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Explora-class Cruise Ship
MSC Cruises () is a Swiss-Italian global cruise line based in Geneva, with operations offices in Naples, Genoa and Venice. It was founded in 1988 in Naples, Italy, as part of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). In addition to being the world's largest privately held cruise company, employing about 23,500 people worldwide and with offices in 45 countries , MSC Cruises is the third-largest cruise company in the world, after Carnival Corporation & plc and Royal Caribbean Group, with a 10% share of all passengers carried in 2025. History StarLauro Cruises In 1988, Gianluigi Aponte, founder of the Mediterranean Shipping Company, decided to enter the cruise industry and purchased the ''Achille Lauro'' from Flotta Lauro Line. He retained "Lauro" in the company name in honour of his mentor, naming the new cruise line StarLauro Cruises. The original Lauro Lines () was originally founded in Naples, Italy by Achille Lauro in the 1940s. In 1990, Mediterranean Shipping Co. pur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Festival Cruises
Festival Cruises (known as First European Cruises in North America) was a Greece-based cruise line that operated between 1994 and 2004. It was founded in 1992 by the Greek entrepreneur George Poulides using second-hand ships. The company acquired three new-built ships between 1999 and 2002, but was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2004. History George Poulides founded Festival Cruises in 1992. The company begun operations in 1994 after purchasing ''MS Knyaz Vladimir, Azur'' from Chandris Cruises. The following year the company acquired ''Starward'' from Norwegian Cruise Line, renaming her ''Starward, Bolero''. A third second-hand ship followed in 1997, when ''Southern Cross'' was acquired from CTC Lines and renamed ''Spirit of London (ship), Flamenco'' for service with Festival. Festival Cruises acquired their first newbuilt ship in 1999, when ''MS Ambition, Mistral'' was delivered from Chantiers de l'Atlantique in France. In 2000 Festival Cruises announced that the company would ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chantiers De L'Atlantique
Chantiers de l'Atlantique is a shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, Saint-Nazaire, France. It is one of the world's largest shipyards, constructing a wide range of commercial, naval, and passenger ships. It is located near Nantes, at the mouth of the Loire, Loire river and the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, which make the sailing of large ships in and out of the shipyards easy. The shipyard was owned by Alstom from 1976 onwards, became Alstom-Atlantique, and was later part of Aker Yards when Aker ASA, Aker Group acquired the Alstom Marine business in 2006. In 2008, the South Korean company STX Corporation acquired Aker Yards, and the shipyard became part of STX Europe (formed by the renaming of Aker Yards). After the bankruptcy of STX Corporation, the shipyard was acquired by the French government and reverted to its original name of Chantiers de l'Atlantique. History The current Chantiers de l'Atlantique yard evolved from the Ateliers et Chantiers de Saint-Nazaire Penhoët, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Premier Cruise Lines
Premier Cruise Lines, a subsidiary of Premier Cruises, was a cruise line headquartered in Cape Canaveral, Florida. From 1985 to 1993, it was licensed as the official cruise line of Walt Disney World and used the trademark "The Big Red Boat" based on the color scheme of some of its ships. Company history Premier Cruise Line was formed in 1983 by A.E. "Ed" Merhige (Florida Export Warehouse/International Cruise Shops) and Bruce Nierenberg (NCL), two cruise veterans. The lines first ship was the former ''Federico C'' from Costa Cruises, and renamed '' Royale.'' In 1985 the line would purchase their second ship the ''Oceanic'' from Home Lines, and in 1988, the ''Atlantic'' replacing the ''Royale''. Also in 1988 the line would also expand further purchasing the ''Sun Princess'' from Princess Cruises, renaming the ship the ''Majestic''. All the ships would later have the "Starship" prefix added to their names in the lines marketing. The cruise line typically operated three- and fou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MS Melody
MS ''Melody'' was a cruise ship, formerly owned and operated by MSC Cruises. She was built in 1982 by the CNIM shipyard in La Seyne, France for Home Lines as ''Atlantic''. Between 1988 and 1997 she sailed for Premier Cruise Line as ''StarShip Atlantic''. In 1997, the vessel entered service for MSC Cruises as ''Melody''. In 2009 she repelled a pirate attack off Seychelles. She ended her career as an accommodation ship ''Qing'', during which she sank in storm at her berth, and was scrapped in 2019. History Home Lines – ''Atlantic'' The ''Atlantic'' was built in 1982 by the CNIM shipyard in La Seyne, France, for Home Lines as their second purpose built ship. The ship was the second to take the name, after the previous SS Malolo, SS ''Atlantic'' of 1948''.'' In preparation for the delivery of the new ''Atlantic'' in 1982, the ''Doric'' was sold to Royal Cruise Line. When delivered in April 1982, the ''Atlantic'' took over the New York-Bahama-Bermuda cruise service. The ship's de ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MS Cunard Princess
MS ''Cunard Princess'' was a cruise ship, previously owned an operated by the Israel-based Mano Maritime. She was built 1975 by the Burmeister & Wain shipyard in Copenhagen, Denmark, for Cunard Line as MS ''Cunard Conquest'', but her interior fittings were subsequently installed at the Navali Mechaniche Affini in La Spezia, Italy. Following re-delivery from Navali Mechaniche Affini in 1977 the ship was renamed MS ''Cunard Princess''. In 1995, the ship entered service with StarLauro Cruises (later rebranded MSC Cruises), briefly retaining her previous name before being renamed MS ''Rhapsody''. In 2009 she was sold to Mano Maritime and sailed as ''Golden Iris'' until 2018, when she was laid up at Chalkis Shipyard, Greece. In 2021 she was renamed ''Gold Club.'' After four years lay-up, she was sold in 2022 to Turkish shipbreakers and beached at Aliağa for recycling. Concept and construction The ship that eventually became known as the ''Cunard Princess'' was originally one of two ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Ocean; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini; and it encloses Lesotho. Covering an area of , the country has Demographics of South Africa, a population of over 64 million people. Pretoria is the administrative capital, while Cape Town, as the seat of Parliament of South Africa, Parliament, is the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein is regarded as the judicial capital. The largest, most populous city is Johannesburg, followed by Cape Town and Durban. Cradle of Humankind, Archaeological findings suggest that various hominid species existed in South Africa about 2.5 million years ago, and modern humans inhabited the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matson, Inc
Matson, Inc., is an American shipping and navigation services company headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. Founded in 1882, Matson, Inc.'s subsidiary Matson Navigation Company provides ocean shipping services across the Pacific to Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Micronesia, the Pacific islands, China, and Japan. History William Matson (1849–1917) founded Matson Navigation Company. He was born in Lysekil in Västra Götaland County, Sweden, and orphaned during childhood. He arrived in San Francisco after a trip around Cape Horn in 1867. Working aboard the Dickel family yacht, he struck up a friendship with tycoon Claus Spreckels, who financed many of Matson's new ships. In 1882, he sailed his three-masted schooner ''Emma Claudina'' into the Hilo Bay of the Hawaiian Islands. The enterprise began in the carrying of merchandise, especially of plantation stores, to the islands and returning with cargoes of sugar, later expanding interests at each end of the line. In 1924, Matson completed t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SS Monterey (1952)
''Monterey'' was an American-built passenger ship. The ship was originally built as the freighter ''Free State Mariner,'' before being converted into a passenger liner and cruise ship that and served for over 50 years, ending her career with MSC Cruises. Service History Cargo ship: ''Free State Mariner'' On 29 May 1952, the ship was launched at the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Bethlehem Shipbuilding shipyard in Sparrows Point, Maryland, Sparrow's Point, Maryland as the turbine general cargo ship ''Free State Mariner'' of the type C4-S-1a ( Mariner class ), hull number 4507. The class of ship was specifically designed to be fast and reliable freighters and were ordered by the United States Maritime Administration, U.S. Maritime Administration. On 8 December 1952, the US Maritime Commission took over the ship for use by the US Marine Corps. Matson Line Matson, Inc., Matson Navigation Company took over the ship on July 28, 1955. Matson undertook a $60 million shipbuil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Achille Lauro
Achille Lauro (; 16 June 1887 – 15 November 1982) was an Italian businessman and politician. He is widely considered one of the main precursors of modern populism in Italian politics. He was nicknamed by his supporters ''Il Comandante'' ("The Commander"). Biography Born the fifth of six children of the shipowner Gioacchino and of Laura Cafiero, he was on his part the shipowner and founder of the " Flotta Lauro", based in Southern Italy. During the decades of Italian Fascist dictatorship (1922–1943), he became a member of the National Fascist Party (PNF) and was named National Counselor of the Chamber of Fasces and Corporations, appointed to this position by Galeazzo Ciano, son-in-law of Benito Mussolini himself, who was active in shipping commerce. Also during this period he was named president of the Naples football club SSC Napoli, where he succeeded Giorgio Ascarelli. In fall of 1943, during the Allied invasion of Italy, American OSS officer Donald Downes describe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
