Cruising The Past Cruise News 
Franconia II – 1923 – 1956 Gross Tonnage – 20,158 tons Dimensions – 183.27m (190.18m overall) x 22.46m: 601.3ft (624ft overall) x 73.7ft. Number of funnels – 1 Number of masts – 2 Construction – Steel Propulsion – Twin-screw Engines – Steam turbines (double-reduction) Service speed – 16 knots Builder ... Read More »
CRUISE LINE HISTORY – “ALL ASHORE THAT’S GOING ASHORE” – A GREAT NEW YOUTUBE VIDEO ON THE GREAT LINERS
Ocean liners were the primary mode of global travel for over a century, from the mid-19th century until they began to be supplanted by jet airliners in the 1960s. A wonderful new youTUBE video. Read More »
Amtrak Celebrates National Train Day with Ceremony Honoring Pullman Porters in Chicago
CHICAGO – Amtrak, in partnership with the Chicago-based A. Philip Randolph Museum, will host a ceremony during National Train Day this Saturday (May 10, 2008) to honor the contributions of the legendary Pullman Porters to the nation’s railroads. Amtrak employees will gather to give heartfelt thanks in person to ... Read More »
Cruising the Past: Celebrating National Train Day – May 10 – Will America ever have great rail passenger service again? Not if John McCain is president. He wants to destroy Amtrak.
This site is usually not political but when it comes to the future of Amtrak — presidential candidate John McCain is worse than Bush. National Train Day owes nothing to John McCain. America. Europe, Australia, South Africa and Japan have great rail service. But not America. There are Republicans that ... Read More »
Cruise Line History – FDR, postcards and other memories from Cunard Line’s RMS Acquitania
Cunard Line’s R.M.S. Aquitania, one of the greatest of all liners, was built for Cunard by John Brown & Co., and was launched in 1913. After her maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York on 30 May 1914, she made only 2 more Atlantic crossings before World War I began. ... Read More »
Cruise Line History: Audrey Hepburn in “Sabrina” sailed away on the French Line’s S.S. LIBERTE – Installment 1 – Cruiseships or Liners in the movies…
Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn) being driven by her father (John Williams) to sail away on the S.S. LIBERTE. This is one of the final scenes from Paramounts SABRINA directed by Billy Wilder in 1954. Sabrina Fairchild ( Audrey Hepburn) is seated in the front seat of a limousine with her chauffeur ... Read More »
Cruise Line History – Special CLASSIC TRAINS Issue … When “cruising” started on trains operated by THE PULLMAN COMPANY that connected with the great liners…
For great coverage of The Pullman Company and deluxe All-Pullman sleeping car trains such as the Santa Fe SUPER CHIEF check out the latest issue of Classic Trains and click on this link to order a copy. The Pullman Company operated the deluxe trians that acted as “boat trains” to ... Read More »
Cruise Line History – Holland America Line’s R.M.S. NIEUW AMSTERDAM – One of the largest, most luxurious and modern vessels every built…
The fabulous R.M.S. NIEUW AMSTERDAM on youTUBE. Our thanks to the excellent website ROYAL REGALS – a History of Ocean Liners for various photos and information on this ship. Other photos are from Holland American Line brochures in the Cruise Line History collection. The Nieuw Amsterdam was a statement in ... Read More »
Cruise Line History – THE SS NORMANDIE in happier times…
A wonderful newsreel short from youTUBE on the S. S. NORMANDIE… The extraordinary French ocean liner began her maiden voyage from Le Havre to New York on May 29, 1935. Acknowledged as the center of High Society on the North Atlantic, the Normandie was the grandest, most luxurious and artistic ... Read More »
Cruise Line History – THE ANCHOR LINE to India and Pakistan
In 1838 two brothers, Nicol & Robert Handyside set up business in Glasgow as ship brokers and merchants trading with Russia and the Baltic ports. Towards the end of 1852 Thomas Henderson, an experienced ship master, joined the firm. It was not until 1856 that the title of Anchor Line ... Read More »