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Jeraldine Saunders Dies: Author & Creator Of ‘The Love Boat’ Was 96

Jeraldine Saunders, the creator of hit ABC series The Love Boat, died Feb. 26 at her home in Glendale from complications of kidney stone surgery she underwent in December. She was 96. She was best known for writing the 1974 book The Love Boats, which the ABC comedy-drama was based ... Read More »

NEWS: SS United States: Redevelopment Plans for Historic Ocean Liner Could Make a Big Splash

After spending more than two decades anchored in Philadelphia, a retired ocean liner is preparing to make waves once again. The SS United States, which holds the record for the fastest maritime journey across the Atlantic Ocean, has been docked at Philadelphia’s Pier 82 on the Delaware River since 1996. ... Read More »

JUDY GARLAND triumphant comeback in A STAR IS BORN at Hollywood’s greatest premiere!

More than a 250 stars attended the September 1954 Pantages Theatre gala premiere. Many predicting an Oscar sweep for the films with top acting awards going to Judy Garland and James Mason. More than 20,000 fans were spectators at the Pantages premiere demanding Warner Bros and the Los Angeles Police Department to organize ... Read More »

French Line’s fabulous Art Deco liner SS NORMANDIE and her tragic demise in New York Harbor.

SS Normandie, Liner, Trans-Atlantic, Art Deco, USS Lafayette, Cruise Line History, Cruising the Past, Michael L Grace, RMS Queen Mary, First Class Travel

The French Line’s flagship had been out of service for nearly four years. Then on February 9, 1942, crowds gathered at New York City’s pier 88 to witness a spectacle. The largest ocean liner in the world was on fire. Fire fighting efforts successfully contained the fire after five and ... Read More »

Sailing to West Africa on Elder Dempster’s liner MV Aureol.

The MV AUREOL of 1951 was a hard working, much-loved liner that linked Liverpool (and later Southampton) with West Africa in the waning days of the British Empire. She was operated by Elder Dempster Lines, one of the UK’s largest shipping companies, and during its 150-year history, it operated more ... Read More »

J. P. Morgan’s former yacht CORSAIR sailed as a deluxe cruise ship from California to Mexico until disaster struck in 1948.

corsair, yacht, j. p. morgan jr., cruises, michael l grace, pacific cruise lines, alaska steamship company, first class, ship sinking

J. Pierpont Morgan Jr. could never imagine his yacht Corsair IV would be turned into a deluxe cruise ship just after World War 2  whose short career with voyages from California would end in tragedy, but it happened. J.P. Morgan Jr. and his legendary business tycoon father, J. Pierpont Morgan, ... Read More »

Cunard Line’s RMS Aquitania – 1914 to 1949 – Celebrities, Immigrants and War Brides

Rms Aquitania, Cunard Line, First Class, Michael L Grace, Cruise line history, war brides, immigrants, tourist class, cruises, cruise

The RMS Aquitania was the longest serving Cunard liner built in the 20th century and to survive service in both World Wars. The contract to build the ship went to John Brown & Co, and great publicity was given to the fact that it would be the largest liner in ... Read More »

Alaska Cruise Sinks – The 1952 wreck of the SS Princess Kathleen

Princess Kathleen

The Canadian Pacific Line’s 6,000-ton Princess Kathleen, queen of Alaskan liners, was 18 miles from Juneau on the last trip of the season from Vancouver, B.C. to Skagway, Alaska. It was 3:15 a.m. Most of the 425 passengers and crew, including Captain Graham Hughes, were sleeping. A light rain was ... Read More »

CHASEN’S – The world-famous Hollywood Celebrity restaurant opened in the late 1930s and lasted into the 1990s. 

Chasen’s was a glamorous world – “Celebrity chefs” will never replace stylish hosts and personalities such as Dave Chasen or Vincent Sardi or Mike Romanoff. The “chefs” were in the kitchen. Not greeting you at the front door! Now the once famous eatery is a supermarket catering to the newly ... Read More »

Movie stars were aboard the fatal voyage of the SS Andrea Doria

SS Andrea Doria, Ruth Roman,Betsy Drake, Cary Grant, Nantucket, MS Stockholm, SS Ile de France, Tennessee Williams, Anna Magnani, Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Novak, Christine Jorgensen (the world's first transsexual woman), Clark Gable, and comedian Gracie Fields.

In July 1956, the SS Andrea Doria sank on the last night of its voyage from Italy to New York City. With over 1,134 passengers aboard, including Hollywood movie stars Ruth Roman and Betsy Drake, barely 100 short of her passenger capacity of 1,241. There were 190 first class passengers,  ... Read More »