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»	Cruise Talk » Ocean Liners and Classic Cruise Ships » Best & Worst funnel design? (Page 1)

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Author

Topic: Best & Worst funnel design?

Fairsky
First Class Passenger
Member # 781

posted 03-07-2000 08:42 AM

Hi everyone. I wanted to know what you think is the most attractive funnel design, and the ungliest. There has been a lot of innovation lately in funnel design- one of the biggest being a return to simple "paint can" funnels (Crown/Regal Princess and late Costa ships). Royal Caribbean has always made a statement with thier funnels- as has Carnival.

My personal favorites: Royal Princess and Oriana

The worst: Norwegian Sky- its just a box!

What do you think about the trend toward open or vented funnel design like on Princess' grand class ships, & SuperStar Leo and Virgo?

Posts: 1685 | From: Chicago, Illinois | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

DAMBROSI
First Class Passenger
Member # 100

posted 03-07-2000 09:37 AM

I don't like the funnels from Carnival and the newest funnels from
Princess. They are either too big or
too over indulgent looking. Too imposing. Give me funnels like on the S/S NORWAY and of the smaller vessels, such as the S/S ALBATROS,
(former S/S FAIRWIND, FAIRSEA duo).
The slant back funnels of those type
of ships are much more acceptable.
The one for the new U.S. Lines to be
built that we saw on the Cruise Lines section on Travel Page are not
really that nice at all. They should
get with better designers.

Posts: 2554 | From: Florida, USA, Where the Legend SS NORWAY sailed from. Moving back to FL next yr. | Registered: May 99 | IP: Logged

shipman1
Just Boarded
Member # 939

posted 03-07-2000 10:55 AM

I have always admired the Michelangelo and Raffaelo funnels. I especially liked how they were positioned more aft as opposed to other two funnel ships. I also think that the Federico C. had a unique funnel that was never duplicated.

shipman1

Posts: 6 | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

CruisinBarry
First Class Passenger
Member # 1126

posted 03-07-2000 11:17 AM

My favorite funnels are the Queen Mary, The Titanic, but my absolute favorite is the ss United States. As much as I like the Normandie, I'm not crazy about the design, they seemed oversized, not in proportion, or they didn't "look" as functional as other ships. I also liked the huge funnel on the Green Godess ( Caronia ) I always thought the QE-2's funnel was odd.

Posts: 10 | From: Minneapolis, MN U.S.A. | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

Fairsky
First Class Passenger
Member # 781

posted 03-07-2000 11:36 AM

Someone noted that the recent funnels of Princess ships are too large, and odd. I actually have an early photo of a design study model of the Grand Princess. She appears nearly identical to her final form except she has TWO 'PAINT CAN' FUNNELS angled slightly back very much like the Queen Elizabeth 1 or Queen Mary. I wonder why princess did not keep the design- it is very interesting, but not as odd as one might think... I'll have to scan and post the photo if there is enough interest.

Posts: 1685 | From: Chicago, Illinois | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Renegade4
First Class Passenger
Member # 392

posted 03-07-2000 11:39 AM

Being a devoted fan of the S/S Norway, my vote has to go to her funnels. How many other ships could be recognized by so many with only a glimpse of either funnel?

Posts: 57 | From: Kingston, MA, USA | Registered: Apr 99 | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 03-07-2000 02:13 PM

Actually it's not just the funnel itself..it's also the positioning and whole outline of the ship which makes the impression - the balance etc. I just flicked through Berlitz and you know, most funnels are really pretty awful.
My vote for a good funnel to fit a real ship, as opposed to a Hyatt, would go to the Marco Polo....peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

MagnmPI
First Class Passenger
Member # 299

posted 03-07-2000 02:21 PM

My favorites are Princess Cruises Sun through Ocean Princesses and Celebrity. I like the big vented design with pipes through the middle.

I've never really liked the Carnival wings, it seems as though the Destiny and Triumph would have looked alot better had they put a prettier funnel on top.

For the historians: Did Carnival keep the funnel paint scheme for Canadian Pacific Lines? I believe they bought either the Mardi Gras or Carnivale or both from this company and never repainted the funnels.

skyej, good topic...interested in the Grand Princess photo.

Posts: 545 | From: San Francisco Bay Area | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged

geno-r
First Class Passenger
Member # 931

posted 03-07-2000 05:17 PM

I like Carnival's design the best. I guess I'm just a beer and peanuts type cruiser. Plus I LOVE the slide. LOL

Posts: 549 | From: Mt. Pocono,Pa. Usa | Registered: Nov 1999 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 03-07-2000 07:04 PM

In my opinion there was no funnel as perfectly spaced bow to stern nor as
perfectly balanced as that of Italian
Line's Leonardo da Vinci of 1961. A direct
on side view could take your breath away.
CruisinBarry......I find it odd that you
find Normandie's funnels too large, and
then find the Big U's as your favorites.
Different strokes for different folks I
suppose. I find the ugliest may have been
on the Liberte afer the caps were added.
They were mighty and powerful looking, but
way too large and too far forward.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 03-07-2000 07:13 PM

Something interesting some may not know....
the funnels on the SS France when seen from
a direct on side view, looked as though the
wings weren't there....they were absorbed
into the main funnel. There are a few photos
in which this can be seen.
They were two of my favorite funnels.....I
like the scale much better before NCL added
the two decks. They now seem too small.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

Eric Cruises
First Class Passenger
Member # 957

posted 03-07-2000 10:18 PM

I like Princess and STAR CRUISES's "Sagittarius" 's funnel. They are similar, very nice.
I also like SUPERSTAR ARIES's funnel.

[This message has been edited by Eric Lee (edited 03-14-2000).]

Posts: 301 | From: Hong Kong, China | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

joe at travelpage
Administrator
Member # 622

posted 03-07-2000 10:39 PM

Here's a picture of the France passing behind the Constitution as we arrived in New York in 1963. The wings on the funnel are indeed more subtle in this side view.

Joe at TravelPage.com

Posts: 29976 | From: Great Falls, Virginia | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Fairsky
First Class Passenger
Member # 781

posted 03-08-2000 09:08 AM

Here is a link to a pic of the Grand Princess model with 2 liner-style funnels.

The model lacks some detail as it is not painted, but you get a good idea what she would have looked like. The two funnels are positioned well aft like the old italian liner Michaelangelo, and they are raked back like Queen Elizabeth 1.

I am very curious to see what the new Princess ships to be built in France and Japan will have for funnel designs. I think they will have to be very different than the grand-class ships. The new ships are set to have gas-turbine engines placed in the funnel, and this may require a more closed design- not the open vented funnels on Princess ships now.

[This message has been edited by skyej (edited 03-08-2000).]

Posts: 1685 | From: Chicago, Illinois | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 03-08-2000 09:40 AM

Joe......
Great photo of France from the Connie. It
appears that France may have started to
turn and therefore more of the "aerolons"
[as CGT called them] are showing. I have
one photo in an old cruise brochure in
which the wings completely disappear in a
direct on side view.
Thanks for sharing the photo.
A few more handsome funnels that come to
mind are: Nieuw Amsterdam [1938], Kungsholm
[1966], Vistafjord [1973][as built], HAL's
Statendam [1957], and the twins Andrea
Doria and Cristoforo Colombo of "Italia".
One of the ugliest has to be the Hamburg
[1969], now Maxim Gorky.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

Will
First Class Passenger
Member # 472

posted 03-08-2000 10:09 AM

I like the funnels on the German Bremman and the Europa built in the 20s. The funnels were very short and gave the impression of speed and strenth. Although functionally they were not successful.

Posts: 46 | From: Columbus, Ohio | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Joe at PwC
First Class Passenger
Member # 225

posted 03-08-2000 10:43 AM

I agree with CruisinBarry on the Big U's funnels. I also admire the France/Norway and the Titanic. But one of my absolute favorite funnels of all time is that of the old SS Oceanic (as a Home Lines ship). I don't really like the Premier logo on it now.

Posts: 385 | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 03-08-2000 01:51 PM

Will......
I,too,liked the funnels on NGL's Bremen and
Europa of the late 20's....they were racy,
and powerful looking. Later NGL added some
height to them with horizontal wings. When
CGT received the Europa and renamed her
Liberte, they retained the funnels for a
short time. Soon they added dome tops which
made them very tall and almost top-heavy
looking. Although I found them strange, I
grew to like them and found them thrilling
to see driving down the West Side Hwy. They
were awesome to see at sea billowing LOTS
of smoke at 24 or so knots.....Liberte is
still one of my all-time favorites.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

AJL
First Class Passenger
Member # 956

posted 03-08-2000 02:23 PM

Some I like:

Angelina Lauro
Sea
Saga Rose
Amerikanis
Britanis
SuperStar Aries
Seabourn Sun
Rembrandt
Queen Elizabeth (1)
Queen Mary
Stefan
Bretagne

Some I dislike:

Fantasy-class' ships
Oriana
Arkona
Costa Allegra/Marina
Crystal Symphony
Palmira (!!)

Britannic (1930)
Europa/Bremen (1929/1930)
Georgic (1932)

AJL

Posts: 710 | From: Helsinki, Finland (birth place of Nokia + many ships) | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

Rex
First Class Passenger
Member # 1113

posted 03-08-2000 05:23 PM

Maybe you will think I am crazy, but I was always mad for the funnels of the now-departed ACHILLE LAURO. I just love the way they pointed upward, with a slight cant to the dome tops.

Of course, who doesn't like NORWAY's funnels. The worst? The GRAND PRINCESS', with that hideous disco on the back....

Posts: 1413 | From: Philadelphia PA, USA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

nathan
First Class Passenger
Member # 720

posted 03-08-2000 08:07 PM

Ironically, the France's funnels were designed to be reminiscent of an airplane -- the very thing that eventually ended its transatlantic career. Also ironically, most people here seem to love the France's funnels, but hate Carnival funnels, which were also designed to be reminiscent of an airplane -- albeit a much more modern plane. Both designs are unique in directing smoke to the sides of the ship (although the Norway's funnels have been modified -- smoke now comes out the top, like most ships).

Magnum PI -- I read somewhere that the Carnival logo, which was on the original Mardi Gras when she debuted, was somewhat based on the Canadian Pacific design, but I think it had to do with the color scheme. Canadian Pacific had a small checkerboard pattern on its funnels. Carnival in those days was VERY cash poor, and it was a cost-cutting move. That's also the reason Carnival ships are white -- they didn't want to spend the money to repaint the Mardi Gras, which was white as the Empress of Canada. I have a travel agent packet from Carnival from 1976, and the interiors of the Mardi Gras look unchanged from the Empress of Canada interiors. Carnival did buy the Mardi Gras from Canadian Pacific, but it bought the Carnivale from the Greek Line, which had bought her from Canadian Pacific in 1964.

Posts: 534 | From: Knoxville, Tennessee | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged

joe at travelpage
Administrator
Member # 622

posted 03-08-2000 09:31 PM

In the late '60s Canadian Pacific painted their funnels with a design that Carnival (with minor modifications) later adopted as their own.

Here's a picture of the Empress of Canada (soon to be Carnival's Mardi Gras in 1972) entering New York in 1968:

Here's a picture of Carnival's Fascination with the current "modified CP design":

Joe at TravelPage.com

Posts: 29976 | From: Great Falls, Virginia | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

Rex
First Class Passenger
Member # 1113

posted 03-08-2000 11:48 PM

The EUROPA's funnels looked even better when she became France's LIBERTE. In 1954, The French Line added those HUGE domed tops, which gave her a very powerful and majestic appearance.

The MINERVA, which I have mentioned before, has a rather handsome and slick-looking funnel, placed midship, where God intended a funnel to be.

Posts: 1413 | From: Philadelphia PA, USA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

Guest
First Class Passenger
Member # 1157

posted 03-13-2000 09:31 PM

My favorite funnel design is QE2's 1987+ funnel, the one she has now. I also like Seabourn Sun's funnel when she was in Cunard with the black and red.

My least favorite is one like Oriana's, the factory funnels, which are just like big pipes sticking up - so ugly.

I like the Carnival funnels, they are interesting.

Posts: 1888 | From: Earth | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

Paddy
First Class Passenger
Member # 357

posted 03-14-2000 01:26 PM

The Carnival Mardi Gras, is it now the IslandBreeze?

My favourite funnels are Princess' Grand Class, RCI's Legend of the Seas (mainly because of the Viking Crown) and Celebrity's Century Class. But my absolute favourite is Airtours Seawing.It is very sleek.

However, I abhor Festival's Flamenco. The ship itself is the same as Seawing but its funnel is awful. And I have to say, I am not at all impressed with that new ugly Hawaii ship, the name of which escapes me but it has no lifeboats. Yuck...

Posts: 763 | From: Belfast, Ireland | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged

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