There has always been one lingering dream
of mine, to have been old enough to have
crossed on any of the grand liners of the
early 20th century. Such as The Queens,
Normandie,Aquitania,the German trio,big U,
Rex,Conti Di Savoia,and many others.

I would sure like to hear any sea stories
about crossings that anyone has made.

there is also no intention on my part for
anyone to give away their age.(just kidding)

Like myself, there are many others who
missed the most wonderful part of our
maritime history, the great liners and the
opportunity to sail on them.

kbozman

Thanks for the wonderful story, it sounds
like you had a interesting time (to say the least) on your crossing. Some of the stories
I have heard and read have really been fascinating! I am 53 yrs old,grew up
with the great liners, studied them,visited
them,and even sneaked onboard a couple,but
never had a oppurtunity to sail until Aug
99 on the Norway,when she crossed what might
have been her last crossing. (East to West)

As a avid maritime memorabilia collector,
I spent a lot of my time buying anything I
could from both the Norway, and her former
incarnation as the fabled France. I also
enjoyed my conversations with maritime
historian John Maxtone. He has been on many a
crossing and can really tell a story.

I am so thankful that we chose this croosing
because it was so fascinating. We sailed from
Southhampton from the Cunard pier (where the
QE 2 docks, we then had a rendevous with
the new Norwegian Sky on her maiden voyage.
At this time we stopped dead in the water
and watched the Norwegian Sky do circles
around us. You haven't see anything until you
are mid ocean on a liner and then watch another one do 360's around you!!!

From there we sailed on to see the solar
eclipse,although it was partly obscured, it
was fascinating to witness. We then sailed on to Ireland and had a good time.

The most moving and memorable thing that
happened to my family and myself, was when the
Captain performed a memorial ceromony over
the Titanic grave sight. The coordinates
may not have been right on (as some say)
but the fact that he took the time to slow
the ship and have the memorial service meant
a lot to those of us who remember.

And to top it off, just a day out of New York
It was early in the morning and I heard a
ships whistle in the background. When the
Norway replied I knew that something was up.

Fortunately for my family and I, we were on
the Olympic deck right next to a door.
We ran out and there she was in all of her
glory, the QE 2 passing about 1000 yds
off our port side. Needless to say we were
so excited that we were filming in our
underware! We filmed and we video'd the
whole splended thing. Boy, what a spectacle
ships passing,whistles blowing, people
running around,and oh yea,us in our scivvys.

As we sailed into New York habour, and under
the Narrows we watched a beautiful sunrise
over the city,what a sight to behold!!

If there was ever something that I did right,
it was to book that crossing, because there will never be another one like it.

kbozman.

Thank you by heart for giving us the chance to transfer ourselves to those great times!

My wife and I had the opportunity to make a East-to-West crossing on "France" in 1969 when returning from service in SE Asia.

I took the US Govt-authorized miserly "y-class" air allowance, and just about doubled it supplementing it out of my own pocket, so we could travel in the greatest luxury I had ever encountered in CGT-Premier Classe!

The food, the wines, the level of service, the little bars (who remembers "Club Atlantique?), the quality and size of the cabins, (I could go on but why bother?)

The "Chambord" resturant was said to have been rated as "Michelin four stars if it would ever stand still!"

The menu - ah think of those before days cholesterol was invented.

And the fascinating movers and shakers whom we met at the bar and at dinner.

OK, I's a snob, but I can reminisce can't I?

The late Al Capp once said on the Jack Paar show, while reminiscing about the ship. "Not everyone can be a millionaire, but anyone who travels First Class on the France will be treated as one."

True - sigh.

I tried to find the Ivernia, but I found the first one only (15000 tons, 1900-17). If you sailed onboard other ocean liners, don't hesitate to tell us your experience from them, our ears are wide open.

Baker, I had the chance to see the Ivernia as the Fedor Shalyapin. She looked then as the unquestioned sovereign of the port. Her gigantic bow and monumental bridge disclosed a ship that knew how to fight successively with the waves! She was sold to the Russians for a miniscule 1 million GBP. Hard times for ships with soul...

The Oriana was a revolutionary design. And the amenities for the crew that you described tend to confirm it. I believe that few ships of the mighty nineteens incorporate such a degree of innovation in their design as she did in her times. If the Canberra predicted somehow the megaliners of today, the Oriana remains still unique in ship history, still waiting for her "children" to materialize.

Cambodge, you gave the answer that I waited a passenger of the France would give. I have been bored of reading descriptions of writers of today of that gracious liner stressing how spartan or sterile her accomodations were, compared only to those of the SS United States. This just shows the look of a modern man, far in time to the event. The ship was built in the sixties, and as I have seen in photographs, her accomodations fix splendidly with her age. A passenger of hers would have the impression, I suppose, of a magnificent contemporary design that would do credit to her and justify the pride of France and President De Gaulle.