OCEAN LINER SOCIETY
The Society for lovers of modern cruise ships, ferries, excursion boats, as well as the classic liners of old that transported people around the world before the advent of affordable jet aircraft travel.
- arguably the only current ocean liner. She does regular crossings and some cruises.
At the smaller end of the scale there are preserved excursion boats on which one can still take day trips.
- the last year more people crossed by sea than by air.
- arguably the only current ocean liner. She does regular crossings and some cruises.
ABOUT US
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The Ocean Liner Society is a non-profit organisation.
Our members celebrate the passenger ship in its many forms. Whether your interest is the liners of yesteryear, the cruise ships of today, or ferries and excursion boats , the society has something for all.
Members include employees of major shipping companies, authors and ship buffs, inveterate travellers and armchair sailors.
Members receive the superb quarterly magazine Sea Lines - 48 colour pages of detailed articles by noted maritime authors on ocean liners and cruises ships, plus all the latest passenger ship news. Your membership includes:
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4 issues of Sea Lines (worth the price alone!)
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The opportunity to join the ship visits mailing list and join some visits (subject to the terms and conditions shown)
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Discount on back issues of Sea Lines
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The opportunity to join group cruises and zoom meetings with other enthusiasts
Membership applications are accepted all year round. You can join online with PayPal (please use the button under the appropriate membership rate and include your postal address for the magazine mailing). Alternatively, you can download the membership form to post to us with a sterling cheque or with credit card details it can be scanned and returned. When renewing your membership by PayPal we used to ask you to put your membership number in the 'Add message', option on the PayPal checkout window - we seem to have lost that facility in a recent upgrade, so until we can find another way, an email to membership (below) to say you have done it would be handy.
Email regarding membership:- oceanlinersociety.membership@gmail.com
Join us (or renew if you are an existing member) through PayPal: Membership costs are:
£23 for UK members
£26 for European members
£30 Worldwide members (outside Europe)
with magazine sent by airmail.
If you prefer, you can download a form, fill it out, post it with a sterling cheque or include your card details and post or scan/email it back to us.
TALKS
When we held 'in person' London talks, we suggested a donation to cover the room hire and equipment costs. If you enjoy our talks (through a Zoom license we have to pay for) please consider making an online donation through PayPal.
You can decide the amount of your donation yourself. If you don't like PayPal you can send a sterling cheque to Mayes House (address at bottom of the site).
Thank you.
All Zoom meetings commence at 7.00 pm and finish by 9.00 pm (UK time UTC in November to March and BST in the British summer - April to October).
The talks we provided by Zoom during the Covid months were a boon to many who would otherwise not be able to attend. In this respect, Covid created a 'happy accident'. There are four or five times the number of members we had in Farringdon/Blackfriars in London). We now have speakers from both coasts of America and various parts of Europe and attendees getting up at very early hours in the Antipodes. Some who are not “Zoom enabled” miss the London talks, but overall the gains of our forced switch to Zoom outweigh the losses. We will maintain the Tuesday monthly talks in this format and not go hybrid.
Following on from the success of ‘Canberra Day' in Southampton in July 2022, we are keen to develop this idea and would like to create similar events to bring the social side together, perhaps about another ship or shipping line. Southampton and Alton in Hampshire have proved to be a good locations with a suitable venues and convenient for many members. However we would also like to consider other places in the UK, subject to being able to find a suitable and viable venue. We welcome suggestions from members for possible locations and subjects.
Details to help members get Zoom-enabled appeared in Sea Lines 100 and an edited version is repeated here.
To attend a talk please email a request for a link to David Trevor-Jones:
david.trevorjones@outlook.com
In the subject line of the email please write:
‘ALL’ - if you wish to attend every meeting
OR
put the code below for a specific meeting in the heading (e.g. ‘OLS 16 Jan 24’).
Please request one meeting or ‘ALL’ per email, to help David manage your request.
These talks have been extremely popular. Please get your requests in early and only request links for meetings that you can join, as you may be denying someone else the chance to attend. Please also note that email links will be sent out from the weekend before, up to 6pm the day before the meeting. Responses to requests after 6 pm the day before the meeting cannot be guaranteed. If the email is not in your inbox, please check your junk folder.
In the email you will find an invitation to ‘Join Zoom Meeting’ with a long html link, which you should click.
With the link there will also be a ‘Meeting ID’ and a ‘Passcode’. You should not need to use those but, if
the link does not work, they provide an alternative way of getting into the meeting via the ‘Join’ button
in your Zoom Client home window. Please allow 10 minutes prior to the meeting start time to go through
the link and to allow for any technical issues. The host will admit attendees to the meeting prior to 7.00 pm.
For further information or programme changes or announcements check back here.
M.S.Europa (1981)
Dr Stefan Behn
Tuesday 15th October 2024
Apply for a link to david.trevorjones@outlook.com stating OLS 15Oct24
Dr Behn is one of Germany’s leading shipping historians and a former Executive Board Member of the Port of Hamburg Harbour Authority (HHLA). His detailed knowledge of German-operated and especially of German-built passenger ships is unmatched and he brings special insight into the story of Europa of 1981, perhaps best known in the UK as Saga Sapphire.
The Queens at War
David Hutchings
Tuesday 19th November 2024
Apply for a link to david.trevorjones@outlook.com stating OLS 19Nov24
David is a well-known maritime historian, draftsman and author of authoritative books, mostly on Cunard subjects. In this important D-Day anniversary year he tells the story of how the two great liners Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth, shortened the second World War by a year in Churchill’s estimation setting records and creating legends in their wakes.
An insider’s view of the cruise industry’s 2024
Mike Deegan
Tuesday 17th December
Apply for a link to david.trevorjones@outlook.com stating OLS 17Dec24
Mike Deegan, Head of Fleet Operations at Noble Caledonia, has expertly briefed us on the catastrophic effect of the pandemic on the cruise industry from the operators’ perspective. Now the financial fall-out and cost of living crisis present yet further challenges to the cruise industry. Mike will entertain rather than depress us with his authoritative overview looking back on the past year and forward to the future for the industry.
Cruising and voyaging in 2024
Bill Mayes
Tuesday 21st January 2025
Apply for a link to david.trevorjones@outlook.com stating OLS 21Jan25
Our chairman usually manages to fit in a good number of cruises and ferry crossings each year, andm 2024 was no exception. The year started with the maiden voyage of Icon of the Seas and was generally a year for big ships and more Saga cruises.
British ocean liners in colour: the 1950s, ‘60s & beyond
Bill Miller
Tuesday 18th February 2025
Apply for a link to david.trevorjones@outlook.com stating OLS 18Feb25
Drawing from his immense collection of images and wealth of knowledge and stories, Bill Miller never disappoints. An ocean liner feast of images and stories is promised.
Lusitania and Titanic
J. Kent Layton
Tuesday 18th March 2025
Kent Layton has become one of the World’s leading experts on the great Edwardian liners. His magnificent ‘Trio of Trios’ book encapsulated the competition between Cunard, White Star and Hamburg America
Lines in establishing the 3-ship express services across the North Atlantic. With a new book on Lusitania just out, Kent and his collaborators bring us a celebration of that era.
N S Savannah, a unique ship
Erhard Koehler
Tuesday 15th April 2025
The unique nuclear-powered cargo-passenger liner Savannah was in service between 1962 and 1972, a sleek modern and beautiful vessel without funnel or stack that drew attention around the world. After de-activation the ship came under the care of the U.S. Maritime Administration of the Departmentof Transportation (MARAD). Erhard Koehler of MARAD will tell her story, and explain the critical point she has now reached in her long post-service life.
SEA LINES MAGAZINE
is our 48 page quarterly publication posted to members. Contact the editor: ols.sealines@gmail.com
Click the button to download the back catalogue and order form (pdf). Recent issues are highlighted below:
ISSUE 115- SUMMER 2024
The summer issue features the new Carnival Celebration that is notable because it celebrates 50 years of the Carnival Brand. Clive Harvey completes the review of the postwar trio of Orient Line ships with an article on the 1948 Orcades, the first with a revolutionary arrangement of deck spaces and bridge location. The third main article is about a former Turkish ferry rebuilt as a luxurious small cruising vessel now plying Scottish waters and called Lord of the Highlands, registered in Inverness. There follows the usual article on the cruise ship and ferry news around the world, and news of the revised and relocated Ship Show on 16th November 2024 and group cruise ideas.
ISSUE 114 - SPRING 2024
The spring issue features the largest cruise ship in the world (at the time of writing) as Icon of the Seas debuts and our correspondent, Matthew, reviews this massive vessel with a gross tonnage not far off a quarter of a million grt. Another key article notes the conversion of the former HAL Maasdam and creation of a new operation called Compagnie Francaise de Croisières and the re-named an extensively refitted ship is called Renaissance. The first article in the magazine notes how small ships sometimes became yachts for the rich and famous and how the process continues (and sometimes stalls) with some smaller ships awaiting a new life with new owners.
ISSUE 113 - WINTER 2024
The cover picture shows the Finnsirius nosing into port and the article comments that she is about as far as a sterotypical ro-pax as one can get. The historical feature showcases the last Orient Line ship in the postwar rebuilding programme, the 1954 Orsova. The (reasonably) big new ship this time is 144,000gt Disney Wish, a ship that carries 4000 passengers in 1254 cabins and shows how the company has developed since the first pair arrived over 25 years ago. Finally there is a report on the Society cruise in late 2023 on Ambassador's Ambition that went to Begium and French Christmas Markets. There is Porthole, talks schedule and cruise ideas to complete the edition together eis some upcoming live, in-person events.
ISSUE 112 - AUTUMN /FALL 2023
The cover picture of the 1912 built Wilhelm Than on the Göta Canal heralds a most interesting article by William Mayes about a passage he made on the vessel in May 2023. There is a four page article about the Sagafjord that ended her days as Saga Rose before falling foul of the SOLAS changes in 2010. The new ship this issue is the luxury end of the MSC operation with the first of their fleet under the Explora banner. Albert Schoonderbeek completes the story of the six Statendams and Jacques Letard records the movement in St Nazaire from dry dock to fitting out berth of the almost complete Celebrity Ascent. Porthole, talks schedule and cruise ideas complete the edition.
ISSUE 111 - SUMMER 2023
The cover shows (part of the) new MSC World Europa in Genoa and the main 12 page article reviews the ship. Michael Gallagher explores some of the forays into the American market by Cunard with various associates. Our Chairman and Editor samples the unlikely named Margaritaville at Sea Paradise which has a cocktail theme. She started life as Costa Classica (1991). There follows a detailed history of the interiors of Holland America Line's six Statendams This issue deals with the first three. The book review is on the Olympic Titanic Britannic: the anatomy and evolution of the Olympic class by Simon Mills.
ISSUE 110 - SPRING 2023
The cover is a give-away that the feature article is about the Havila ships that have taken some of the slots on the coastal service in Norway, once the preserve of the Hurtigruten brand. There follows the second part of the Oranje story when this Dutch liner became the Angelina Lauro. A report on the OLS group cruise on Ambassador's Ambience in December 2022 follws and then there is the second part of the round-up of Covid 19 casualties. This time it is the ones that took on new roles and new names after leaving their pre-pandemic employment. The book review is on Lusitania to QE2 - The Great Clyde-Built Ships by Bruce Peter
ISSUE 102 - SPRING 2021
This issue features two different cruise reports on voyages around Cuba in recent years and the front cover shows Celestyal Crystal at Maria la Gorda. The other Cuba report is on the short-lived fathom operation using P&O's Adonia. History fans are treated to the first part of the story, by Clive Harvey, of the ss President Roosevelt. This first part covers the story from starting the ship's career as the troop transport General W. P. Richardson (AP-118) then as LaGuardia on service to the Mediterranean and finally as Leilani on a tourist class service to Hawaii. The second part will be published in a future edition when the American President Line took her over.
ISSUE 109 - WINTER 2023
This issue features the new Norwegian Prima with an article by Matthew Sudders followed by a report about Clive Harvey's experience of being catapulted into the role of on-board speaker (with added razor wire through the Red Sea) on part of what turned out to be Boudicca's final voyage. The historical article this time is the first part of a two-part account of the career of Oranje that became Angelina Lauro. There is run down of the casualties of the Covid pandemic listing the data on ships that went to the breakers. There is the usual 'Through the Porthole' with the recent ship news.
ISSUE 108 - AUTUMN 2022
The cover shows the new guise of the ship that once served remote islands in the South Atlantic. It has been re-purposed to carry electric racing cars, their teams and other passengers in considerable luxury. Our correspondent experienced a very short initial voyage and reports on the metamorphosis. There is an article about the Mercy Ships, particularly the introduction of Global Mercy. Anthony Cooke writes about four Israeli ships of state and what they became. There is a short report on the Society's Canberra Day in July and the usual news heard 'Through the Porthole'.
ISSUE 107 - SUMMER 2022
Costa Europa appears on the cover and her career is reviewed as she heads for scap at Aliaga after an interesting career from her start as Homeric then Westerdam through to her final phase as Thomson / Marella Dream. The lead article is about the evolution of Baltic cruise ferries and features the Viking Glory. There is also a trip down memory lane with a fascinating article by Laurence Miller on old liners recalled.
ISSUE 106 - SPRING 2022
Sun Viking gets a tribute in this issue and follows her story through to her final guise as Oriental Dragon in Hong Kong. The Rise and Fall of Star Cruises follows with a history by Matthew Sudders. A first impression of Iona is followed by a short article on a hybrid LNG battery powered ferry, Color Hybrid which operates between Sandefjord and Stromstad.
ISSUE 105 - WINTER 2022
The front cover features the Saga Saphire and Clive Harvey recalls his impressions of this ship that started life as the luxurious Europa. Chris Mason recalls his 1965 cruise on the 1954 John Brown built Arcadia and notes all the other ships that P&O has operated that have carried that name. The new ship featured in this issue is the sailing cruise ship Golden Horizon and there is a short article recalling the 2001 Panama Canal transit by member Gavin Harper in QE2. There is the regular report of shipping news which includes a summary of the major scrappings, sales, and other changes to passenger ships.
Ship Show, group cruises & visits
Most years we host a Ship Show. When it is possible to get a group booking together a party will go to sea. When we can once more get on board a ship in port, we will re-start a programme of ship visits.
SHIP SHOW
Each year we try to hold a show in where traders in ocean liner books, models, paintings, artefacts and memorabilia gather. We haved found a new venue and the show will be at the Alton Community Centre, Amery Street, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 1HN on Saturday 16th November 2024 from 10.00 - 16.00.
Talks are an integral part of the day and we have at 11.30 Captain Martin Scott with a talk entitled ”Fire down below, the constructive total loss of MSY Wind Song in the South Pacific”
Martin enjoyed a career of 45 years in the merchant navy, 30 years as Captain and the final 12 years with Holland-America line in command of their Windstar fleet of modern sail assisted cruise vessels. Whilst in command of the MSY Wind Song on its weekly cruise around the islands of French Polynesia, late November 2001, the ship suffered an engine room fire, requiring a full evacuation, 14 miles east of the island of Raiatea. She now lies deep in the waters off Tahiti. This is her story.
The second talk will start at 13:30 and will be given by Alan Mackenzie on “My life in Canberra; it was Fun in those days!”
Alan’s career at sea began on 28th November 1976 with a posting to Canberra and continued for 26 years, serving in eight different ships. Of those, Canberra was his undoubted favourite and the vessel in which he spent the most time. Over the years his onboard function evolved from watch-keeping Radio Officer to Staff Electro-Technical Officer responsible, as he used to tell the passengers, for everything with a wire on it, from the radars to the generators and everything in between. He will talk about life aboard Canberra with amusing anecdotes, amazing photographs and technical insights.
OLS GROUP CRUISES
Nominated overseas cruise in 2025. Mein Schiff Relax
For 2025, the Ocean Liner Society is once again proposing a group cruise overseas in the form of a nominated sailing on a ship that would not normally be considered by the English speaking market. We will sail on the first of the new class of TUI ships – Mein Schiff Relax. Departing Palma, Majorca on 4 May 2025 for a seven-night Western Mediterranean itinerary, featuring an initial overnight in Palma, followed by calls at Cannes, Marseille and Barcelona, with two sea days.
HELP WITH SHIP VISITS & TECH.
The Ocean Liner Society, until the COVID 19 crisis overtook us, operated a programme of ship visits for members. Our Visits organiser has been replaced and we have got some people who could lead the visit and the ballots if over-subscribed (as it is a bit much for one person) but we would like to develop a pool of people who can be our ambassdors on the vists themselves.
We also need people to help us organise more 'in person' events. We need one or two tech savvy individuals who can help hosting the Zoom talks (including distributing Zoom link details).
In respect of Sea Lines layout, we have no backup at present, so in the event of someone falling ill, having people who could ghost the present team for now, perhaps sub edit or see how layout is done who could take over in the event of one of the team falling ill. We feel that would be a wise precaution. The software used is Adobe InDesign on a Mac and we have a template with design and styles saved, so it is a task of placing pictures, text and captions every three months and then doing corrections after proof reading and getting it to the printers. 'How to’ notes already exist.
Please apply to: ols.sealines@gmail.com
OUR MISSION
Sea Lines Magazine - Ship Visits - Talks - Ship Show - Group Cruises
For some people there is a fascination with the glamour of the days when ships with tall, raked smoke stacks were the only way to cross to the Americas. One in particular that had a 5-day career in 1912 holds a spell for many. Some museums and shipping magazines have a small area devoted to this fascinating and absorbing aspect of shipping. How often does the student or browser enthralled by the passenger ship have to deal with naval vessels and coastal craft, barges and navigation instruments? This Society is for those who want to go straight to the heart of passenger ship story - and that includes ferries and excursion boats.
Some people develop romantic interests in the mail services to far-flung colonies, the regular services that linked countries and whole empires together. Some remember cargo liners that also carried passengers. Many members develop their interest in ships after working at sea. Older members will remember taking holidays on liners taking time off from voyages and doing summer cruises in the 1960s. Indeed, cruising and how it is changing is a key interest to hundreds of our members. The Society is for those interested in all passenger carrying vessels - from the age of sail right through to the present and what lies ahead.
The name of the Ocean Liner Society suggests a focus on ships that undertook line voyages, how they changed into cruising ships. There is only one ship in the world now that can be regarded as an Ocean Liner as the Queen Mary 2 regularly crosses the Atlantic Ocean to a timetable. Whilst these are not forgotten, and there is usually one article in each magazine about the liners of old, the Society is also reviewing new cruise ships as they come into service as well as other vessels that carry passengers on canals, lakes and inland waterways. Of course, the ships that run 'line voyages' (that is transportation to a timetable) are the ferries that are still the key transportation method for those where water gets in the way of getting to a destination. Based in Britain, the Society has links with learned and knowledgeable writers, researchers and has members all over the world. Whether you are fascinated the liners of old or the vessels carrying passengers and vehicles today through to cruise or adventure ships .... the Society has something for you.
Some want to get more out of cruise holidays or have a passion for other aspects of shipping (such as the celebrities or people who sailed to a new life in them) the Society can help you develop your interest.
The passenger ship is a developing invention, now embracing more sustainable technology. They have changed from an uncomfortable but necessary form of transportation to a highly developed leisure vehicle - almost a resort that moves at night. We are in exciting times as new tonnage is now being delivered which now outstrips the superlative statistics of the "golden age" some 90 years ago, but perhaps not as beautiful.
Please note: we do not employ seagoing staff and we regret we do not have the resources to undertake research into voyages and ship history for you.
GET IN TOUCH
To contact us, if you prefer paper, use one of the addresses below (the Windsor address is quicker - the other covers the event of recipients changing). If you prefer email for contacting us, use the most appropriate from the following options:
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For inquiries about joining or renewal or refreshing ship visit preferences: oceanlinersociety.membership@gmail.com
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For magazine comment or editorial matters: ols.sealines@gmail.com
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For ship visit issues: olsshipvisits@gmail.com
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For bookings or enquiries about our one-off events: ols.events41@gmail.com
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For Zoom links, see the 'Talks' section above or ocean.liner.talks@gmail.com
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To contact the Secretary or Ship Show enquiries: ocean.liner.secretary@gmail.com
Postal address: Ocean Liner Society, Mayes House, Vansittart Estate, Windsor, SL4 1SE.
or our forwarding service at: The Ocean Liner Society, 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3XX, United Kingdom
We also have a Facebook group (link below), but we hope you will join the Society for full benefits and Sea Lines.
At the smaller end of the shipping spectrum, there is the preserved paddle steamer Waverley. She starts in Scotland, works her way down the West Coast to the Bristol Channel, then back to Glasgow for August and then via the south west and south coast through September visiting the south east and London in the late summer / early autumn.
For those not contemplating a full cruise, the experience of this delightful little ship, the last sea-going paddle steamer, is well worth the effort to book a trip. A click on the image of Waverley here will take you to the web site about the ship and from there you can buy excursions on this characterful vessel.
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