί και το πλοίο βρίσκεται κατασχεμένο στο λιμάνι της Βαρκελώνης με το πλήρωμα επί 6 μήνες να ζει μέσα απλήρωτο και να τρέφεται με φιλανθρωπική βοήθεια οργανισμών και ατόμων οι οποίοι τελικά φρόντισαν και για τον επαναπατρισμό τους. Το πλοίο μεταφέρεται στον εξωτερικό λιμενοβραχίονα του λιμανιού και το 2003 πωλείται για σκραπ στην Κίνα. Τον Ιανουάριο του 2004 οδηγείται από την Βαρκελώνη στο Guangzhοu, Κίνα όπου διαλύεται. Ακόμα ένα ομολογουμένως όμορφο καράβι που μπλέχτηκε σε μία οικονομικά ασταθή εταιρία και κατέληξε, μετά από ταλαιπωρία και φθορές που το κατέστησαν ασύμφορο για αγορά από άλλη εταιρία, στην φλόγα του διαλυτή.

P.S My apologies to Henry, Dimas, Andy and other non-Greek friends but it would take a lot of space to translate the ship's history in english.
http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/data/520/Infante_dom_Henrique.jpg

Κατά την μετασκευή του το 1988 στη ΝΑΥΣΙ στο Πέραμα
http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/data/520/Infante_dom_Henrique1.jpg

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/data/520/medium/vasco.JPG (http://javascript<b></b>:;)

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/data/520/a1sn.JPG

πηγή φωτογραφιών shipsnostalgia

[TSS QUEEN ANNA MARIA]

Φωτογραφημένο στη Λισαβώνα το 1991 από τον καραβολάτρη Luis Miguel Correia με τα χρώματα της Seawind Cruise Lines και το όνομα Vasco da Gama ακόμα στην πλώρη του.

http://www.shipspotting.com/photos/middle/5/8/5/269585.jpg


Στη Βαρκελώνη το 2002, πλέον στον έξω λιμενοβραχίονα και σβησμένο, το καράβι περιμένει την τύχη του η οποία όμως δεν το ευνόησε. Τον Ιανουάριο του 2004 οδηγείται μέσω του Σουέζ για διάλυση στην Κίνα.

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/data/520/seawind_crown.JPG

πηγές shipspotting και shipsnostalgia

[Henry Casciaro]

QAM thanks for opening this thread on what is a beautiful and elegant classic liner which had an interesting and varied career. The selsction of photos and postcards is great. I will try and add a few bits and peices as soon as time permits. I think I have some interesting photos and brochures of her time with Seawind and Premier.

Henry

[Ellinis]

Very nice presentation TSS QAM!

A ship that was truly brought back from the dead and revived at Perama.
Have a look at how she looked when she first appeared at Piraeus in 1986.

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Photo by Albert Novelli.

[TSS QUEEN ANNA MARIA]

The picture you uploaded Aris is a historical quiz by itself. The stern of the ship next to it must be Albatross (Dolphin Hellas) in blue livery which she acquired when she was chartered to American Star Line in 1988 as Betsy Ross. In 1986 she was cruising as Albatross in white livery. Any ideas?

[TSS QUEEN ANNA MARIA]

After some research I found a similar picture taken from a different angle with the Betsy Ross in the foreground and Infante Dom Henrique in the background, so the year must be 1988, and IDH was converted in very short time since it started service as Vasco da Gama the same year.

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/data/520/Betsy_Ross_ex_Albatross_ex_Leda.jpg

source shipsnostalgia

[Ellinis]

And behind the bow of BETSY ROSS, is ARGONAUT.

[TSS QUEEN ANNA MARIA]

And behind the bow of BETSY ROSS, is ARGONAUT.
And right behind Argonaut, I think is Neptune (notice the two masts, the second one along with the fat funnel and the lower promenade showing under the white upper structure looks like Neptune).

[Henry Casciaro]

Good research QAM and Ellinis ................and well done on spotting those hidden jewels!

Henry.:)

[Henry Casciaro]

And right behind Argonaut, I think is Neptune (notice the two masts, the second one along with the fat funnel and the lower promenade showing under the white upper structure looks like Neptune).

The difficult one to identify will be the one just behind the stern of Betsy Ross between her and the Vasco da Gama. You can just see the top part of her forward mast and the tip of the bridge superstructure just above the BR's stern............now thats a good one to guess.

Could it be Chandris Cruises Romantica or Med Sun Lines Aphrodite?

Henry.

[Henry Casciaro]

To be honest I think its Epirotiki's Jason!!

Henry.

[Ellinis]

Henry, JASON seems like a good choise for me too.

Another piece of VASCO DA GAMA at her first days in Piraeus.
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Although the rebuilding took two years, her first year of service was not a success.

The ship was chartered to Neckermann Reisen but she missed her intented sailing of September 1988 and only sailed in November.
Then when she arrived at Lisbon she was damaged by a engine room fire and lost most of December being under repair.
In June 1989 she missed a cruise due to boiler problem. Then in December 1989 she collided witha cargo ship and that seemed to trigger the charterers to release the vessel.

[Henry Casciaro]

Dear friends here is an interesting brochure from 1993 which states that the vessel was owned and operated by a Swedish conglomerate? Also some photos which I took when I visited her in Castries, St. Lucia in the same year whilst I was staying on the island (at that time it was much easier to get on board cruise ships!).

Just look at the size of those swimming pools and the view of the foredeck. She was a splendid looking ship and her interiors were very well appointed. There was even a big bronze sculpture of the Portuguese explorer 'Vasco da Gama' in one of her main foyers.

Henry.

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[Ellinis]

Thanks for sharing Henry. The owners appeared to be the Panamanian "Star Sea SpA" and the ship was managed by Trans World Cruises (aka Arcalia).

In 1991 she was chartered for 5 years by Seawind Cruise Line which was founded by the Greek-American Takis Kyriakides. Kyriakides was the man behind the unfinished conversion of TAYGETOS into the SEA VENTURE.
So, it is no surprise that the funnel logo of SEAWIND CROWN was an artists impression of the SEA VENTURE.

Have a look at the eleven videos apparently uploaded by Kyriakides himself at youtube.
First video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOIn_D3nCBs), SEAWIND CROWN arrives at Aruba at 5.30.
Second (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3MPIga_W0k&feature=related)video was shot onboard and third (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frNPDmFK63E&feature=related)included a speech by Kyriakides etc, etc

[TSS QUEEN ANNA MARIA]

As for the statue Henry, it was not Vasco da Gama but Infante Dom Henrique retained from the first ownership of the ship.

[Henry Casciaro]

As for the statue Henry, it was not Vasco da Gama but Infante Dom Henrique retained from the first ownership of the ship.

QAM you are right of course!......How stupid of me to get them confused. I even have a photo of it but I am standing beside it and was too embarassed to upload it!

Henry.

[Henry Casciaro]

Had never seen this funnel logo on Vasco da Gama (photo by Luis Miguel Correia). This was from her first guise under Ambassador Cruises when she was chartered to Neckerman of Germany. This company which was Cyprus based also later used Romantica, Atalante and Vera Cruz 1 on short cruises from Cyprus.

[Ellinis]

Had never seen this funnel logo on Vasco da Gama (photo by Luis Miguel Correia). This was from her first guise under Ambassador Cruises when she was chartered to Neckerman of Germany. This company which was Cyprus based also later used Romantica, Atalante and Vera Cruz 1 on short cruises from Cyprus.
Very interesting Henry. Did Ambassador subchartered the ship to Neckerman or they subchartered her from Neckerman?

[Henry Casciaro]

Very interesting Henry. Did Ambassador subchartered the ship to Neckerman or they subchartered her from Neckerman?

To be honest am not sure Aris as she had the striped blue and yellow funnel when she operated for Neckerman (as I remember seeing the brochure) so this must have been later after her Neckerman charter and before she went to Seawind Cruise line, so presumably Ambassador must have chartered her direct from her owners the Lisbon based George Potamianos who founded Arcalia Shipping. There is an interesting account of the ship's history in the SS Maritime website by Rueben Goossens. It also mentions that she undertook a round the world voyage with Neckerman but her cruises were interrupted by several breakdowns and in the end I think they terminated the contract.

Henry.

[Ellinis]

You are right Henry. I found that in March 1990 she was chartered to Paradise Cruises to operate out of Limassol. If you notice, the funnel logos are the same to the ones that "RIVIERA STAR" had when she was owned by Ambassador Cruises, only with the colours reversed. I think that Paradise and Ambassador were affiliated companies belonging to the same person.

[Henry Casciaro]

You are right Henry. I found that in March 1990 she was chartered to Paradise Cruises to operate out of Limassol. If you notice, the funnel logos are the same to the ones that "RIVIERA STAR" had when she was owned by Ambassador Cruises, only with the colours reversed. I think that Paradise and Ambassador were affiliated companies belonging to the same person.

Thats right Aris in fact Paradise Cruises were the general sales agents for Ambassador as they had the travel agency retail outlets in Cyprus to sell the cruises they also used the Sun Ambassador (ex Vera Cruz 1), Romantica (ex Romanza) and Atalante respectively in successive seasons.

[a.molos]

Περαμα 1988 και μετασκευή του Ιnfante dom Henrique σε Vasco da Gamma απο την Seawind Cruise.

[Ship's Agent]

Dear Friends

Enjoy her very rare official postcard under CTM colours as a floating hotel between 1997-1986.

In 1977 this ship was sold to GAS - Gabinete da Area de Sines, ( Sines port develpment bureau)- *** company under CTM interests to be used as accomodation ship to the port workers, that by then were commencing to work on the construction of this commercial port.

under this stage, ship was officially managed by CTM.

At this time 10 billion USD were spend transforming ship into a " flotel", also an artifical laguna was constructed around the ship, to protect it from sea, and by November 1977 was officially inaugurated as floating hotel.

However 9 yaers after, it revealled to be a bankrupt venture, and ship languished there rusting, till 1986,w here she was taken to lisbon hwre Mr. George Patomianos, bought her and converted her into MV VASCO DA GAMA, to be operated by Arcalia Shipping Lisbon / Transworld Cruises.

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[Ship's Agent]

Dear Friends

Enjoy Seawind Crown official postcard under Premier Cruise lines colours, however postcard produced by Brasilian tour operator ATI Viagens, during her 1995 brief season cruising along Brasil coast line.

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[Ship's Agent]

Dear friends

Enjoy her official postcard as VASCO da GAMA under Arcalia Shipping colours , under her charter by German cruise operator Neckermann Seereisen.

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[ΒΙΚΤΩΡ ΧΙΩΤΗΣ]

Dear friends

Enjoy her official postcard as VASCO da GAMA under Arcalia Shipping colours , under her charter by German cruise operator Neckermann Seereisen.

169255Dear friend,really historic card.The yellow and the blue were the traditional colours of the late Georgios Potamianos family used previously in Greece though in different way.Αlso remember the funnel markings of Epirotiki owned by his first cousin Andreas Potamianos.
The crane on the fore deck,fitted during the conversion at Perama,was taken from the pass c/f SAPPHO of NEL Lines.

[Henry Casciaro]

Dear friend,really historic card.The yellow and the blue were the traditional colours of the late Georgios Potamianos family used previously in Greece though in different way.Αlso remember the funnel markings of Epirotiki owned by his first cousin Andreas Potamianos.
The crane on the fore deck,fitted during the conversion at Perama,was taken from the pass c/f SAPPHO of NEL Lines.

Victor thanks for this very interesting anecdote!

[Henry Casciaro]

Dear Friends

Enjoy Seawind Crown official postcard under Premier Cruise lines colours, however postcard produced by Brasilian tour operator ATI Viagens, during her 1995 brief season cruising along Brasil coast line.

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Dimas good to hear from you. Thanks for sharing this very interesting card.

[Ship's Agent]

dear henry

there is one now runningon ebay.... search well! ;)

[Henry Casciaro]

dear henry

there is one now runningon ebay.... search well! ;)

Dimas have tried everything in the search box but yr going to have to be more specific............thks and best regards