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Leeward? Where is she

By djvand , April 22, 2005 in Norwegian Cruise Line

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Sailed on the Leeward in 1996, wonderful small ship! Sailed on the bow suite, with a picture of George and Barbara Bush. Whatever happened to this ship?

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SILJA OPERA Collision

November 13: SILJA OPERA (ex SALLY ALBATROSS, LEEWARD, SUPERSTAR TAURUS) collided with a Yermak icebreaker stationed at the exit of St. Petersburg port yesterday. SILJA OPERA's lifeboats were damaged, as was the icebreaker's lifeboat deck. There were no casualties reported. SILJA OPERA continued her journey to Helsinki. (She collided with several ships and a crane at the same port on September 19, 2003).

lookingforward

We sailed her in 1996 as well, in the owners suite (there were two..President Bush stayed in one) and we still talk about the private "jacuzzi" on the balcony. It was a fun little ship.

http://www.5stars-of-scandinavia.com/siljaoperashipdescription.htm

This should be the ship.

http://www.silja.fi/FLEET/Silja%20Opera/

Lookingforward...

Yes, we were in the Bush Suite, oh the hot tub and the views from the bow. Best cruise I have ever taken. So sorry to see she is not with NCl any longer. Guess she was too small to make any money off of. I miss the smaller ships. Been sailing on HAL to get some of the "small ship" experience.

Shoreguy...

Thanks so much for the pics, they look great. I can see a few improvements made to the original design, although I see they kept those two wonderful suites on the bow!

SILJA OPERA Collision November 13: SILJA OPERA (ex SALLY ALBATROSS, LEEWARD, SUPERSTAR TAURUS) collided with a Yermak icebreaker stationed at the exit of St. Petersburg port yesterday. SILJA OPERA's lifeboats were damaged, as was the icebreaker's lifeboat deck. There were no casualties reported. SILJA OPERA continued her journey to Helsinki. (She collided with several ships and a crane at the same port on September 19, 2003).

Good Lord Man:eek:

All those collisions!!!!!!!! Was the captain drunk??????????Did he not know how to "steer" that thing?????????? I wonder of the statute of limitations is up for a class action suit:eek: :D

crazy to hear about the collisions! that was a great ship out of Miami for a 3 and 4 day - had many great times on her

Thanks for the pictures! The photos show that the deck looks a bit worn than I remember. When NCL owned it the deck of the owners suite had cushioned chaise lounge chairs, a teak table with four chairs and of course the hot tub(which was really a new idea back in the mid 90's). That cruise had such wonderful memories for our family.

• 9 years later...

Were on Leeward in August 1998 from Alexandria VA. to Bermuda. Don't recall the exact date, but would like to know. Anyone have any old itins with dates?

Were on Leeward in August 1998 from Alexandria VA. to Bermuda. Don't recall the exact date, but would like to know. Anyone have any old itins with dates? R&D

I lived in NOVA at that time and remember sailing the Leeward from Mexico up to Alexandria. I was thinking we did that in like 96-97 time frame, but my memory is fuzzy. It was like an 8 night cruise. We had the most awesome time. I think the ship was actually Chartered for those sailings from VA.

My sister and I cruised her about 10 times when she was in Miami and that 8 night one.

When we were on the Getaway a few weeks ago, my sister actually broke out her Leeward T-Shirt and wore it to the M&G. Many of the officers had fond memories of the ship. Some younger officers, just heard the stories. Loved that ship

How many Leeward shirts are still out there? That is a great story!

Debbie, How many Leeward shirts are still out there? That is a great story! R&D

I couldn't believe my sister actually had the T-Shirt. I don't have mine. I do remember having both a T-shirt and sweatshirt, but they are long gone :(

I sailed on the Leeward back in 1997 and remember hearing about a fire on the ship prior to it coming to NCL. I found some information on the ship at this website; it does not appear the ship has had much luck! It is so unfortunate---I agree she was a special ship!

http://www.simplonpc.co.uk/Viking_Saga.html

clean1owner

Here's one!

Got it on a NASCAR cruise in 1997

Winston Wolf

• 7 months later...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestyal_Cristal

She's the ship they are going to use for her new Cuba itineraries. US Citizens can sail on it as a part of a "people-to-people" program, offered by tour operators who take groups on this ship. Central Holidays is one of them that use the Cristal

Leeward from Alexandria Va was my first cruise too! I fell in love with cruising from that moment on. The little Leeward holds a special place in my heart.

I have the original brochure from the Didion cruise charters that left from Alexandria the summer of 1998. I will have to take pics of it and post them for you.

Leeward from Alexandria Va was my first cruise too! I fell in love with cruising from that moment on. The little Leeward holds a special place in my heart.   I have the original brochure from the Didion cruise charters that left from Alexandria the summer of 1998. I will have to take pics of it and post them for you.

Gah! 10 year old thread. Scary these things are archived that long.

Also scary the thought of a Suite with pics of the Bushes. I'd have been forced to ocean litter, and that thought repulses me. I think my head would have exploded.

• 3 months later...

atlantahopper

Fond Memories of the NCL Leeward - this was my second cruise ever, and was my honeymoon. Loved, loved the Leeward. Still have our souvenir glasses with a picture of her. Kids are not allowed to touch them!!!

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The Fascinating History of the Celestial Crystal (ex-Sally Albatross, Leeward, Silja Opera)

This unique, one-of-a-kind ship can trace its origin back to 1978 when it was ordered, along with a sistership from the Finnish shipyard Wartsila in Perno. Named Viking Saga, and operated by Viking Lines, she had quite a different appearance than as she operated as a ro/ro cruise-ferry. This means she had a traditional bow and stern doors for loading cars and trucks directly from the pier. She was in fact owned by another company called Rederi Ab Sally who chartered her to Viking Lines. In 1986 she was sent back to Sally and renamed Sally Albatross. The owner at that time decided to invest money into converting her into a ‘cruise ship’ by overhauling the public areas but kept the car decks intact. During two drydocks in 1986 and 1988, she underwent further changes to her superstructure to rid herself of the blocky, sharp lines of a ferry and into a more streamlined appearance like that of a modern cruise ship. Two years later in 1990, she entered drydock for routine maintenance when a massive fire swept through the vessel. It took three days to finally extinguish.

Subsequently, everything above the car deck was removed and had to be rebuilt. While she was cut down to the machinery deck, the owner took this opportunity to lengthen the hull by 13 meters and finish her out as a pure cruise ferry, opting not to build a car deck. Due to the significant changes, her classification society considered her to be a newbuild.

In 1991 she was relaunched and after sea-trials in the Baltic, she was handed back over in March 1992. She sailed the Baltic for several years until April of 1994. While en route one afternoon she was following an icebreaker that was making a path for her in the frozen Baltic Sea. Due to a couple of miscalculations on the bridge, she impacted some ice and started taking on water. The ship was evacuated and began to appear down in the water on her stern. After swift actions of her crew, she was stabilized, and salvage crews were able to get onboard and stabilized her even more. Several days later, she was towed to Helsinki for immediate repairs to save the ship. She had to be towed to Italy where she entered a yard in La Spezia for permanent repairs.

While in the yard, the ship was time chartered to Norwegian Cruise Line where she was renamed Leeward and would be deployed in the Caribbean.

While at NCL, she sailed on 3 & 4-night cruises to the Bahamas and Mexico starting in 1995. In 2000, she was then handed over to Star Cruises (the new owner of Norwegian Cruise Line at that time) where the Leeward was renamed to SuperStar Taurus. The vessel sailed on short cruises around far east Asia in order to finish up her charter. Towards the end of 2001, she was handed back to her owners in Europe and set sail for her new life for Silja Line. The SuperStar Taurus was then renamed Silja Opera in June of 2002 and sailed on short cruises throughout the Baltic, calling in Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Russia. The next year, 2003, two incidents occurred while she was maneuvering out of St. Petersburg, Russia. The first was midway through the year when she lost steering and veered too close to an already moored ship. This damaged some lifeboats on her port side. In November of that year, an almost identical thing occurred when she damaged several lifeboats on the same side in the same way.

Silja Opera sailed for several more uneventful years until Silja Line decided to not continue the cruises and focus solely on their ferry business. Now renamed to Opera, the vessel sailed to Tilbury, England in 2006 where she was laid up for roughly a year. Her owners then sold her to Greek interests in 2007 who renamed the vessel to Cristal. This Greek owner was looking for a replacement vessel for the Sea Diamond which has sunk in the Greek Islands in 2007. The Cristal sailed for Louis Cruise Lines through the Greek Islands on short cruises. In 2013 she was charted to a travel company that deployed her on Cuban cruises from Havana .

VIEW CELESTYAL CRYSTAL DECK PLANS

Keep in mind this was arranged before the US-Cuban deal to open up travel between the two countries. The idea was to cater to international (mostly European) guests who would be able to fly direct to the Island. She was quite a success down there and sailed for several seasons out of Cuba. Due to the rebranding of Louis Cruise Lines to Celestial Cruises, she then changed her name to Louis Cristal and then finally to the Celestial Crystal. 

Seaward, built in Finland from 1987 to 1988, has a long history. The 216-metre-long cruise ship was originally constructed at the STX shipyard, now MEYER TURKU, under Yard Number 1294. It was commissioned by Kloster Cruises. Seaward was acquired by Norwegian Cruise Line and rechristened “Norwegian Sea” in 1997. The vessel was then purchased by Star Cruises in 2005, and the Finnish-built cruise ship has since been known as “SuperStar Libra”.

SuperStar Libra was extensively modernised and renovated in 2013, but cruising operations came to an end in 2018. After serving the cruise industry for 30 years, the former luxury liner is now docked in Wismar, where it acts as a hotel ship.

Celestyal Crystal Cruise Ship Profile

TripSavvy / Linda Garrison

The Celestyal Crystal is a 1000-passenger cruise ship and one of the ships in the Celestyal Cruises' fleet. Two of the ships are leased to Thomson Cruises, and Celestyal operates the Celestyal Crystal and Celestyal Olympia. In the past few years, Celestyal Cruises has invested 12 million euros in refurbishing these two ships.

This cruise line is part of the Louis Group, which re-branded its cruise ships in 2015 as Celestyal Cruises. The company continues to use the Louis Cruises name to operate in the chartering and ship management segments of the cruise industry.

Until November 2016, the Celestyal Crystal cruise ship primarily sailed 7-day cruises of the Greek Isles and Turkey . The ship's itineraries and ports of call are the focus of the cruises; not the ship. Rather than sail in the afternoon like many other cruise ships, the Celestyal Crystal often stays into the evening, giving her guests more precious time ashore to enjoy Greece and Turkey .

In November 2016, the Celestyal Crystal began sailing year-round 7-day Cuba cruises . The cruise ship has spent a few winters sailing in Cuba, so it has more experience sailing in Cuba than other ships do. Like its eastern Mediterranean cruises, the Cuba cruises are destination focused, so the onboard entertainment and cuisine includes Cuban touches. Passengers can board either in Montego Bay , Jamaica or Havana. They sail for seven days and disembark in the same port. The Celestyal Crystal has ports of call in Santiago de Cuba , Havana , Maria la Gorda , and Cienfuegos, the gateway to Trinidad . The cruise ship has one day at sea between Santiago de Cuba and Havana. 

The Celestyal Crystal is about 25,000 tons, and she has 480 cabins. She can carry up to 1200 guests since many cabins can accommodate three or four guests. The cruise ship was built in 1982, and once sailed as the Leeward of Norwegian Cruise Line. Louis Cruises bought the ship in 2007, and she sailed as the Louis Cristal until the company renamed her in 2015 as part of the rebranding of its cruise ship operation.

Although the Celestyal Crystal is an older ship, she has all the basic amenities and venues of newer cruise ships including two restaurants, casual buffet dining area, poolside cafe, three lounges, two bars, casino, swimming pool, sauna, gym, medical center, spa and massage room, hot tub, beauty salon, Internet area, video arcade, conference room, and retail shops. The ship does not have an onboard water park or other attractions often seen on newer ships.

Cabins and Suites

The Celestyal Crystal cruise ship has 480 cabins and suites, many of which have Pullman or sofa beds so that three or four guests can be accommodated in the cabin. The cabins and suites are spread over six decks and are in about a dozen different categories. The ship has 317 outside cabins and suites and 163 inside cabins. During a recent refurbishment, balconies were added to 40 cabins, so now 55 cabins have balconies.

The cabins on the Celestyal Crystal are similar in amenities to those on the Celestyal Odyssey. The cabins and suites are comfortable, but only 55 cabins have balconies. Since the ship stays in most ports late and is primarily sailing at night, most guests do not seem to miss this feature as much as on a ship with sea days or more time at sea.

The different categories of cabins and suites on the Celestyal Crystal are:

• Imperial Suite - These 2 suites on Deck 6 are about 44 square meters and can accommodate up to 4 persons, with 2 lower beds and sofa (bed), refrigerator, TV, hairdryer, safety box, bathroom, 2 windows, and a balcony
• Balcony Suite - These 8 suites on deck 7 are about 36 square meters and can accommodate up to 3 persons, with 2 lower beds and sofa (bed), refrigerator, TV, hairdryer, safety box, bathroom, 2 windows, and a balcony.
• Suite - These 2 suites on deck 6 are about 34 square meters can accommodate up to 4 person(s), with 2 lower beds and sofa (bed), refrigerator, TV, hairdryer, safety box, bathroom, 2 windows, and a balcony.
• Junior Suite - These 4 suites on deck 6 are about 30 square meters and can accommodate up to 4 person(s), with 2 lower beds and sofa (bed), refrigerator, TV, hairdryer, safety box, bathroom, and 2 ocean view window(s).
• Deluxe Outside Stateroom - These staterooms on deck 6 and 7 are about 15.8 square meters and can accommodate up to 3 persons, with 2 lower beds and sofa (bed), refrigerator, TV, hairdryer, safety box, bathroom, and 2 ocean view windows.
• Premium Outside Stateroom - These outside cabins on decks 3 and 4 measure from 13 to 15.8 square meters and can accommodate up to 4 person(s), with 2 lower beds, refrigerator, TV, hairdryer, safety box, bathroom, and 2 ocean view windows.
• Superior Outside Stateroom - These outside Cabins on Deck 3, 5, and 6 are about 11.1 square meters and can accommodate up to 4 passengers with 2 lower beds, TV, hairdryer, safety box, bathroom, and 1 window with an obstructed view.
• Standard Outside Stateroom - These outside cabins are on Deck 2 are about 11.4 square meters and can accommodate 2 or 4 persons, with 2 lower beds, TV, hairdryer, safety box, bathroom, and 1 porthole.
• Premium Inside Stateroom - These inside cabins on Deck 5, 6, and 7 are 12.2 square meters and can accommodate 2 or 4 persons, with TV, hairdryer, safety box, and bathroom.
• Deluxe Inside Stateroom - These inside cabins on Deck 6 and 7 are about 11.9 square meters and can accommodate 2 persons, with 2 lower beds, TV, hairdryer, safety box, and bathroom.
• Superior Inside Stateroom - These inside cabins on Deck 4 measure about 12.1 square meters and can accommodate 2 or 4 person(s), with TV, hairdryer, safety box, and bathroom.
• Standard Inside Stateroom - These inside cabins on Deck 3, 4, and 5 measure 11.9 square meters and can accommodate 2 or 4 person(s), with TV, hairdryer, safety box, and bathroom.

Dining and Cuisine

The Celestyal Crystal cruise ship has two casual dining venues: Leda on deck 9 and a poolside cafe. Its main restaurant, Amalthia, is on deck 8 aft, and the Olympus restaurant is on deck 5. All venues feature a breakfast buffet and have open seating at all meals. The casual venues also have buffets at lunch and dinner, with some meals (especially lunch) served poolside. Guests order from a menu at lunch and dinner at Amalthia.

The meals on the ship are varied, and dinners always feature some delicious Greek or Mediterranean dishes like fried cheese with honey, moussaka, fish, and Greek salads. The restaurant also serves delicious pasta like spaghetti with meat sauce. 

On the Cuba cruises, the Celestyal Crystal features a Cuban dish at each meal, but still retains some of her delicious ones. 

Since the Celestyal Crystal stays in some ports until 10 pm or so, guests who love to try different venues can experience some of the excellent Greek restaurants ashore and then return to their cabin on the ship. 

Interior Common Areas

The interiors of the Celestyal Crystal cruise ship are contemporary and comfortable. Muses is the large show lounge, with nightly live music and entertainment. One evening featured an excellent program from the Lyceum Club of Greek Women from Athens. This group's mission is to preserve and promote the traditions and cultural heritage of Greece . Although the "Greek Traditional Wedding" had participants playing the different roles in a wedding, the emphasis was on the marvelous historical costumes, music, singing, and folk dancing. The group had 24 performers of all ages (12 couples).

The Eros Lounge is on deck 8 near the Amalthia Restaurant and the Casino. This smaller venue is used for small live musical groups, parlor games, and socializing before or after dinner. The casino has slot machines, blackjack, and roulette. 

Those who enjoy watching the sea will love the Horizons Lounge, which is aft on deck 10. This bar has marvelous panoramic views by day and is transformed into a disco in the evening.

The Celestyal Crystal cruise ship has a very nice spa and fitness center with massages, spa treatments, and a sauna.

The Celestyal Crystal does offer WiFi in the indoor common areas like the lounges, but not in the cabins. The ship also has some computers for guest use near the reception desk.

Outdoor Decks

The swimming pool on the Celestyal Crystal cruise ship has a retractable roof, so it can be used in all sorts of weather. This pool and the pool bar are very popular all day long, as is the hot tub, which is next to the Thalassa Bar aft on deck 5 behind the Olympus restaurant.

One feature that some guests might miss is the outdoor deck aft of several of the cabin decks. This outdoor area has lounge chairs and is sometimes quieter than the outdoor deck near the pool or hot tub.

As noted earlier in this article, the Celestyal Crystal does not offer all the up to date amenities seen on newer ships. However, the ship does sail to some of the world's most beautiful ports of call, so guests are off the ship exploring during much of their cruise vacation . And, they only have to unpack their suitcase once, which is much better than spending a lot of precious vacation time dragging a bag on and off the ferry or airplane.

As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary services for review purposes. While it has not influenced this review, TripSavvy believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our  Ethics Policy .

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Category : Leeward (ship, 1992)

Rebuilt from the Sally Albatross from 1980 that was severely damaged by fire in 1990. According to Fakta om Fartyg and Færgelejet, the ship was considered a new build, but it retained the IMO number from the original ship.

Source: Fakta om Fartyg , Færgelejet , Miramar Ship Index

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11 Former Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships and Where They Are Now

Royal Caribbean is the largest cruise line in the world with 28 cruise ships in service. Royal Caribbean has another three cruise ships either under construction or on order. They are also developing a new class of ships call the Discovery Class.

A total of 39 different ships have sailed under the Royal Caribbean brand since the company was founded in 1968.

Here are 11 former Royal Caribbean cruise ships and where they are now.

Song of Norway (1970-1997)

Royal Caribbean’s very first cruise ship, Song of Norway went into service in 1970.  After spending 27 years in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, the ship later sailed under the names Sundream, Dream Princess, Dream, Clipper Pearl, Clipper Pacific, Festival, Ocean Pearl, and Formosa Queen.  The ship was scrapped in 2014 after serving several years as a gambling ship.

Nordic Prince (1971-1995)

Royal Caribbean’s second cruise ship went into service in 1971.  This 18,346 gross ton ship was one of the first modern purpose built cruise ships. After sailing under the names Carousel, Aquamarine, and Arielle, the ship was scrapped in 2015.

Sun Viking (1972-1998)

The last of three original cruise ships ordered by Royal Caribbean, Sun Viking spent 26 years sailing with Royal Caribbean. After sailing under multiple cruise lines, the ship served as a gambling ship in Hong Kong and operated under the name Oriental Dragon.

The vessel was sold for scrap in 2021.

Song of America (1982-1999)

Due to strong demand for Royal Caribbean cruises, Royal’s fourth cruise ship was built double the size (37,584 gross tons) of their first three ships.  Song of America spent 17 years with Royal Caribbean.

The cruise ship is now named Bella Fortuna and is not currently in service.

Viking Serenade (1990-2002)

Royal Caribbean purchased the ship in 1990 and renamed the vessel Viking Serenade. The ship was a former ferry that was converted to a cruise ship in early 1991.  After 12 years in service, the ship was transferred to a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean Island Cruises.  The ship was scrapped in 2018 after sailing as Ocean Gala.

Sovereign of the Seas (1988-2008)

The first of three Sovereign class cruise ships (only Majesty of the Seas is still with Royal Caribbean), the ship spent 20 years sailing with Royal Caribbean. The vessel was the largest cruise ship in the world to be built since the Queen Elizabeth. The ship was transferred to Pullmantur Cruises in 2008 and eventually scrapped in 2020.

Monarch of the Seas (1991-2013)

The second of three Sovereign class ships, Monarch was the first major cruise ship to be captained by a woman, Karin Stahre-Janson.  In 2013, the ship was transferred to Pullmantur Cruises and scrapped in 2020.

Splendor of the Seas (1996-2016)

Splendor of the Seas was the second Vision class ship from Royal Caribbean and spent 20 years sailing under Royal Caribbean.  The ship currently sails under the name Marella Discovery and is operated by Marella Cruises.

Legend of the Seas (1995-2017)

The first Vision class ship from Royal Caribbean, the ship now sails with Marella Cruises under the name Marella Discovery II.   Legend of the Seas is the most traveled cruise ship in Royal Caribbean’s history.

Empress of the Seas (1990-2008, 2016-2020)

Empress of the Seas sailed for 18 years under Royal Caribbean before transferring to sister cruise line Pullmantur Cruises for eight years.  In 2016, the ship was transferred back to Royal Caribbean for four more years.

Royal Caribbean sold the ship to Cordelia Cruises in 2020.

Majesty of the Seas (1992-2020)

Majesty of the Seas sailed with Royal Caribbean for 28 years before being sold like many other older ships were during the 2020 cruise shutdown.

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NOAA research cruise supports key tropical Atlantic observing system

There and back again: noaa ship gordon gunter journeyed away from pascagoula, mississippi for 90+ days and 12,700+ nautical miles to conduct the pirata northeast extension cruise..

A NOAA ship that traditionally sails in the Gulf of Mexico embarked on a 90+ day journey into international waters and successfully completed its mission in support of a key tropical Atlantic observing system.

Crew and officers of NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter set sail from Pascagoula, Mississippi, on January 22, 2024, and returned to the same location over three months later after traveling more than 12,700 nautical miles (. During parts of the long voyage, NOAA researchers, academic partners, and students joined them to service moorings in the tropical Atlantic for the Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic (PIRATA) project and collect oceanographic and atmospheric samples in support of the PIRATA Northeast Extension .

PIRATA is a collaborative project between Brazil, France, and the United States to study and improve the predictability of air-sea interactions in the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Air-sea interactions, such as heat exchange between the ocean and atmosphere, exert changes in weather and climate. Measuring and observing how these interactions function improves our understanding and predictive capabilities of extreme weather and climate variations. PIRATA Northeast Extension is a joint project between NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory ( AOML ) and NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory ( PMEL ) that expands the PIRATA array of moored buoys into the northern and northeastern sectors of the tropical Atlantic Ocean. It is important for PIRATA scientists to collect measurements in this part of the ocean because this is the main development region for Atlantic hurricanes.

Due to the global class NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown undergoing maintenance this year, the cruise took place aboard NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter (a capable but smaller NOAA fisheries vessel) and was split into four legs. Legs 1 and 4 were transits and provided open ocean training opportunities for NOAA officers and crews, while legs 2 and 3 had researchers onboard from AOML, PMEL, NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service ( NESDIS ), and University and Cooperative Institute partners. 

During legs 2 and 3, the science team completed the recovery and redeployment of four PIRATA Northeast Extension moorings and one additional PIRATA mooring that is typically serviced by our partners in Brazil. During the early stages of Leg 2, the ship diverted to the south to serendipitously recover another buoy that had gone adrift. Moorings are recovered onto the ship for data to be collected, meteorological and oceanographic sensors refreshed with new instruments and batteries, and the surface buoy cleaned before being redeployed to continue collecting data. Biological growth is common on the upper ~80 meters of moorings after being in the ocean for ~1 year. The surface float and sensors often have Saharan dust on them and sometimes are damaged or missing due to their interactions with the elements (winds and waves) or fishing vessels. One PIRATA mooring located within the Atlantic oxygen minimum zone was augmented with 15 additional current meter sensors (normally there is only one current meter at 12 meters depth). These sensors measure ocean currents in the upper 100 meters of the water column as part of the Tropical Atlantic Current Observations Study ( TACOS ). TACOS is focused on advancing the understanding of ocean circulation and mixing and their impact on sea surface temperatures and air-sea interactions.

A PIRATA Northeast Extension mooring is recovered onto the deck of NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter.

The team also conducted 59 CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth) casts and 22 expendable CTD casts that collected data from the ocean’s surface to about a mile deep. The CTD rosette was augmented by total dissolved oxygen and Lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers to provide a more detailed view of the water column by detecting how salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and velocity change relative to depth. When weather conditions were suboptimal or time did not permit, expendable CTD casts were collected. An expendable CTD is like an expendable bathythermograph ( XBT ) but has an added conductivity sensor. Expendable CTD profiles measure temperature and salinity from the surface to depths of more than a half mile.

Scientists and crew deployed five vertical profiling floats, including two Core Argo floats, one Biogeochemical Argo float, and two ALAMO floats , and five surface drifting buoys at various locations to collect profiles of ocean temperature, salinity, and depth. These ocean observing instruments deployed throughout the global ocean have improved weather forecasts and advanced our knowledge of climate fluctuations.

PIRATA Cruises are a Platform for Collaborative Research and Pilot Studies

The annual PIRATA Northeast Extension cruise serves as a platform for collaborative research projects to take place concurrently with the main cruise operations. Researchers from NOAA’s NESDIS, University of Wisconsin, Arizona State University, and University of Maryland Baltimore collected aerosol measurements throughout leg 2, performed approximately six radiosonde launches in coordination with satellite overpasses, and collected Saharan dust samples from the moorings, in support of the Aerosols and Oceanographic Science Expeditions project . This project’s goal is to gain an understanding of the weather and climate impacts of long-range transport of mineral dust and smoke aerosols over the tropical Atlantic.

Scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution collected 84 nutrient samples and 94 Sargassum samples from the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt to study the environmental conditions that affect Sargassum growth, its species diversity, and how its spatial distribution and abundance change from month to month and year to year. This is the sixth PNE cruise where some form of Sargassum- related research was conducted, although the research partners have changed over time.

Dennis McGillicuddy (WHOI) collects Sargassum samples from the Great Sargassum Belt.

The annual PIRATA Northeast Extension cruise allows for academic and international collaboration to advance the understanding of the ocean and to work towards improved prediction of weather and climate variability. Although this year’s cruise looked a little different, NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter researchers and the crew facilitated a successful science mission. This PNE cruise is funded by NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations and NOAA’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program , with personnel support from NOAA’s AOML , NOAA’s PMEL , and University and Cooperative Institute partners.

Meet Ms. Denise Kester, Chief Scientist for Leg 2 of the cruise

Denise Kester is a mooring instrumentation technician at NOAA’s PMEL. With a background in Marine Science, Denise has gained over 14 years of experience supporting oceanographic research aboard research cruises all over the world. She currently works with the Global Tropical Moored Buoy Program at PMEL and regularly leads moored buoy operations in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Denise is also an avid swimmer and enjoys films. She swims year-round with a group in the frigid waters of Puget Sound.

Meet Dr. Renellys Perez, Chief Scientist for Leg 3 of the cruise

Dr. Perez is an oceanographer at NOAA’s AOML. She was the Principal Investigator for the PNE project from 2017-2021 and is now the Co-Principle Investigator for the project. Renellys has served as the Co-Chief Scientist or Chief Scientist on five PIRATA Northeast Extension cruises, including this one. She also designed the TACOS project, which adds additional sensors to PIRATA moorings to advance the understanding of ocean circulation and mixing and their impact on sea surface temperatures and air-sea interactions.

“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the entire team, including the crew, technicians, engineers, scientists, officers, and students, NOAA was able to collect meaningful oceanographic and atmospheric observations in the tropical Atlantic ocean environment and refresh moored instrumentation in support of a key long-term observing system,” said Renellys Perez.

• CruiseMapper
• Holland America

Cruise line Holland America

• Vancouver (BC Canada)
• Whittier (Alaska)
• Sydney (NSW Australia)
• Auckland (New Zealand)
• Singapore (Singapore)

ms Noordam current position

ms Noordam current location is at North America West Coast (coordinates 52.17489 N / -129.74268 W) cruising at speed of 13.5 kn (25 km/h | 16 mph) en route to Ketchikan. The AIS position was reported 20 minutes ago.

Current itinerary of ms Noordam

ms Noordam current cruise is 7 days, one-way from Vancouver to Whittier . The itinerary starts on 18 Aug, 2024 and ends on 25 Aug, 2024 .

Specifications of ms Noordam

•   Itineraries
•   Review
•   Wiki

ms Noordam Itineraries

Ms noordam review, review of ms noordam.

The 2006-built MS Noordam cruise ship is the 4th/last Vista-class Holland America liner, with sisterships ms Westerdam , ms Oosterdam , ms Zuiderdam .

The vessel (IMO number 9230115) is currently Netherlands- flagged (MMSI 246028000) and registered in Rotterdam .

History - construction and ownership

Holland America Line (HAL) is a Seattle -based cruise company owned by Carnival Corporation (shipowner). Between 1873-1989, HAL was a Dutch cargo and passenger shipping company operating regular Transatlantic crossings between Holland and the Americas. HAL was founded in 1873 as "Dutch-American Steamship Company" headquartered in Rotterdam Netherlands . In 1989, HAL was acquired by Carnival Corporation for around EUR 530 million. Among the company's assets are the Westmark hotel chain (Alaska-Yukon), Worldwide Shore Services (warehouses-logistics) and Half Moon Cay (Caribbean private island).

The 1214-passenger ship Noordam was the first vessel built to include into her layout all of the changes, according to the 2003 Holland America's "Signature of Excellence" undertaking (wherein the line would refit all of the vessels in its fleet with stylish Euro-style mattresses, upgrade the bedding, add waffle-weave bathrobes to all cabin categories, incorporate massage-type shower heads into the baths, add flat-screen LCD TVs and DVD players to the rooms, expand its children and teens' amenities and change some of the public cabins into contemporary, multi-aim meeting places). The Culinary Arts Center of Noordam (instead of the Wajang Theatre - films are still played there) and the Explorations Cafe (which replaced the Windjammer Lounge, Cafe Bar and the library) can be the greatest changes onboard Noordam but they are certainly not the only ones. Outstanding, though, to Noordam cruise ship were some additional modifications. 27 feet of aft deck space was added to the Lido Deck and thirty-five new staterooms were included into the project, cutting away much of the angled raking at the stern and providing a straighter up/down aft end. This has been deemed very successful so each other Vista-class ship in turn, went into drydock to get the same additions.

Decks and Cabins

MS Noordam staterooms (986 total, in 30 grades) include 162 Suites, 499 Balconies, 163 Oceanviews, 162 Inside cabins. Most staterooms are sized 170-205 ft2 (16-19 m2). Nearly 70% of all passenger cabins have private step-out balconies. Wheelchair-accessible cabins are 28. The largest accommodations are the Pinnacle Suites (1000 ft2 / 93 m2, with terrace sized 320 ft2 / 30 m2).

The boat has 11 passenger decks , of which 7 are with cabins.

Implemented fleetwide in 2019, "Club Orange" program provides exclusive amenities to Suite passengers booked in categories Neptune and Pinnacle. Bonus perks by this program include:

• priority services (check-in, disembarkation, tendering, dining reservations)
• 24-hour concierge service (assistance, information, reservations)
• exclusive dining venue (serving complimentary Pinnacle Grill breakfast and Dining Room dinner, plus exclusive dishes)
• dedicated Concierge Desk (Guest Services and Tours)
• room service (a la carte breakfast menu with complimentary gourmet dishes - including smoked salmon, steak and eggs)
• sparkling wine (embarkation day), Club Orange tote bag, premium bathrobes (cabin use, available for monogramming and purchasing).
• Club Orange Restaurant is part of the Main Dining Room (designed as a separate VIP dining section).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Noordam's main dining rooms are joined by a grand staircase. Breakfast consists of made-to-order waffles and eggs, plus the usual baked goods and cereals. Lunch offers starters, mains and desserts. Entrees might include salmon piccata, Swiss steak and stuffed bell pepper. A daily "express combo" caters to those who are in a hurry. One of HAL traditions is Afternoon Tea, served in the upper dining room daily. Three themed teas - Cupcake, Indonesian and Royal Dutch - are served once during a sailing. Signature dishes available nightly feature Caesar salad, French onion soup, grilled salmon, roasted chicken and broiled strip loin. There is at least one vegetarian entree plus a full vegetarian menu with vegan selections, which should be ordered the night before.

Follows the complete list of ms Noordam restaurants and food bars.

• Pinnacle Grill (145-seat reservations-only seafood/steakhouse restaurant with fine wines selection; free for passengers under 12 yo). The venue transforms into “An Evening at le Cirque” once per cruise via a partnership with NYC “Le Cirque” French restaurant.
• Vista Restaurant (1050-seat, aft Dining Room; features open seating Breakfast and Lunch, two Dinner options - 2 fixed seatings or “Any Time” dining between 5:15-9 pm)
• Terrace Grill (fast food pool bar; complimentary)
• Lido Restaurant (420-seat complimentary buffet restaurant; offers self-service Breakfast 6-11 am, Lunch 11:30-2 pm, Afternoon Tea, Dinner 5:30-8 pm)
• Canaletto Restaurant (Lido Restaurant annex; operates as an Italian restaurant for Dinner, reservations required).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The Vista Lounge showcases a resident cast with song-and-dance numbers - a staple of cruise entertainment. Guest performers include musical acts and comedians. The lounge is quite comfortable, with plush seats and excellent sightlines from the balconies and the main floor. The B.B. King Blues Club located on Deck 2 is a multi-use spot that also serves as the Culinary Arts Center and the Queen's Lounge. It gets a grove on when B.B. King All-Star Band appears on the stage 3 times nightly on most evenings to belt out high-energy rock 'n' roll, funk, soul and blues. It's the most dynamic venue onboard. The club closes around midnight. Other amenities include: complimentary 24-Hour Room-Service, Supervised Kids Program ("Club Hal"), cruise ship weddings, Internet/WiFi Access, Laundry.

Follows the complete list of ms Noordam lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Atrium (3-deck high midship open-floor area with live performances)
• Vista Lounge (846-seat theatre/main show lounge; also serves Holland America’s enrichment program (via a partnership with BBC Earth)
• Piano Bar; Sports Bar; Pinnacle Bar (36-seat wine bar); Ocean Bar (Atrium bar and lounge, with dance floor and stage for live performances)
• Northern Lights Disco & Nightclub
• Queen’s Lounge & Culinary Arts Centre (170-seat, with live band entertainment, cooking shows, culinary classes; via a partnership with “Food & Wine Magazine”)
• Explorer’s Lounge & Bar (lounge with bar; classical concert performances)
• Meeting Rooms (Hudson, Half Moon, Stuyvesant)
• Photo Gallery & Shop; Art Gallery
• Casino (served by Casino Bar and Sports Bar)
• Screening Room (38-seat indoor cinema)
• Atrium Shops (boutiques for duty-free tobaccos and liquor, perfumes, watches, clothing, HAL logo merchandise, souvenirs); Marabella Luxury Shop
• Explorations Cafe (specialty coffee bar and patisserie; also serves as ship’s Library and Online Centre/Internet computers room)
• Neptune Lounge (club venue for Deluxe Suite and Pinnacle guests only)
• Fitness Center (gym with separate Aerobics Room); 5 jacuzzis
• Greenhouse Spa & Salon; Lido Pool area, served by Lido Bar and Terrace Grill; Sea View Pool area served by Sea View Bar; The Retreat (adults-only)
• Crow’s Nest (observation lounge; bar and dance floor; becomes disco at night)
• Sport Court (basketball, volleyball, soccer); Promenade Deck, Walking Track
• Club HAL (kids lounge, complimentary youth programming)
• The Loft (teens club lounge area, with Video Games Arcade, computers, PlayStations; teen disco).

Since 2023, all HAL ships have pickleball courts (installed on the top deck) operated via an exclusive partnership with PPA-Professional Pickleball Association. HAL also offers complimentary beginner lessons (led by onboard instructors), sells branded pickleball starter kits (at the ship's retail shops) and Play Pickleball tutorial videos are included in the cabin TV programming.

Itineraries

MS Noordam itinerary program was previously based on Mediterranean and Caribbean (from Fort Lauderdale Florida ) voyages, with seasonal Transatlantic repositioning crossings.

Due to the Coronavirus crisis, HAL's Noordam ship was paused for 2 years (March 2020-2022). "Grand World Voyage 2022" (129-day roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale/Jan 3-May 12) was canceled. Operations restarted on May 8, 2022, with 7-day Alaskan itineraries (between homeports Vancouver BC Canada to Whittier AK ) followed by Australia-New Zealand deployment (between Auckland NZ and Sydney NSW ).

Photos of ms Noordam

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Other Holland America cruise ships

• ms Koningsdam
• ms Nieuw Amsterdam
• ms Nieuw Statendam
• ms Oosterdam
• ms Rotterdam
• ms Volendam
• ms Westerdam
• ms Zuiderdam

ms Noordam Wiki

Being one of the HAL's "compass ships", Noordam is Holland America's 4th (last) Vista-class liner, with sisterships Oosterdam , Westerdam , Zuiderdam .

Noor means "North" (in Dutch).

The vessel (Fincantieri Marghera yard/hull number 6079) has volume 82897 GT-tons, DWT-deadweight tonnage 10939 tons, max draught 8 m. The powerplant is based on 5x Wartisla-Sulzer marine diesel engines (models 3x 16ZAV40S plus 2x 12ZAV40S) with combined output 75,14 MW (100764 hp). The propulsion is diesel-electric and based on 2x ABB Azipod thrusters with combined output 35,24 MW (47260 hp). The registered shipowner is HAL ANTILLEN NV, while the registered manager is HOLLAND AMERICA LINE NV.

Noordam's Inaugural Cruise/ Maiden Voyage was on February 22, 2006.

The ship's Godmother was Marlee Beth Matlin (1965-born American actress, author, activist). She is currently the world's only deaf performer to have won the "Academy Award for Best Actress" (for the 1986-released movie "Children of a Lesser God").

The Noordam liner can produce up to 1700 tons (450,000 US gallons) of freshwater daily by using the desalinization technology. Vessel's fuel consumption (daily) is approx 216 tons (57,000 US gallons) of HFO (heavy fuel oil) and 90 tons (23,000 US gallons) of MGO (marine gas oil).

MS Noordam refurbishments review

The ship's last refurbishment was in 2019 (November). The 14-day drydocking project was done at Victoria Shipyards (in Victoria BC Canada ). The conducted works included Billboard Onboard (added to the Music Walk area), Microsoft Studio (added in Explorations Cafe), Fujifilm Wonder Photo Shop (new photo studio). On Sports Deck was added pickleball court (doubles badminton court, sized 20×44 ft / 6,3x13,4 m).

All suites (cabins and bathrooms) were renovated and updated with new furniture. Also renovated (as furniture and carpeting) were Pinnacle Bar, Pinnacle Grill, Dining Room Restaurant, Lido Market (buffet restaurant), the wellness complex (Greenhouse Spa and Salon).

During drydock 2015 (May) all passenger cabins (including the bathrooms) were updated with new furnishings (sofas, chairs, headboards, carpets, wall coverings, privacy curtains, draperies, bed runners, bed skirts, quartz stone tops (bath vanities), vanity lighting, dressers, dressing tables, nightstands, smart HDTVs, BOSE SoundDock (iPod stations). New USB charging ports, power outlets and LED lights were installed.

MS Noordam drydock 2015 was part of Holland America Line's USD 300 million fleet renovation program (2016-2018).

Ernesto could become 'major hurricane' this week; Puerto Rico braces for arrival

Forecasters say ernesto, the second named atlantic storm in a week, could drop 6 to 8 inches of rain on southeastern puerto rico..

Editor's Note: This page is a summary of news on Tropical Storm Ernesto for Tuesday, Aug. 13. For the latest news on Ernesto as it moves across the Caribbean, view USA TODAY's story on the storm for Wednesday, Aug. 14 .

Tropical Storm Ernesto strengthened and unloaded heavy rain over the northeast Caribbean islands as authorities in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands prepared for the arrival of hurricane conditions.

The storm is expected to become a hurricane Wednesday morning and "could become a major hurricane in a couple of days," the National Hurricane Center said in its 2 a.m. Atlantic Standard Time a d visory on Wednesday when Ernesto was 80 miles northwest of St. Thomas and 40 miles north of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The storm's center was forecast to pass the northeast and north of Puerto Rico through early Wednesday, according to the hurricane center. "Ernesto should then move over the western Atlantic later in the week and approach Bermuda on Friday," the center said.

Forecasters say Ernesto, the second named Atlantic storm in a week, could cause flooding and mudslides by dropping 4 to 6 inches of rain on the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, as well as 6 to 8 inches on southeastern Puerto Rico. Tropical storm conditions were forecast to continue spreading across the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, as well as Culebra and Vieques − islands that are part of Puerto Rico − through the overnight hours.

Ernesto developed into a tropical storm Monday night as it sped toward the northern Leeward Islands before passing near Guadeloupe and Montserrat early Tuesday. The storm strengthened and organized through the morning hours, bringing sustained winds of up to 60 mph as it barreled toward the Virgin Islands and 65 mph when closing in on Puerto Rico in the evening.

Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi canceled Tuesday's first day of class in public schools, activated the National Guard and announced the opening of hundreds of shelters across the island. The government of the U.S. Virgin Islands also closed schools Tuesday, and Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. urged residents to take the storm seriously.

LUMA Energy, the private operator of Puerto Rico's transmission and distribution system, said on X that it had activated its emergency operations and mobilized crews in anticipation of the storm. The power company also advised residents to brace for power outages.

Ernesto: Track where the storm is heading in the latest models

As a result of Ernesto's development, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Culebra and Vieques were placed under hurricane watches. "If you're in those areas, you need to go ahead and get prepared for a potential for hurricane conditions," NHC Deputy Director Jamie Rhome said during a livestream.

Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location.

Increasing flight cancellations at Puerto Rico's top airport

The approaching storm is scrambling air traffic in and out of Puerto Rico, a U.S. commonwealth that's home to more than 3 million American citizens and a popular vacation destination.

Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, the island's top flight destination, canceled 32 departing and 38 arriving flights Tuesday, the largest number of any airport in the world, according to the tracking website FlightAware .

Puerto Rico officials warn of power outages

Puerto Rico, which has a history of destructive storms, faced prolonged outages due to its fragile power grid in previous years.

In 2017, Hurricanes Irma and Maria slammed the island and destroyed its power grid. Over a million Puerto Ricans were left with unreliable power and outages lasted nearly a year in some areas.

Nearly five years later, Hurricane Fiona made landfall and conditions caused the entire island to lose power, USA TODAY previously reported. Strong winds had disrupted transmission lines, resulting in "a blackout on all the island," LUMA Energy said at the time.

In December 2022, Congress approved $1 billion in funds to improve and stabilize the grid in Puerto Rico.

Will Ernesto impact the US?

While the continental U.S. will largely be spared from the storm's heavy rain and winds, authorities have warned of dangerous rip currents and rough surf along the nation's Atlantic coast. Last year, all eight deaths directly tied to Hurricane Idalia were the result of large waves and rip currents.

The Coast Guard on Monday cautioned recreational boaters, fishermen, beachgoers, and water sports enthusiasts in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico to stay out of the water "due to deteriorating sea state conditions and dangerous rip currents associated with Tropical Storm Ernesto."

“We urge the public and the maritime community to stay safe and not underestimate the impacts of this storm,” Capt. Luis Rodriguez, Coast Guard Sector San Juan commander , said in a statement.

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Dangerous rip currents are a growing concern

Weather service offices between Florida and North Carolina are ramping up their warnings about potentially dangerous beach conditions, including hazardous rip currents, along the coast starting Friday as Ernesto moves by.

Strong swells will begin to reach North Carolina beaches by Friday and coincide with a higher-than-normal tide phase, said Erik Heden, a meteorologist in the state's Morehead City office. The impacts may linger into early next week as Ernesto moves away, Heden said.

A big concern is the potential for unsuspecting tourists to get caught in rip currents in the nice weather expected this weekend. "Other coastal impacts may include ocean overwash, erosion, and a generally higher-than-normal water level," Heden said.

Rip currents are powerful channels of water perpendicular to the shore that can pull swimmers quickly into deeper water. Officials say swimmers should never enter the water in red flag conditions. If caught in a rip current, swimmers are encouraged to avoid panicking and float or swim out of the current, then swim parallel to the shore and signal for help.

− Dinah Voyles Pulver

Why isn't Ernesto forecast to hit the US mainland?

Ernesto is not forecast to hit the U.S. mainland and is instead predicted to curve out to sea. This isn't unusual: Of all the tropical storms and hurricanes that form in the tropical Atlantic in a given year, only about three on average make their way to U.S. shores, according to the textbook Meteorology Today.

Because hurricanes don't move themselves, they are steered around by large weather systems and global winds. Most often storms are pushed northward around or along the western portion of a ridge of high pressure over the Atlantic, commonly known as a Bermuda High. If the high is located to the east, then hurricanes generally slide around the high’s western edge into the open Atlantic Ocean without making landfall, according to the University of Rhode Island. That's what's predicted to happen with Ernesto later this week, the National Hurricane Center said.

Sometimes, however, the high is located to the west and extends far enough to the south, in which case storms are blocked from curving north and forced to continue west, putting a large bulls-eye on Florida, Cuba, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Current hurricane season

Across the eastern U.S., residents and authorities are still recovering from former Hurricane Debby, a deadly storm that triggered dangerous floods from Florida to western New York and Pennsylvania. Last month,  Hurricane Beryl  – the earliest Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record – was linked to over 20 deaths across Texas and the Caribbean.

Contributing: Doyle Rice and Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY; Reuters