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February 22: Reports from Freeport indicate that the 1961-built BIG RED BOAT III (former TRANSVAAL CASTLE, SA VAAL, FESTIVALE, ISLANDBREEZE) was purchased for scrapping last week. If, true, this sad development spells the end of the final passenger mail ship built for Union Castle Line. She will also be the first former Carnival Cruise Lines ship to go to the breakers. Ironically, an inspection in December by Maritime Matters found this ship to be in remarkably good condition, save for some cosmetic exterior fading due to the extreme weather conditions.

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My beautiful Rotterdam sitting there rotting. We had so many wonderful cruises on this ship and it brings back so many memories of the days my late husband and I spent on her, the last being for my 60th birthday to Hawaii. Remember, Green? That was the best cruise we ever had.

I do hope she is eventually returned to Rotterdam. I look at the picture hanging on the wall in my den and it makes me sad.

[ 02-23-2003: Message edited by: sympatico ]

Mark Goldberg gave her a scathing review on Travelpage.

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We are trying to stop the BRB III from going to the scrappers with another party in the UK. There is hope yet. If you know anyone with AU$2 million to invest in our venture we can save her immediately and be fully operational within four months.
 
Would love to hear from some big investors looking for good returns and safer than many of the blue chips.
 
Best regards
Hugh

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Originally posted by DAMBROSI:
If you know anyone with AU$2 million to invest in our venture we can save her immediately and be fully operational within four months.

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Is there anyone out there who will invest in it? Does anyone still have hope for the Island Breeze not to be scraped. I wished I have Aus$2 million.

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Originally posted bt desirod7:
Thompson who chartered the Island Breeze, as the Emerald,

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Originally posted by desirod7:
Thompson who chartered the Island Breeze, as the Emerald, had the opportunity to renew it after the demise of Premier, but decided not to. I have heard she has hull rot under the waterline.

Mark Goldberg gave her a scathing review on Travelpage.

She is a pretty ship from the outside, and the conversion from Transvaal Castle to Festivale was gracefully done, unlike the Santa Rosa to the Regent Rainbow, Olympic to Topaz, and the Marconi to the Costa Riviera.

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For me, this is very sad news. I have always loved this ship and felt externally she was one of the best looking cruise ships afloat.

I agree that Carnival did an excellent job with her rebuild. I might even go as far to say her looks were improved upon by Carnival.

I sailed on FESTIVALE during her inaugural season with Carnival. She was billed as the "largest ship out of Miami" at the time, and she was! What a pleasure it was to sail on this great liner, even under the Carnival umbrella. I was just a kid then, and LOVED Carnival at the time. They were an upstart, but did things differently and used older liners. I much preferred this over the new RCCL trio, and the white ships of NCL. I wanted to be on a "real" ship, and in this respect Carnival delivered.

I have vivid memories of the disco, complete with glass lit dance floor. I think it may have been the only such disco at sea during the time... and it was immensely popular. Also the slide into the main pool was something unique for a Caribbean cruise ship, and this was to become a staple of Carnival Cruise Lines for all ships to come. Many cabins had the sinks right in the room, and I'll never forget the beautiful stainless steel banisters on the staircases. They were original and quite beautiful.

Lastly, my first little girlfriend named Wendy from Lubbock Texas. Who can forget that!?? In fact, I think half the ship was from Texas which really made the cruise quite festive. I had never met anyone from Texas before. Wendy and I kept in touch for many years to come.

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Originally posted by Keitaro:
Does anyone have any interior picutres of her in the Carnival days and beyond? I saw one at Simplon Postcards but any pictures taken as a "cruise vacation picture?"

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Originally posted by Ðraikar:
Whats AU$2 million in US dollors ?

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Originally posted by Keitaro:

Ðraikar, it is about $120 million USD.

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There is something special about this ship. Her long bow and stepped-up front to the bridge and funnel has always looked pretty and is quite unique in this day and age of stubby-bow ships. I remember as a young kid seeing her on the TV Miniseries "The French-Atlantic Affair" (at least I think that was the name). She was in her Carnival colors and used her real name "Festivale" but was posing as a French-flag transatlantic liner. The opening scenes that were shot from a helicopter showed her graceful yet powerful bow slicing the waves at what looked like full-speed and that left an impression on me that I remember to this day. When I finally saw here in real life in St. Thomas in the early 1980's I was not disappointd. She looked huge, long, sleek and spotless.

[ 03-07-2003: Message edited by: Keitaro ]

Anyone know what condition she is in for certain, I would have thought she would have a few years left.

Ðraikar

[ 03-08-2003: Message edited by: Ðraikar ]