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 123 - SUMMER 2026
The summer issue features on the cover a new Polish ferry the Jantar Unity that went into service in December 2025. The main article this issue is by Clive Harvey and puts into perspective a number of opinions about the near sister to the long-lived Southern Cross, as Northern Star was regarded as flawed and troublesome - a reputation she did not deserve. Michael Gallagher lifts the lid on an intriguing 'might have been' as he explores the story of when the SS United States was 'flirted with' by Cunard. William Mayes reviews some of the 40 cruise ships built by Meyer Werft and lists ships on order as at 31st May 2026.
ISSUE 122 - SPRING 2026
Canberra's distinctive funnels feature on the front of the Spring issue as Alan Moorhouse recalls a cruise in July 1964 in her that took him as a younster to Alexandria as well as Naples and Lisbon. Anthony Cooke describes the dramatic life and sad end of La Marseillaise that became Bianca C. Matthew Sudders goes river cruising and reviews Phoenix Reisen's Andrea II and Swiss-flagged A-ROSA SENA which is larger than many river cruising vessels but is confined to the parts of the Rhine with no locks and low bridges, but is a hybrid vessel recharging at suitable places.
ISSUE 121 - WINTER 2026
This issue has a 14 page, in-depth review of the artworks and decor of the the soon to be sold Costa Fortuna dating from 2003, with a Joe Farcus interior. She features on the front and back covers as well. Hugh Lalor revisits the career of the RMS Andes that was finished just as the Second World War broke out and aftyer a short lay-up went straight into Government service. After the war service needs changed and she ended up as a one class (FirstClass) cruise ship. The other main article is about the ferry Rusadir which was intended as a replacement for the Brittany ferries Normandie, but ended up with Balearia serving Spain and North Africa.
ISSUE 120 - AUTUMN 2025
The wrap-around cover is a ship with quite a history - the hull was originally one of the 1950s Saxonia sisters that was rebuilt by Sitmar and became a Princess ship before going to Phoenix Reisen as Albatros. The issue has a history of Phoenix Reisen ships together with the second part of the Lurline / Ellinis story. Anthony Cooke writes on the Orient Line's Festival of Britain ship (Oronsay). Matthew Sudders writes on the big fast ships serving Italian routes in the western Mediterranean with large GNV letters on the side (Grandi Navi Veloci) but concludes the grand beginnings of the service are now a lesser experince.
ISSUE 119 - SUMMER 2025
The cover features the forward superstucture of Mein Schiff Relax and the main article features a report of this new vessel as six from the Society took a seven day cruise on her. We publish a reminiscence of a 1981 cruise by the late Derek Longley on the Vistafjord. Clive Harvey provides the historical liner story with the first part of the story of Matson Line's Lurline that became Ellinis with Chandris later in life. There is the usual news heard 'Through the Porthole' and two upcoming Society cruise opportunities.
ISSUE 118 - SPRING 2025
The cover features the funnel of the new Saint Malo and a review of her maiden crossing shared with the Brittany Ferries Fan Group is documented by Richard Mayes. The lead article is by James Croall and sets in historical perspective the position Cunard Adventurer had in the development of the crusie ship after the era of the liners was over. The third main article charts the 42 year career of the Song of America over which time she sported many liveries and name changes.
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 117 - WINTER 2025
The cover and first article is about Princess Cruises new Sun Princess heralding the 'Sphere' class of ship, LNG powered, 175,000gt and carrying 4,000 passengers - a new size and style of ship for the line. The second article records the 2024 society cruise on Celestyal Journey (formerly HAL Ryndam III). As the curtain comes down on the P&O Australia brand, David Robinson looks back at its history as the business is subsumed into Carnival Australia operations.
ISSUE 116 - AUTUMN/ FALL 2024
As the front cover suggests the main article is about Canadian Pacific ships and tells the story of the three ships named Empress of Britain by Faye Hammill and between them they were in service from 1906 to 2008. The new ship review features the fourth Cunard Queen that saw nine members of the Society take her late June 2024 cruise to Norway when she was juat a few weeks in service. Clive Harvey reviews a cruise up the eastern coast of South America in Azamara Persuit (formerly one of the eight ships named R1-8). Finally, there is a short report of a group excursion on the ss Shieldhall with one of our members (an officer cadet in real life) at the wheel.
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 Belgian and French Christmas Markets. There is Porthole, talks schedule and cruise ideas to complete the edition together eis some upcoming live, in-person events.