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Comments: October 19, 2005. Built as the SEA PRINCESS for Princess Cruises, she made her maiden voyage from Fort Lauderdale on December 17, 1998. She was transferred to P&O Cruises as the ADONIA in 2003 and then returned under her original name to Princess Cruises in 2005.

Year built / Builder: 1998, Fincantieri, Monfalcone, Italy.

Details: 77,499 gt; 1,755 passengers; 261.3 m x 32.25 m x 8.10 m draught. Main engines: 4, 16 cyl Sulzer-Grand Motori diesels providing 46,080 kW driving twin screws for a speed of 19.5 knots.

Comments: October 3, 2005. Just a single visit by the QM 2 this year to Samuel Cunard's home Province and in perfect weather with the temperature hovering in the low 20s.

Year built / Builder: 2003, At. et Chant. de l'Atlantique, St. Nazaire, at a cost of US$ 832 million.

Details: 148,528 GT; dimensions: 1,132 ft (345 m) x 135ft (41 m); 2,358 passengers - 1,310 cabins - 1,253 crew. Power plant: four Wartsila diesels and two gas turbines for a total of 118 MW (approx. 157,000 hp) providing electricity to power to 4, 21.5MW "Mermaid" pods (2 of which are 360 degree azimuthing, 2 fixed) for a top speed of about 29 knots.

Comments: October 3, 2005. Returning after a year's absence to replace the GRAND PRINCESS, which fulfilled Princess Cruise's fall schedule in 2004.

Year built / Builder: 2001, Fincantieri Cant. Nav. Italiani S.p.A., Monfalcone.

Details: 108,865 GT ; 289.51 m x 36.00 m x 8.00 m. Main engines: four Sulzer-Grandi Motori 16ZAV40/S and two Sulzer-Grandi Motori 12ZAV40/S diesels with a combined output of 41,925 kW for a service speed of 22.5 knots. Passenger capacity 2,340+; 1150 crew.

Comments: October 2, 2005. Sporting the famous "enigmatic smile" on either side of the funnel - leaving Mac MacKay pondering as to which was the fake! - the classic lines of the MONA LISA provided stark contrast between the vintage and ultra-modern on this particular day, tied-up astern of one of the latest cruise ships, the NORWEGIAN JEWEL (see next below). She began her career in 1966 as Swedish America Line's, twin-funnelled transatlantic liner, KUNGSHOLM. Following a brief period with Flagship Cruises of Monrovia from 1975, she was sold to P & O in September, 1978, and refitted by Bremer Vulkan, emerging as the SEA PRINCESS. She underwent a further refit at Vosper, Southampton, in 1982 and was renamed VICTORIA in 1995. Sold to Paris Katsoufis in 2002 and renamed MONA LISA, she was immediately chartered for 5 years by Holiday Kreuzfahrten.

Year built / Builder: 1966, John Brown & Co. Ltd, Clydebank.

Details: 28,891 gt (originally 26,677 gt); 675 passengers; 201.33 m x 26.57 m x 8.56 m draught. Main engines: two Gotaverken type V6-9V diesels providing 18,536 kW driving twin screws for a speed of 21 knots.

Comments: October 2, 2005. The latest addition to the NCL fleet delivered on the 25th of June this year. "I've seen better grafitti on a railcar!", quipped fellow enthusiast, Mac MacKay.

Year built / Builder: 2005, Jos L Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany.

Details: 93,502 gt; 2,138 passengers; 294.13 m x 32.20 m x 8.20 m draught. Main engines: four MAN-B&W type 12V48/60B diesels providing 72,000 kW driving twin screws for a speed of 25 knots.

Comments: October 7, 2005. The locally-owned POLAR STAR was built as the Swedish Navy icebreaker NJORD in 1969. She was bought by Karlsen's in autumn, 2000, and converted to a polar expedition's cruise ship during 2001. She spends the northern summer cruising Arctic waters and the southern summer based at Ushuia, Chile, for Antarctic cruises. She is shown here alongside Karlsen's wharf, Halifax, preparing to voyage south next Monday en route for Belize, thence to Lima via the Panama Canal.

Year built / Builder: 1969, Wartsila, Finland.

Details: 4,998 gt; 105 passengers; 86.5 m x 21.2 m x 6.2 m. Main engines: Wartsila diesel-electric providing 12,000 bhp; 4 shafts; max speed (as built) 18 knots, cruising speed 11 knots.

Comments: September 13, 2005. A true classic which began her career as Norway America Line's transatlantic liner VISTAFJORD in 1973. She was sold to Cunard in 1983, retaining her original name until 1999 when she became the CARONIA. She was then acquired by Saga on 1st November, 2004, and began cruising for the company in March of this year following an extensive refit in Malta, joining her 8-year older, near sistership, SAGA ROSE (ex SAGAFJORD).

Year built / Builder: 1973, Swan Hunter Shipbuilders, Wallsend, U.K.

Details: 24,292 gt; 608 passengers; 191.01 m x 25.00 m x 8.20 m draught. Main engines: two Sulzer type 9RD6B diesels providing 17,650 kW driving twin screws for a speed of 20 knots.

Comments: September 13, 2005. This modern design contrasts strongly with the classical lines with pronounced sheer of the SAGA RUBY. I know which I prefer from the aestetic point of view, even if the WHISPER is one of the most luxurious cruise ships afloat. She is shown here taking on bunkers from the IMPERIAL DARTMOUTH at the cruise terminal.

Year built / Builder: 2001, T. Mariotti SpA, Genoa, Italy.

Details: 28,258 gt; 388 passengers; 182.0 m x 24.8 m x 6.0 m draught. Main engines: two Wartsila type 8L46B diesels providing 11,474 kW driving twin screws for a speed of 20.5 knots.

Comments: September 7, 2005. The 'TRIUMPH' has been a regular caller this year, this being her 18th call since June 21st.

Year built / Builder: 1999, Fincantieri Cant. Nav. Italiani S.p.A., Monfalcone.

Details: 101,509 GT ; 892 ft X 116 ft. Passenger capacity 3,470; 1100 crew. Diesel electric power plant: 6, Sulzer-type diesel generator sets producing 46,080 kW (62,646 bhp), screw driven, 22 knots.

Comments: August 26th, 2005. Previously shown on the 2003 Halifax Cruise Season page, this Royal Caribbean "Vision-class" ship was lengthened during May/June of this year by 73 feet to 990 feet overall length at the Keppel Verolme Shipyard, Rotterdam. The new section was constructed by the original builder in Finland. Among many new features, she now sports a hinged bow to enable transit of the Panama Canal locks. Note the "flying arches" over the main pool area on the upper deck, which now distinguishes her from her sister-ships.

Year built / Builder: 1997, Kvaerner Masa-Yards, Turku, Finland.

Details: 81,500 gt; 2,252 passengers. Length (o.a.) 301.8 m x 32.3 m. Main engines: 4, MAN B&W 12V48/60 diesels developing 68,494 bhp, screw driven, 23.5 knots.

Comments: July 12, 2005. Photographed paying her inaugural call to Halifax. She was ordered by Star Cruise Line as SUPERSTAR SCORPIO and was transferred before building when Star purchased NCL. She entered service December 21, 2002.

Year built / Builder: 2002, Jos. L. Meyer Werft, Papenburg, Germany. Cost: $US 420 million.

Details: 92,250 gt; 15 decks - 2,224 passengers (max), 1,130 crew. Length (o.a.) 965 ft x 105 ft breadth x 26 ft draught. Main engines: 4 x MAN B&W type 14V48/60 diesel engines providing a total of 58,800 kW of which 39,000 kW is for propulsion, driving twin ABB pods for a speed of 25 knots.

Comments: June 17, 2005. This fast monohull-design ship was purchased to replace the aging UNIVERSE EXPLORER in April, 2004, to operate the "Semester at Sea" program of the Institute for Shipboard Education, University of Pittsburg. She was previously Royal Olympia Cruise's OLYMPIA EXPLORER and was arrested and laid-up at Long Beach from the end of 2003 when ROL was declared bankrupt.

Year built / Builder: 2001, Blohm + Voss, Hamburg.

Details: 24,318 gt; 920 pasengers; dimensions: 590 ft X 84ft x 24 ft. Main engines: 4, Wartsila Sulzer 9L46C diesels arranged in pairs in separate engine rooms driving two controllable pitch screws - 28 knots at 85% power.